Bad plan
It is known that when preparing a very risky plan for crossing the Alps, Suvorov relied on the disposition prepared by the Austrian Colonel Weyruther. Theoretically, the ideas proposed by Weyreuther were very interesting and provided for the encirclement and destruction of French troops in Switzerland by the forces of three autonomously operating Allied groups.
But the plan, built without taking into account the specifics of military operations in the mountains and providing for the presence of a passive enemy, was erroneous from the very beginning.
Again, it was compiled using the staff method, without reconnaissance of the area and using very conventional maps, where, as it later turned out, a number of roads existed only on paper. True, this lesson was of little use to anyone, and the author of the plan, Weyreuther, once again “distinguished himself” in 1805 in the field of Russian-Austrian military cooperation, preparing the disposition of the Battle of Austerlitz, which was notorious for the allies.
Along roads or cornices
Often, when they talk about military campaigns through the Alps, we're talking about about heavy combat operations in mountain war conditions. In reality the mountains are relatively low. Even in the Roman era, excellent roads were laid there, along which trade and military communications between Rome and the provinces north of the Alps were carried out.
In the Middle Ages, there were many military campaigns across the Alps, from the time of Frederick Barbarossa to the Italian Wars between France and Spain. In the Alps there is even a so-called “road of the weak”, along which even a person who is not in good health can overcome the mountains. But in conditions of hostilities, all good paths are often blocked by the enemy, and all that remains is the path along the “cornices” - narrow paths along the abyss. The minimum width of the “eaves” is 50 centimeters. If one the person will pass easy, but for an army with a convoy, artillery and cavalry, such a path is extremely difficult.
Only three commanders decided to cross the Alps along the “cornices”: Hannibal (218 BC), Napoleon (1796) and Suvorov (1799).
All three commanders achieved success, partly due to the fact that they chose an extremely risky path where the enemy did not have strong enough barriers.
Fight in the Muten Valley
On September 20, 1799, the largest battle of Russian troops took place during the entire Swiss campaign. The seven thousand strong Russian infantry detachment and Cossack units (where only half retained horses) were opposed by up to 11 thousand soldiers and officers of the French army. After several rifle salvoes, the Russian infantry overthrew the thick French chains with a bayonet attack. While the Cossacks surrounded the enemy from the flank.
In the short-lived battle, the French lost about 1 thousand killed and wounded and about 1,200 prisoners.
The battle in the Muten Valley was unique in many ways. Firstly, this is the only battle during Suvorov’s Italian and Swiss campaigns that took place on the plain. Secondly, the course of the battle itself was characteristic of Suvorov’s tactics, but took place without the direct participation of the Russian commander.
Mountain warfare tactics
During the five-day forced wait for the mules and food promised by the Austrians, Suvorov prepared the rules of mountain warfare, which became one of the first instructions for conducting military operations in the mountains.
If traditionally the commanders of the New Time tried to avoid clashes in the mountains, then Suvorov admitted the possibility of defeating the enemy in a mountain war.
Moreover, as in “The Science of Victory,” the main emphasis was on offensive actions in a new mountain environment both for the Russian troops as a whole and for Suvorov himself. In this case, Suvorov relied on both frontal pressure and flanking maneuvers. In practice, such actions often forced French military leaders, faced with the threat of encirclement, to leave advantageous and even considered impregnable positions. This was the case in the battles at St. Gotthard, on the Devil's Bridge. Considerable attention was also paid to the need to occupy key heights: “If the enemy hesitates to capture the heights of the mountains, then he must quickly climb onto them and attack the enemy from above with bayonets and shots.”
Victory or defeat
The action plan of the allied Russian-Austrian troops in 1799 in Switzerland completely failed. Of the three corps, two were defeated, and Suvorov’s troops, at the cost of considerable losses, managed to escape the trap. Nevertheless, crossing the Alps in conditions of numerical superiority of the enemy, lack of adequate supplies and in a constantly changing situation allows us to speak of success. In such conditions, there would be no shame in “begging pardon” and capitulating. It is no coincidence that all participants in the transition from the commander to the lower ranks were awarded.
Suvorov was promoted to generalissimo on October 28, 1799, becoming the fourth of five generalissimos in Russian military history and the first to be awarded this rank in full accordance with the military regulations.
In a letter to Suvorov, Rostopchin noted: “Every single one of you has been awarded, all non-commissioned officers have been promoted to officers.” Later, the famous military theorist and Russian Minister of War Dmitry Alekseevich Milyutin assessed the Swiss campaign as follows: “This unsuccessful campaign brought more honor to the Russian army than the most brilliant victory.”
The whole world knows about whose great victories. One of these is Hannibal Barca, his talent and ability to think outside the box allowed Carthage to win many great victories. One of the most risky strategic maneuvers that the commander made was the passage of his thousands of troops through the Alps. This article is devoted to a description of the background to the transition of Hannibal's army through the Alps, its results and consequences.
Biography of Hannibal Barca before his trek through the Alps
Before learning briefly about Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps, we should talk about who the commander himself was. He is a famous Carthaginian military leader and political figure, who, thanks to his talent as a strategist, won a number of important victories over Rome. The commander was born in 247 BC. e. in the city of Carthage, his father Hamilcar Barca was the commander of the Carthaginian army located in Spain, in addition, he was a rather influential person in the country and claimed to be a political leader.
From childhood, Hannibal showed the makings of an outstanding military leader, so his father, seeing in him the continuer of his plans, gave his son a good, comprehensive education. Hannibal was brought up in a military camp, but in addition to active physical training, the future commander studied Greek and Latin languages, military art, was interested in Solon's reforms. This is why Hannibal's crossing of the Alps was successful.
As a result, the guy turned out to be a smart, strong, brave commander who often set an example for the soldiers with his actions. In 221 BC e. already in adulthood, Barca, despite the opposition of the local aristocracy, was proclaimed commander of the troops of Carthage. From that time on, the commander began to fulfill the oath given to his father to always be an enemy of Rome. The defeat in the First Punic War had dire consequences for Carthage, so Hannibal, considering the war inevitable, began to provoke a clash with Rome, first accumulating strength.
Background to Hannibal's crossing of the Alps
2 facts of this event haunt historians: what provoked the commander to such a risky operation, and what predetermined its success?
According to the peace concluded in 242 BC. e., Carthage paid high price for its defeat, the country lost its dominance in the Mediterranean. Hannibal's father, Hamilcar, pursuing an active aggressive policy to regain the lost dominant position, often affected the interests of Rome, thereby provoking Rome to start a new war.
