Two hussars

Выставка: The exhibition of the Dresden manufactory «SP Dresden»

Author: Unknown artist

Group porcelain figurine, height 28 cm, sculptor-modeller Reinhold Braunschmidt, model 1912.

A campaign to Russia is considered to be the reason for the death of the French cavalry. And if Napoleon managed to fill human resources in 1813 with new recruiting sets, then the situation with horses was much worse. The reason for the massive death of animals in Russia was the lack of food and exhausting marches for long distances. During the first 8 days of the campaign, the army lost 8,000 horses from the 80,000 that were available. First of all, the factory horses of the heavy cavalry, unaccustomed to the difficulties of long transitions, died. Lodges recalls: «The horses of the guard, the least worn out and least affected, are still here and there; they have a good appearance; but horses in the army of Murat, but horses of light cavalry that were in the infantry detachments! It’s hard to look at poor animals and they won't last long.» During the month of the offensive, Murat’s reserve cavalry lost 22 percent of the 22,000 horses. Requisition of local peasant horses could not compensate for the loss of war horses. In Moscow, Napoleon was forced to form infantry units from horsemen.

ID: 200