17 – 18 October 1813
The allies close the ring
On 17 October there is little fighting. Sacken's Russians drive Dąbrowski's Poles from Gohlis, and Bennigsen's Army of Poland and Charles John's Army of the North come up, 145,000 men, while Napoleon receives 14,000 under Reynier. He sends the captured Merveldt to the monarchs with an offer to give up his fortresses on the Oder and Vistula and withdraw behind the Saale, and they refuse. Bertrand's IV Corps goes to Lindenau to keep the road west open.
The battle of Leipzig, painting by Alexander von Sauerweid, 1844Wikimedia Commons, Alexander von Sauerweid, Public domain (Sauerweid A.I. Battle of Leipzig, from 2 to 7 october 1813.jpg)
On 18 October the allies attack from all sides. Barclay de Tolly leads about 60,000 Russians and Prussians against Probstheida, where the French hold the walled gardens with artillery and reserves behind. Three assaults, the last under Raevsky, are thrown back by the guns and the Imperial Guard. To the south-west Hessen-Homburg's Austrians take Lössnig but are driven out of Dölitz by the Young Guard.
The charge of the 19th Hungarian Infantry Regiment at Leipzig, painting by Fritz Neumann, 19th centuryWikimedia Commons, Fritz Neumann, Public domain (A 19. magyar gyalogezred rohama a lipcsei csataban (1813).JPG)
In the north-east Charles John's army crosses the Parthe and Langeron's Russians storm Schönefeld, which burns. At Paunsdorf the British rocket troop drives out the French and Saxon defenders, and its commander, Captain Richard Bogue, is killed. At 14:00 5,400 Saxons of Reynier's VII Corps go over to the allies, followed by the Württemberg cavalry. In the west Bertrand drives Gyulay away from Lindenau and keeps the road to Weissenfels open.
Sources
- David G. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon (1966).
- Digby Smith, 1813 Leipzig: Napoleon and the Battle of the Nations (2001).
- Peter Hofschröer, Leipzig 1813: The Battle of the Nations (2012).
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