Introduction
The
Situation
The
Opponents
The
Action
Conclusions
French
Order-of-Battle
Russian
Order-of-Battle
Alternate
Spellings of Selected Place Names
Sources
Notes
Action at Borkowo, 24 December 1806
By Robert
Goetz
The French assault on the Russian positions on the Wkra and Narew rivers
on 23-4 December 1806 is described in a number of English language sources
and in particular detail in F. Loraine Petre's Napoleon's Campaign
in Poland, 1806-7. While the actions of the French 3rd
corps at Czarnowo and Nasielsk and the 7th corps at Kolozomb
and Sochocin are thoroughly covered, Petre fails even to mention the
activity of the French cavalry operating between these larger forces
and their encounter with a Russian detachment at the town of Borkowo.
Aside from being an interesting story, the action at Borkowo forms an
important part in the overall understanding of the operations leading
up to the battles of Golymin and Pultusk.
On the morning of 24 December 1806, the Russian troops of Major General
Ivan Semenovich Dorokhov waited at Borkowo for the expected French attack.
Word had arrived that morning that the French had attacked the strong
Russian position at Czarnowo, about 10 kilometers southeast of Borkowo.
Forcing a bridgehead across the river line during the night, the French
had driven the Russian forces of Lieutenant General Alexander Ivanovich
graf Ostermann-Tolstoi from their positions. Ostermann's forces had
begun retiring on Nasielsk, about 9 kilometers east of Borkowo under
cover of their rearguard around 4:00 that morning. The task of covering
Ostermann's right fell to Dorokhov's command, which had been detached
from Ostermann's 2nd Division.
Dorokhov commanded one of a number of small detachments positioned
at key points along the line of the Narew and Wkra rivers, part of the
defensive arrangements set up by Lieutenant General Levin Bennigsen
about ten days earlier. Other detachments covered the main river crossings
at Zegrze, Debe, Czarnowo, Kolozab and Sochocin. The Russian light
cavalry hussars and uhlans were distributed among the detachments
along with Cossack regiments, which performed their traditional scouting
roles by patrolling the river line between the posts. This first line
of defense was intended as a "tripwire to alert the Russian command
to the direction of any French offensive and to slow any French advance,
buying time for the Russians to concentrate their forces to counter
the French movements.
Dorokhov's position at Borkowo was not a particularly strong one, lacking
any commanding terrain aside from the river itself. The town of Borkowo
lies on the right (west) bank of the Wkra river as it makes a broad
curve to the south, almost exactly midway between Pomiechowo and Kolozab
- approximately 10 kilometers from either town and roughly 9 kilometers
from Nasielsk. Immediately to the west of Borkowo there is a substantial
rise, referred to in French reports as the "heights of Wola that forces
the course of the Wkra to turn eastward before again resuming its southeasterly
course. The Wkra passes below these heights on two sides with Wola
(Dobra-Wola) standing below the heights to the north and Borkowo below
the heights to the east. South of Borkowo, the ground on the right
bank levels out for a considerable distance from the river as it winds
its way to the Narew. The opposite bank of the Wkra appears to be generally
level with gentle undulations. Directly opposite Wola and a short distance
from the river was the town of Cieksyn. A short distance to the south
of Borkowo on the left bank stands the village of Lelewo. Below Lelewo,
the Wkra makes another broad curve to the west, curling around a rise
similar to the heights of Wola on the left bank and some 4 kilometers
to the southeast of Borkowo. The Wkra river is fairly wide and deep
this area, but is fordable at a number of points, including just below
Lelewo and at several points to the north between Borkowo and Kolozab.
The entire area around the Wkra and Narew rivers was in general heavily
wooded and the area in the immediate vicinity of Borkowo was no exception.
Detailed period maps of the area are hard to come by, but 19th
and early 20th Century maps show extensive forests on the
right bank of the Wkra opposite Borkowo and stretching south to Pomiechowo,
although it seems that the area immediately adjacent to Borkowo was
clear. On the left bank, open fields or meadows stretched from Cieksyn
on the north to Lelewo on the south and continued eastwards nearly as
far as Nasielsk. Forests blanketed the country to the south and northwest
of this area.
The bridge over the Wkra at Borkowo gave the town its strategic significance.
While roads in this part of Poland in 1806 were never particularly good,
the main east-west road through Borkowo shows on maps as a substantial
route, connecting Nasielsk to the main north-south road running from
Zakrocym on the Vistula to Plonsk. Other minor roads crisscrossed the
countryside, the most significant being the roads running along either
bank of the Wkra and a road approaching Borkowo from the southwest,
which was the route used by the advancing French. The road from Borkowo
to Nasielsk ran nearly due east, rising gradually from the river to
Nasielsk. The route from Borkowo to Nowemiasto
followed the left bank of the river to Cieksyn and from there up the
left bank of the Sona.
