Napoleon’s Invasion & Retreat From Russia: “The Best Statistical Graphic Ever Drawn”

Created by Charles Minard in 1869The graphic you above is Charles Joseph Minard’s famous flow map illustrating the disastrous losses suffered by Napoleon’s army in the Russian campaign of 1812-1813.

This map is often cited as one of the best examples of data visualization due to its detailed and multidimensional portrayal of information. And statistician professor Edward Tufte described the graphic as what “may well be the best statistical graphic ever drawn.”

Here are the key elements of the graphic:

1. Flow Width Representation: The width of the colored flows (tan and black) represents the size of Napoleon’s army at various points during the campaign. The tan flow shows the advance to Moscow, while the black flow represents the retreat.
2. Direction of Movement: The movement direction is from left to right for the advance and from right to left for the retreat.
3. Geographic Locations: The map includes key locations along the route, such as Kowno (Kaunas), Wilna (Vilnius), Smolensk, Moscow, and others, marking the path of the campaign.
4. Temperature Graph: Below the flow map, a line graph shows the temperatures encountered by the army during the retreat. This graph emphasizes the harsh winter conditions, which contributed significantly to the army’s decimation.
5. Army Size Notation: Numbers along the flows indicate the size of the army at various points, showing the dramatic reduction in troop numbers from 422,000 men at the start to 10,000 at the end.
6. Key Dates and Events: The map is annotated with dates and significant events, providing a timeline of the campaign’s progress and setbacks.

This visualization is highly regarded for its ability to convey in two dimensions of six types of data: the number of Napoleon’s troops; distance; temperature; the latitude and longitude; direction of travel; and location relative to specific dates.

Here’s the caption translated into English:

Figurative Map of the successive losses in men of the French Army in the Russian campaign 1812–1813.
Drawn up by M. Minard, Inspector General of Bridges and Roads in retirement. Paris, 20 November 1869.

The numbers of men present are represented by the widths of the colored zones at a rate of one millimeter for every ten-thousand men;

they are further written across the zones. The red [now brown] designates the men who enter into Russia, the black those who leave it. ——

The information which has served to draw up the map has been extracted from the works of M. M. Thiers, of Segur, of Fezensac, of Chambray, and the unpublished diary of Jacob, pharmacist of the army since October 28th.

In order to better judge with the eye the diminution of the army, I have assumed that the troops of prince Jerome and of Marshal Davoush who had been detached at Minsk and Moghilev and have rejoined around Orcha and Vitebsk, had always marched with the army.

The scale is shown on the center-right, in “lieues communes de France” (common French league) which is 4444 m (2.75 miles).

The lower portion of the graph is to be read from right to left. It shows the temperature on the army’s return from Russia, in degrees below freezing on the Réaumur scale. (Multiply Réaumur temperatures by 1¼ to get Celsius, e.g. −30 °R = −37.5 °C)

At Smolensk, the temperature was −21° Réaumur on 14 November.

Timeline of Napoleon’s Russian Campaign (1812-1813)

June 24, 1812

• Location: Kowno (Kaunas)
• Troops: 422,000
• Distance: 0 km (starting point)
• Temperature: Not specified
• Direction: East (Advance)
• Event: Beginning of the invasion of Russia

August 1, 1812

• Location: Vitebsk
• Troops: 175,000
• Distance: Approximately 450 km from Kowno
• Temperature: Not specified
• Direction: East (Advance)

September 14, 1812

• Location: Moscow
• Troops: 100,000
• Distance: Approximately 900 km from Kowno
• Temperature: Not specified
• Direction: East (Advance)
• Event: Napoleon enters Moscow

October 19, 1812

• Location: Moscow
• Troops: 100,000 (starting retreat)
• Distance: 0 km (from Moscow)
• Temperature: Not specified
• Direction: West (Retreat)
• Event: Beginning of the retreat from Moscow

November 9, 1812

• Location: Smolensk
• Troops: 24,000
• Distance: Approximately 400 km from Moscow
• Temperature: -21°
• Direction: West (Retreat)

November 28, 1812

• Location: Berezina River
• Troops: 22,000
• Distance: Approximately 700 km from Moscow
• Temperature: -11°
• Direction: West (Retreat)
• Event: Crossing of the Berezina River

December 6, 1812

• Location: Vilna (Vilnius)
• Troops: 12,000
• Distance: Approximately 950 km from Moscow
• Temperature: -26°
• Direction: West (Retreat)

December 14, 1812

• • Location: Kowno (Kaunas)
  • Troops: 10,000
  • Distance: 1,100 km (approximate total distance traveled from Moscow)
  • Temperature: Not specified
  • Direction: West (Retreat)
  • Event: End of the campaign

What do you think about the graphic above? Please leave your comments below.