Six Days' Campaign order of battle

The Six Days' Campaign saw four victories by the Imperial French army led by Napoleon over the Army of Silesia commanded by Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. Between 10 and 15 February 1814, the French inflicted losses of at least 14,034 men and 52 guns on the Army of Silesia. A second estimate listed 16,000 casualties and 60 guns. A third estimate reached as high as 20,000 casualties, but a calculation by historian George Nafziger suggested that Blücher may have lost 28,500 soldiers.[1]

Six Days Campaign order of battle
Part of the 1814 campaign in north-east France
French Old Guard infantry on the firing line. Napoleon made extensive use of the Imperial Guard during the Six Days' campaign.
Date 10–15 February 1814 Location Northeastern France Result Tactical French victory
Belligerents
France	Prussia  Russia
Commanders and leaders
Emperor Napoleon	Gebhard von Blücher
Strength
30,000 men	56,000 men
Casualties and losses
3,800	14,034–20,000 52–60 guns

After their victory over Napoleon in the Battle of La Rothière on 1 February 1814, the two main Allied armies separated. Austrian Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg's Army of Bohemia marched west toward Troyes while Blücher's Army of Silesia moved north to Châlons-sur Marne and turned west along the Marne River, aiming for Meaux.[2] Leaving 39,000 troops to watch the cautious Schwarzenberg, Napoleon assembled a strike force of 20,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry to deal with the more aggressive Blücher.[3] By the evening of 8 February, the Army of Silesia was spread along a line of march 44 miles (71 km) long. Fabian Gottlieb von Osten-Sacken's 20,000 Russians led the column, followed by Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg's 18,000 Prussians, Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev's 4,000 Russians, Peter Mikhailovich Kaptzevich's Russians and Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf's Prussians, the last two forces totaling 15,000 men.[4]

Organization

Russian

The Russian forces were organized into army corps with infantry corps and cavalry corps subordinated to it. The full structure can be seen in the Sacken's Russian order of battle section.[5] The Russian IX Infantry Corps, as shown in the Olsufiev's Russian order of battle section, and the Russian X Corps, as shown in the Kaptzevich's Russian order of battle section, both reported to their superior, General-Leutnant Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron.[6] Since Langeron did not appear in the theater of operations until late February, they temporarily reported directly to Blücher.[7]

In the Russian army, artillery batteries were organized with 12 pieces each. In 1805, Aleksey Arakcheyev introduced a new range of field artillery that consisted of 6- and 12-pounder cannons and 10- and 20-pounder licornes, a gun similar to a howitzer.[8] An Allied order of battle from 1 January 1814 noted that Light Batteries were armed with 6-pounders. The same list stated that of five Position Batteries in one army corps, three had 12 guns, one had 11 guns, and one had seven guns.[9] In the Russian 3rd Dragoon Division, Horse Battery Nr. 18 was armed with only 10 guns, but usually the specific number of guns in a battery was not stated.[10]

Prussian

When the Prussian army was rebuilt after the disastrous War of the Fourth Coalition, its reduced establishment did not allow for the formation of divisions. Therefore, the next tactical unit below corps level became the brigade, which included both cavalry and artillery. Batteries were formed from six 6- or 12-pounder cannons and two 7- or 10-pounder howitzers. Artillery batteries that were not assigned to the brigades were posted to the corps reserve.[11] By 1813, each corps incorporated four brigades and included a mix of regular and Landwehr units.[12]

French

A French order of battle from 6 January 1814 showed 10 Young Guard Foot Artillery and one Old Guard Foot Artillery companies each armed with six 6-pounder guns and two howitzers. There were four Old Guard Foot Artillery companies armed with six 12-pounder guns and two howitzers. Six Old Guard Horse Artillery companies were each armed with four 6-pounder guns and two howitzers.[13] Eight guns per foot artillery company and six guns per horse artillery company represented the standard French organization.[14] However, at the Battle of La Rothière on 1 February, the Allies captured 50–60 French guns. Which artillery companies lost guns was not stated.[15]