Thus, the conquests in Spain were an excellent springboard for an attack on Rome, which could not but remain aloof from the Republic. After Hamilcar's death in battle, his son-in-law Hasdrubal became the new commander of the Carthaginian army, who continued his policy even more actively. Thus, his very important decision was the founding of New Carthage on the Pyrenees, which was destined to become administrative and shopping center Spanish possessions of Carthage. Ultimately, by 218 BC, Carthage had recouped all its losses from the First Punic War, so war with Rome was inevitable.
By the time Hannibal came to power, he had only just turned twenty-five years old, but he was already experienced military leader and understood perfectly well that the time to attack Rome had come. But initially it was necessary to prepare for war. Barca formed a strong alliance with the Iberian tribes and began to gather an army. The reason for the war was an attack on the fortified city of Saguntum, located in Spain, which was an ally of Rome. After a seven-month siege in 218 BC. e. the city was taken, and only then did the Roman embassy in Carthage declare war on them. From that moment on, Hannibal Barca began to think about the route of attack on Italy.
Invasion army size
Before going to Italy, Hannibal decided to secure his territories in advance, so in Africa the commander left 13 thousand infantrymen and more than one thousand horsemen, the city of Carthage itself was left to defend 4 thousand soldiers. Hannibal himself went on a campaign to Italy through the Alps, with an army of 40 thousand infantry soldiers and 9,000 thousand horsemen, in addition, 37 war elephants took part in the campaign. Also in reserve in Spain, under the leadership of Barka's brother Hasdrubal, 13 thousand infantrymen and 1.5 thousand horsemen and 21 war elephants remained. Hannibal's army was opposed by Roman legions led by the consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus, who had 22 thousand infantry and 2.5 thousand horsemen, and the second consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, who had legions with 20 thousand infantry soldiers and 2 thousand horsemen. The date of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps is 218 BC. e.
Route of Hannibal's army
The main reason that predetermined Hannibal Barca's choice of the attack route through the Alps was the desire to take advantage of the effect of surprise. Since at that time, crossing the northern Alps due to the difficult terrain and cold weather of an army of thousands was considered suicide. Hannibal had to choose the route very carefully, so the road for movement had to be passable for horse riders, clumsy elephants, as well as various carts with provisions and equipment. In addition, the journey should not take much time, since the amount of provisions was very limited. Historical sources They report several possible routes of the commander’s campaign; the version of Titus Livius, which is supported by many modern researchers, is considered the most preferable.
At that time, there were only three possible routes through the Alps known. The first route was on the coastal road, it was the easiest to pass, but it was blocked by Roman troops, so Barca could not move along it. The second route passed through the Cottian Alps. Despite the fact that this route was the shortest, it was unsuitable for the passage of a large army; only in the time of Pompey was a road built along this route. military road to establish contact with the Gallic provinces. The third route ran through the Graian Alps, the pass was called Petit San Bernard, it was the longest of the possible routes, but also the most convenient, since the valley through which the path ran was very wide and fertile for grazing animals. In addition, the road through the Graian Alps was one of the lowest.
An interesting fact is that Alexander Suvorov and his army made their Italian campaign through this passage. Thus, based on the work of Livy and other sources, modern researchers have concluded that Hannibal Barca with his army of many thousands approached the Alpine Mountains, moving upstream further through the San Bernard Pass, he entered the Po River valley, and then, passing with After fighting the lands of the Taurines and Gallic tribes, the commander reached the pass, which opened the way to Northern Italy.
The first stage of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps
The date of the beginning of the troop crossing the Alps, as mentioned above, is considered to be 218 BC. Immediately in the first days, the Carthaginian warriors were faced with difficult, narrow, steep paths that were difficult for a man to walk, let alone a loaded cart or elephants. But the difficult mountain landscape and constant cold were not the only obstacles that Hannibal's army had to face.
So in the first days of the transition, Hannibal faced the difficulty of how to get through the detachments of warriors of the Gallic tribes, who occupied the passage through the large chain of the Alps. Hannibal's military leadership solved this problem, taking advantage of the fact that the warriors of the enemy tribe returned to their villages at night and the passage remained free at night. Having ordered his advanced detachments to occupy it, the commander cleared the way for his troops. But the Gauls, who were well versed in the area, attacked the rearguard of the Carthaginian troops, which is why a terrible stampede began on the narrow road, as a result of which the Barca army suffered significant losses, not only from the arrows and spears of the Gauls, but also as a result of the fall of warriors and horses from great heights. height. Ultimately, Barca's army managed to push back the Gauls and safely descend into the Chambery valley, where the commander gave a small Gaulish city to his troops for plunder. In the valley, Hannibal Barca gave his troops several days of rest to lick their wounds and replenish supplies from the convoys captured from the Gauls.
For three days, without encountering resistance, the Carthaginian army moved up the Isera River. Next, Barka's army entered the territory of the Centron tribe, local residents They greeted the soldiers very warmly, provided them with the necessary supplies and gave them guides. But as it turned out later, it was a well-thought-out trap, since the path that the guides indicated led the Carthaginian army to an ambush. Enemy warriors began to roll huge boulders from the cliffs and showered the Carthaginians with arrows and spears, but before the campaign Hannibal showed caution, so the cavalry and light troops, on his orders, were sent to the vanguard, and the main infantry walked in the rear. Thanks to this, the advanced units of the commander managed to occupy dominant heights, which made it possible for the troops to make the transition, but still the army of Carthage suffered quite serious losses. Although the losses could have been even greater if not for the Carthaginian elephants, the very sight of which frightened the enemy warriors so much that they were even afraid to approach them.
Second stage of the alpine crossing
On the ninth day of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps (year 218 BC) the top of the pass was reached. Here the commander’s army set up camps in order to rest, wait for the stragglers and those who got lost, and collect the scattered horses and cattle. By this time, the morale of the troops had dropped greatly due to heavy losses and difficulties in the transition. Seeing this, Hannibal tried to encourage the soldiers with his speech, realizing that descending from the Alps was just as difficult as climbing them.
Despite the fact that attacks by enemy tribes had practically ceased, worsening weather in the form of heavy snowfall and cold weather added to the difficulties of the campaign. The presence of deep snow masses that covered the narrow paths made every step very difficult. In addition, the road became very slippery and many warriors slipped and fell into the abyss from a great height, not having a chance to grab a bush or tree, since there were none there.
