Dresden August 26 27 1813 Strategic Context After

Dresden August 26 -27, 1813 Strategic Context After his disastrous Russian Campaign, Napoleon Bonaparte hastily scratches up a new army to face the newly assembled Sixth Coalition of Russia, Austria, Prussia, Britain, Sweden, and others. The Allied strategy reflects their respectful fear of Napoleon himself; although they outnumber the French 1. 5: 1 overall and rising, they plan to only give battle to his subordinates or if they have overwhelming superiority. The first two Allied defeats to Napoleon at Lutzen and Bautzen, and the first two Allied victories against Marshals Oudinot and Mac. Donald at Grobeeren and Katzbach only emphasize the strategy’s potential to finally defeat Napoleon and reestablish France’s natural borders. So when the Allied Army of Bohemia discovers a French army half its size under Marshal Saint-Cyr at Dresden, it is believed that there is no better opportunity to defeat another one of Napoleon’s subordinates. To view animation on PC: hit F 5 To view animation on Mac: hit ⌘ + enter Stakes + A French victory would hand the initiative back to Napoleon and push the Allied Army of Bohemia south away from its supporting armies to the north and east. + An Allied victory would give the Coalition confidence, deny the French a base to hinder Allied maneuvers in theater and buy time for the already massive Allied armies to grow. By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Dresden, 1813 Strength §Grande Armée §Allied Army of Bohemia §Napoleon Bonaparte §Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr §Karl Philipp Furst zu Schwarzenberg § 120, 000 § 170, 000 §Well By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Europe c. 1807

The battlefield is relatively open and flat, rising slightly to the southwest. The most significant water feature is the Elbe River, which divides the battlefield through Dresden; the smaller Weisseritz and Landgraben Rivers run southwest off the Elbe, restricting movement between the three portions. Dresden and its suburbs are heavily fortified. Various small towns litter the terrain beyond Dresden. East of the city are the Great Garden and Blasewitz Woods, the only other major features. Overall, the key terrain consists of the Dresden bridges over the Elbe River, which control movement between the two sides. 0 1 Grande Armée (St-Cyr) 2 km Elbe River Blasewitz Dresden New City Striesen Priesnitz Dresden Old City Gruhna Lobtans Great Garden Strehlen Plauen Racknitz Gorbitz Leubnitz Weisseritz River Allied Army of Bohemia (Schwarzenberg) Racknitz Heights Landgraben River Blasewitz Woods

Just as entrenches Schwarzenberg is ready launch his. Dresden scaleand assault, hetoand hisout men hear the dreaded cries ofarrive. “Vive l’empereur!” resonating fromnear Dresden as Napoleon St-Cyr hisare force in to the city of plans hold until reinforcements He full holds an outpost line Allied lines to. Bonaparte hide his The Allied soldiers badly shaken byfull the failed offensive against the defences of can Dresden and so Bonaparte judges thethe time to be right for his Schwarzenberg carries reconnaissance in force to be followed scale assault, in arrives. The Tsar of Russia feels the out Allies a should retreat at once, the Emperor of Austria is unsure, and the by Kinga of Prussia is aghast that such awhich superior succeeds force would retreat true fortifications; Mortier they include five. Allied newlyright built redoubts and artillery behind thethe Elbe River. Garden to protect his vulnerable left flank, his. Allied right flank being more secure by counterattack. hits the and succeeds in recapturing Great while Ney’s attack on the center is so sudden that from one man. Schwarzenberg is nonetheless instructed to postpone the attack but the command is received too late and the Allied attack goes ahead reluctantly. Elements of pushing the French outpost line back to the city. However, the Allies must accept casualties from the French the cramped, marshy ground. Schwarzenberg deploys his massive force in an arc around Dresden; he plans to destroy the French army before its Schwarzenberg must commit his reserve to contain the damage. By nightfall, French regain and most of the outpost line originally held. by the mere the elite Imperial Guard arrive with Bonaparte and bolster the ranks; Bonaparte leaves St-Cyr inthe defensive command forms a counterattack reserve. Encouraged reinforcements arrive. theelaborate Allies are hampered by a the diverse warincouncil thatdespite decisions must through first before any action can be taken. artillery overcome fierce resistance tothe take Garden before the pass French retreat in good order. presence of and their can Emperor and. However, fighting from defences, French line. Great holds all sectors the center redoubt being taken. 0 1 Grande Armée (St-Cyr) 2 km Elbe River Landmarks Symbol guide Blasewitz Dresden New City Mortier Murat Grande Armée Allied Army of Bohemia Ney Striesen Priesnitz Dresden Old City Infantry Cavalry Infantry Wittgenstein Cavalry Lobtans Headquarters Blasewitz Woods Gruhna Great Garden Headquarters Artillery Strehlen Bianchi Gorbitz Skirmishers Plauen Racknitz Leubnitz Weisseritz River Allied Army of Bohemia (Schwarzenberg) Kleist Chasteler Colloredo Racknitz Heights Landgraben River Allied Army of Bohemia Grande Armée (Karl Philipp Furst zu Schwarzenberg) (Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr) 170, 000 120, 000

