Battle of Leipzig

For four days in October 1813, from the 16th to the 19th, the armies of Russia, Austria, Prussia and Sweden converged on Napoleon around the Saxon city of Leipzig and broke his hold on Germany. With roughly half a million soldiers engaged, it was the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars, and because so many nations fought in it, it is often called the Battle of the Nations. The defeat drove the French back across the Rhine and opened the way for the invasion of France the following year.

Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 had destroyed most of his Grande Armée, and in June 1813 Wellington's army routed the French at Vitoria in Spain. Prussia, Russia, Sweden, Britain and others formed the Sixth Coalition. Napoleon raised a new army, largely of young and inexperienced conscripts, and won at Lützen and Bautzen in May 1813, which led to a short armistice.

During the pause the allies adopted the Trachenberg Plan, drawn up with Sweden's Crown Prince Charles John, the former French marshal Bernadotte. Their armies would avoid battle with Napoleon himself and attack his marshals instead. Austria joined the Coalition in August. Although Napoleon won a heavy victory at Dresden, his subordinates were beaten at Großbeeren, Katzbach, Kulm and Dennewitz, and his German allies began to waver; Bavaria changed sides shortly before Leipzig. With enemy armies closing from north, east and south, Napoleon concentrated his forces around the city.

Estimates of the French strength range from about 160,000 to 225,000 men, including Polish, Italian and Confederation of the Rhine contingents. The allies brought perhaps 360,000 to 380,000 men and some 1,500 guns. Three monarchs were present: Alexander I of Russia, Francis I of Austria and Frederick William III of Prussia. The Austrian Prince Karl von Schwarzenberg held overall command, with Gebhard von Blücher leading the Army of Silesia.

On the first day the heaviest fighting was south of the city, around Wachau and Liebertwolkwitz. Allied attacks there were met by a French counterstroke: Napoleon massed a battery of some 150 guns and sent Murat's cavalry forward, but he could not break the allied line. To the north, Blücher's troops took the fortified village of Möckern after bitter fighting. The day ended without a decision, with heavy losses on both sides. Little happened on the 17th, but the allies were reinforced by two more armies, perhaps 145,000 men, while Napoleon received only about 14,000.

On 18 October the allies attacked from all sides. The fiercest struggle came at Probstheida, south-east of the city, where French defenders behind garden walls threw back repeated Prussian and Russian assaults. During the day several thousand Saxon troops and Württemberg cavalry went over to the allies. That night Napoleon, short of men and ammunition, ordered a retreat westward through Leipzig and over the White Elster.

On 19 October a rearguard fought street by street in the city to cover the withdrawal. The only bridge over the Elster was blown up too early, while it was still crowded with French soldiers. Thousands were killed or captured, and Prince Józef Poniatowski, made a marshal only the night before, drowned trying to cross.

Casualty estimates vary widely, from about 80,000 to 110,000 killed, wounded and missing. The French also lost large numbers of prisoners, guns and most of their supply trains.

Napoleon's power east of the Rhine collapsed, the Confederation of the Rhine broke up, and German states such as Saxony and Württemberg came over to the allies. The Coalition crossed into France early in 1814; Paris fell at the end of March, and Napoleon abdicated on 6 April and went into exile on Elba, from where he would return during the Hundred Days. A vast Monument to the Battle of the Nations was completed at Leipzig in 1913.

Our 1800 map shows central Europe before Napoleon's conquests, with Saxony between Prussia and the Austrian lands. The 1815 map shows the order restored after his defeat.