The situation became even more complicated when, upon reaching the next crossing, the soldiers discovered that it was completely covered with stones and snow. Hannibal's brilliant thinking found a way out of this seemingly hopeless situation. The commander gave the command for the soldiers to cut a small path in the passage and light a large fire there. When the fire was completely burned out, the Carthaginian soldiers poured vinegar onto the hot stones, which made the stones more friable. Further, by order of Hannibal, tired and hungry warriors, using iron tools, cleared the passage for two days; on the third day, Hannibal’s army passed through the passage and subsequently did not encounter any great difficulties on their way.
Soon Hannibal's army reached the fertile Baltea valley, where the local population greeted the soldiers as liberators and gave them a warm welcome. Since there was no risky army nearby, Hannibal’s troops set up their camp and replenished their forces for fourteen days, because then they were expected to march to the north of Italy. In total, the transition of Hannibal Barca's army of thousands took fifteen days.
Losses of the Carthaginian army during the Alpine crossing
Despite the fact that Hannibal achieved his goal and opened the door to Northern Italy, the campaign was very difficult for him and his troops. During the fifteen days of exhausted march of Hannibal's troops through the Alps (the date is already known to the reader), as a result of skirmishes with local tribes, cold, hunger and a fall from a height, from an army of 40 thousand infantry and 9 thousand horsemen, about half of the infantry soldiers and 6 thousand cavalry remained alive warriors In addition, out of the thirty-seven who began the campaign, about fifteen remained alive, but even this number, as they will show further events, would be enough to terrify the Roman legionnaires. Also, many surviving warriors, as Polybius writes, during the grueling campaign from hunger and physical exhaustion lost their minds and could no longer fight.
Consequences of the campaign
The commander Hannibal Barca himself admitted in his writings that the idea of a campaign through the Alps had its drawbacks. As stated above, after Hannibal crossed the Alps (we talked about it briefly in the article), the Carthaginian army was missing about half of its soldiers, but the door to northern Italy was open for Hannibal, thereby achieving its goal. Barca made up for his losses from among the Gallic tribes, who were opponents of the Roman Republic and were glad to take part in its defeat.
In general, the surprise effect from such a strategic maneuver by the commander was enormous; the plan of the Roman Republic, which involved conducting military operations in Spain and definitely did not allow the appearance of enemy troops on its territory, suffered a complete collapse. After replenishing forces and inflicting the first defeats on Rome in the battles of Ticinus, Trebbia and Lake Trasimene, the strategic initiative in the first stage of the Second Punic Wars firmly passed to Carthage.
Reflection of Hannibal's campaign through the Alps in art and culture
An event such as Hannibal's crossing of the Alps could not help but be reflected in art. Thus, the famous artist William Turner painted the painting “Blizzard: Hannibal and his army crossing the Alps.” This picture reflects Hannibal's crossing of the Alps in a very abstract manner. Many engravings dedicated to the commander’s transition were also created. This is, for example, a color engraving made in 1866 by Heinrich Leitman entitled “Hannibal Crosses the Alps”, or a 19th century engraving “Hannibal on the Campaign”. There are also many stories dedicated to the history of Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps. documentaries TV channels such as BBC, "Culture", etc.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is important to note that the main reason that prompted the commander Hannibal Barca to march with his army through the Alps was the desire for a surprise attack, since the Roman Republic could not possibly expect an attack from the north. Hannibal's crossing of the Alps historical facts were given in the article) the army began with about 50 thousand people, after the completion of the transition about 26 thousand soldiers remained alive. But the resulting effect of surprise, despite large numerical losses, was enough for Carthage to win a number of very important military victories at the first stage of the Punic Wars and put the Roman Republic on the brink of complete destruction.
At the end of the reign of Catherine II, Russia was in an alliance with Austria, England and Prussia, directed against France. Catherine even ordered A.V. Suvorov to begin the formation of a 60,000-strong corps to fight French revolution and the restoration of the monarchy there.
Paul I abandoned this plan, telling his allies that war with France was impossible, since the Russian army, being in a “continuous” war since 1756, needed rest. But he failed to maintain a policy of non-intervention, and for almost the entire reign of Paul, Russia was either at war with France or at war with England and Austria, changing its political interests quite often. The foreign policy activities of Paul I were distinguished by the same inconsistency as their domestic ones.
A series of actions by the French government forced Paul to turn his attention to European affairs. His concern was caused by Napoleon's preparations for the Egyptian campaign, the arrest of the Russian consul in the Ionian Islands, French patronage of Polish emigrants, and rumors about the French intention to attack the northern shore of the Black Sea. However, the immediate cause for the outbreak of war with France were events related to the Order of Malta. In 1797, Emperor Paul I took Malta under his protection. Napoleon ignored this fact, and, setting off on the Egyptian campaign, captured the island. The Master of the Order of Malta fled. The offended Pavel assumed the title of grandmaster of the order. This circumstance prompted him to participate in the new (second) anti-French coalition, which was formed in 1798. In addition to Russia, it included Austria, the Ottoman Empire, England and the Kingdom of Naples.
Military operations took place both on land and at sea. The combined Russian-Ottoman fleet under the command of F.F. Ushakov, passing through the Black Sea straits, entered the Adriatic Sea and in the summer of 1798 captured the Ionian Islands and the fortress of Corfu. (At the end of March 1800, a convention was signed in Constantinople on the formation there of the Republic of the Seven United Islands under vassalage Ottoman Empire, but with internal self-government and the right to have its own fleet). In 1799, planted by F.F. Ushakov's landing force successfully conducted military operations against the French army on the Apennine Peninsula, liberating Naples and Rome from the French.
Napoleon conquered Italy during a brilliantly conducted military campaign with Austria in 1796-1797. The army of the talented 27-year-old general, unexpectedly for the enemy, passed along the coastal edge of the Alps, where the entire road was under fire from the sea.
During the Italian and Swiss campaign, Napoleon was in Egypt, which at that time was part of the Ottoman Empire. During this campaign, the French army won a famous victory at the Battle of the Pyramids on July 20, 1798. However, soon the English fleet under the command of Admiral Nelson at Aboukir destroyed the French squadron that delivered Napoleon's troops to Egypt. Thus, the French army found itself in a trap - its exit from Egypt was cut off. When news of the successes of the second coalition in Italy reached Egypt, Bonaparte decided to take a risky step: leaving the army to the mercy of fate, he managed to break through the ring of the English blockade on two ships with a group of loyal generals and arrived in Paris on October 16, 1799. On Brumaire 18 (November 9), 1799, he carried out a coup d'état, overthrowing the government of the Directory. Power passed into the hands of three consuls. the main role in this triumvirate belonged to Napoleon, who established a personal authoritarian regime.
