1812: Napoleonic Wars in Russia

On 26th August, 1812, two huge armies were doing the last preparations to one of the bloodiest battle of the epoch near the village of Borodino, 124 kilometers away from Moscow. A quarter of million soldiers, over a thousand cannons. Here, near Borodino, the fate of all the military campaign, the fate of Moscow, the fate of all Russia was being decided. With the first streak of dawn the drums roared and pipes sounded in the French and Russian camps. At about 5.30 a.m. over 100 French cannons started bombarding the positions of the Russian left flank where the Bagration flèches were located, while the first distracting attacks were held by Napoleon on the right flank.