Since childhood, we know that in some distant year the Russian army for some reason crossed the Alps. The army was commanded by the great Suvorov, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career and who, after this campaign, received the title of Generalissimo. However, not everyone knows how our army ended up there, why it went from Italy to Switzerland, and what results (or lack of them) turned out to be this whole campaign.
For a very long time I wanted to go to those very places where Russian soldiers crossed mountain passes without any means, beat the French and forever inscribed their names in world military history. And during the summer holidays, I succeeded - on the way to Grindelwald we drove through the St. Gotthard Pass, Andermatt and the Devil's Bridge, which today are inextricably linked with the name of the great Russian commander.
As you know, during the so-called War of the Second Coalition (Austria, England and Russia against France) in 1799, the Russian army successfully liberated the north of Italy from the French troops, as a result of which Suvorov was given the title "Prince of Italy". After that, another Russian corps landed in Holland, Austrian troops from Switzerland joined up with it, and instead of them Suvorov was supposed to come from Italy: officially, in order to finally drive the French out of this beautiful mountainous country. But the Austrians violated the agreements and left Switzerland earlier, leaving the Russians alone with the fivefold strength of the French - Suvorov then wrote that this was done in order to prevent him from taking Paris, because his swift victories in Italy frightened not only the French, but also the "allies". However, despite such an advantage, the Russian army was able not only to retain most of its composition, but also to win several brilliant victories.
Suvorov went through the St. Gotthard Pass, which at that time was one of the few links between Italy and Switzerland. To St. Gotthard from Lausanne by local standards to go "far" - about three hours. On the way there there will be a couple more passes that amaze with magnificent views and on which the car stubbornly refuses to drive up a steep mountain.
Approximately such pictures were observed by ordinary peasant boys, whom the motherland threw to the rescue of distant countries.
The route through St. Gotthard was the most difficult of all possible, but also the fastest. This is now one of the longest tunnels in the world dug here, and then there was only a road cut in the stones. Naturally, we went on top, and the views from there are amazing.
The first battles took place already on the way to St. Gotthard. The pass was taken only on the third attempt, and the locals gladly greeted the Russians. This painting depicts a meeting with the monks of the local monastery.
One of the local residents (I think he was Italian) even agreed to be the conductor of the Russian troops. For which he was honored to join Suvorov at the monument, which was erected at the pass a few years ago.
The monument is made in a modern style of distorted reality.
With sad childish eyes, Alexander Vasilievich looked at the meeting of the local club of piston breeders, which was held that day in St. Gotthard.
There is also a lake and a museum on the pass, where you can see the entire history of this road from the earliest days.
Immediately at the entrance to one of the halls of the museum stands the devil in a provocative pose.
However, in addition to the devil, the museum has many interesting exhibits. A huge part, of course, is dedicated to Suvorov and his campaign.
Another picture about a meeting with the monks of St. Gotthard (above).
But there are also several other interesting exhibits. If you follow my stories from Swiss museums, you already know that there must be some devilry in them.
And one more very interesting picture called "Morning of Travelers". The top man looks a lot like A.S. Pushkin.
But back to Suvorov. From St. Gotthard, Suvorov's path lay in Andermatt, a small town in the Reiss valley. On the way there, our fighters saw all the same beautiful Swiss views.
In Andermatt, Suvorov stayed in this house, where even now you can see the furnishings of his room.
Approximately such was the view from the window of the Suvorov suite.
After Andermatt, the Russian army had to pass one of the most severe obstacles in its path - the so-called "Devil's Bridge". According to legend, the locals could not build a bridge across the Reis gorge, and this was done only with the help of the devil. He built a beautiful arched bridge twenty meters long, without any railings and fences, and this thin road, in fact, was the only thread connecting Italy with Switzerland.
The devil built the bridge for a reason - he demanded the sacrifice of the first person to cross it. The locals outwitted the devil and let a kid goat across the bridge. Now the devil and the goat are drawn next to the new car overpass.
Another difficulty in crossing the Devil's Bridge was that next to it was the so-called "Urzern Hole" - a narrow passage in the rocks 65 meters long and no more than three meters wide.
The French placed a cannon at the aisle and took up a strong defense.
But Suvorov outwitted them - the Russian troops went around the hole along the bottom of the gorge and attacked from the rear, and at the same time a swift blow was carried out on the Devil's Bridge. The French tried to destroy it, and they partially succeeded, but the Russian craftsmen dismantled a nearby barn, tied up the logs with officer scarves, and rushed to the other side.
Switzerland. "Devil's Bridge"
This is how the artist Kotzebue depicted it in his time ...
And this is what the bridge looks like today. The upper bridge is automobile, and the lower one is pedestrian. But this is not the one that Suvorov crossed, but a newer one, that is, in theory, there should already be three of them. If you look closely, you can see the supports of the oldest bridge, from which Russian and French soldiers fell into the stormy water.
And fall high.
The flight seethes in this place and descends to the Devil's Bridge in a cascade of roaring waterfalls.
Suvorov's power over the army was so great that the soldiers were not at all afraid of either the damned bridge or the elements.
The modern look of this place.
And on the other hand
A monument was erected right above the Reis Gorge in 1899, where the Russian flag still flies today. This piece of land was given to Russia as a token of memory of those glorious victories.
A huge cross is carved into the rock, and under it is an inscription in Russian "To the valiant associates of Generalissimo Field Marshal Count Suvorov of Rymnik, Prince of Italy, who died while crossing the Alps in 1799"
At the monument there is a restaurant and a souvenir shop that successfully monetize the memory of this transition.
It is even difficult to imagine what the strength and will of Suvorov should have been, how unlimited his power over the army was, so that twenty thousand Russian soldiers, who saw the mountains for the first time, could cross the Alps in inhuman conditions and resist the eighty thousand army of Massena, one of the best Napoleonic generals. And although this campaign did not bring Russia any political dividends, Suvorov soon fell out of favor and died, and 12 years later Russia again entered the war with Napoleon, all the same, Suvorov's victories in Switzerland will forever remain one of the brightest pages in Russian military history.
