the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Mortier’s corps also arrived on the battlefield near Heinrichsdorf in time to counter new
Russian attack. 195
It was an important moment in the battle. If Bennigsen was able to defeat Lannes’
corps, he could have recalled his army and safely retreated across the Alle before the
arrival of Napoleon’s entire army. However, he did not want to order retreat because “the
honor of our arms did not allow us to leave the battlefield [l’honneur de nos armes ne
permettait pas de ceder le champ de bataille].” 196 Thus, he decided to remain at Friedland
but he took no precautions to protect his exposed army. 197
The Russian troops, already exhausted by the previous days’ marches and the
early fighting, lapsed into a brief lull occurred between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Both sides
exchanged artillery fire but no major actions took place. Bagration, meantime, met
Bennigsen in Friedland and turned his attention to the arrival of the French corps. He
urged Bennigsen to take measures to strengthen positions around Friedland. Furthermore,
Bagration anticipated that Napoleon would direct a main attack again his flank so he
requested more reinforcements; his appeals were all turned down. Finally, shortly after
4:00 p.m., Bennigsen observed the French corps taking up new positions to attack and
realized the danger to his exposed army. He ordered a retreat, but General Gorchakov
argued it was better to defend the current positions until night. Prince Peter disagreed
with this suggestion and began preparing his troops to withdraw to Friedland. 198
195 Wilson, Brief Remarks, 156-57; Petre, Napoleon’s Campaign in Poland, 317-18; Höpfner,
Der Krieg von 1806 und 1807, III, 657. The French now had to 23,000 infantry and 10,500
cavalry. Verdier’s division arrived around 10:00 a.m. bringing the French forces to some 40,000
men.
196 Bennigsen, Memoirs, Russkaya starina, 101 (March, 1901): 752.
197 One of the participants criticized him for this inaction, “Under this confidence no
precautions had been taken against disaster; no works were constructed to defend the entrances
into the town and cover the retiring troops if prematurely forced to re-cross the Alle [River];
precautions that were perfectly easy of execution, as well as eligible, and which would have
discomfited the ultimate efforts of the enemy.” Wilson, Brief Remarks, 156.
198 Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, Campaigns of 1806-1807, 330-31.
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