Overnight, 50, 000 French reinforcements while only Allied reinforcements arrive due to a win developing crisis supervises to the east. assumes command from St-Cyr Bonaparte fully expects a assaults third. French daytoarrive oftake fighting and 20, 000 makes preparations tofighting. survive and apersonally decisive victory but. Bonaparte not given the opportunity. An Bonaparte orders two first: more Leubnitz but both fail after heavy Bonaparte ahe third assault with more concentrated Bonaparte strikes the left quickly drives the Allies right backwards before being checked atis. Leubnitz. The French right and deploys 35, 000 troops on each flank with 50, 000 holding the center; he plans to envelop the Allied army by overrunning its flanks, and holding Dresden’s defences and the Allied council of war, made up of national leaders spooked by the phantom cannonball, and discouraged by the past two days’ events and artillery fire but this is also repelled. Somewhat annoyed by this, Bonaparte begins back to his command post but spots an Allied staff group visibly situated on meanwhile drives its opposition backwards and seizes the bridge at Plauen, severing the fromtothe Allied center. Thea Allies’ attentionquickly in the center. Schwarzenberg deploys only 25, 000 troops on his flanks with the bulk of his force, 120, 000, in the. Allied center; left he plans shatter Dresden’s defences hill. He nonchalantly orders the nearest artillery battery to fire a shot, which scatters them. This staff group turns out to be the Allies’ highest leadership and the Bonaparte’s presence, opts to retreat. The Allies retreat during the night despite holding numerical superiority and a right flank anchor in Leubnitz with overwhelming numbers and dividebut the watch French army. Overnight, it Latour-Mauborg also rains heavily, flooding the lower ground to the west of Dresden, leaving only the bridge at Plauen as a Allied centermisses can do nothing as Victor andon kill, falls. scatter or capture Bianchi’s entire force. shot narrowly the Tsar of Russia. Yet another assault Leubnitz fails as night that the French could not take during four full-scale assaults. possible crossing of the Weisseritz River. 0 1 Grande Armée (Bonaparte) 2 km Elbe River Landmarks Symbol guide Nansouty Blasewitz Dresden New City Latour-Mauborg Grande. Victor Armée Priesnitz Marmont Cavalry Infantry Headquarters St-Cyr Ney Gruhna Great Garden Headquarters Artillery Racknitz Gorbitz Allied Army of Bohemia (Schwarzenberg) Wittgenstein Mortier Strehlen Skirmishers Plauen Leubnitz Weisseritz River Blasewitz Woods Ney Cavalry. St-Cyr Lobtans Bianchi Allied Army of Bohemia Striesen Dresden Old City Infantry Mortier Miloradovich Racknitz Heights Kleist Nansouty Landgraben River Wittgenstein Allied Army Grande of Bohemia Armée (Karl Philipp Furst zu Schwarzenberg) (Napoleon Bonaparte) 170, 000 120, 000

Dresden, 1813 Casualties & Aftermath Grande Armée: Allied Army of Bohemia: 10, 000 38, 000 or or 8% 22% The French victory wasted by the careless pursuit of the Allies by Marshal Vanadamme and his 32, 000 men, which had been pushing west to hit the Allied Army of Bohemia’s right flank throughout the battle. Vandamme pursued the Allied army when it retreat but was defeated at the Battle of Kulm August 29 -30; , Vandamme and much of his force surrendered to 54, 000 Allied soldiers. The French soldiers lost in this unnecessary disaster were sorely missed at the decisive Battle of Leipzig in October of the same year. Bonaparte lost this battle against overwhelming numbers and abdicated following the Allied invasion of France in 1814. By Jonathan Webb, 2009

The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps http: //www. theartofbattle. com By Jonathan Webb, 2009