After the Devil's Bridge we headed to Grindelwald to spend the next day hiking in the mountains. But more on that in the next episode.
I would give all my victories for one Swiss campaign of 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 crossing the Alps. This is a classic example of warfare in the mountains 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 the army of A. Suvorov 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 forces. The remnants of the 35,000th French army of General Jean Moreau (about 18,000 people), defeated at Novi, retreated to Genoa. The Genoese region remained the last region of Italy under the control of the French. Therefore, the operation to defeat the Genoese grouping 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 that, Suvorov planned to carry out a campaign against Paris. And Napoleon, another military genius of that time, was at that time in Egypt, there was no one to stop the Russian commander, who had not yet lost a single battle.
But the brilliant victories of the Russian caused alarm 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, the strengthening of the position of the Russian Empire in the Mediterranean region was like a stab in the chest.
That is why the "allies" began to demand that Russia go to Switzerland in order 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 did not want to destroy the French in Switzerland, but the Russian army of Suvorov's "wonderful heroes" and our military genius. This was understood by Suvorov himself, who said the following: "I was driven to Switzerland to be destroyed there." Unfortunately, the Russian emperor, the romantic knight Paul I, did not understand this then, he understood only later, breaking off relations with the "allies", entering into an alliance with Napoleon and starting preparations for a strike against England - a campaign in India.
André Massena, titles: Duke de Rivoli, Prince of Esslingen (May 6, 1758, Nice - April 4, 1817) - commander 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 throw 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 located in Switzerland (24 thousand). Paul agreed, but demanded from Vienna, before the withdrawal of the Austrian forces, that Switzerland be cleared 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 the Austrian forces, realizing that after the departure of the Austrian army, the Russian troops fell into a desperate situation, temporarily under his personal responsibility, until the arrival of Suvorov's army, left 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 capitulation of the French garrison in Torton. On September 10, the actual Swiss campaign began, which resulted in a series of large and small battles, skirmishes, and the constant feat of Russian soldiers.
Main events
From the very beginning, problems began - the Austrians had to prepare pack animals, provisions and fodder. But when the Russian army approached the mountains, there was nothing, we 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 St. Gotthard and the Reuss valley, they were commanded by K. J. Lecourbe. The Gudin brigade (4.3 thousand people) and the Loison brigade (of the same size) supporting it fought directly against the Russian troops. Our forces have occupied St. Gotthard. At this time, Andrei Grigorievich Rosenberg (he commanded the advanced column), starting at dawn on September 13 from Tavech, walked along the Rhei Valley, crowding the French troops, and drove them to the village of Urzern in the evening.
On September 14 (25), after joining the Rosenberg column in Urzern, Alexander Suvorov sent a regiment under the command of General Kamensky to the left bank of the Reuss (Reuss) River, his 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 met natural barriers - the so-called Urzern hole and the Devil's Bridge. The Urzern hole was a narrow and low gallery, which was cut into the rocks framing Reuss, 64 meters long and wide, which made it possible for only one person with a pack to pass. Then the road descended steeply to the bridge - a narrow stone arch without railings 20 meters long, thrown over the Reuss River at a height of 22-23 meters. But the “miracle heroes” of Suvorov, under the command of Colonel Trubnikov, were able to bypass the tunnel guarded by the French through the mountains and the river gorge and defeated the French detachment with a sudden blow. 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 barn located nearby and closed the gap with logs. The first to enter this crossing was officer Meshchersky III, he was killed 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 the main forces of Suvorov began to cross it.
Suvorov crossing the Devil's bridge. Artist A. E. Kotzebue.
The problem of further movement
On September 15, tired, frozen and hungry Russian units, according to the plan, arrived in the town of Altdorf. There they were waiting for a new unpleasant "surprise". It turned out that there is simply no further way from here! The French did not destroy it and the natural elements did not destroy it - the road never existed, the Austrian allies simply “forgot” to inform Suvorov about this. Schwyz, where the army was going, could only be reached along Lake Lucerne, but the French captured all the crossing facilities on it. From Altdorf there were only 2 roads - from the Schahen Valley to the upper reaches of the Lint River and from the Maderan Valley to the upper Rhine. But neither one nor the other road led to Schwyz and to a connection with Rimsky-Korsakov's corps.
The situation was critical. Suvorov learns about the presence of two mountain paths, which can currently be walked with climbing equipment. They led through the Rose-Alp-Kulm (2172 meters) and Kinzig-Kulm (2073 meters) passes, over the snowy ridge of Rostock to the village of Muthen, and from there the road went west to Schwyz. It was a difficult choice: provisions were already depleted, shoes were worn out, the troops were tired of a week-long march and fighting in the mountains. What was needed was a steel will and confidence in one's own strengths and people, Alexander Suvorov had all this. The commander decides to go along 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. The rear remained to cover Rosenberg. And not in vain, parts of Rosenberg, in the process of transferring the main forces of Suvorov, repelled two attacks by the French corps of Lekurba. Parts of Rosenberg left in two columns on September 17 and 18, and Lecourbe only on the morning of the 18th realized where Suvorov's army had gone, and sent messages to Massena and other French commanders. It was an unprecedented transition, a real feat of the Russian Spirit. That is why then the local Swiss erected monuments to the Russian army. After 12 hours, the vanguard went to the village of Muten and captured the French post (150 people) without a fight. By the evening of the 17th, the tail of the army also approached.
The last units of Rosenberg's rearguard arrived in the Muten Valley on 18 September. On the same day, Alexander Suvorov received a written report from General Linken about the defeat of Rimsky-Korsakov's corps (September 14-15) and the Austrian Hotze detachment (September 14).
Suvorov crossing the Alps. From a painting by A. Popov 1903-1904
Leaving the environment
It turned out that, having accomplished one unprecedented feat, the army was 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: "For the blood shed near Zurich, you will answer to God."
It was pointless to go to Schwyz, occupied by the main French forces. The Russian army was surrounded in the Mutenskaya valley, one on one with superior enemy forces, with a limited amount of ammunition and food, exhausted by the difficult transition through the mountains. Suvorov held a military council in the refectory of the Franciscan convent of St. Joseph. Words were uttered there, in many ways consonant with the speeches of Prince Svyatoslav before the decisive battle (see Appendix), and a decision was made to break through from the encirclement to the town of Glarus.
