Course of the battle of the nations
14th October
The reconnaissance combat between the main army of the confederates and Murat´s army emerged to the largest cavalry combat of the Napoleonic wars. Altogether about 14.000 troopers are in combat. At the same time Austrian infantry is attacking Liebertwolkwitz. After a fierce battle, the French are holding the burning village. The pertinacity of the French at this day confirmed the opinion of the head quarter of the confederates, that Napoleon is ready for a crucial combat.
15th October
There have been no hostilities at this day.
16th October
The head quarter of the confederates is situated in Rötha. According to the plan of the high commander of the confederates Schwarzenberg, the main forces of the French will be attacked on the right hand side of the river Pleiße across a broad front. Component forces are supposed to thrust to the back of the French and block their retreat to the west near Lindenau. But the fragmentation of the main army favours Napoleons intentions, to smash the opposing front in the south with powerful forces. Near Wachau the confederates got into more difficulties under the French fire. This induces Napoleon to let the bells of victory ring. But the essential reinforcements from the north failed to appear. It is held in the bloodiest campaign with the Silesian army near Möckern.
All attacks of the confederates near Connewitz and Dölitz fail, due to the swampy lowland of the Pleiße. Likewise unsuccessful are the endeavours to block the retreat of the French near Lindenau.
Neither side is definitely beaten at the combat near Wachau. Solely the confederates under Blücher in north near Möckern are successful.
Balance of forces at this day:
Confederates 205,000 soldiers with 900 ordnances
Napoleon 191,000 soldiers with 690 ordnances
17th October
There are sporadic actions in the north. Advancing reinforcement stabilised the situation of the confederates. Napoleon requests armistice of the confederates without avail.
At the morning of the 18th October the confederates have a considerable overbalance due to the approach of their reinforcement. They can now lead approx. 300,000 soldiers to battle. Napoleon on the contrary commands only about 160,000 men.
18th October
In continuation of the fight Napoleon is compelled to the final combat. Therefore he is gathering his troops closer to Leipzig in the night of the 18th October. Precautionary he lets safeguarding the route of retreat through Lindenau. Persistent combats flare up in the south, south-east and the north of Leipzig. Hard fought over are above all Probstheida, Schönefeld and Paunsdorf. Although the kingdom of Saxony is officially still allied with Napoleon, the majority of its troops renegade to the confederates at Paunsdorf. With every hour Napoleons situation is getting more futile. After nightfall he commands the retreat over the river Saale.
19th October
Napoleon deployed prevalently Polish and Rhenish confederates to defend Leipzig and cover the retreat.
The last combats are taking place at Fleischerplatz and the gardens at Pleiße and Elster.
With the early blowing up of the Elster-Bridge the defenders have no way of retreating. Hundreds drowned at the attempt to save their lives by swimming. Also polish Marshall Fürst Paniatowski, who sided with Napoleon overtook this fate. At about 1 p.m. the allied monarchs celebrated their parade of triumph on the market place of Leipzig. The Saxon king, who stayed at Leipzig during the battle, got into captivity.
Resume
500,000 soldiers fought against each other at the battle of the nations. Napoleon doomed more than 30,000 men, as well as ten thousands of prisoners and renegades. With more than 22,000 men Russia suffered the biggest losses on side of the confederates. But also Prussia and Austria had to pay a high price with 16,000 respectively 15,000 dead and injured men. In addition to that, also 300 Swedes and 1 English died. From now on suffering and distress designated the area of the battle. It was a solely huge sick bay. Due to the fierce battle many villages where destroyed to a great extent.
written by: Zweckverband „Südliches Schlachtfeld Völkerschlacht 1813“ aus dem Faltblatt „Das südliche Schlachtfeld der Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig 1813“; herausgegeben vom Regionalen Fremdenverkehrsverband „Sächsisches Burgen- und Heideland e.V.“. Für diese Bearbeitung wurde der Text von Michél Kothe ergänzt.
translated by: Katja Nitzsche