Battle of Lutzen 1813 - WordPress.com · 2009. 1. 31. · Rebuilding the French army in 1813...

Battle of Lutzen2 May 1813

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The Retreat from Moscow 1812

Napoleon’s disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812, was the biggest single failure in his career.. His La Grande Armee invaded Russia with 690,000men; only 22,000returned. Minard’s famous graphic above describes the campaign, with the size of the army along the invasion route equal to the width of the line.

Rebuilding the French army in 1813

Napoleon abandoned his army in early December and went back to paris to secure his throne. He raised a new army for the 1813 campaign, by calling forward the class of 1813 draftees, National guardsmen, sailors from the Navyand experienced soldiers taken from the reserve in the Spanish theatre . These troops lacked experience, and there was a shortfall in cavalry. Nonetheless, by Spring 1813, Napoleon had some 200,000 men in the field, albeit with much reduced quality to the men he led into russia.

Preuben Erwachen!• Generalfeldmarchall Yorck led the Prussian

auxillary corps engaged by Napoleon in the campaign against the Russians. By early 1813, he signed the Treaty of Kalisz, forming an alliance of the Prussians and the Russians against Napoleon, without the royal consent from the King of Prussia, Frederick William III.

• In March 1813, King Frederick William III declared war on France after Yorck marched into Berlin to a rapturous reception, beginning the Befreiungskriege“liberation wars”." )(

Rearming Prussia• General Scharnhorst was the architect of the

changes that transformed the Professional Prussian army defeated in 1806 to an army based on national service. Prussia was restricted by treaty in 1806 to a standing army of no more than 42,000. However, Scharnhorst had ensured that each year , a proportion of the standing army was retired and replaced by new recruits. By early 1813, 33,000 reservists were ready, and Prussia could field in excess of 80,000 men against Napoleon, in addition to 110,000 Newly raised Landwehr (conscript Militia) .

Russian and Prussian Armies in early 1813• Field marshal Kutuzov led the Russian army

to victory against Napoleon by a passive strategy, trading space for time and offering battle only whenever necessary, as at Borodino. He fell Ill during the end of 1812, and so the command of the army fell to…

• …Prince Wittgenstein, becoming Allied commander in April 1813, with an army of at least 110,000 Russians, and 50,000 prussiansunder Yorck and Bulow. To his rear were 43,000 extra Russians under General Winzingerode and 25,000 more Prussians under Blucher

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Napoleon’s Army in early 1813

• By early april, Napoleon had the following corps available:-• Ney IIIrd (45,000), Bertrand IVth (36,000), Marmont VIth (25,000),

Oudinot XIIth (36,000), Imperial Guard (15,000) and three weak cavalry corps, some 121,000 men altogether . Extra troops in the Army of the Elbe brought the grand total up to 200,000.

Napoleon knew of an allied advance towards Jena by April 13th. He planned a feint towards Bayreuth, with a full advance through Leipzig, then onto Dresden or berlin, cutting the allied lines of communication and forcing a large Battle on his terms.

On the eve of the battle, Napoleon instructed Ney to occupy lutzen and the villages to the south,In order to cover the armies advance towards Leipzig. Ney was to send out patrols, which he Neglected to do. The French were thus unaware of the allied troops near them.

Allied Cavalry Patrols had discovered a weak force at kaja, covering the flank of theFrench army, together with a force about Teuchern (bertrand’s corps). Wittgenstein thus

Planned an attack on kaja, followed by severing the Weissenfels-Lutzen road.

Battle of Lutzen - Battlefield

The battlefield was crossed by the main road from weissenfels to Leipzig, running through Lutzen. To the South of Lutzen lay a number of villages, which became central to the Battlefield, atop a low crest. The Battlefield was bisected by a couple of minor rivers, running north to south..

Klein- GorschenEisdorf

Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Rahna Gross-Gorschen

(Girard) (Souham)

The Morning of the Battle of Lutzen

~ 11am May 2nd, 1813

Blucher

Wintzing

erodeYorck Ber

gAllied cavalry

Wittgenstein~57,000 men

Ney IIILocal Command

~8,000 men


~12,000 menN

Battle of Lutzen – 11:00 am

By mid morning Wittgenstein had the prussian vanguard led by blucher in place, supported by the corps of Wintzingerode, Yorck and Berg, about 57,000 men in total .

Oblivious to this danger were the divisions of Girard and Souham, who were spread around the villages of Gross-Gorschen and Starsiedel respectively, some 8,000 men. In Luzten were the rest of Ney’s III corps.

Wittgenstein had achieved total surprise; Now to win the battle..


Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau


(Girard)

The Morning of the Battle of Lutzen

~ 11:30am May 2nd, 1813Bluchers first attack

Souham and Girard surprised

Blucher



~8,000 men


~12,000 men

(Souham)

Allied cavalry

N

Yorck Berg

Wintzing

erode

Battle of Lutzen – 11:30 am

Blucher launched the attack, but found a surprise waiting for him. Instead of a few troops, he found 2 divisions, belonging to Ney’s III Corps. They were

Girard (around Starsteidel) and

Souham (around Gross-Gorchen).


Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau


(Girard)(Souham)

The Afternoon of the Battle of Lutzen

~ 12:30pm May 2nd, 1813French occupy villages

Blucher calls for his guns

Blucher



~8,000 men


~12,000 men

Allied cavalry

N

Yorck Berg

Wintzinger

ode

Battle of Lutzen – 12:30 pm

Blucher send for his guns to begin a bombardment, Giving the French enough times to occupy the villages.

The sound of the bombardment carried to Ney, who rushed to the battlefield. Napoleon heard the fire too, orderingIII corps to hold at all costs, whilst Marmont’s VI and Bertrand’s IV corps would sweep onto the allies left flank. Macdonald would lead the XI corps and attack the allies right flank. the Imperial Guard would follow napoleon directly to the battlefield.


Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau


(Girard) (Souham)


~ 12:45pm May 2nd, 1813Klux storms Gross-Gorschen

After cannonade

Blucher



~8,000 men


~12,000 men

(Klux)

Allied cavalry

N

Yorck Berg

Wintzinger

ode


Blucher sent in Klux’s Prussian division and they stormed Gross-Gorschen, driving out Souham.

The Battle was going the Allies way. Counting all the troops deployed, the odds were roughly 7:1 in their favour.

Fortuna Belli


Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau


(Girard)(Souham)


~ 1:00pm May 2nd, 1813Ney Arrives, Souham Counterattacks

Zieten takes Klein-Gorschen

Blucher


Ney III~20,000 men

(Klux)

(Zieten)

Allied cavalry

N

BergYorck

Wintzinger

ode


Ney arrived and began to lead out the remaining 3 divisions of his corps from Lutzen .

Souham counterattacked and retook Gross-Gorschen. Meanwhile Zeiten’s Prussian brigade took Klein-Gorschen.


Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau


(Girard)(Souham)


~ 1:15pm May 2nd, 1813Klux Counterattacks

retakes gross-Gorschen and Rahna

Blucher

Berg


Ney III~20,000 men

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Allied cavalry

N

Yorck

Wintzinger

ode


Klux counterattacked and retook Gross-Gorschen and RaHNa from the french. Ney’s remaining divisions drew near, ready for a further counterattack.

The odds were beginning to swing back to the French. counting all the troops deployed at this locale, the odds were roughly 3:1 in the Allies favour.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard) (Souham)


~ 1:30pm May 2nd, 1813Ney Counterattacks

retakes Klein-Gorschen and Rahna

Blucher

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


Ney III~20,000 men

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Main Army

N

Wintzinger

ode


Ney counterattacked and retook RaHNa and Klein-Gorschenfrom the Prussians.

This attack coincided with the advance of Berg’s Russian brigade, which halted their own planned attack on Starseidel.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)

(Souham)


~ 2:00pm May 2nd, 1813Blucher Counterattacks

Ney retreats

Blucher

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


Ney III~20,000 men

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Main Army

N

Wintzinger

ode


Blucher sent in Roeder’s Prussian brigade and they stormed RaHNa and Klein-Gorschen, reaching as far as Kaja.

Ney fell back in disorder and the moment of crisis for the french had arrived; One last push and the battlefield would belong to the Allies, whose main army was slowly but inexorably drawing nearer..

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)

(Souham)


~ 2:30pm May 2nd, 1813Napoleon Arrives

Ney Holds

Blucher

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


Ney III

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~25,000 men

Main Army

N

Wintzinger

ode


Napoleon arrived on the field, together with the Guard cavalry. His presence had immediate effect in steadying Ney’s troops.

“ This was probably the day, of his whole career, on which Napoleon incurred the greatest personal danger on the field of battle,” wrote Marmont.

Battle of Lutzen – 2:30 pm. .

“Hardly a wounded man passed before Bonaparte without saluting him with the accustomed vivat,”

“ Even those who had losta limb, who would in a few hours be the prey of death, rendered him this homage.” wrote d’Odeleben.

Darstellung der Schlacht bei Großgörschen am 2. Mai 1813 von Andrea Johann Fleischmann

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)

(Souham)


~ 3:00pm May 2nd, 1813Napoleon rallies french

Marmont Arrives

Blucher

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


Ney III

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~50,000 men

Main Army

MarmontVI

N

Wintzinger

ode


Marmont’s VI corps Arrival on the frenchright flank gave them more time to reorganise, by holding back Wittgenstein’s reserves to counter this new threat, instead of attacking the weakened french centre.

Fortuna Belli

By mid-Afternoon, The odds had swung back towards the French.