At the beginning of 1799, the command of the allied Russian-Austrian ground forces sent to help the Neapolitan king Ferdinand VI was entrusted to A.V. Suvorov. The main theater of military operations was Northern Italy, which was cleared of French troops in a month and a half. In a stubborn three-day battle on April 15-17, 1799, Suvorov defeated the French army at the river. Adde. After this, Turin and Milan were captured without a fight. On June 4, the allied army made an unprecedented march, covering about 80 miles in 36 hours and immediately began the battle near the river. Trebbia, during which the French army under the command of General Macdonald was completely defeated. The appointment of a new French commander, Joubert, did not improve the situation: his army was defeated by Suvorov near the city of Novi, and Joubert himself was killed. With the fall of the fortress of Mantua, northern Italy finally passed into the hands of the Russian army.
Successes A.V. Suvorov discovered the true goals of Austria - the desire to take possession of the territory liberated from the French. Stay in these conditions Russian army was undesirable for the Austrians. Suvorov was ordered to go to Switzerland to join Rimsky-Korsakov’s corps in order to transfer military operations to French territory. Suvorov chose the shortest, but most hard way through the Gotthard Pass.
Suvorov began his campaign on September 21, when real winter had already begun in the Alps. Making the trek in winter conditions seemed outright suicide, since most passes turn into impregnable snow fortresses, mountain paths disappear under a thick layer of snow, and endless snowstorms do not allow you to see anything beyond arm's length.
The first serious obstacle, besides weather conditions, was the French brigade under the command of Loison, which covered the crossing of the Saint Gotthard Pass. Skillfully operating in three columns, Russian-Austrian troops under the command of Suvorov were able to push back the enemy and reach the village of Urzern.
The next obstacle on the way of Suvorov’s troops was the Devil’s Bridge (Teufelsbruecke), which spans the river. Reuss. Wanting to prevent excessive strengthening of the French on the left bank, Suvorov gave the order to General Kamensky to pursue the troops of the retreating General Lecourbe, exhausting the French units with constant rearguard battles. As a result, the French were unable to fortify the Devil's Bridge, but dismantled its central part, making passage impossible. Then Russian soldiers under the command of P.I. Bagration was dismantled from a nearby barn into logs, and, tying them together with officer scarves, they threw him through the gap. Under the onslaught of the Russians, the French were forced to retreat, and most of them were sent south for evacuation. In total, Lecourbes had 3,000 people left, after the evacuation no more than 900.
Already on September 29, Suvorov’s troops descended into the Muten Valley through the Kinzing-Kulm Pass. At the same time, the field marshal receives a report about the defeat of the forces of Rimsky-Korsakov and the Austrian commander Hotz from Andre Massena, the future marshal of France. As a result, Massena managed to encircle the Russian forces in the valley. Suvorov understood perfectly well the situation the troops were in. On the eve of this battle, he addressed the officers: “We are surrounded by mountains... surrounded by a strong enemy, proud of victory... Since the time of the incident at the Prut, under the Sovereign Emperor Peter the Great, the Russian troops have never been in such a situation threatening death... No, this is no longer treason, but an obvious betrayal... a reasonable, calculated betrayal us, who shed so much of our blood for the salvation of Austria. Now there is no one to expect help from, one hope is in God, the other is in the greatest courage and the highest self-sacrifice of the troops you lead... We have the greatest work ahead of us, unprecedented in the world! We are on the edge of the abyss! But we are Russians! God is with us! Save, save the honor and property of Russia and its Autocrat!.. Save his son...”
The senior officer, Otto Derfolden, answered the field marshal: “We will endure everything and will not disgrace Russian weapons, and if we fall, we will die with glory! Lead us wherever you want, do what you know! We are yours, father, we are Russian!”
On October 1, Russian troops numbering 14 thousand people under the command of General A.G. converged in the Muten Valley. Rosenberg with a 24,000-strong corps under the command of General Massena. Realizing their desperate situation, Russian troops began to advance on French positions and began an all-out hand-to-hand battle. The onslaught of the Russian soldiers was such that the French center could not hold out for even half an hour - the French began a disorderly retreat. During the extermination of the French troops, Russian non-commissioned officer Ivan Makhotin reached Massena himself and tore off his golden epaulette, although the general managed to escape. As a result, the Russians lost 700 people killed and wounded. French losses ranged from 3,000 to 6,000. 1,200 soldiers and officers were captured, including General La Courque. The Russian trophies included seven guns and one banner.
Suvorov's crossing of the Alps was unprecedented in history. No one either before or after Suvorov committed it in winter time. Russian troops valiantly fulfilled their allied obligations to the Austrians, which cannot be said about the latter.
The transition, which caused amazement throughout Europe, was successfully completed, however, help was late and Rimsky-Korsakov’s corps, operating in Switzerland, was defeated by the French at Zurich. Having entered Switzerland after a difficult transition, the Russian troops were not supported by the Austrians in time and were surrounded in the Muten Valley. With great difficulty, Suvorov managed, having won several victories, to leave for southern Germany. He is with with good reason attributed the failures of the campaign to poor orders of the Austrian military council, which wanted to direct the entire theater of military operations from Vienna. Emperor Paul I shared this opinion of Suvorov and, blaming the Austrians for the defeat of Rimsky-Korsakov’s detachment, recalled his troops to Russia. Suvorov was awarded the rank of Generalissimo and the honorary title of Prince of Italy.
Using the review Russian troops, Bonaparte again went to Italy, on June 14, 1800, he defeated the Austrian army near the village of Marengo, thereby forcing Austria to conclude a peace treaty in February 1801. At the same time, Egypt was defeated Turkish army. After Russia and Austria left the war, England in March 1802 was also forced to sign the Treaty of Amiens with Napoleon. The second anti-French coalition collapsed completely.
The collapse of the second coalition was facilitated by a change in the foreign policy priorities of Paul I. The overthrow of the Directory government meant Bonaparte's clear desire to restore the monarchy. He turned to Paul with a flattering letter and returned all the Russian prisoners. On the other hand, English troops, having taken Malta from the French, were in no hurry to return the island to the Order of Malta. The result of all these events was Paul's peace with Napoleon, and the breaking of the alliance with Austria and England. In 1800, he concluded an alliance with Prussia directed against Austria, and an entire coalition was formed against England, consisting of Russia, Denmark, Sweden and Prussia.