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Map of the Borkowo
Area
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The Opponents
Dorokhov's command was composed of elements drawn from Ostermann's
2nd division and Major General Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay
de Tolly's Advance Guard (Part of 4th division). The infantry
consisted of one jger battalion from either 3rd or 1st
Jger Regiment. Supporting the infantry were 3-5 squadrons of Isoum
Hussars, Ilowaisky-IX Cossacks, and a half battery of horse artillery
(6 guns). As of 23 December, Dorokhov had his main force positioned
on the high ground in front of Borkowo with detachments at Gadowo (cavalry)
and Bledowo (infantry, cavalry and artillery) anchoring the right and
left of the position. In all, Dorokhov's force included approximately
5-600 infantry and 1,000 hussars and Cossacks.[1]
French cavalry conducting a reconnaissance of the Russian positions
on the 23rd alerted Dorokhov to a probable French attack
on the 24th. Dorokhov recalled the detachments of infantry,
artillery and hussars from Gadowo and Bledowo to concentrate them at
Borkowo early on 24 December, either as a result of the French presence
at Wola-Bledowska or reports of the action at Czarnowo and Ostermann's
retreat. By mid-morning on the 24th Dorokhov had deployed
the bulk of his forces on the left bank of the Wkra, concentrating the
artillery in a battery covering the bridge and supported by the battalion
of jger. At least 3 squadrons of hussars were positioned in reserve
while the Cossacks remained somewhat scattered in posts along the Wkra.
Skirmishers remained on the high ground west of Borkowo to harass the
French advance.
Opposing Dorokhov were the 1st Dragoon Division of Gnral
de Division Dominique Louis Antoine Klein and the Light Cavalry Brigade
of Gnral de Brigade Antoine Charles Louis Lasalle. Klein's division
was composed of 6 regiments of dragoons the 1st, 2nd,
4th, 14th, 20th and 26th
a total of some 2,300 officers and men. Lasalle's brigade consisted
of two regiments of hussars, the 5th and 7th,
with roughly 1,000 officers and men. A half battery of horse artillery,
the 2nd Company of the 2nd Regiment Horse Artillery,
was attached to Klein's division.
Lasalle's hussars, who had conducted the reconnaissance of the Russian
positions on the 23rd, had assembled at Wola-Bledowska by that evening
and were joined there by the 1st and 2nd Brigades
of Klein's division. Klein's 3rd Brigade stood at Janowo.
Their orders, issued from headquarters at 4 AM on the 24th
just as the Russian force at Czarnowo was beginning its retreat, directed
them to advance on Borkowo. The French cavalry was to force a crossing
of the Wkra either by way of the bridge at Borkowo or by a ford, after
which they were to operate on the left bank of the Wkra to support the
general offensive operations in the direction of Nasielsk. From this
central position they would form a link between the victorious 3rd
Corps advancing from Czarnowo and 7th Corps, which had been
ordered to advance on Nowemiasto by way of the Wkra crossings at Kolozab
and Sochocin.
With Ostermann's forces retiring on Nasielsk from their positions at
Czarnowo and Debe, Dorokhov was responsible for holding his position
against any French attack to buy time for the remainder of 2nd
Division to retire. By 8 AM on 24 December, the troops from Czarnowo
had begun arriving at Nasielsk. After only a few hours of waiting,
Russian pickets occupying the high ground on the right (west) bank of
the river reported the approach of a large body of French cavalry.
Dorokhov recalled his advance posts on the far side of the river to
the left (east) bank around 11 AM and made preparations to destroy the
bridge to slow the French advance.
Klein and Lasalle began their march around 8 AM, reaching the high
ground overlooking Borkowo around 11 AM where they encountered Dorokhov's
skirmishers. During the advance, pickets of 50 men each were sent to
occupy observation posts on the right bank of the Wkra at Zatoka and
Kosewko to the south of Borkowo while other pickets were sent ahead
as far as Gadowo and Wrona where they made contact with detachments
of 7th corps. Klein positioned a brigade of dragoons and
three guns on the heights of Wola while the remainder of the force (less
the various detachments) appears to have been positioned in and behind
the town of Borkowo. By noon the French forces were fully assembled
and in command of the ground overlooking the river crossing, just as
cannon fire to the north announced the commencement of 7th
Corps' attack. Klein's horse artillery began its bombardment of the
Russian positions across the river, the Russian artillery returning
fire.