On the 18th, the army moved: the Austrian brigade of Aufenberg ascended Bragelberg, shot down French security units and descended into the Klental valley, Bagration's units, Shveikovsky's division and the main forces moved behind it. Rosenberg with 4 thousand stood at Muten and covered the rear.
The French were inspired by their successes, and victorious moods 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 from 18 thousand. corps headed for Schwyz to strike at Muten, on the rear of Suvorov's army.
On September 19 (30), the Austrian brigade of Aufenberg entered the 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, more than 200 people drowned in Lake Ruten. On September 20, there was a meeting battle of approximately equal forces (5-6 thousand people), the French were defeated, suffered heavy losses, 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 5-6 times passed from hand to hand, but in the end remained with Bagration.
Suvorov, in order to avoid heavy losses, ordered Bagration to retreat to Netstal, on the evening of the 20th, the main forces of the Russian army were concentrated at Glarus.
Battle in the Muten Valley
At the same time, a battle was going on in the rear 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, the Russian troops launched a counterattack. The French were overturned and driven 5 kilometers to Schwyz, where, on the orders of Miloradovich, they stopped.
At night, the last supplies were lowered from the pass to Muten and three regiments approached. Rosenberg's forces grew to 7 thousand bayonets. On the 20th, Massena decided to strike a new decisive blow and threw about 15 thousand people into battle, they walked in three columns, having a dense chain of shooters in front. The Russian forward 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 were in front of the French, they were built in two three-line 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 turned 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. Togo was saved by the fact that Makhotin was attacked by a French officer, and while Makhotin was stabbing him, Masséna fled, leaving only his golden epaulette in the hands of the Suvorov hero.
It was a complete rout, 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 a decree to the population of Schwyz on the preparation of provisions for two days for the entry of 12,000 Russian forces. Massena knew about the possession of Glarus, but decided that this was an auxiliary attack, and the main attack would be through Schwyz to Zurich. Therefore, he transferred command under Schwyz to Soult and went to Zurich to organize defense against the blow of the restored corps of Rimsky-Korsakov. As a result, Massena, who had a significant numerical superiority, abandoned active operations. Rosenberg was able for 3 days, without enemy opposition, to join forces with Suvorov.
Andrey Grigoryevich Rozenberg (21.1.1739, Riga - 25.8.181, Chernoye, Podolsk province) - Russian infantry general.
Further movement of the Russian army
Arriving in Glarus, Alexander Suvorov saw that the last hope for the help and assistance of the Austrian forces had disappeared. The Austrian General Linken with his detachment for no reason left the Lint valley and retreated to Graubünden. On September 21 (October 2), Aufenberg's brigade separated from Suvorov's forces and retreated behind Linken. Then, in order to save his troops, Suvorov decided to turn south and leave for 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 Pyotr Bagration, who distinguished himself as an excellent rearguard commander, repeatedly throwing the enemy attacking from the rear.
After midnight on September 25 (October 6), the Russian forces, no longer pursued by the enemy, set off on their way through the Ringenkopf Pass (2.4 thousand meters high). It was a very difficult transition: one could only walk along the path alone, there was a thick fog, they walked with 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 the captured French - up to 1400 people. I had to abandon all weapons. We had to spend the night at the pass, on the 26th there was a descent, in the evening of that day the Russian troops reached Ilanets, and on September 27 - the city of Chur. There people were able to rest and eat normally, the army was stationed 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 excellent fighting qualities.
Russia has learned another lesson about trusting "allies".
The goals of the operation - the complete defeat of the French army and the cleansing of the French of 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. Lekurba, who defended himself in almost impregnable positions, and then the center of the enemy under the command of Andre Massena.
The largest researcher of the Swiss campaign D. Milyutin estimated the total losses of the army of A. Suvorov in the Swiss campaign at 5.1 thousand people, of which 1.6 thousand died, including those killed not in battle, but frozen, crashed during the crossings of the passes, and about 1 thousand wounded. This is out of 21 thousand. army on the march. Thus, Suvorov withdrew more than 3/4 of the troops from the encirclement. The total losses suffered by the French forces are not exactly known, but it is clear that they were significantly higher than the Russian losses. So, only their damage in the battle in the Muten Valley was comparable to the total losses of the entire army of Suvorov. The Russian commander himself believed that the French suffered losses 4 times more than his army. 2.8 thousand French were taken prisoner - half of them died when crossing the Ringenkopf pass. And this despite the fact that, having descended into the Muten Valley, Suvorov did not seek 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 for its time example of military operations in the mountain theater.
This campaign became a real crown of military glory of the Russian commander, the highest point of the victories of Russian weapons in the 18th century. Pavel highly appreciated the activities of Suvorov - "Winning everywhere and throughout your life the enemies of the Fatherland, you lacked one thing - to overcome nature itself, but you have now gained the upper hand over it." The commander received the highest military rank of the Russian Empire - Generalissimo. The troops were supposed to give Suvorov honors equal to those of the emperor, even in the presence of the tsar.
Paul I was furious at the meanness of the "allies", recalled the ambassador from Vienna, terminated the alliance with Austria. In the same year, he recalled the ambassador from England, the Russian corps in Holland, which was under the command of the British, literally "disappeared" due to hunger and disease. Paul abruptly changed the orientation of his foreign policy, began rapprochement with France and challenged the British Empire.
Unfortunately, Alexander Vasilievich 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 ... Eternal memory to the greatest Russian military leader and his miraculous heroes! We must remember that our ancestors had to shed rivers of blood and sweat, correcting other people's mistakes and betrayal of the "allies".