Battle of Champaubert

Napoleon with 30,000 men and 120 guns surprised Olsufiev south of Champaubert on the morning of 10 February. Unwisely, Olsufiev decided to fight it out, hoping for help from Blücher. By 3:00 pm the Russians were forced back through Champaubert. Too late, Olsufiev tried to retreat east to Étoges, but found both flanks enveloped by French cavalry. Olsufiev lost as many as 4,000 men out of 5,000 troops,[16] or as few as 2,400 and nine guns out of a total of 3,700 men and 24 guns. Olsufiev and Prince Konstantin Poltoratsky ended the day as French prisoners. French losses were about 600.[17]

Olsufiev's Russian order of battle

Olsufiev's command at Champaubert[18]

Corps	Division	Brigade	Regiment	Strength
IX Infantry Corps Lieutenant General Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev (POW)	IX Corps Artillery	Not Brigaded	Position Battery Nr. 15 not present	12 guns
			Light Battery Nr. 13	12 guns
			Light Battery Nr. 24	12 guns
	9th Infantry Division General-major Evstafi Evstafievich Udom II	General-major Konstantin Poltoratsky (POW)	Apsheron Infantry Regiment	486
			Nacheburg Infantry Regiment	563
		General-major Juschkov II	Riazsk Infantry Regiment	620
			Yakutsk Infantry Regiment	533
		Major Melnik	10^th Jäger Regiment	335
			38^th Jäger Regiment	472
	15^th Infantry Division General-major Peter Yakovlevich Kornilov	Lieutenant Colonel Anensur	Vitebsk Infantry Regiment	372
			Kozlov Infantry Regiment	504
		General-major Mussin-Pushkin	Kolyvan Infantry Regiment	417
			Kourin Infantry Regiment	417
		Colonel Tuchanowski	12^th Jäger Regiment	447
			22^nd Jäger Regiment	unknown

French Army order of battle

Commander-in-chief: Emperor Napoleon
Chief of Staff: Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier

The units available to fight at Champaubert were the 1st Old Guard Division, the Guard artillery, the 1st and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, the 1st and 2nd Young Guard Divisions, both divisions of the VI Corps, both divisions of the I Cavalry Corps, and Cyrille-Simon Picquet's cavalry brigade.[19]

After General of Division Pierre Decouz was killed at the Battle of Brienne, General of Brigade Jean-Jacques Germain Pelet-Clozeau temporarily commanded the 2nd Young Guard Division through the battles of 10–11 February. Then he was reassigned to lead a brigade in the 1st Old Guard Division.[20]

Napoleon's Army in the Six Days' Campaign[21]

