Battle of Haynau

The Battle of Haynau was fought on 26 May 1813, between Prussian cavalry under the command of General Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher and a French infantry division under the command of General Nicolas Joseph Maison. The battle resulted in a Prussian victory.

Battle of Haynau
Part of the War of the Sixth Coalition
Date26 May 1813
Location
Haynau, Lower Silesia
Result Prussian victory
Belligerents
France Prussia
Commanders and leaders
Nicolas Joseph Maison Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher

Prelude

After their defeat at the Battle of Bautzen (20–21 May), the allies broke off the action at their own time and retired in such good order that Napoleon failed to capture a single trophy as proof of his victory. The enemy's escape annoyed him greatly, the absence of captured guns and prisoners reminded him too much of his Russian experiences, and he redoubled his demands on his corps commanders for greater vigour in the pursuit.[1]

Battle

Napoleon's entreaties led his corps commanders to push on without due regard to tactical precautions, and Blücher took advantage of their carelessness. On 26 May, with some twenty squadrons of Landwehr cavalry, he surprised, rode over and almost destroyed Maison's division. The material loss inflicted on the French was not very great, but its effect in raising the morale of the raw Prussian cavalry and increasing their confidence in their old commander was, enormous.[1] On the other hand, they had to suffer the loss of the commanding cavalry officer Florens von Bockum-Dolffs (1769–1813), who had led the charge himself.

Monument

Like on all other battlegrounds a small monument was erected. This has been destroyed by Polish forces in 1945.[2]

Notes
  1. Maude 1911, p. 229.
  2. Nungesser 1987, p. .

References
  • Nungesser, Michael (1987), Das Denkmal auf dem Kreuzberg von Karl Friedrich Schinkel, West Berlin: Arenhövel, ISBN 3-922912-19-2

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