On the Russian side, the situation soon changed from one of holding
the position to one of extricating themselves from it. Field Marshal
Mikhail Fedorovich graf Kamensky, commander in chief of the Russian
forces, had arrived at Nasielsk in person around noon. Surveying the
Russian forces and being informed of the French assaults on the Wkra
line, Kamensky concluded that the position at Nasielsk was too exposed
and ordered a general concentration further to the northeast at the
small village of Strzegocin. By 12:30 Kamensky had ridden off in the
direction of Kolozab to see first-hand the situation of Barclay. With
the majority of 2nd Division now on the march from Nasielsk
to Strzegocin with only a small rearguard left at Nasielsk and Barclay's
forces at Kolozab under heavy attack, Dorokhov's position was substantially
less secure than it had earlier seemed. Although the French cavalry
that had arrived at Nasielsk on the heels of the Russians was powerless
to dislodge them in the face of the infantry, cavalry and artillery
already in position, French infantry and artillery was sure to arrive
soon.
While Dorokhov's forces held the French cavalry at bay, Klein disposed
his forces to turn the Russians out of their position, sending Lasalle's
two regiments and the 20th Dragoons probing to the south
in search of a ford. Lasalle's men located a ford just south of the
village of Lelewo. Finding no enemy force worth mentioning to oppose
him, Lasalle began crossing the ford in force. It appears that Cossack
patrols reported Lasalle's activities to Dorokhov.[2] Hearing the heightened artillery
fire that announced the arrival of strong French forces at Nasielsk
around 1:30, and perceiving the threat to his left posed by Lasalle's
crossing at Lelewo, Dorokhov determined that it was time to withdraw.
Firing the bridge around 2 PM, the Russians pulled back towards Cieksyn,
leaving skirmishers to harass the French in any attempts to put out
the fire and save the bridge.
With the bridge now in flames, Klein ordered a body of dragoons to
dismount. While some maintained a withering counter fire against the
Russians on the opposite bank, others worked to extinguish the blaze
on the bridge. The Russian skirmishers, outnumbered, gradually fell
back and within an hour the fire was under control and parties were
working to repair the damage even as the last of the flames were being
extinguished. By 3 PM the bridge had been made passable and Klein's
dragoons and artillery started across. Once across, Klein's forces
scattered to fulfill their mission of sweeping the area between 3rd
and 7th Corps and forming a link between them. 14th
dragoons secured Ruszkowo and Morgi, while another regiment shadowed
the Russians as far as Zeledowo. Behind this perimeter, the 4th
Dragoons secured the bridge at Borkowo while the two remaining regiments
advanced to Cieksyn where Klein made his headquarters.
Lasalle had meanwhile advanced from Lelewo on Klein's right towards
the Russian position at Ciexin. Dorokhov, seeing no purpose in remaining
at Ciexin, divided his forces. Part retired towards Nowemiasto (probably
the infantry and artillery) while the remainder, under Dorokhov's own
command, fell back towards Nasielsk. Lasalle left the 20th
Dragoons to secure his right at Czajki and Mokrzyce-Dworskie and with
his chasseurs set off in pursuit of Dorokhov's cavalry. Dorokhov arrived
at Nasielsk at the head of his hussars shortly before dark. As darkness
fell, the Russian rearguard at Nasielsk withdrew towards Strzegoczin,
leaving the exhausted French to bivouac on the field of battle. Lasalle's
chasseurs had followed Dorokhov as far as Piescirogi, 3 kilometers from
Nasielsk. Lasalle's patrols reported the presence of the carabiniers
of 12th Ligne at Siennica and 12th Chasseurs at
Nasielsk (elements of 3rd Corps), indicating that matters
at Nasielsk were well in hand.
Conclusions
Casualties for the action at Borkowo are not specified in sources,
but would appear to be very light on both sides. Both Russian columns
retiring from Borkowo the cavalry by way of Nasielsk, the infantry
and probably also the artillery by way of Nowemiasto arrived at the
designated point of concentration at Strzegocin late in the night of
24-5 December. Although the action had been minor, Dorokhov had held
his position at Borkowo long enough to preserve the rearguard position
at Nasielsk until nightfall, allowing the Russian forces to concentrate
as planned. The only serious criticism that can be leveled against
Dorokhov is the ineffectiveness of his attempt to destroy or even seriously
damage the bridge at Borkowo. For the French, Klein and Lasalle had
succeeded in securing the right of the advancing 3rd Corps
and maintaining communications with the 7th Corps as ordered,
pushing all opposition out of their way in the process. Overall, both
sides could claim to have performed well and professionally in this
all-but-forgotten episode.
