Saalfeld

Prince Louis Ferdinand was one of the firebrands advocating war with France. When hostilities commenced, he was placed in command of the Prussian/Saxon Advance Guard of Hohenlohe’s corps. As Napoleon’s army approached, he was ordered to march to Saalfeld on …

1806-10-10

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Prince Louis Ferdinand was one of the firebrands advocating war with France. When hostilities commenced, he was placed in command of the Prussian/Saxon Advance Guard of Hohenlohe’s corps. As Napoleon’s army approached, he was ordered to march to Saalfeld on the River Saale to protect the depot of stores located in the town. His desire to fight, coupled with ignorance of French strength, prompted Ferdinand to deploy his men on the low ground west of the town, with the river about a half-mile to his rear, instead of withdrawing from Lannes’ larger force. Lannes was not in a position to block Ferdinand’s retreat, so he welcomed the opportunity to fight that Ferdinand was giving him. Lannes could see the weakness of the Prussian position, and sent his advance guard forward to capture the weakly held villages in front of the Saalfeld, while his artillery battered the Prussian exposed positions. By early afternoon, Suchet’s arriving Division was turning the Prussian right. With his flank exposed and his withdrawal route threatened, Ferdinand shifted troops from the center toward the right, and at about the same time ordered the remaining units in the center to attack. Without proper preparation and outnumbered, the Prussian advance was repulsed and Lannes counter-attacked. Ferdinand attempted to buy time for his disintegrating command to escape by charging forward at the head of his cavalry, receiving a mortal wound in the process. His Advance Guard was destroyed as an effective formation, losing Saalfeld - 10 October 1806 almost a third of its personnel and most of its artillery. In Military terms the battle was minor, but the demoralized survivors spread doubt and fear throughout the main Prussian army, especially in the high command.

Saalfeld, Germany

The Battle of Saalfeld took place on the 10 October 1806, at which a French force of 12,800 men commanded by Marshal Jean Lannes defeated a Prussian-Saxon force of 8,300 men under Prince Louis Ferdinand. The battle took place in Thuringia in what was the Ernestine duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. The battle was the second clash in the Prussian Campaign of the War of the Fourth Coalition.

Wikipedia: Battle of Saalfeld

French

Prussians

Fourth Coalition