Appendix. 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 case under the Prut, under Sovereign Emperor Peter the Great, Russian troops have never been in such a death-threatening situation ... No, this is no longer treason, but a clear betrayal ... a reasonable, calculated betrayal us, who shed so much of our blood for the salvation of Austria. Now there is no one to wait for help from, one hope is in God, the other is in the greatest courage and the highest self-sacrifice of the troops led by you ... The greatest, unprecedented work in the world lies ahead of us! 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 eldest after Suvorov, General Derfelden, on behalf of the entire army, assured Suvorov that everyone would do their duty:" We will endure everything and will not disgrace Russian weapons, but if we fall then we will die with glory! Lead us wherever you think, do what you know, we are yours, father, we are Russians!” - “Thank you,” Suvorov answered, “I hope! Glad! God have mercy, we are Russians! Thank you, thank you, let's defeat the enemy! And the victory over him, and the victory over deceit will be a victory!
His path lay in the region of Lake Zurich. There was the main French army in Switzerland under the command of General Massenbes (38 thousand people). It was located opposite the building of Rimsky-Korsakov. Suvorov planned his route in such a way as to strike at the flank and rear of Massenbes. The Russian commander intended to use the traditional for him method of speed and onslaught. He sought to overcome his path as soon as possible in order to unexpectedly "attack the enemy from the most sensitive side." Therefore, Suvorov chose the shortest, albeit the most difficult route through the St. Gotthard Pass. On September 4, the Suvorov army arrived in Tavern, from where its journey to the Alps began. But there were no pack mules, no provisions, which the Austrian commissariat had promised to prepare in advance. As a result, the Russian troops had to stay here for five whole days and set out on a campaign only on September 10th. "The haste of our campaign turned out to be fruitless," Suvorov wrote, "the decisive advantages of speed and surprise are lost for the upcoming important actions." This delay was fatal for Rimsky-Korsakov's corps.
Battle of Zurich (1799). On September 14, 1799, in the area of the Swiss city of Zurich, the Russian corps arrived there under the command of General Rimsky-Korsakov (24 thousand people) was attacked by a strong French army under the command of the illustrious General Massenbes (38 thousand people). Before that, the main Austrian units, led by Archduke Karl, left Northern Switzerland and went to Belgium. As a result, Korsakov's corps was actually given over to be torn to pieces by superior French forces. In a fierce two-day battle on September 14-15, he was defeated in parts. Having lost 15 thousand people. (more than half of the composition), Korsakov retreated north to Winterthur. The damage of the French side amounted to 7 thousand people. After this victory, the French gained freedom of action in Switzerland, which put Suvorov's army in an extremely difficult position. The battle of Zurich was one of the most severe defeats of the Russian army in the 18th century.
Battle of the St. Gotthard Pass (1799). The first major victory of Suvorov in the Alps was the capture by his troops on September 13 of the St. Gotthard Pass. Almost impregnable positions on the pass were defended by the French detachment of General Lekurba (8.5 thousand people). Before the battle, Suvorov sent a detachment of General Rosenberg (6 thousand people) around St. Gotthard to enter the rear of the French. The main forces of the Russians, in three columns, attacked the Saint Gotthard positions from the front and from both flanks. The French repulsed two attacks, but during the third, the detachment of General Bagration managed to climb the mountain peaks and outflank the positions of the defenders. Lekurbu had to leave the pass. At the same time, Rosenberg's detachment lingered in the mountains and did not manage to cut off the French retreat in time. They managed to freely retreat to the Devil's Bridge area and take up a new defensive position there.
Battle for the Urzen Tunnel and the Devil's Bridge (1799). On September 14, Suvorov's troops joined the Rosenberg detachment. In front of them was the Urzernsky mountain tunnel (60 m long and 3 m wide). In a dark rocky passage was a gun that fired buckshot. An attempt to break into the tunnel on the move was stopped by fire. Then a detachment under the command of Colonel Trubnikov went uphill to bypass the French on the right, and the rangers with Major Trevogin began to go down to the Reisa River. Trubnikov's soldiers were the first to go to the rear of the French. They swiftly attacked the gun crew, destroyed it, and threw the cannon into the river. The path to the tunnel was clear. Unable to hold the Russians in the tunnel, the French retreated across the River Reiss, blowing up the Devil's washes behind them. It was located above the river at a height of 22-23 m and had a length of 20 m. Having taken up defense on the opposite bank of the Reiss, the French hoped to hold back the onslaught of the Russian army on this sheer mountain position. But the Suvorov soldiers dismantled the nearby shed and, under French fire, began to pave the destroyed span with boards. At the initiative of Prince Meshchersky, they tied up the boardwalk with officer scarves and belts, and then rushed to attack across the bridge. Meanwhile, Major Trevogin's huntsmen had already descended to Reisa, crossed a turbulent mountain stream waist-deep in icy water, and then began to climb the steep slopes to the top of the opposite bank. A detachment of Colonel Trubnikov also went to the rear of the French. The appearance of Russian detachments on the flanks and in the rear, as well as an attack from the front, forced the French to begin a general withdrawal from impregnable positions. On September 15, Suvorov troops took the village of Altdorf in battle, where they were joined by the Austrian detachment of Aufenberg. For three days, Suvorov fought over 60 km in unfamiliar, high-mountainous terrain. Having reached Aldorf, Suvorov faced another, in his words, "treason and duplicity" of his allies. It turned out that the road to Schwyz along Lake Lucerne, to which the Russian army approached, does not exist, and there are no means of transportation for movement by water. Suvorov had to go to Schwyz again through the mountains. On the way through the Rosshtok ridge (about 2.5 thousand meters above sea level), the soldiers were forced to climb along a goat path, on which even the sole of a boot sometimes did not fit. This path, 16 km to the Mutten Valley, the Suvorov army, lined up in single file, overcame in two days.
