Battle of Altenburg

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Battle of Altenburg
Part of the German campaign of the Sixth Coalition
Kriegsbilder aus der Zeit Napoleons nach1815 ubs G 0210 II Schlacht bei Altenburg.jpg
Battle of Altenburg engraved by Ant. Tessaro
Date28 September 1813 [1]
Location 50°59′6″N12°26′0″E / 50.98500°N 12.43333°E / 50.98500; 12.43333
Result Coalition victory [1]
Belligerents
Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg  Prussia
Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy.svg  Austria
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg  France
Banner of Baden (3^2).svg Baden
Commanders and leaders
Thielmann
Mensdorff
Platov
Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes
Strength
Unknown 8,000 [1]
Casualties and losses
300 dead or wounded [1] 600 dead or wounded [1]
1,000 [2] –1,400 [1] taken prisoner
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Location within Europe
Battle of Altenburg
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180km
112miles
19
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18
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17
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16
Leipzig
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15
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14
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13
12
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11
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10
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9
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8
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7
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6
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5
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4
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3
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2
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  current battle
  Napoleon in command
  Napoleon not in command

The raid at Altenburg on 28 September 1813 took place during the War of the Sixth Coalition's German Campaign of 1813. [3] The raid was carried out by the Streifkorp under the command of Saxon General Johann von Thielmann commanding seven regiments of Cossacks, a squadron each of Saxon Hussars and Dragoons, and a detachment of Saxon Freikorps numbering about 1,500 cavalry. The objective of the raid was to attempt harassment of the French lines of communication 25 miles (45 km) south of Leipzig shortly before the Battle of Leipzig. The Austrian contingent was commanded by Emmanuel Mensdorff and the Russian contingent of Cossacks by Matvei Platov. [2] [4]

Contents

Background

The battle was the culmination of a raid in which Thielmann cavalry successfully attacked Napoleon's lines of communications along the roads between Erfurt and Leipzig in the Saale valley. [2] [5]

Battle

Thielmann completely surprised and routed a larger force of French cavalry, including Cavalry of the Imperial Guard and a small force of 2nd Baden Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment No.2 ‘Markgraf Wilhelm’) nominally under the command of Lefebvre-Desnouettes numbering some 8,000. The French, completely surprised, broke and fled from Altenburg losing a third of their number (2,100), in the process running over the Baden infantry which was taken prisoner despite attempting to resist. [6] Thielmann's force lost about 200 in casualties.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bodart 1908, p. 459.
  2. 1 2 3 Jaques 2007, p. 40.
  3. Riley 2000, p. 155.
  4. UMKP staff 1813, p. 330.
  5. Clarke 1815, pp. 631–632.
  6. pp. 4233-4237, Anonymous

References

Further reading