Battle of Lützen

In the Battle of Lützen, Napoleon I of France defeated an allied army of the Sixth Coalition, comprising Russian and Prussian forces led by Prince Peter Wittgenstein. The battle occurred near Lützen in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, as Wittgenstein attempted to prevent Napoleon from capturing Leipzig. Despite a surprise attack on the French right wing, Napoleon's forces managed to recover and push back the allies after a day of intense fighting.

Prelude

Following the disastrous French invasion of Russia in 1812, a new coalition formed against France. Napoleon assembled an army of over 200,000, including inexperienced recruits and troops from Spain, but it was short on cavalry. Crossing the Rhine into Germany, Napoleon aimed to defeat the coalition forces before they could combine. On 30 April, he advanced towards Leipzig, unaware of the concentrating Russo-Prussian army. Wittgenstein planned to split Napoleon’s forces by attacking towards Lützen. On the eve of the battle, Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessières was killed by a stray cannonball.

Battle

The battle began late on 2 May, with Prussian forces under Blücher attacking the French near Großgörschen. After a fierce artillery bombardment, the Prussians captured several villages. Napoleon, hearing the cannon fire, quickly mobilized his forces to counter the attack. Throughout the day, control of the villages shifted multiple times as both sides committed reinforcements. By evening, Napoleon's Grande Batterie unleashed a devastating barrage, followed by a counterattack led by the Imperial Guard, which drove the coalition forces from the villages. Encroaching darkness and a Prussian cavalry attack allowed the allies to retreat in good order.

Aftermath

Napoleon lost approximately 19,655 men, while the Prussian and Russian losses totaled around 12,000. Despite heavy casualties, the French retained control of Lützen. The battle was followed by the Battle of Bautzen, where Napoleon achieved another costly victory. The high casualties from these battles led to a temporary armistice on 4 June 1813, allowing the allies to regroup and re-equip. This truce also encouraged Austria to join the coalition, significantly shifting the balance of power. Napoleon later considered the armistice a critical error that contributed to his eventual defeat. The battle also saw the wounding of Prussian General Gerhard von Scharnhorst, whose subsequent death from infection was a significant loss for the coalition.