Particularly active preparations were made for military action against England. Wanting to deal her a sensitive blow, Paul sent 40 regiments of Don Cossacks to conquer India. The army set out on a campaign without accurate maps, without a definite plan of action, without knowledge of the terrain, and would probably have been doomed to death in the Central Asian deserts if the death of Paul had not stopped this enterprise (on the night of the coup, Alexander gave the order to return the Cossacks home).
I would give all my victories for one Swiss campaign by Suvorov.
Marshal Massena
The Swiss campaign of Russian troops under the command of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (September 10 (21) - September 27 (October 8), 1799) became an outstanding army transition through the Alps. This is a classic example of warfare in mountainous conditions and the crown of glory of the great Russian commander.
Background of the campaign
The campaign through the Alps became a continuation of the Italian campaign: by the end of August 1799, as a result of the actions of A. Suvorov’s army in Italy, our troops were supported from the sea by the squadron of Vice Admiral F. F. Ushakov (Mediterranean campaign), almost the entire peninsula was liberated from the French strength The remnants of the 35,000-strong French army of General Jean Moreau (about 18 thousand people), it was defeated at Novi, and retreated to Genoa. The Genoese region remained the last region of Italy under French control. Therefore, the operation to defeat the Genoese group of the French by the Russian-Austrian army under the command of Alexander Suvorov (about 43 thousand people), which would lead to complete control over Italy, seemed like a natural next step.
After this, Suvorov planned to carry out a campaign against Paris. And Napoleon, another military genius of that time, was in Egypt at that time; there was no one to stop the Russian commander, who had not yet lost a single battle.
But brilliant victories Russians caused concern in Vienna and London - among our “allies” in that war. After the complete liberation of Italy and the capture of Paris, Russian positions in Europe became too strong, moreover, Russia could leave its military forces on the Apennine Peninsula on a permanent basis. For London, strengthening its position Russian Empire in the Mediterranean region it was like a knife to the chest.
That is why the “allies” began to demand that Russia go to Switzerland to free it from French forces. Although it is clear that a strike on Paris automatically solved this problem. Now it is clear that Austria and England wanted to destroy not the French in Switzerland, but the Russian army of the “miracle heroes” Suvorov and our military genius. Suvorov himself understood this, and said the following: “They drove me to Switzerland to destroy me there.” Unfortunately, the Russian emperor, the romantic knight Paul I, did not understand this then, and only understood it later, breaking off relations with the “allies”, concluding an alliance with Napoleon and beginning preparations for a strike against England - a campaign in India.
Andre Massena, titles: Duke of Rivoli, Prince of Esslingen (6 May 1758, Nice - 4 April 1817) - military leader of the French Republican Wars, and then the empire of Napoleon I.
The Austrians planned to withdraw all their forces (58 thousand people) from Switzerland and send them to the aid of the Anglo-Russian landing planned in Holland (30 thousand). They wanted to replace the Austrian troops with the army of Suvorov (about 21 thousand) and the Russian corps of Alexander Rimsky-Korsakov (24 thousand) located in Switzerland. Paul agreed, but demanded that Vienna, before the withdrawal of Austrian forces, clear Switzerland of French troops. The Austrians made a promise to do this, but did not fulfill it and began to withdraw troops. The Russian corps was left alone against the French army under the command of Massena (84 thousand). True, it should be noted that Archduke Karl, on August 18 (29), 1799, having begun the withdrawal of Austrian forces, realizing that after the departure of the Austrian army, the Russian troops would find themselves in a desperate situation, temporarily left under his personal responsibility, until the arrival of Suvorov’s army, on the Swiss front 22 thousand troops under the command of General Friedrich von Hotze.
The Russian army under the command of Suvorov set out towards Switzerland at 7 am on August 31 (September 10), 1799, after the surrender of the French garrison in Tortona. On September 10, the Swiss campaign itself began, which resulted in a series of large and small battles, skirmishes, and constant heroism of Russian soldiers.
Main events
Problems arose from the very beginning - the Austrians had to prepare pack animals, provisions and fodder. But when the Russian army approached the mountains, there was nothing, they had to spend several days collecting the missing food and ammunition. Considering that the entire campaign took 17 days, the loss of this time was very important.
On September 12, Russian forces attacked the French troops of the right wing, which defended Saint-Gotthard and the valley of the Reuss River, they were commanded by C. J. Lecourbe. The direct battle against the Russian troops was carried out by the Gudin brigade (4.3 thousand people) and the Loison brigade supporting it (of the same size). Our forces occupied St. Gotthard. At this time, Andrei Grigoryevich Rosenberg (he commanded the advanced column), having started moving at dawn on September 13 from Tavech, walked along the Reyskaya Valley, pushing back the French troops, and by the evening drove them to the village of Urzern.
On September 14 (25), after connecting with Rosenberg's column in Ursern, Alexander Suvorov sent a regiment under the command of General Kamensky to the left bank of the Reus (Roys) River, its task was to go behind enemy lines at the Devil's Bridge. The commander led his forces along the right bank to the north, but encountered natural obstacles - the so-called Urzern Hole and the Devil's Bridge. The Ursern hole was a narrow and low gallery, which was made in the rocks framing Reus, 64 meters long and wide, which made it possible for only one person with a pack to pass through. Then the road descended steeply to the bridge - a narrow stone arch without railings, 20 meters long, spanning the Reuss River at an altitude of 22-23 meters. But Suvorov’s “miracle heroes” under the command of Colonel Trubnikov were able to bypass the tunnel guarded by the French through the mountains and river gorge and with a sudden blow defeated the French detachment. Then the French, who were on the opposite bank, began to destroy the bridge, but did not have time to completely break it, because Kamensky’s soldiers appeared in the rear. Russian soldiers dismantled a nearby barn and covered the hole with logs. The first to enter this crossing was officer Meshchersky III, he was hit by French fire, but the French could not stop the Russian soldiers, they crossed the barrier under enemy fire and drove the enemy back. Then the Devil's Bridge was repaired more thoroughly in a few hours, and Suvorov's main forces began to cross over it.
Suvorov's crossing of the Devil's Bridge. Artist A.E. Kotzebue.
