August,8 (July,27)
(From P.A.Zhilin "The Patriotic War Of 1812")
In the beginning of August, the main forces of the French army were concentrated on the left bank of the Dnieper river. Russian troops were on the right bank but they were concentrated northward.
On August,8 the Cossack troops of Ataman Platov attacked the French vanguard, Sebastiani's division, at the village of Molevo-Boloto and defeated it easily. After they captured more than 300 soldiers and officers, the battle ended.
Field-Marshal Barclay de Tolly feared for his flanks, especially the right flank, and didn't want to move too far from Smolensk. so his 1st (Russian) army didn't moved beyond the village Volokova and lake Kasplia. The 2nd Russian army was coming to Smolensk to join the 1st Army.
Russian Life-Guard Cossack
painted by Helen and Nick Mozak