Battle of the Mutten Valley 1799). Having reached the Mutten Valley, Suvorov received the tragic news of the defeat of Rimsky-Korsakov. Now Suvorov's army was surrounded by superior French forces. Having won the battle near Zurich, Massenbes moved towards Suvorov. In this situation, the Russian commander decided to change his route. Instead of Schwyz, occupied by Massenbes, it was decided to make their way east to Glaris. On September 19, the Suvorov vanguard under the command of Prince Bagration threw back the French brigade of General Molitor from Glaris and opened the way for the entire army. On the same day, the Suvorov rearguard led by General Rosenberg (7 thousand people), covering the withdrawal of the main units, entered into an unequal battle in the Mutten Valley with the vanguard of the French army under the command of General Massenbes (15 thousand people). The Russians not only repelled all attacks, but also drove the French back to Schwyz. The next morning, Masséna resumed the onslaught. The fierce battle lasted for several hours and ended with the defeat of the French, who again retreated to Schwyz. In these battles, Massena himself was almost captured, whom the grenadier Makhotin tried to pull off his horse. The Russian soldier was left in the hands of a torn off general's epaulette. "The enemy," Rosenberg informed, "was driven more than 8 miles to Schwyz itself." In these battles, the French lost 5 thousand people. (including 1.2 thousand prisoners).
Crossing from Glaris to Ilanz (1799). Having completed the task, Rosenberg set out for Glaris on the night of September 21 and two days later, overcoming snow drifts, connected with Suvorov. On September 21, the Austrian detachment of Aufenberg left the Suvorov army without permission and went to Ilanets. The Russian commander could not move further east, where new battles awaited him with large French forces. He decided to take a detour, but a very difficult path to the south, to Ilanets through the Panix Pass. This was the last maneuver of the great commander who saved the army. To repel the onslaught of the French, a two thousandth detachment under the command of General Bagration was left in the rearguard. The most difficult was the passage into the snowstorm through the Ringenkopf mountain range. The guides left the army, and the Russian soldiers moved almost gropingly along the narrow paths swept by the snow. The road through Panix ran for the most part along the edge of a sheer, icy cliff. Artillery had to be left at the foot of the pass. The guns were riveted and filled with stones. Finally, the Suvorov army overcame the pass, and then crossed the Rhine. On September 26, she reached Ilanz, leaving the zone of action of the French troops.
The great Russian commander passed through the Alps undefeated, retaining about 80% of his personnel in the ranks after an unparalleled transition in history and at the same time withdrawing 1,400 prisoners. "The Alpine mountains are behind us - God is before us: Hooray! The Russian eagles flew around the Roman eagles!", he told the troops after the end of the campaign. For the Italian and Swiss campaigns, Suvorov received the title of Prince of Italy and the rank of Generalissimo. The passage through the Alps, which was accompanied by almost continuous battles and skirmishes, lasted 17 days. People who had never been in the mountains, without any special equipment, managed in a short time to overcome about 200 km of high-altitude path and win heavy battles, including those with superior enemy forces. The Swiss campaign demonstrated not only the genius of Suvorov, but also the amazing resilience of Russian soldiers, who did not allow themselves to be destroyed, with dignity came out of an almost hopeless situation.
"From Ancient Russia to the Russian Empire". Shishkin Sergey Petrovich, Ufa.
The Alps are the highest mountain system in Western Europe, and the passage of troops through them was considered impossible, because the passage of one person is an event, and the passage of an army with animals and convoys, weapons is already a historical event. This impossible was accomplished only by two armies in the entire history of mankind: Hannibal at the head of the Carthaginian army and Suvorov at the head of the Russian. Moreover, Suvorov was 69 years old, and Hannibal was only 29 years old.
Did these great commanders know what difficulties their armies would face when crossing the mountains? Was there any experience of military operations in the mountains? There are 2017 years between these campaigns, but did the generals lead their soldiers along the same road? The answers to these questions became the subject of my research.
The object of the study was educational and reference literature, in which I received information about the causes, events and results of the crossings of the Alps by the troops of Hannibal and Suvorov.
The literature describes the causes, main events, and results of the Second Punic War very well, but only Titus Livius and Polybius have details of the passage of Hannibal's troops through the Alps. The authors who describe the war between Carthage and Rome give different information about the number of warriors, cavalry and elephants who began crossing the Alps and who entered Italy by crossing the Alps. Titus Livy alone honestly writes that "no one knows exactly how many troops Hannibal brought to Italy." The authors even indicate different times of the year for the passage of Hannibal's troops through the Alps: in the fall and in the spring of 218 BC. e. and different times for the duration of the trip: 33 days or 15 days.
Fewer contradictions in the literature are found when describing the Swiss campaign of Suvorov in 1799, although they still exist - these are contradictions about the duration of the campaign: 14 days or 16 days and about the number of Russian troops that entered the Alps: 20 thousand or 21 thousand infantry.
A lot of maps have been compiled on which one can trace Suvorov's passage through the Alps, and not a single map where one could see Hannibal's campaign through the Alpine mountains. There are many maps showing the military actions of the Second Punic War, but they all show only the general course of the war. In my work, I tried, based on the description by the authors of the passage of Hannibal's troops through the Alpine mountains, to draw up a map of the movement of troops.
No one has ever compared the campaigns of two armies led by outstanding commanders, and this is the scientific novelty of my research.
The passage through the Alps by the Carthaginian and Russian armies was dictated by military necessity. Rome declared war on Carthage and, ahead of the Romans, Hannibal decided to invade Italy. To invade the Apennine Peninsula from the south, ships were needed that Hannibal did not have, and it was impossible to create a fleet capable of transporting 10,000 horses for the army. And then, while transporting the army by fleet, it was possible to meet a strong Roman fleet on the way, and a naval battle unsuccessful for the Carthaginians could lead to the death of a significant part or even the entire army of Carthage. Therefore, Hannibal decides to move by land, but in order to get to Italy, it was necessary to pass either through the mountains of the Alps, or along the only coastal road along the Mediterranean Sea. Hannibal's road did not suit him, as it was too narrow for his numerous infantry and it was possible to meet the Roman army on it, and Hannibal wanted to get to Italy unnoticed by the Romans, and therefore he preferred the risky passage through the Alps.
Suvorov crossed the Alps during the war with France. Russia joined the second coalition of countries (Great Britain, Austria, Russia, Turkey, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, etc.) and acting within this coalition, Russian troops under the command of Suvorov arrived in Italy to liberate it from French troops. After the liberation of Italy, Russian troops were transferred from Italy to Switzerland, where it was necessary to unite with the Russian corps of General A. M. Rimsky-Korsakov and the French émigré corps of Prince L. J. Conde. Suvorov was to be at the head of these troops and lead them to France, for the invasion of this country, and the commander of the Russian troops chose the shortest, albeit the most difficult route to join Rimsky-Korsakov - through the mountains of the Alps.