The problem of further movement
On September 15, tired, frozen and hungry Russian units, according to plan, arrived in the town of Altdorf. A new unpleasant “surprise” awaited them there. It turned out that there was simply no further road from here! It was not destroyed by the French or destroyed by natural disasters - the road never existed, the Austrian allies simply “forgot” to inform Suvorov about it. Schwyz, where the army was going, could only be reached along Lake Lucerne, but the French captured all the crossing facilities on it. There were only 2 roads from Altdorf - from the Schachen Valley to the upper reaches of the Linth River and from the Maderan Valley to the upper Rhine. But neither one nor the other road led to Schwyz and to the connection with Rimsky-Korsakov’s corps.
The situation was critical. Suvorov learns that there are two mountain trails that can currently be walked with climbing equipment. They led through the passes of Rose-Alp-Kulm (2172 meters) and Kinzig-Kulm (2073 meters), through the snowy Rostock ridge to the village of Muten, and from there a road went west to Schwyz. It was a difficult choice: food supplies were already depleted, shoes were worn out, the troops were tired from a week-long march and battles in the mountains. What was needed was a steely will and confidence in one’s own strengths and people; Alexander Suvorov had all this. The commander decides to follow the shortest path - 18 km, through the Kinzig-Kulm pass.
At dawn on September 16 (27), the Russian army set out. Bagration walked with the vanguard, followed by units of generals Derfelden and Aufenberg, then packs. Rosenberg remained to cover the rear. And it was not in vain that Rosenberg’s units, during the transition of Suvorov’s main forces, repelled two attacks by Lecourbe’s French corps. Rosenberg's units left in two columns on September 17 and 18, and Lecourbe only realized where Suvorov's army had gone and sent messages to Massena and other French military leaders only on the morning of the 18th. This was an unprecedented transition, a real feat of the Russian Spirit. That is why the local Swiss then erected monuments to the Russian army. After 12 hours, the vanguard reached the village of Mutin and captured the French post (150 people) without a fight. By the evening of the 17th, the tail of the army arrived.
The last parts of Rosenberg's rearguard arrived in the Muten Valley on September 18. On the same day, Alexander Suvorov received a written report from General Linken about the defeat of the Rimsky-Korsakov corps (September 14-15) and the Austrian Hotze detachment (September 14).
Suvorov's crossing of the Alps. From a painting by A. Popov 1903-1904
Leaving the encirclement
It turned out that, having accomplished one unprecedented feat, the army found itself on the verge of death or shameful surrender. Rimsky-Korsakov's corps was defeated in a desperate two-day battle with superior enemy forces. Suvorov then wrote to Archduke Charles: “You will answer before God for the blood shed near Zurich.”
It was pointless to go to Schwyz, which was occupied by the main French forces. The Russian army was surrounded in the Muten Valley, face to face with superior enemy forces, with a limited amount of ammunition and food, exhausted by a difficult transition through the mountains. Suvorov held a military council in the refectory of the Franciscan convent of St. Joseph. Words were spoken there that were largely consonant with the speeches of Prince Svyatoslav before the decisive battle (see Appendix), and a decision was made to break out of the encirclement to the town of Glarus.
On the 18th, the army moved: the Austrian Aufenberg brigade ascended Bragelberg, shot down the French guard units and descended into the Klental Valley, followed by Bagration's units, Shveikovsky's division and the main forces. Rosenberg with 4 thousand stood at Muten and covered the rear.
The French were inspired by their successes, and a victorious mood reigned in the French army, but soon they would have to wash themselves with blood and forget about the victory over the great Suvorov and his “miracle heroes.” Massena planned to firmly lock the Russian army in the valley. And then force her to surrender. Part of the French forces was sent to the exit from the Klental valley. The commander himself with 18 thousand. The corps headed for Schwyz to strike at Muten, in the rear of Suvorov’s army.
On September 19 (30), the Austrian brigade of Aufenberg entered into battle with the French brigade of General Gabriel Molitor and was on the verge of defeat. But Bagration rescued her: the French were defeated, they fled, and more than 200 people drowned in Lake Ruten. On September 20, a counter battle took place with approximately equal forces (5-6 thousand people), the French were defeated, suffered heavy losses, and the path to Glarus was open. But soon the situation changed: Gazan’s division approached the defeated Molitor. Now the French had superiority in strength, the battle flared up with renewed vigor, the village of Nefels changed hands 5-6 times, but in the end it remained with Bagration.
Suvorov, in order to avoid heavy losses, ordered Bagration to retreat to Netzstal; on the evening of the 20th, the main forces of the Russian army were concentrated at Glarus.
Battle in Muten Valley
At the same time, in the rear there was a battle between the forces of A. Rosenberg and the troops of Andre Massena. September 19, 10 thousand Massena's forces attacked 4 thousand Rosenberg. The first Russian line under the command of Maxim Rebinder (Suvorov, as a sign of great respect, called him by name) stopped the enemy; when the second line approached - under the command of Mikhail Miloradovich, Russian troops launched a counterattack. The French were overturned and driven 5 kilometers to Schwyz, where they stopped there on the orders of Miloradovich.
At night, the last supplies were lowered from the pass to Muten and three regiments arrived. Rosenberg's forces grew to 7 thousand bayonets. On the 20th, Massena decided to deliver a new decisive blow and threw about 15 thousand people into battle; they walked in three columns, with a thick chain of riflemen in front. The Russian advance detachment under the command of Miloradovich exchanged fire with the enemy and retreated. Suddenly, the Russian detachment dispersed to the sides, and the main forces found themselves in front of the French; they were built in two three-ranked lines at a distance of 300 meters from each other. There were two regiments in reserve. And then the Russians attacked the stunned French. They quickly closed the gap, and hand-to-hand combat began. They attacked so fiercely and desperately that some battalions of the second line were ahead of the first line. The French could not withstand the onslaught, they were seized by panic, and soon the battle escalated into the extermination of the French troops. Massena himself was almost captured: non-commissioned officer Ivan Makhotin pulled him off his horse and grabbed him by the collar. He was saved by the fact that Makhotin was attacked by a French officer, and while Makhotin was stabbing him, Massena fled, leaving only his golden epaulette in the hands of the Suvorov hero.
It was a complete defeat, the French soldiers, pursued by the Cossacks, surrendered in droves: only 3-6 thousand were killed, more than a thousand were captured, our total losses were about 700 people. Shocked, Massena did not dare to organize a new attack.