1st Dragoon Division: Gnral-de-Division Dominique Louis
Antoine Klein
|
Regiment
|
Colonel
|
Strength
(as of 15 December)
|
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1st Dragoons
|
Colonel d'Oullenbourg
|
331
|
|
2nd Dragoons
|
Colonel Priv
|
400
|
|
4rd Dragoons
|
Colonel Lamotte
|
279
|
|
14th Dragoons
|
Colonel Bouvier
|
434
|
|
20th Dragoons
|
Colonel Reynaud
|
370
|
|
26th Dragoons
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Colonel Delorme
|
419
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2nd Co. 2nd Regt Horse Artillery
|
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48
|
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Total
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2296
Light Cavalry Brigade: Gnral-de-Brigade Antoine Charles Louis
Lasalle
|
Regiment
|
Commander
|
Strength
(as of 28 November)
|
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5th Hussars
|
Colonel Schwarz
|
428
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7th Hussars
|
Colonel Marx
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585
|
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Total
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1041
Detachment: Major General Ivan Semenovich Dorokhow
|
Regiment
|
Division
|
Strength (estimated)
|
|
3rd Jaeger Regiment (1 battalion) (probably 3rd
Jger, possibly 1st)
|
Adv. Guard 4th Division (Barclay)
|
550
|
|
Isoum Hussars (3-5 squadrons)
|
2nd Division (Ostermann)
|
600
|
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Ilowaiskii-IX Cossacks
|
2nd Division (Ostermann)
|
400
|
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Battery Horse Artillery
|
Adv. Guard 4th Division (Barclay)
|
50
|
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Total
|
|
1600
|
Place
|
Spelling in French Reports
|
|
Bledowo
|
Blandowo
|
|
Czajki
|
Czaiki
|
|
Janowo
|
Ianowo
|
|
Kolozab
|
Kolozomb
|
|
Mokrzyce-Dworskie
|
Mokrzyn
|
|
Ruszkowo
|
Roskowo
|
|
Dobra-Wola
|
Wola
|
|
Wola-Bledowska
|
Wola
|
|
Zeledowo
|
Zolondkowo
Primary Sources:
"Le Gnral Nansouty au Major Gnral, Ianowo, 23 dcembre 1806 [1]
in Foucart (see below), p. 402.
"Le Gnral Nansouty au Major Gnral, Ianowo, 23 dcembre 1806 [2]
in Foucart (see below), p. 402-3.
"Le Major Gnral au Gnral Belliard, Okunin, 24 dcembre 1806, 4
heures du matin in Foucart (see below), p. 424-5.
"Le Gnral Belliard au Major Gnral, Ianowo, 24 dcembre 1806 in
Foucart (see below), p. 425.
"Le Gnral Belliard au Major Gnral, Ciexin, 24 dcembre 1806 in
Foucart (see below), p. 426-8.
"Le Gnral Lasalle au Gnral Nansouty, Piescirogi, 24 dcembre 1806
[1] in Foucart (see below), p. 428-9.
"Le Gnral Lasalle au Gnral Nansouty, Piescirogi, 24 dcembre 1806
[2] in Foucart (see below), p. 429.
Supplementary Sources:
Bennigsen, Leonty Leontyevich, count von. Mmoires du Gnral Bennigsen
Vol 1; 1908.
Foucart, Paul Jean. Campagne de Pologne
Vol. 1; 1882.
Hpfner, Eduard von. Der Krieg von
1806 und 1807 Vol. 3; 1851.
Lechartier, G La Manoeuvre de Pultusk
1911.
Lettow-Vorbeck, Oscar von. Der Krieg
von 1806 und 1807 Vol. 3 (1893)
Mikhailovskii-Danilevskii, Aleksandr Ivanovich.
Opisanie vtoroi voiny
imperatora Aleksandra s Napoleonom v
1806 i 1807 godakh 1846. Excerpts translated by Boris Megorsky
(unpublished).
Petre, F. Loraine. Napoleon's Campaign
in Poland 1806-1807 1989
Plotho, Carl von. Tagebuch wahrend des Krieges Zwischen Russland
und Preussen 1811.
Smith, Steven H. "Russian Army, Dec. 1806
- Jan. 1807 (unpublished)
Wilson, Sir Robert. Brief remarks on
the character and composition of the Russian army, and a sketch of the
campaigns in Poland in the years 1806 and 1807 1810.
Notes
Placed on the Napoleon Series: March 2002
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