Maloyaroslavets, Russia. Napoleon’s vanguard consisted of Italians commanded by his stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais. On the evening of October 23, in the streets of Maloyaroslavets, not far from Moscow, 32,000 Russians clashed with 24,000 Italians. Beauharnais’s Italians entrenched themselves in the city and fought with boundless courage and pride. By the end of the day, the city was in ashes; the Italians still held it, but the communication routes to Kaluga were in Russian hands. Losses totaled 7,000 on each side.
