Beresina, Battle of

Partial victory of Russian forces over the French army retreating from Napoleon Bonaparte's abortive attempt on Moscow November 1812.

Two Russian armies attacked the French as they crossed the Beresina River 28 November: one army fell on Napoleon who had already crossed the river while the other attacked Marshal Claude Victor's force which formed the rearguard and was just approaching the river. Napoleon managed to beat off the attack on his force, but Victor's troops were less fortunate: the Russians extracted a heavy toll of mainly stragglers and camp-followers, claiming some 36,000 killed.