"Bagration's Doubling Back July 1812" Topic

I have been recently researching this fantastic campaign.
Most of my resources have been through Nafzinger's book on 1812 campaign and some misc. information from some of the Napoleonic sights on the Web.
Unfortunately, details pertaining to the Russians 2nd Army and that of the some of the French Army is absent or lacking sufficient detail.
So….I was wondering if all those Period experts ( IE Seroga, mcLaddie, summerfield et al.) out there who have many more years into this period (and specifically this campaign) may have more information detailing the Russian 2nd Army's maneuvers during the period of July 2 through July 14. In addition perhaps also that of the southern Army of Jerome Napoleon(Westphalian Corp, Saxon Corp and Austrian Aux corps) for the same period.
I have plenty on the French main Army.
thanks
MG

May I ask about languages : do you have French, German and/or Russian?
It make a BIG difference in what sources I could reccommend.

In French, a good starting point for detailed movements is Fabry, and for the weeks in question :
link
(that's a free download from a USA server)

You will want a good map at hand and some Google-fu to trace the changed place names.

I recommend Mikaberidze's biography of Prince Bagration, which cited many Russian, German and French sources.

Lion of the Russian Army: Life and Military Career of Prince General Peter Bagration
link

Seroga,
They look interesting but I unfortunately not able to make that much time for translating.

Robert Woo,
Very interesting work. It paints a different and more detailed picture than that I get from Nafziger's 1812 and web sources. Many holes are filled! Thank you very much!
My only hole now is Jerome's forces after July 10th!

MG

Marshal Greg,

Thanks for your comments about my work (and thanks to Robert for recommending it) I must note that I have thoroughly revised my dissertation to incorporate archival material in preparation for publication and hopefully it will see the light of day soon. If you have any questions about the 2nd Western Army's operations, I will be glad to assist.

Best wishes,
Alex M

Sorry about Fabry being not in English.

With thanks to The Great Googler, general staff maps of the movements of the 2nd Western Army from the start of the war to Smolensk (legends in Russian) ….

Иностранцев, Михаил Александрович (1872- ). Отечественная война 1812 года. Операции 2-й Западной армии князя Багратиона от начала войны до Смоленска / Генеральнаго штаба полковник М. Иностранцев. Чертежи (1914)

link

Alex,

It's realy a good news to know your biography of Prince Bagration will be published.

And I would like to know when would the next four volumes of Russian Voices be published, especially the colorful memoir of Radozhitskii. I hope to see his actions in 1813 and 1814.

Best Wishes
Robert Woo

Robert,

I am working on several volumes for the Russian Voices series but had to delay their publication because of my other series that is being published in UK. It is entitled "Russian Eyewitness Accounts" and the first volume (published last year) covers the 1812 Campaign. I am wrapping up second volume in the next few days and it should come out later this year. It deals with the 1814 Campaign and contains dozens of memoirs, diaries, letters, many of them never before published since I found them in the Russian archives. Among these memoirs are also excerpts from Radozhitskii's account of 1814.

Best wishes,
Alex

Alex,

It sounds great, another 'Must Have' one!
I have been your reader for several years, and got your books about Russian Generals, Borodino, Berezina. Russian Eyewtiness 1812 and series of Russian Voice. It's enjoyable to read your nice books indeed.

About the in-depth work 'Russian Eyewitness Accounts of the Campaign of 1812', I felt only a bit disappointment for there were little about Maloyaroslavets, however, the rich detalis about Smolensk, Valutino (and Borodino of course) really made me exciting.

PS: Would the "Russian Eyewitness Accounts" for 1813 be the third volume? It sounds somewhat strange.

Best wishes,
Robert

Seroga,

Those look like great maps but I am unable to translate since I do not have the Russian alphabet.
Do you know which ones would cover Bagration's actions from June 30 to July 9 which included his crossing the Neimen River at 3 villages but then cross back "to back track" to Brabruisk?

MG

Robert,

I greatly appreciate your support of my work and am glad to hear you are enjoying books. I agree with you about the 1812 Russian eyewitness accounts – it does skips over some important events, i.e. Moscow fire, Maloyaroslavets, not to mention events on the flanks. But there a simple explanation for it – The publisher contracted me for 60,000 words and I ended up delivering a manuscript that was three times larger which the publisher decided to publish but asked me to reduce by a third. I found it a generous offer (the final book is still double what they wanted) and removed a few dozen excerpts that will eventually make their appearance in the Russian Voices series.

The first three volumes in the Russian Eyewitness acounts deal with 1812, 1814 and 1806-1807. You are right that skipping on 1813 is a bit strange but these are titles that the publisher was keen on having. I assume if these volumes sell well, they will be interested in doing separate volumes on 1805 and 1813 as well :)

Best wishes,
Alex