Battle of Krasny, 17 November 1812, painted by Peter von Hess, text by the Russian Hermitage
The painting is a part of the series devoted to the great battles of the Patriotic War of 1812. It depicts the battle of 5 (17) November 1812 which started with an attack of Russian cuirassiers on a straggling convoy of the D'Avout corps. That part of the corps failed to enter Krasny and was cut off. There were groups of "men straggling and women dragging behind in the convoy, long-drawn, in disarray... Being armed, yet absolutely careless, the people were moving on. However, as soon as they spotted the Russians, they closed quickly and, having made an ordinary turn to the left, stood linearly; newcomers joined those standing in front and thus extended the line". They were attacked by the Order and Ekaterinoslav Cuirassier Regiments. On the left are the Ekaterinoslav cuirassiers with orange greatcoat collars and saddlecloths. They are galloping towards the Frenchmen that are shooting back. In the foreground on the left is General Mikhail Miloradovich (riding a bay) with his command staff. He orders to give a hand to the French officer lying in the snow. Miloradovich had assumed command of the rearguard of the Army shortly before leaving Moscow and from that time until the enemy’s expulsion from Russia, he led the vanguard force. In the right part of the picture is a large group of French soldiers, who look exactly as they were described by the actress Fusit who fled from Moscow together with the army. " The French were a strange sight", she writes. "All the soldiers were dressed in the looted clothes: one was clothed in a peasant's caftan, another wore a short fur trimmed jacket, the third was dressed in a rich merchant's long tight-fitting coat, but most wore women’s satin fur coats." Some of those soldiers are obviously ready to defend themselves. It is easily seen that they are courageous warriors, despite their theatrical outward appearance. The others, who look demoralized, have long since dropped their weapons and have lived by marauding, are running in the hope to hide from the Russians amongst the string of carts. But the Russian cuirassiers' helmets with horse hair plumes are seen gleaming there already. This is the Order Cuirassier Regiment, recognizable by the star of the Order of St. George on their helmet brass eye-shields and cartridge boxes. In the distance one can see the convoys of the attacking Russian troops, the withdrawing French troops and the buildings of Krasny.