Rosenberg also misled Massena: the commander gave an order to the population of Schwyz to prepare provisions for two days for the entry of 12,000 Russian forces. Massena knew about the capture of Glarus, but decided that this was an auxiliary strike, and the main strike would be through Schwyz to Zurich. Therefore, he transferred command of Schwyz to Soult and went to Zurich to organize defense against the attack of the restored Rimsky-Korsakov corps. As a result, Massena, who had a significant numerical superiority, refused active actions. Rosenberg was able to connect with Suvorov for 3 days, without enemy opposition.
Andrey Grigorievich Rosenberg (21.1.1739, Riga - 25.8.181, Chernoye, Podolsk province) - Russian general from infantry.
Further movement of the Russian army
Arriving in Glarus, Alexander Suvorov saw that she had disappeared last hope to the aid and assistance of Austrian forces. The Austrian General Linken and his detachment left the Linta Valley for no reason and retreated to Graubünden. On September 21 (October 2), the Aufenberg brigade separated from Suvorov’s forces and retreated behind Linken. Then, in order to save his troops, Suvorov decided to turn south and go to the town of Ilanz (via Schwanden, Elm, Ringenkopf, into the Rhine River valley). This decision was finally made at the military council on September 23.
The army left on the night of September 23-24, the formation was changed: the advanced forces were led by Mikhail Miloradovich, followed by units of Andrei Rosenberg and Wilhelm Derfelden, and the rear was covered by Peter Bagration, who distinguished himself as an excellent rearguard commander, repeatedly throwing back the enemy attacking from the rear.
After midnight on September 25 (October 6), Russian forces, no longer pursued by the enemy, set off across the Ringenkopf Pass (2.4 thousand meters high). It was a very difficult transition: it was possible to walk along the path only alone, there was thick fog, we walked in snowfall and strong wind, the snow cover reached half a meter. During the transition, up to 200 Russian soldiers died; even higher losses were among French prisoners - up to 1,400 people. I had to abandon all my guns. We had to spend the night at the pass, on the 26th there was a descent, in the evening of that day Russian troops reached Ilanets, and on September 27 - the city of Kur. There people were able to rest and eat normally; the army stood in Kura for 2 days. This ended the Swiss campaign.
Results
Alexander Suvorov once again proved his military genius, which remained unclouded, and the Russian soldiers their magnificent fighting qualities.
Russia has learned another lesson about trusting its “allies.”
The objectives of the operation - the complete defeat of the French army and the cleansing of the French from Switzerland - were not achieved due to the betrayal or stupidity of the Austrians. Although the troops of Alexander Suvorov single-handedly defeated first the right wing of the French under the command of J. Lecourbe, who defended in almost impregnable positions, and then the enemy center under the command of Andre Massena.
The largest researcher of the Swiss campaign, D. Milyutin, estimated the total losses of A. Suvorov’s army in the Swiss campaign at 5.1 thousand people, of which 1.6 thousand died, including those killed not in battle, but frozen, crashed while crossing passes, and about 1 thousand wounded. This is out of 21 thousand. army that set out on a campaign. Thus, Suvorov withdrew more than 3/4 of his troops from the encirclement. The total losses suffered by the French forces are not known exactly, but it is clear that they were significantly higher than Russian losses. So, only their damage in the battle in the Muten Valley was comparable to the total losses of Suvorov’s entire army. The Russian commander himself believed that the French suffered 4 times more losses than his army. 2.8 thousand French were captured - half of them died while crossing the Ringenkopf Pass. And this despite the fact that, having descended into the Muten Valley, Suvorov did not strive to destroy the French army, but to lead the army out of encirclement.
The Swiss campaign of Suvorov's army was one of the largest examples of military operations in the mountain theater for its time.
This campaign became the real crown of military glory of the Russian commander, the highest point of victories of Russian weapons in the 18th century. Pavel highly appreciated the activities of Suvorov - “Defeating the enemies of the Fatherland everywhere and throughout your life, you lacked one thing - to overcome nature itself, but you have now gained the upper hand over it too.” The commander received the highest military rank of the Russian Empire - generalissimo. The troops were supposed to give Suvorov honors equal to the imperial ones, even in the presence of the tsar.
Paul I was furious at the meanness of the “allies”, recalled the ambassador from Vienna, and terminated the alliance with Austria. In the same year, the ambassador was recalled from England; the Russian corps in Holland, which was under the command of the British, literally “disappeared” due to hunger and disease. Pavel abruptly changed his guidelines foreign policy, began a rapprochement with France and challenged the British Empire.
Unfortunately, Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov could not enjoy the well-deserved awards and honors, bring new victories to Russia, on May 6 (18) he left for the heavenly squad... Everlasting memory to the greatest Russian military leader and his miracle heroes! We must remember that our ancestors had to shed rivers of blood and sweat, correcting the mistakes of others and the betrayal of their “allies.”
Application. Suvorov's speech, recorded from the words of Bagration at the military council in the monastery of St. Joseph.
“We are surrounded by mountains... surrounded by a strong enemy, proud of victory... Since the time of the incident at the Prut, under the Sovereign Emperor Peter the Great, the Russian troops have never been in such a situation threatening death... No, this is no longer treason, but an obvious betrayal... a reasonable, calculated betrayal us, who shed so much of our blood for the salvation of Austria. Now there is no one to expect help from, one hope is in God, the other is in the greatest courage and the highest self-sacrifice of the troops you lead... We have the greatest work ahead of us, unprecedented in the world! We are on the edge of the abyss! But we are Russians! God is with us! Save, save the honor and heritage of Russia and its Autocrat!..Save his son...” The eldest after Suvorov, General Derfelden, on behalf of the entire army, assured Suvorov that everyone would fulfill their duty: “We will endure everything and will not disgrace Russian weapons, and if we fall , then we will die with glory! Lead us where you think, do what you know, we are yours, father, we are Russian!” “Thank you,” Suvorov replied, “I hope so!” Glad! God have mercy, we are Russians! Thank you, thank you, let's defeat the enemy! And victory over him, and victory over deceit will be victory!”
Important events not only in Russian, but also in world history were remembered in Switzerland. Exactly two hundred and ten years have passed since the legendary march of Suvorov’s army through the harsh Alps. Two centuries ago, this event changed the fate of the Old World, and it was Russia that played a key role in this.
Until this day, neither kings nor Soviet leaders, neither Russian presidents, and this despite the fact that Russia and Switzerland have historical dates that can be celebrated together.
