Grenadier of the Finnish Life Guards Regiment Leontiy Korennoy fought against the French in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the subsequent ‘War of the Sixth Coalition’.
During the ‘Battle of the Nations’ near Leipzig on October 16, 1813, the regiment faced a numerically superior enemy in the village of Güldengossa. Korennoy helped wounded officers climb over a stone fence and then covered their retreat with a group of riflemen.
At first, the soldiers fired back, then fought off the advancing enemy with bayonets. In the end, only Leontiy was left standing.
The French offered the brave grenadier to surrender. In response, he grabbed the gun by the muzzle and began to swing it like a club.
Only after several bayonet blows did the soldier fall to the ground. Because of respect for his courage, the enemy did not kill him, but put him on a stretcher and sent him to a medical unit. They found 18 wounds on Leonty’s body.
Napoleon was told about the feat of Korennoy. The next day, the admiring emperor mentioned him in his order, calling him a hero and a role model for French soldiers.
After treatment, the barely mobile grenadier was sent to the location of the Russian troops, where he was already considered dead. "I have the honor to appear: I have arrived from captivity. I was released by order of Bonaparte himself…" he reported to the company commander.
For his bravery, Leontiy Korenny was promoted to the senior non-commissioned officer rank of ‘podpraporshchik’ and entrusted with the honor of being the flag bearer of the regiment. In addition, he was awarded a ‘For Love to the Fatherland’ silver medal.
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