Battle of Eylau: Napoleon's Bloodiest Fight in the Snow
Napoleon fought the Russians at Eylau in a blizzard so thick his cavalry charged into their own infantry. The French killed 25,000 men. The Russians killed 25,000 men. Nobody won. Both sides held their ground through the night, then the Russians left at dawn. Napoleon claimed victory because he controlled the frozen field. But he couldn't pursue. A third of his army couldn't walk. Marshal Augereau's entire corps got lost in the snow and was destroyed in twenty minutes. It was the first time Napoleon's Grand Army had bled itself to a stalemate. He stopped mentioning Eylau in his bulletins home.
February 7, 1807
219 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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