The heroic transition of Suvorov’s army through the Alps, the 210th anniversary of which we will celebrate, and the carefully preserved memory of him in Switzerland is another evidence of a strong historical basis our relationship.
In September 1799, the Russian army needed to get to Switzerland as quickly as possible to help General Rimsky-Korsakov. Suvorov chose the shortest, but most difficult route - through the St. Gotthard Pass, occupied by the French. Having won the victory and defeated the enemy, the commander was awarded the highest military rank- Generalissimo.
Dmitry Medvedev took advantage of the invitation he received last year in Zurich, heading to a security conference in Evian, France. Then the president brought the Russian action plan to Europe - a counterweight to the American missile defense program in Eastern Europe. It has not lost its meaning, despite the fact that Washington changed its mind about placing radar and missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland.
And the day before, Dmitry Medvedev and Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz discussed cooperation between the two countries and signed a package of bilateral agreements. At a press conference following the talks in Bern, the Russian leader, among other things, raised the issue of European security. http://www. /doc. html? id=316351
Swiss campaign of Suvorov
http://ru. wikipedia. org/
After the liberation of Northern Italy, Suvorov intended to launch an offensive against France, delivering the main blow in the direction of Grenoble, Lyon, and Paris. But this plan was thwarted by the allies, who feared the growing influence of Russia in the Mediterranean and Italy. Great Britain and Austria decided to remove the Russian army from Northern Italy. Suvorov was ordered, leaving Austrian troops in Italy, at the head of Russian troops to head to Switzerland, unite with Korsakov’s corps operating there and from there advance against France.
. “Field Marshal Suvorov at the top of Saint Gotthard on September 13, 1799” Russian troops covered 150 km from Alessandria to Taverno in six days. Upon arrival at Taverno, it was discovered that the Austrians, in violation of the agreements reached, did not do so to deliver 1,429 mules necessary for transporting provisions and artillery. Meanwhile, the Russian army sent its artillery and convoys by a different route. The mules were delivered only 4 days later and only 650 of them. The Austrian officers also gave incorrect information about the size of the French army (understating it by almost a third) and about the topography of the route (claiming that there was a footpath along Lake Lucerne, which in fact did not exist.
On August 31 (September 11), Russian troops finally set out in two columns. Suvorov's heroic Swiss campaign of 1799 began, which became a great page in Russian history. The first major clash with the French was the storming of the Saint Gotthard Pass, which opened the way to Switzerland. The French division of Lecourbe that defended it numbered up to half of the entire Russian army. Having taken the villages of Ursern and Hospital (Hospental), Russian troops began their assault at dawn in September. From the third attack, the pass was taken. In September, Russian troops, united in one detachment, moved to Schwyz, where on the way they again had to storm French fortifications in extremely difficult conditions: in the area of the Devil's Bridge, which was thrown across the gorge through which the Reiss River flowed. A narrow tunnel (Urnzern Hole) opened into the bridge, cut through huge, almost vertical cliffs.
Suvorov's crossing of the Devil's Bridge. Artist In the Swiss campaign, both the military genius of Suvorov and the tactical skill of the Russian commanders were revealed. Having bypassed the French along the bottom of the gorge, the Russian troops managed to push them back from the exit of the tunnel, and the battle began for the Devil’s Bridge itself. They managed to take it without allowing it to be destroyed. With battles and hard struggles against unfavorable natural conditions, the army advanced further. Most ordeal on the Gotthard road there was a passage through the highest and steepest snow-capped mountain Bintnerberg, opposite and in the middle of the waterfall. Many Russian soldiers died during the transition. Finally, having crossed the mountain and entered Altdorf, Suvorov discovered that there was no road along Lake Lucerne, which the Austrians had told him about, which made it impossible to go to Schwyz. All the boats available on the lake were used for retreat by the remnants of Lekurba's division pressed to the lake.
Monument to Suvorov in the Swiss Alps Meanwhile, provisions began to run out, French troops were concentrating at Lake Vierwalstedt, and Suvorov decided to send troops through the powerful mountain range Roshtok and, having crossed it, go out into the Mutten Valley, and from there go to Schwyz. During this difficult transition, Suvorov (who was already 70 years old) became seriously ill. The crossing of Rosstok took 12 hours. Having descended to the village of Mutten, occupied by the French, the Russians began to storm it, which came as a complete surprise to the French. By the evening of September, all Suvorov's troops concentrated in the Mutten Valley and here they learned about the defeat of Rimsky-Korsakov's corps, to whose aid they were rushing. Suvorov's troops were blocked by the French.
The Russian army managed to break through the French positions and fought forward through snow-capped mountains and passes. There was practically no food or ammunition left, clothes and shoes were worn out, many soldiers and officers were barefoot. On September 20, in the Mutten Valley, the 7,000-strong rearguard of the Russian army under the command of Rosenberg, covering Suvorov from the rear, defeated a 15,000-strong group of French troops under the command of Massena, who was almost captured. In this battle alone, from 4 to 5 thousand French died and 1 thousand, including General Lecourbe, were captured (the Russians lost 650 killed). After the last Austrian brigade left the Russians (in Glaris), the generals of the Russian army decided to fight their way through the Pankis (Ringenkopf) ridge into the Reisa River valley to join the remnants of Rimsky-Korsakov’s corps. This was the last and one of the most difficult transitions. All the guns, ours and those captured from the French, were thrown into the abyss, and about 300 mules were lost. The French attacked the rearguard of the Russian army, but even having a supply of bullets and artillery, they were put to flight by the Russians in bayonet attacks. The last test was the descent from Mount Pankis (depicted in Surikov’s painting “Suvorov’s Crossing of the Alps”).
Stamp “Suvorov in the Alps” (from a drawing by Nikolai Avvakumov, 1941, Moscow, State Museum fine arts name) At the beginning of October 1799, Suvorov’s Swiss campaign ended with his arrival at the Austrian city of Feldkirch.
In the Swiss campaign, the losses of the Russian army, which emerged from encirclement without food and ammunition and defeated all the troops on its way, amounted to approx. 5 thousand people (up to 1/4 of the army), many of whom were killed during the transitions. However, the losses of the French troops, who had an overwhelming superiority in numbers, exceeded the losses of the Russian troops by 3-4 times. 2,778 French soldiers and officers were captured, half of whom Suvorov managed to feed and bring out of the Alps as evidence of a great feat.
For this campaign, unparalleled in difficulty and heroism, Suvorov was awarded the highest military rank of generalissimo, becoming the fourth generalissimo in Russia
