The Shengraben battle in the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy is one of the most memorable episodes. However, if you set a goal to thoroughly study the course and development of the war with Napoleon in 1805, then this battle would hardly attract your attention. In the detailed story of the war, this event would be comparable only with a comma in the sentence.
But L. Tolstoy battle near the village of Shengraben made it possible to write a number of psychological portraits of their heroes. Here, the writer’s attitude to this war is clearly visible. In fact, in the eyes of the classic, this is the only battle that had a moral justification.
Small particle of a large whole
In order to understand what place the Battle of Shengraben occupied in the novel "War and Peace" (on the scale of the whole war), it is worth briefly considering the causes, the course of events and the role of the Russian army in this military campaign.
So, in fact, Russia in that war initially had nothing to divide or defend. It all started with the fact that Napoleon decided to crush Britain under him. He brought his "Great Army" in the amount of 180 thousand people to the English Channel from France. For Misty Albion, this was a serious threat. Contrasting decent power with well-trained enemy troops would be very problematic.
Sea barrier
The weak point of the Napoleonic army was the fleet. He was sorely lacking to organize an effective cover during the transfer of ground troops. Napoleon, combining his ships with the Spanish, tried to pull the main forces of the English fleet from the English Channel. But at the Battle of Trafalgar, his flotilla is crushingly defeated by Admiral Nelson, the commander of the English squadron.
The birth of the coalition
However, England was well aware that this victory gave her only a temporary respite, because the main - land - enemy forces from its borders did not disappear anywhere. Therefore, the British government hastily put together an anti-Napoleonic coalition, which included Russia, Austria, Sweden, Portugal and the Kingdom of Naples.
The result of the erratic actions of the allies
To move the theater of operations, a decision is made to attack Bavaria and Italy (allies of France). Russia puts forward two of its armies to help Austria. At this time, the Austrians, without waiting for reinforcements, attack Bavaria.
Napoleon throws his forces very mobile and, taken by surprise, the Austrian army surrenders. In this situation, General Kutuzov can only retreat in order to unite with the second Russian army led by Buksgevden.
He successfully confronts Napoleon’s army, counting and anticipating his actions, and even gives a battle near Krems, in which he inflicts significant damage on the French. However, the enemy army still has a significant numerical advantage, and Bonaparte begins a maneuver, if successful, he would be able to deliver a crushing blow to the army of Kutuzov.
To avoid this, the Shengraben battle was needed. Tolstoy very successfully chose this episode of the war to describe how the characters of different people are revealed in a critical situation. In his novel, the smell of gunpowder and the cold breath of death walking in the ranks of his comrades tear off masks and expose the very essence of man.
The Battle of Shengraben: Summary
The attack was launched by the French. Under the guise of heavy artillery, they marched to the location of Russian soldiers. Numerical superiority was on the side of the Napoleonic army. Thirty thousand soldiers versus six thousand subordinate to Major General Bagration.
Of the guns in the Russian camp there were four cannons, which, according to the initial intention of the military leadership, were to shell a nearby hollow. But Captain Tushin decides to bomb incendiary villages of Shengraben. It was there that a significant part of the French stopped.
At the first attacks, the ranks of the Russian soldiers faltered, and the commanders had to change positions. But regrouping, warriors with fresh fervor rushed into battle. To send reinforcements to the weakened areas, captain Tushin, under whose command there was a battery of four guns, completely took away all cover. But they continued the shelling with such vigor that the French decided that it was there that the main forces of the Russian troops were concentrated. Tushin managed to set fire to the village of Shengraben, and this distracted the enemy.
In the end, after stubborn battles and maneuvers, the French managed to take the people of Bagration into the ring. But, having gathered strength, they broke through the cordon and retreated to new positions.
The goal was achieved - the detachment managed to delay the advance of the Napoleonic army so that Kutuzov was able to combine his main forces with the army of Buxgevden.
In recognition of merit, this unit was named "The Hero's Team."
Contribution of Leo Tolstoy
Although this military episode was actually heroic, it was thanks to Tolstoy who very vividly described the Battle of Shengraben in the novel War and Peace. As a result of this, today any educated person knows about the feat of Russian soldiers under Shengrab.
And how could it be otherwise? After all, Leo Tolstoy is a recognized classic, and therefore his novel “War and Peace” is included in the general education program, and every student will hear about the Battle of Shengraben without fail. Which chapter describes this battle, which characters are involved in the episode, what is the characteristic of their actions - this is the minimum amount of information invested in children's minds.
Scientific approach
Interestingly, the writer was very responsible for the description of battle scenes. He carefully studied the documents and even traveled to the battlefield to accurately convey the events. How does Tolstoy portray the Battle of Shengraben? The chapter begins with an unobtrusive but detailed description of the surrounding area. Leo Nikolaevich, as a talented artist, smear after brushstroke creates a clear picture in the reader’s imagination. Thanks to this, it is easier to understand the actions of combatants in that situation.
Psychological component
It is very interesting to follow how the view of some heroes of the novel on the war is changing. For example, observing the Battle of Shengraben, Bolkonsky understands that the real management situation during the attack and retreat is fundamentally different from well-thought-out plans drawn up on paper.
Young Nikolai Rostov confesses with horror to himself that the romance of the military campaign has disappeared at once, and there remains only primitive fear for his own life. He is ashamed of himself, but he can do nothing about it.
However, Tolstoy does not just reveal to us the inner world of his heroes. Over a relatively short period of narration, he changes the attitude of the reader to some characters.
The battle of Shengraben in the novel "War and Peace" appears before us from different perspectives. We get the opportunity to observe the battle and the innermost feelings of some of its participants. So, the nondescript and even somewhat awkward captain Tushin appears before us as a real hero. And the brave and youthful Zherkov, on the contrary, shows repulsive cowardice. Andrei Bolkonsky also feels fear, but he overcomes it with dignity, helping Tushin’s battery retreat.