Corps	Division	Strength	Brigade	Regiment	Strength
Old Guard Marshal Édouard Mortier	1st Old Guard Division General of Division Louis Friant	4,796	1st Brigade General of Brigade Pierre Cambronne	1st Guard Foot Chasseur Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	1,265
				2nd Guard Foot Chasseur Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	898
			2nd Brigade General of Brigade Jean Martin Petit	1st Guard Foot Grenadier Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	1,393
				2nd Guard Foot Grenadier Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	1,044
			Attached units	Guard Sapper Battalion, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Companies	105
				Guard Marine Battalion, 3rd Company	-
				Guard Engineering Train	-
	2nd Old Guard Division General of Division Claude-Étienne Michel (WIA) followed by: Charles-Joseph Christiani	3,878 6 guns	General of Brigade Jean Louis Gros	Fusilier-Chasseur Regiment	1,366
				Fusilier-Grenadier Regiment	688
			General of Brigade Charles-Joseph Christiani	Flanqueuer-Chasseur Regiment	1,042
				Flanqueuer-Grenadier Regiment	285
				Velites of Turin	333
				Velites of Florence	164
			Artillery Captain Eggerlé	1st Young Guard Company 4 6-pounder guns & 2 24-pound howitzers	73, 6 guns
				Guard Train Detachment	81
	Artillery	1,464	Not Brigaded	Guard Foot Artillery, 7 companies	459
				Horse Artillery, 4 companies	319
				Train and pontooneers	686
Young Guard Marshal Michel Ney	1st Young Guard Division General of Division Claude Marie Meunier	4,133	1st Brigade General of Brigade Jean Étienne Clément-Lacoste	1st Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	657
				2nd Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	940
			2nd Brigade General of Brigade Guillaume-Charles Rousseau	3rd Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	1,263
				4^th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	1,144
	2nd Young Guard Division General of Division Philibert Jean-Baptiste Curial	2,840	1st Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Jacques Pelet	5^th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	680
				6^th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	633
			2nd Brigade General of Brigade Auguste Julien Bigarré	7^th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	717
				8^th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	670
Guard Cavalry General of Division Étienne de Nansouty	1st Guard Cavalry Division General of Division Pierre de Colbert	2,582	Brigades unknown	2nd Éclaireur Regiment	-
				2nd Chevau-léger Lancer Regiment	-
				Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment	-
				Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment	-
				Guard Dragoon Regiment	-
	2nd Guard Cavalry Division General of Division Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes	3,535	Brigades unknown	1st Guard Lancer Regiment	680
				Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment	667
				Guard Dragoon Regiment	800
				Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment	954
				Gendarmes d'Elite Regiment	434
	3rd Guard Cavalry Division General of Division Louis Laferrière-Levêque	2,164	1st Brigade General of Brigade Jean Dieudonné Lion	Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment	542
				Guard Dragoon Regiment	735
			2nd Brigade General of Brigade Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville	Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment	887
I Cavalry Corps General of Division Jean-Pierre Doumerc followed by: Étienne de Bordesoulle	1st Light Cavalry Division General of Division Christophe Antoine Merlin	704	1st Brigade General of Brigade François Isidore Wathiez	6^th, 7^th & 8^th Hussar Regiments 1st, 3rd, 5^th & 8^th Chevau-léger Lancier Regiments 16^th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment	272
			2nd Brigade General of Brigade Claude Raymond Guyon	1st, 2nd & 3rd Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 6th & 8th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 9^th & 25^th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments	432
	2nd Heavy Cavalry Division General of Division Étienne de Bordesoulle	1,196	1st Brigade General of Brigade Nicolas Marin Thiry	2nd & 3rd Cuirassier Regiments 6th & 9th Cuirassier Regiments 11^th & 12^th Cuirassier Regiments	614
			2nd Brigade General of Brigade Joseph Alexandre Félix de Laville	4^th, 7^th & 14^th Cuirassier Regiments 7^th & 23rd Dragoon Regiments 28th and 30^th Dragoon Regiments	582
	Attached Artillery	170 6 guns	Not Brigaded	1st Horse Artillery Regiment, 3rd Company	77, 6 guns
				1st (bis) Train Battalion, 2nd Company 8^th (bis) Train Battalion	93
II Cavalry Corps General of Division Antoine de Saint-Germain	2nd Light Cavalry Division General of Division Sigismond Frédéric de Berckheim	977	3rd Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Baptiste Dommanget	5^th & 9^th Hussar Regiments 11th & 12th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 2^nd & 4^th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiments	117
			4th Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Baptiste Jamin de Bermuy	6^th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiment 4^th, 7^th & 20^th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 23^rd & 24^th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments	860
	2nd Heavy Cavalry Division General of Division Antoine de Saint-Germain	665	3rd Brigade General of Brigade Amable Guy Blanchard	1st Carabinier Regiment 2nd Carabinier Regiments 1st Cuirassier Regiment	390
			4^th Brigade General of Brigade Louis Charles Sopransi	5^th & 8^th Cuirassier Regiments 10^th & 13^th Cuirassier Regiments	275
	Corps Artillery Lieutenant Colonel Graillat	270 4 guns	Not Brigaded	1st Horse Artillery, 1st Company 5^th Horse Artillery, 5^th Company 1st (bis) Train Battalion	270, 4 guns
Independent Cavalry	Cavalry Division General of Division Jean-Marie Defrance	896	General of Brigade Cyrille-Simon Picquet	10th Hussar Regiment	-
				1st Gardes d'Honneur Regiment	-
			General of Brigade Philippe Paul, comte de Ségur	2nd Gardes d'Honneur Regiment	-
				3rd Gardes d'Honneur Regiment	-
				4^th Gardes d'Honneur Regiment	-
VI Corps Marshal Auguste de Marmont	3rd Infantry Division General of Division Joseph Lagrange	4,868	General of Brigade Joseph Antoine René Joubert	1st & 15^th Line Infantry Regiments	-
				16^th & 62nd Line Infantry Regiments	-
				70^th & 121^th Line Infantry Regiments	-
				1st Marine Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	-
			General of Brigade Pierre Pelleport	2nd Marine Regiment, 1st–4th Battalions	-
				3rd Marine Regiment, 1st–3rd Battalions	-
				4^th Marine Regiment, 1st–3rd Battalions	-
				23rd Line Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion	-
				37^th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 3rd Battalions	-
	8^th Infantry Division General of Division Étienne Pierre Ricard	2,917	General of Brigade Jean-Louis Fournier	2nd & 6^th Light Infantry Regiments, 2nd Battalions	-
				4^th Light Infantry Regiment, 7^th Battalion	-
				9^th & 16^th Light Infantry Regiments	-
				40^th Line Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion	-
				50^th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion	-
			General of Brigade François-Louis Boudin de Roville (WIA)	22nd & 69^th Line Infantry Regiments	-
				136^th & 138^th Line Infantry Regiments, 1st Battalions	-
				142nd Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalions	-
				144^th & 145^th Line Infantry Regiments, 1st Battalions	-
	Corps Artillery	775 30 guns	Not Brigaded	3rd Foot Artillery, 6^th, 23rd & 25^th Companies 4^th Foot Artillery, 2nd & 11^th Companies 5th Foot Artillery, 13^th–16^th & 27^th Companies 8 12-pound cannons 13 6-pound cannons & howitzers	266, 21 guns
				1st Horse Artillery, 2nd Company 3rd Horse Artillery, 7^th Company 5^th Horse Artillery, 8^th Company 9 6-pound cannons & howitzers	156, 9 guns
				3rd, 8^th (bis), & 12^th Train Battalions, 1 company each 4th Train Battalion, 1st & 4^th Companies 9^th (bis) Train Battalion, 1st & 5^th Companies	353
VII Corps Marshal Nicolas Oudinot not present	7^th Division General of Division Jean François Leval	4,500	General of Brigade Pierre Armand Pinoteau	10^th Light Infantry Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	-
				3rd Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion	-
				5^th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion	-
				130^th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 4^th Battalions	-
			General of Brigade Jacques Montfort	17^th Light Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion	-
				101st Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion	-
				105^th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions	-
			Divisional Artillery	2 Foot Artillery Companies	-
				1 Horse Artillery Company	-

