During the catastrophic French invasion of Russia, beginning in June 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte assembled what was known as the Grande Armée, a force exceeding 600,000 men. The campaign was initially marked by rapid advances and significant victories against the Russian armies. However, the Russian military adopted a scorched earth strategy, retreating deep into their territory while destroying resources that could support the invaders. This tactic left the French army with little food or shelter as they advanced further into the vast expanses of Russia.

As winter approached, the challenges for the Grande Armée intensified. The brutal cold, compounded by the effects of starvation and the guerrilla tactics of the Russian troops, began to whittle away at the morale and strength of the French forces. The turning point came with the disastrous retreat that began in October after the Russian capital, Moscow, was reached but not sustained. The retreat was marked by several harrowing crossings, including the Berezina River, where thousands of soldiers perished in both combat and from the harsh elements.

On December 14, the remnants of the Grande Armée, now reduced to a mere fraction of their original number, were expelled from Russian territory. The once-mighty forces that had marched confidently into Russia had been decimated, with only around 100,000 troops managing to escape. This withdrawal marked a pivotal moment in the Napoleonic Wars, as it not only signaled the collapse of French ambitions in Russia but also greatly emboldened the coalition of European powers against Napoleon's rule.