In Photos: Re-Enactors Act Out Battle of Borodino on Anniversary

Re-enactors donned 19th-century military garb this week to act out the Battle of Borodino, a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars that took place outside Moscow.

While the 1812 battle between imperial Russian forces and Napoleon’s army technically ended in a Russian defeat, both sides took huge losses. The Russian army retreated, allowing Napoleon to capture Moscow, which had been set aflame, to await a surrender that would never come. With the onset of winter, the French had no choice but to retreat from Russia.

This defeat would mark the beginning of the end of Napoleon’s rule.

Here is a look at the re-enactment scenes on the battle site: