A group of archeologists from the Moscow-based
Historical Museum have been working for three years in Kaluga district
searching for new evidence for the Tarutino battle, which was a turning
point in the Patriotic War of 1812. The most valuable finds are marked
on the maps to find out all the details related to the battle and
re-establish the course of events. Two hundred years on, the Patriotic
War of 1812 remains a poorly-examined historical event.
After Kutuzov`s army left Moscow, troops led by Gen. Miloradovich stayed in the rearguard, repelling Marshal Murat`s attacks and preventing the French from pursuing the retreating Russian army. On October 3, 1812, the Russian troops managed to stop the enemy 60km to the south-west from Moscow near the village of Spas-Kuplya.
The detachment led by Miloradovich ensured a strong defense to let the rearguard forces reach the Nara River, where Kutuzov`s army was settled near the village of Tarutino. Having failed to prevent the Russian from retreating, Murat stopped pursuing them. A battle near Spas-Kuplya marked the end of Kutuzov`s legendary Tarutino maneuver, which helped the army to avoid new fights with the French and settle near Tarutino.
When archeologists arrived there to search what once was a battle field, they learned that their discoveries could be used to re-establish the course of the events, says Mikhail Gonyany, the deputy head of the department of historical and archeological studies at the State Historical Museum…
We found the perimeters of the area occupied by the Russian forces. We also found various items in the place where soldiers were wounded or killed. Each find was marked on the map. I believe that we have carried out the most detailed archeological search ever.
A method of battle archeology developed by the head of the expedition is a unique system which can be used to ensure the most accurate re-establishment of the events. Each meter of the battle field is carefully examined. Although this area has always been cultivated in the past two centuries, the traces of the 1812 war are still easy to find.
Before being recovered each find is listed on the map. Depending on the whereabouts of case shots or bullets, the remains of rifles or harness, experts re-establish the battle.
Some discoveries are really amazing. It was established that jagers were the first to stop Napoleon`s army. A researcher for the Historical Museum, Gennady Nefedov, says that jagers were the only Russian infantry troops who knew how to fight in extended order.
Jagers were small special purpose forces. When the Russian army entered Tarutino, jagers were repelling attacks by Murat`s corps.
It is a known fact that during the Tarutino battle Marshal Murat was wounded in the leg by a Cossack pike. That battle marked the beginning of Napoleon`s retreat from Russia. The success of the Tarutino maneuver encouraged the Russian army to launch a counteroffensive.
The finds recovered by the Tarutino expedition will be unveiled at the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812, which is scheduled to open near Red Square on 6 September. It is also planned to release a book about the results of the expedition.
After Kutuzov`s army left Moscow, troops led by Gen. Miloradovich stayed in the rearguard, repelling Marshal Murat`s attacks and preventing the French from pursuing the retreating Russian army. On October 3, 1812, the Russian troops managed to stop the enemy 60km to the south-west from Moscow near the village of Spas-Kuplya.
The detachment led by Miloradovich ensured a strong defense to let the rearguard forces reach the Nara River, where Kutuzov`s army was settled near the village of Tarutino. Having failed to prevent the Russian from retreating, Murat stopped pursuing them. A battle near Spas-Kuplya marked the end of Kutuzov`s legendary Tarutino maneuver, which helped the army to avoid new fights with the French and settle near Tarutino.
When archeologists arrived there to search what once was a battle field, they learned that their discoveries could be used to re-establish the course of the events, says Mikhail Gonyany, the deputy head of the department of historical and archeological studies at the State Historical Museum…
We found the perimeters of the area occupied by the Russian forces. We also found various items in the place where soldiers were wounded or killed. Each find was marked on the map. I believe that we have carried out the most detailed archeological search ever.
A method of battle archeology developed by the head of the expedition is a unique system which can be used to ensure the most accurate re-establishment of the events. Each meter of the battle field is carefully examined. Although this area has always been cultivated in the past two centuries, the traces of the 1812 war are still easy to find.
Before being recovered each find is listed on the map. Depending on the whereabouts of case shots or bullets, the remains of rifles or harness, experts re-establish the battle.
Some discoveries are really amazing. It was established that jagers were the first to stop Napoleon`s army. A researcher for the Historical Museum, Gennady Nefedov, says that jagers were the only Russian infantry troops who knew how to fight in extended order.
Jagers were small special purpose forces. When the Russian army entered Tarutino, jagers were repelling attacks by Murat`s corps.
It is a known fact that during the Tarutino battle Marshal Murat was wounded in the leg by a Cossack pike. That battle marked the beginning of Napoleon`s retreat from Russia. The success of the Tarutino maneuver encouraged the Russian army to launch a counteroffensive.
The finds recovered by the Tarutino expedition will be unveiled at the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812, which is scheduled to open near Red Square on 6 September. It is also planned to release a book about the results of the expedition.
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