Battle of Wolkowisk
Part of the French invasion of Russia
Napoleon's retreat by Vasily Vereshchagin
Date 14–16 November 1812 Location Wolkowisk, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire 53°10′N 24°28′E / 53.167°N 24.467°E / 53.167; 24.467 Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Austrian Empire Kingdom of Saxony French Empire
Commanders and leaders
Osten-Sacken	von Schwarzenberg
Strength
27,000[1]	35,000[1]
Casualties and losses
4,000[1]	1,800[1]

French invasion of Russia

[Interactive fullscreen map + nearby articles]

  current battle

  Prussian corps

  Napoleon

  Austrian corps

The Battle of Wolkowisk took place 14–16 November 1812 near the village of Wolkowisk, where 35,000 Austrian, Saxon and French soldiers under Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg defeated 27,000 Russian soldiers under Fabian Gottlieb von der Osten-Sacken.^[1]

Background

Prince Schwarzenberg was under the constraints of secret agreements between Vienna and St. Petersburg to give as little help as possible to Napoleon.^[2]

Battle

Sacken had taken Wolkowisk on 14 November and driven off Jean Reynier's troops but could not destroy this part of the French army. Schwarzenberg on the 15 November marched to Wolkowisk and left 6,500 men to protect Slonim. The Austrians attacked Sacken's troops on the 16 November. Now the Russians were attacked on three sides but they were able to extricate themselves and Sacken finally withdrew toward Brest.^[3]

Aftermath

Schwarzenberg followed Sacken but Maret ordered him to go to Minsk at once. Schwarzenberg obeyed reluctantly but later on he even did not continue his march to Minsk as the more than 300 km from Wolkovisk to Borisov and the Beresina led through poor country and increasingly deteriorating weather. He might have been able to block Tshitshagov but instead Schwarzenberg's 40,000 men did not support Napoleon at the Beresina.^[3]