10 of Histories Bloodiest Battles: The Battle of Leipzig
Day 6……
The Battle of Leipzig (16-19 October 1813) From ancient east to modern west…….
Who fought who: French Grande Armee VS The Coalition Army Casualties: French Grande Armee – 60,000, The Coalition Army – 54,000 Legacy: The Coalition was able to maintain the independence of the German region of the Rhine. Napoleon was forced back to France and abdicated a year later.
French breaking the line of the Prussians
The Battle of Leipzig was the biggest engagement of manpower committed to a battle before World War I. It was fought for pride and empires as Napoleon plunged Europe into total war. Against him stood an army of nations determined to resist his dictatorial will, including Prussia, Sweden, Russia and Austria in a grand coalition (early EU?).
The epic showdown that was to follow at Leipzig was to cost over one hundred thousand men. Napoleon’s plan was simple, destroy the huge army the Coalition had put in front of him like he had before (if only it was that simple). On the first day, this appeared to be working, two bloody engagements against Austrian and Prussian troops resulted in Napoleon commanding the small town of Leipzig and much of the surrounding countryside.
Troops charging into battle
On the 18th October, the largest engagement of the 19th Century took place. Napoleon had retreated back to Leipzig and was determined to hold it at all costs, but the French troops were trapped and being constantly bombarded by Coalition assaults. Seeing his men slaughtered by the sheer weight of the Coalition’s numbers, Napoleon ordered a strategic retreat to a bridge leading westward to France.
In the ensuing panic, a frightened French corporal blew the bridge up! (He thought the Coalition were going to take it, silly boy) The explosion flew hundreds of soldiers into the air and stranded thousands more. Napoleon (the sneaky sod) made it to the western bank and stayed long enough to watch his army completely disintegrate around him. It was the first time in his career that he had suffered such a defeat (all thanks to that French Corporal).
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