the 1800s

A monograph on the anatidae, or duck tribe  ; By Eyton, T. C. (Thomas Campbell), 1809-1880 Hullmandel, Charles Joseph, 1789-1850 Lear, Edward, 1812-1888 Scharf, George, 1788-1860 on Flickr.

Via Flickr: Publication info London :Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman … and Eddowes, Shrewsbury,1838. BHL Collections: Smithsonian Libraries

December 14th 1812: Napoleon’s invasion of Russia ends

On this day in 1812, Napoleon’s Grand Armée was expelled from Russia when the last French troops left, thus ending the French invasion of Russia. France’s failure was a decisive turning point in the Napoleonic Wars, and turned the tide of the war against the French and in favour of the coalition against them. Napoleon had begun the invasion in June 1812, but by the end his army of around 685,000 was down to 120,000. This was partly because his tactic of getting resources by ‘living off the land’ was thwarted by the harsh Russian winter and the Russian scorched earth tactic.

September 7, 1812: The Battle of Borodino is fought.

Two hundred years ago on this day, over a hundred thousand soldiers from Napoleon’s Grand Armée met forces of around the same number from the Imperial Russian Army (under Mikhail Kutuzov) near Borodino, located 120 km west of Moscow. The ensuing battle was the bloodiest single-day action of all of the Napoleonic Wars, resulting in at least 70,000 casualties. Although Borodino was and is generally considered a French “victory”, the Grand Armée sufferedonly slightly fewer casualties than the Russians, and, in hindsight, Napoleon’s losses here may very well have cost him the war. The Russian army retreated following their defeat, leaving the path to Moscow open, so Napoleon trudged on, despite dwindling supplies and a weakened army. By the time he abandoned Moscow and made his retreat out of Russia, the Grand Armée could boast no more than 30,000 soldiers fit for battle, out of the original 690,000.

The battle was immortalized by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture (written to honor the Russian defenders who fought at Borodino) and also by Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. 

Coast of Maine, 1812

Sergei Bondarchuk’s “War and Peace” (1967)

"You have no idea how Kutuzov has been besieged since he was appointed commander-in-chief. He told me himself that all the ladies of Moscow have conspired to give him their children as adjutants…"

Sword of Damocles (1812) | artwork by Richard Westall

Sergeant Taria, Grenadier of the French Imperial Guard 1809-1815. A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars and survivor of the Russian campaign. This photo was taken in 1858, when he was at least 70 years old.

Pavel Yakovlevich Tolstoguzov 114 years, participant of the Battle of Borodino (Napoleonic Wars, 1812) 

Red velvet dress worn by Dolly Madison | c. 1812 | Smithsonian Museum

Vasily Vereschagin - In Defeated Moscow (Shooting in the Kremlin), 1897-1898

August 24th 1814: Burning of Washington

On this day in 1814, British troops invaded the American capital of Washington DC and set fire to many major public buildings, including the Capitol and White House.  The invasion occurred as part of the War of 1812 between the two nations. Government officials fled the White House, but First Lady Dolley Madison (wife of President James Madison) remained to save valuables, allegedly including a portrait of George Washington.

So I am admiring this door knocker of a house in Frankfort KY, and I am astounded that Yoda is staring at me. The knocker is original to the house and dates from c. 1812.