If the passage through the Alps of the Carthaginian troops ended in the valley of the Po River, then the path of the Russian troops began from there. The route of the campaign of Russian troops from Italy to Switzerland ran through the Saint Gotthard Pass, the narrow gorge of the Reuss River, the Rostock Range and the Muoten Valley. In the Muoten Valley, Suvorov learns that Mount Schwyz was occupied by the French and understands that his army was surrounded in the Muoten Valley. At the military council, it was decided to break through to Glaris. From Glaris, in order to save the troops, Suvorov decided to retreat to Ilanz. After the most difficult passage through the Ringenkopf (Paniks) ridge, the Russian troops reached Ilanz, and then the Chur region, after which they retreated to Augsburg for winter quarters.
The Carthaginian army began its transition through the Alpine mountains in the area of \u200b\u200bmodern. Col de Cremon or Col de Cabr, and starting to move from the Isar valley to the upper reaches of the river. Drouence, passed the Mont Cenis or Mont Genevre pass and reached the valley of the river. .
Hannibal did not have a map of the area). Suvorov's map was provided by the Austrian command, but during the passage through the Alps, it turned out that it had many errors and gave a wrong idea of the terrain. Both commanders had to rely on local guides.
Both the Carthaginian and Russian warriors had never crossed the mountains before. Moreover, the soldiers of the Carthaginian army had never seen mountains before, but, trusting Hannibal, they were ready to go through the Alps. However, as Titus Livy reports, “seeing the top of the mountains, the snows lost in the clouds, the wretched huts clinging to the rocks, the lean, cold-dried cattle, dirty people, overgrown with hair and beard, they were horrified to see this with their own eyes.”
Making the transition through the mountains, both Carthaginian and Russian warriors had to move along narrow, impassable mountain paths. Any path was steep, narrow, slippery and very often passed on the edge of the abyss. People scrambled in single file over the bare rocks, climbing the mountain on all fours. Carthaginian, and after 2017 years, Russian soldiers lost their balance and fell into the abyss.
The path of both armies passed through the snow-capped peaks of the passes, and if the Russian soldiers knew what snow was, then the soldiers of Hannibal were southerners and saw snow for the first time in their lives. Once in unusual climatic conditions, many Carthaginian soldiers froze to death on snow-capped mountain peaks. However, Russian soldiers also froze on the pass of the top of Mount Panikser due to the inability to light a fire. The snow also added problems to the movement of armies. So, when the Carthaginian army descended from the Mont Ceni pass along a narrow, steep road, “on the old snow left over from last winter, a new one fell this year; it was easy to break through this snow with your feet, since it had recently fallen, it was soft and, moreover, shallow. But, having broken through the upper layer and stepping on the lower, hardened one, the soldiers did not break through the lower one and moved on, sliding with both feet. lean on their knees or hands, they slid even more, already with all their members at once, since the places were very steep. Also gliding, only on soft clay, were Russian soldiers in soaked and falling apart boots, since during the rise of the Russian army on Mount Panikser it was snowing and raining. And on the mountain itself, the height of which was 2400 m, the soldiers had to walk in waist-deep snow.
Both the army of Hannibal and the army of Suvorov consisted of infantry and cavalry. The Russians were armed with cannons that were dragged to the Panikser mountain range, but due to the lack of a sufficient number of mules, the fatigue of the soldiers and the difficulty of lifting, Suvorov ordered the cannons to be buried, putting a cross on top. This trick was discovered by the locals, and the cannons were included in the trophy by the French. Food and uniforms were carried on horses and mules, and in the Carthaginian army also on elephants. If the passage of people was difficult, then one can imagine how difficult it was for horses and mules to move in the mountains, which knocked down their hooves, "at the slightest hesitation and confusion" fell into the abyss and dragged the drovers along with them. The movement of elephants in the mountains was even more difficult, so it is not surprising that many authors have the assertion that all elephants died when crossing the Alpine mountains. However, Hannibal managed to save part of the cavalry and take it out of the Alps, but Suvorov did not - during the descent of the Russian army from Mount Panixer, the last horses and mules died.
In addition to natural difficulties, Carthaginian and Russian soldiers still had to fight in the mountains, and none of the armies had experience in mountain warfare. Carthaginian soldiers fought with the Gallic tribe of Allobroges, who constantly ambushed them. Russian soldiers fought with the French, who constantly tried to encircle the army. However, Suvorov was not only able to withdraw the army from the encirclement, but also to capture one and a half thousand Frenchmen.
The Swiss campaign revealed to Paul I the dual policy of Austria and on October 11 he terminated the alliance with her, ordering Suvorov to return with the army to Russia. For the salvation of the Russian army and the withdrawal from the encirclement, Suvorov was awarded the title of Generalissimo of the Russian troops.
If the crossing of the Alps for Russia meant the end of the war with France, then for Carthage the war with Rome was just beginning. Descending from the Alpine mountains to Italy, to the valley of the Po River, Hannibal gave rest to his exhausted army and replenished it with detachments of local Gallic tribes. The sudden appearance of the army of Hannibal in northern Italy allowed her to defeat the Roman troops in battles on the rivers Ticina and Trebbia. In the spring of 217, the Carthaginian army invaded Central Italy and defeated 40,000 soldiers. Roman army at Lake Trasimene. There will be more military victories ahead, but the Romans will gather their strength and Carthage will lose the war with Rome.
Both crossings left a memory of themselves in the Alps. According to the historian Appian, the road laid by the soldiers of Hannibal continued to exist as early as the 2nd century BC. n. e. and bore the name of the commander. On many maps of Switzerland in the XIX century. the road from Altorf to the village of Muoten was designated as "the path of Suvorov in 1799". A monument was erected near the Swiss city of Andermatt: a 12-meter cross carved into the rock rises above the dedication: “To the valiant associates of Generalissimo Field Marshal Count Suvorov-Rymniksky, Prince of Italy, who died while crossing the Alps in 1799.” Representatives of Switzerland and the CIS countries are celebrating in the city of Andermatt and on the Saint Gotthard Pass the anniversary of Alexander Suvorov's army crossing the Alps with the laying of wreaths and the service of a memorial service for the dead at the monument-cross. In June 1999, a monument to Suvorov was erected on the St. Gotthard Pass, the work of the Russian sculptor Dmitry Tugarinov.