Counting all the troops deployed at 3:00 pm, the odds were roughly 7:5 in the Allies favour. Whatever had happened to the certitudes at the beginning of the battle, when the Allies had odds of 7:1? And what other troops would answer Napoleon’s summons to the battlefield? Faced with this uncertainty, WittGensteinfailed to press his attack on.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)

(Souham)


~ 3:30pm May 2nd, 1813Napoleon Counterattacks

Blucher

Yorck

Berg


Ney III

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~50,000 men

Main Army

MarmontVI

Allied cavalry

N

Wintzinger

ode


Napoleon sent in Ricard, ney’s last remaining Division in a counterattack. they stormed Kaja, and Gross-Gorschen, before reaching a halt.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)

(Souham)


~ 4:00pm May 2nd, 1813Allied main Army ArrivesImperial Guard Arrives

Yorck counterattacks

Blucher Yorck

Berg


Ney III

(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~69,000 men

Main Army

garde

MarmontVI

Allied cavalry

N

Wintzinger

ode

Battle of Lutzen – 4:00 pmThe Allies main army arrived with the Russians Guards led by

Tsar Alexander I

Encouraged by their presence, Wittgenstein sent in Yorck’sPrussians, who retook Klein-Gorschen and RaHNa again.

Meanwhile, the French Imperial Guard had arrived.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)(Souham)


~ 4:30pm May 2nd, 1813Ney, blucher, Scharnhorst Wounded

French counterattack

Blucher

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


Ney III

(Klux)

(Zieten)(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~69,000 men

Main Army

garde

MarmontVI

N

Wintzinger

ode


Napoleon sent in a brigade of the Young Guard, together with the remains of Ney’s III corps on the counterattack. They pushed the allies back as far as Klein-Gorschen and RaHNa again.

ney, Blucher and Scharnhorst were wounded, with Scharnhorst’s proving mortal. Local Command of the allies engaged in action in the four villages fell to Yorck.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)(Souham)


~ 5:00pm May 2nd, 1813Allies counterattackBertrand arrives

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~83,000 men

Main Army

MarmontVI

bertrandIV

Ney III

garde

N

Wintzinger

ode


Bertrand Bertrand’s IV corps arrived on the French

right, and began advancing towards the central battlefield.

The allies counterattacked, retaking Gross-Gorschen, Klein-Gorschen, RaHNa and kaja again, Reaching Their high point in the battle.

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. Flossgraben

Meuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)(Souham)


~ 5:30pm May 2nd, 1813Macdonald and cavalry Corps arrive

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


(Klux)

(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~104,000 men

Main Army

garde

MarmontVI

bertrandIV

Ney III

macdonaldXI

Wintzingerode

N


Bertrand Macdonalds’s IX corps arrived on the

French left, and began advancing towards the Allied Right wing, around eisdorf.

Fortuna Belli

By evening, The odds had swung firmly towards the French. Counting all the troops deployed at 6:00 pm, the odds were roughly 10:7 in the French favour. Would there be enough daylight left for the French to launch an all out attack, and overwhelm the Allies?

Les Conscrits De 1813 Au Combat De Weissenfels by Karl Girardet

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

RippachKaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. FlossgrabenMeuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen

(Girard)(Souham)


~ 6:00pm May 2nd, 1813Young Guard counterattacks

Yorck

Berg

Allied cavalry


(Zieten)

(Brenier)

Rahna

Napoleon~104,000 men garde

MarmontVI

bertrandIV

Ney III

macdonald

XI

cavalry I

Main Army

N

Wintzingerode


Napoleon sent in the Young Guard, whilst 80 guns were manhandelled towards the allied line to fire at close range, Macdonald’s corps closed down upon eisdorf.

The Battle of Lutzen, 2 May 1813 by Louis Francois Couche

Klein- Gorschen

Eisdorf

Lutzen

Rippach Kaja

Poserna

R. Rippach

Starsiedel

R. FlossgrabenMeuchen

Tauchau

Gross-Gorschen


~ 6:30pm May 2nd, 1813Napoleon leads Final counterattack

Allied line retreats as Darkness Falls

YorckBerg

Allied

cava

lry


Rahna

Napoleon~104,000 men

garde

MarmontVI

bertrandIV

Ney IIImacdonald

XI

cavalry I

Main Army

N

Wintzingerode


Napoleon led the final attack from the Young Guard, arranged in 4 columns of 4 battalions each, with the Old Guard and the remainder of Ney’s shattered corps behind. Meanwhile, Macdonald’s XI corps took Eisdorf.

The order was given, “La Garde au feu!”

Gross-Gorschen, Klein-Gorschen, RaHNa and kaja all finally fell to the French and the entire allied line fell back in disorder. The Battle of Lutzen had been won by the French.

The Battle of LutzenMay 2nd, 1813

Forces in action Casualties (%)French 20,000 – 103,000 20,000 19Allies 57,000 – 72,000 18,000 25

(Prussian & Russian)

Napoleon gained a bloody victory, but was unable to pursue a l’outrance, due to a lack of cavalry, soThe Allies escaped to fight another day at Bautzenon May 20/21, 1813, before triumphing at Leipzig in the autumn. The path to Elba and exile had begun.

size of the army equal to the width of the line size of the army equal to the width of the line size of the army equal to the width of the line

The Road to Elba

References• Napoleon and the World War of 1813 Lessons in Coalition Warfighting

By Jonathon P. RileyRoutledge 2000

• Lutzen & Bautzen 1813 - The Turning PointOsprey Publishing 2001

The campaigns of Napoleon by David G ChandlerMacmillan Publishing 1966

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