Drissa Camp

Drissa Camp

 

a fortified position on the left bank of the Western Dvina River, at its bend northwest of the city of Drissa (now Verkhnedvinsk).

The Drissa camp was built early in the Patriotic War of 1812. According to the plan of the Prussian General Fuhl, who was the military adviser of Alexander I, the First Army, based on the Drissa camp, was to stop Napoleon’s army and the Second Army was to strike at Napoleon’s flank and rear. But since the enemy had superior forces and since there was a danger that each army would be defeated separately, the Russian command rejected this unrealistic plan. On July 2 the First Army left the Drissa camp and moved toward Polotsk.