The entire history of mankind, from the first civilizations of the Ancient East to the present day, is accompanied by wars. Wars were fought both in the mountains and on the plains. The most difficult are the military operations carried out in the highlands, in which the two armies of Hannibal and Suvorov took part, crossing the Alps. Neither Hannibal nor Suvorov had experience in mountain warfare, but despite this, both Hannibal and Suvorov showed examples of military operations in the mountains under adverse conditions, methods of capturing mountain peaks and passes by combining attacks from the front with detours, making a valuable contribution to theory of military art.
Two armies, the Carthaginian and the Russian, made a record mountain crossing in world military history, for which the troops were neither materially nor morally prepared at all. Why, then, were two armies able to accomplish the impossible?
This was made possible by the relationship between commanders and soldiers. Both commanders understood that action is more expressive than words and showed examples of how to kindle the morale of soldiers by appealing to their feelings. They both appreciated the soldiers, strengthening their self-esteem and showing their awareness of all their heroic deeds. As a result, they achieved that the soldiers doted on their commanders and were ready to follow them to the ends of the world. In these mountain campaigns, the soldiers of both armies demonstrated the same qualities: the ability to endure and endure difficulties, resignation to fate, humility, faith in their leadership, contempt for danger. “The greatest victory of spirit over matter,” one of the military historians called the Alpine campaign of the Russian army.
The Russians accomplished an unparalleled feat by crossing impassable mountains. But this is not the only example in the history of Russia when Russian soldiers did the impossible: for example, under the command of the same Suvorov, Russian soldiers took the Turkish fortress of Izmail, which was considered impregnable. And ahead is the Patriotic War of 1812, the world wars of the twentieth century. Suvorov was right when he said: “Nature has produced only one Russia, it has no rivals. We are Russians, we will overcome everything!”
The feat accomplished by the Russian army in the Swiss campaign is impressive. It's no joke: in 17 days, the soldiers walked almost 300 kilometers of dangerous mountain paths, overcame 7 mountain passes, two of which were practically incompatible with life (Paniks, 2403 m, and Krützli, 2400 m), while others had to fight with the enemy. And all this without having the slightest experience of fighting in the mountains, with poor supplies and without the support of the so-called allies.
soldier's bone
Regarding the date of birth of Suvorov, historians have not yet come to a consensus. Some prefer to believe what the great Russian commander himself, who had a phenomenal memory, wrote. There is an autobiographical note in which the date of birth is November 13, 1730. Nevertheless, some historians prefer to indicate 11/13/1929 - this date is stamped on the tombstone. Many articles have been written on this topic, and each author zealously defends his point of view. No documents such as a birth certificate have been preserved, and all other evidence can be considered only circumstantial.
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov was a nobleman and was born into a military family. Despite this, the father did not look forward to exploits from his son: he was fragile and in poor health. But the child's craving for a dangerous craft was phenomenal. There is evidence that Pushkin's great-grandfather Abram Gannibal influenced his father's final decision: amazed by the boy's knowledge of military affairs, he advised his father to promote his career.
Career
One way or another, and in 1748 Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov entered active military service and made a swift, dizzying career. This happened not least due to the fact that in Europe of the 18th century there was a place to show the talent of a commander: the continent was shaken by endless military conflicts.
At the end of the century, a serious threat arose - Napoleon Bonaparte. His conquests inspired serious fears in the surviving monarchies, which forced yesterday's opponents to unite. In 1798, it was decided to appoint Suvorov as commander of the combined Austro-Russian troops.
At that time, the field marshal, who spoke too frankly about the military reforms of the newly-made emperor, was in disgrace and lived on his estate as an exile. However, when the time came to serve the Fatherland again, he hit the road immediately.
Allied betrayal
The campaign carried out is impressive: in four months, Suvorov managed to recapture Northern Italy from the enemy (for this he received the title of Count of Italy). In Milan, the Russian troops were greeted enthusiastically, and then the path of betrayal, traditional for Europe, began, in which Alexander Suvorov involuntarily participated: the event that glorified the commander - his famous Swiss campaign - was largely the result of the treachery of the allies of the Russian Empire and gullibility (or criminal shortsightedness) Emperor Paul I.
At that time, Russian troops were stationed near the southern borders of the French Republic. One decisive blow would bring the final victory over the fiery revolutionaries. But the Austrians and the British did not much like the prospect of strengthening the Russian positions, so they began to insist that it was first necessary to liberate Switzerland, unite with a triple force, and only then defeat the hated Bonaparte.
The beginning of the way
Alexander Vasilievich received a developed route with the planned timing of the offensive and set off. Thus began Suvorov's famous crossing of the Alps in 1799, which was to be the end of his military career.
The campaign began unsuccessfully: as commander-in-chief of the allied forces, Suvorov ordered the Austrian quartermaster to prepare the necessary draft power and food. One can imagine his anger when absolutely nothing of what was requested was found in the agreed place.
In anticipation of supplies, the commander lost five days, while the French, meanwhile, methodically exterminated Rimsky-Korsakov's units in Switzerland. By and large, Suvorov's passage through the Alps could no longer bring the expected benefits: the forces with which it was necessary to unite no longer existed. But Suvorov did not know about this, and he had no choice.
Fight for every step
The Russian army moved forward on September 10 and almost immediately met with the enemy: the St. Gotthard Pass had to be taken with battle, about 2 thousand soldiers were lost.
