PICTURE GALLERY "RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN OF 1812"

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Burning of Colours (The picture by Kossak) Napoleon was going to cross the Berezina river through the bridge at the Borisov town. But suddenly he got a report of Marshal Oudinot that the Russians captured Borisov and the bridge near the town. The path of the French army was cut off. The French had to find on the Berezina bank some places suitable for crossing and make several bridges. Napoleon realized clearly this crossing would be very hard and with a lot of unforeseen accidents. So among many preparations made by Napoleon was the event that inspired famous Polish artist W.Kossak by its dramatic matter. Napoleon ordered to gather the colours of all Corps and burn them... Why did he do it? He did not want them to be captured by the Russians as trophies. At last the ceremony of that tears came into the eyes of the old, battle-hardened veterans began. The glorious victorious colours that had seen the Pyramids, Marengo, Austerlitz, Iena, Wagram and Borodino were burning...