Liebertwolkwitz - Morning

The Battle of Leipzig, and the events leading up to the ‘Battle of Nations’, is well documented. Players should take advantage of the numerous sources, in addition to the brief historical background presented, for each of the Leipzig scenarios. The …

1813-10-14

507

The Battle of Leipzig, and the events leading up to the ‘Battle of Nations’, is well documented. Players should take advantage of the numerous sources, in addition to the brief historical background presented, for each of the Leipzig scenarios. The cavalry action at Liebertwolkwitz, on the 14 October, would mark the opening of this largest battle during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon was advancing towards Leipzig and sent orders to Murat to delay the advance of the Army of Bohemia, but avoid any major fighting. Russian General Wittgenstein, leading the Army of Bohemia’s advance guard, believed the Allies were only facing the French rear guard, and moved forward not expecting a major battle. However, when the French grand battery on Gallows Hill opened fire on the lead Allied cavalry force, he realized that Murat’s French were ready for battle. The cavalryman in Murat overrode obedience to orders. A French cavalry charge soon followed, and the traditional cavalry battle pattern played out. The French broke the Russians, but were disorganized and sent running in turn by fresh Allied cavalry, who were then routed by fresh French cavalry. And so it went. Additional cavalry units from both sides joined the fighting, but neither side could gain the upper hand. Both sides retired to their respective starting points, disorganized, but with surprisingly light casualties, except for a Prussian cuirassier regiment that presumed to capture a French battery, became surrounded, and had to cut its way out. The Allied command now paused to wait for Klenau’s Austrian Corps to come forward and provide the infantry needed to capture and hold Liebertwolkwitz and Gallows Hill.

Liebertwolkwitz, Germany

The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations was fought from 16 to 19 October 1813, at Leipzig, Saxony. The Coalition armies of Austria, Prussia, Sweden, and Russia, led by Emperor Alexander I and Karl von Schwarzenberg, decisively defeated the Grande Armée of French Emperor Napoleon I. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops, as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine. The battle was the culmination of the German Campaign of 1813 and involved 500,000 soldiers, 2,200 artillery pieces, the expenditure of 200,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, and 127,000 casualties, making it the largest battle in Europe prior to World War I.

Wikipedia: Battle of Leipzig

French

Prussians/Russians

Sixth Coalition