Next was the crossing over the Devil's Bridge, which alone would have been more than enough to forever glorify Suvorov's crossing of the Alps. The French took advantageous positions on the opposite bank and began to desperately fire on the Russians, who lay in shelters. And then suddenly on the rocks, from the side occupied by the French, a Russian column appeared, which moved around and forded a mountain stream a little further away. From such a surprise, the enemy trembled: having hastily destroyed part of the bridge, the enemy began a slow retreat. The Russians, on the other hand, could not be appeased: having discovered a wooden shed nearby, they dismantled it, tied the boards with scarves and threw this shield over the abyss. The first officer who stepped on the shaky crossbar died, but dozens of desperate soldiers rushed after him.
Grateful Swiss
The damn bridge was taken. It was repaired more thoroughly, and by four o'clock in the afternoon Suvorov's main forces crossed and moved behind the panicked retreating French, who suffered heavy losses.
Now, not far from the crossing, a 12-meter cross has been carved in memory of the dead. In Switzerland, the Russian commander is generally treated with reverence. Museums have been organized in six towns along the route of his army. The guides enthusiastically talk about his exploits and that during the famous passage of Suvorov through the Alps, his army did not loot and did not offend the local people, honestly paying for food and feed for horses.
Another surprise from the allies
On September 15, 1799, after the St. Gotthard Pass and crossing the Devil's Bridge, the exhausted Russians arrived in a small village called Altdorf. And then they were waiting for a new "gift" from the Austrians: the road did not exist further. The nearby Lake Lucerne could not be taken into account: it was not possible to cross it, since all the ships were captured by the French, and the "allies" did not bother to clear the Alps from the enemy, despite the oath assurances to do so.
army of climbers
Suvorov continued to cross the Alps, in short, a real miracle, made possible thanks to the exceptional fortitude of the commander and the soldiers inspired by him. It was decided, having overcome the Rostock ridge, to move to the Muoten valley. Today this route is accessible only to climbers who have the necessary modern equipment and special training for this. The soldiers of the Suvorov army had neither one nor the other, but they had loaded horses, knapsacks, guns and wounded comrades.
The Alps are difficult mountains to travel. Only two commanders managed to force them during the military campaign: in 218 BC, Hannibal became famous for this, and in 1799 - Suvorov. The Russian campaign was much more difficult; the already difficult path had to be overcome under heavy enemy fire.
The hardships of the way
According to eyewitnesses, Suvorov's passage through the Alps was, as they would say now, extreme: he had to climb either sharp stones or slippery clay. In some places there was nowhere even to put a foot, in others it was impossible to gain a foothold: small pebbles fell from every movement. Among other things, the army was stuck in the snow on the peaks and vegetated from dampness in the lowlands. Clouds and mists soaked the soldiers with water to such an extent that they seemed soaked in the pouring rain. I had to climb by feel, since nothing was visible either below or above, neither to the right nor to the left.
Separate torments were delivered by the transportation of animals, which every minute shied away from fear and barely dragged their feet from hunger. One wrong step of a horse or mule could lead to the death of several people.
Retreat
Only four days after the battle in the gorge did the commander finally learn that Rimsky-Korsakov's army had been defeated, but Suvorov's crossing through the Alps did not end there. After all the unthinkable ordeals, his army was surrounded by a much superior enemy force. Against 60 thousand French, the commander had only 14 thousand fighters. Despite this, the legendary field marshal got out of the encirclement and retreated through the very dangerous Panix Pass.
Due to the treachery of the Austrian command, the victory over Napoleon took place only 15 years later. How difficult was the passage of Suvorov through the Alps, testify to the large losses of the Russian army: according to various sources, from 21 to 22 thousand people moved on the road, from 14 to 15 thousand came to Ilanets. Thus, the losses amounted to 6 to 8 thousand. At the same time, the Suvorovites managed to bring one and a half thousand French prisoners.
well deserved fame
For the transition of Suvorov through the Alps in 1799, the famous military leader received the title of Generalissimo. Paul I did not skimp on the praise of the obstinate commander: he wrote that all his previous exploits lacked only victory over nature - and now it finally took place. The autocrat gave the order to render royal honors to the generalissimo even in his own presence.
It was not possible to enjoy the well-deserved glory: the year of Suvorov's passage through the Alps became the penultimate year in his life. On October 29, 1799, he received an order from the emperor to return to Russia: the alliance with Austria was broken. Another two months waited for the resumption of the war with the French, which never took place, and finally, in January 1800, the Russian army moved home.
Death of the Generalissimo
Despite his illness, Suvorov went to St. Petersburg, where celebrations awaited him, but on the way he again fell out of favor. The official version says that Paul I was offended by the fact that during the campaign Alexander Vasilyevich kept a general on duty with him, and this is the exclusive privilege of the emperor. To many historians, this reason seems far-fetched (although everything could be expected from this Russian autocrat).
Suvorov arrived in Petersburg and stayed at his niece's house. Here he died on May 6, 1800, without seeing Paul I, who, until the last hours of Suvorov, kept demanding some kind of reports from him.
War and art
The feat of Russian soldiers inspired many artists to work. The most famous is Surikov's painting "Suvorov Crossing the Alps": the painting depicts soldiers headlong rolling down a steep slope. They are encouraged by the field marshal himself - he is on horseback, his subordinates look at him with adoration, and he looks at them with delight. This is the most famous canvas on this subject, but, strictly speaking, the painters dismantled almost the entire passage of Suvorov through the Alps into episodes: the painting by A. Popov is also dedicated to this event, but rather recalls the torment of a long transition. Suvorov is depicted as a horseman wrapped in a cloak, who looks anxiously into the distance.
A. Kotzebue, N. Shabunin, N. Avakumov, K. Venzo and many others dedicated their canvases to Suvorov's exploits.
It is hardly fair to say that the passage of Suvorov's army through the Alps is the most significant achievement of the commander. Even more contemporaries appreciate the undoubted contribution to the art of war, which was made by a man who could not stand mirrors: his own appearance seemed to him completely unheroic. The treatises “Regimental Establishment” and “The Science of Victory” written by Suvorov have not lost their relevance today. They are studied in specialized educational institutions by numerous cadets.
Suvorov's personality is also captivating: the commander's harsh sayings have long become winged, and eccentricities - legendary. His military genius is undeniable, because under the command of this frail man with a funny characteristic physiognomy, a little less than a hundred battles took place. And he won them all.
