The Battle At Polotsk. October,7, 1812
(The picture by Hess)
The event shown on this picture transfers us again to the troops of Count Wittgenstein. On October,7 Wittgenstein's troops made an attempt to attack the town Polotsk that was occupied by the French forces. The French were leaving Polotsk with big transports.
The assault columns of Generals Vlasov and Dibich came from one side and the column of Colonel Ridiger - from another side.
The most hard situation was at the western gates of the town where was a wooden bridge protected by chevaux-de-frise. One of the druzhinas (Russian militia regiment) of State Councillor Nickolaev was the first that came to the bridge. The volunteers rushed to the ravine, forded the river Polota and took the bridge forcing their way through by bayonets and axes. Then they burst into Polotsk. This moment is shown on this picture.
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