In the middle of August, not far away from the city of Smolensk and near the historic place called Valoutina Gora, a re-enacting event was organized, which commemorated a bicentennial of the battle that took place here during the Napoleon’s Russian campaign in 1812. Back then, nearly 40.000 French and Russian soldiers fought bitterly and loses were up to 1/3 for each side. The most dramatic was destiny of one of the Russian generals, Paul Touchkov, who, while receiving twelve bayonets’ wounds, was taking prisoner.
In memory of the Russian army who fought here 200 years ago, several re-enactment groups, under general supervision of Mr. Alexander Gapenko with support of the Smolensk’s administration and foundation “Pacification” have organized a solemn re-burial of the remnants of the Russian soldier (Jaeger regiment) who was killed in that battle. The skies were clear all day but suddenly, during the ceremony, a light cloud appeared from nowhere and watered the exact spot of the re-burial with a small rain, which all attendees considered as an act of good will and blessing.
An hour later, the re-enactment event took place, in which nearly 200 participants supported by pyrotechnics and pieces of ordinance demonstrated elements of warfare of the Napoleonic period. There were nearly 5.000 spectators who cheered the re-enactors and overall expressed their satisfaction and approval.
The local TV station and the press both produced an adequate coverage of this event.
Alexandre Gapenko
Translated from the original Russian text
Eman M. Vovsi©2009
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