Campaign to Moscow COBI 20091 - Napoleonic Wars

Did you know:

• On June 23, 1812, Napoleon ordered his army to cross the Neman in then East Prussia and subsequently march on Moscow.
• This was later to prove a major strategic mistake.
• Weak Russia had no interest in direct confrontation and drew the French army into a war of attrition with a scorched earth strategy.
• Eventually, on September 7, a fierce and bloody battle took place near Moscow, today known as the Battle of Borodino.
• The clash ended in a French victory at the cost of enormous losses.
• Interestingly, the Russian army under General Kutuzov claimed the battle as its victory. Some things in Russia simply never change.
• Kutuzov’s army withdrew to Mozhaisk and later beyond Moscow.
• For the supposed victory, General Kutuzov was appointed Field Marshal by Tsar Alexander I.
• What was certainly not a success was Napoleon’s occupation of Moscow, but that is another story.
• The battle for the so-called Great Redoubt at Borodino was captured on canvas in 1822 by French brigadier general Louis-François, Baron Lejeune.
• Lejeune, as a direct participant in the battle, painted the final attack on the Great Redoubt. The painting also includes his own figure, several prominent officers, and Napoleon.
• Today you can view the painting in the Musée de l'Histoire de France in Versailles.
  

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: length 264 cm, height 210 cm
• material oil painting on canvas
• year of creation 1822
• frame wood (restored and reframed)
• weight 29 kg

From the memoirs of Louis-François, Baron Lejeune:

,,... 800 cannons on our side opened fire. Projectiles flew over our heads with such a hissing sound as cannot be described. It was a terrible work of destruction. All roads, fields, and forests were strewn with men, horses, burning wagons. Utter devastation."

About the building set :

• COBI building set March on Moscow is made of 145 high-quality ABS parts
• the complete set includes 1 figure and a horse figure
• Napoleonic Wars collection
• pad printed - no stickers
• faithful design
• made in EU