Battle of Montmirail

On 11 February, Napoleon marched west through Montmirail with 10,500 men, consisting of the Old Guard, Étienne Pierre Sylvestre Ricard's division, and 36 guns. The French faced Fabian Wilhelm von Osten-Sacken's 18,000 Russians[22] (with 80[23] or 90 guns[24])[note 1] and Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg's 18,000 Prussians. Sacken tried to force his way to the west, but Yorck's troops were delayed. By 4:00 pm, Napoleon's strength rose to 20,000. The French defeated Sacken's corps while Marshal Édouard Mortier repelled Yorck's belated attack.[22] Sacken lost 2,000 killed and wounded plus 800 men, 13 guns, and six colors captured. The Prussians sustained 900 casualties while the French lost 2,000.[25] French Generals Claude-Étienne Michel and François-Louis Boudin de Roville and Prussian General Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch were wounded.[26]

Sacken's Russian order of battle

General-Leutnant Fabian Wilhelm von Osten-Sacken

Sacken's Army Corps at Montmirail and Château-Thierry[5]

Corps	Division	Brigade	Regiment
Reserve Artillery	General-major Alexey Petrovich Nikitin	Not Brigaded	Position Battery Nr. 10
			Position Battery Nr. 13
			Position Battery Nr. 18
			Light Battery Nr. 28
VI Infantry Corps General-Leutnant Alexei Grigorievich Scherbatov (sick) General-major Alexander Ivanovich Tallisin II	7th Division General-major Nikolay Gregoryevich Scherbatov II	Colonel Kritschinikov	Moscow Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Pskov Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		Colonel Augustov	Libau Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Sophia Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		Colonel Dietrich	11th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
			36th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
	18th Division General-major Bernodessov	Lieutenant Colonel Blagovenzenko	Dnieper Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Vladimir Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		General-major Heidenreich (POW)	Kostroma Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Tambov Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		General-major Metcherinov	28th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
			32nd Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
	VI Corps Artillery	Not Brigaded	Light Battery Nr. 19
			Light Battery Nr. 24
XI Infantry Corps General-major Ivan Andreievich Lieven III	10th Division General-major Andrey Andreevich Zass I	General-major Josif Karlovich Sokolovsky	Yaroslavl Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Kursk Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Bieloserk Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
		Colonel Achlestischev	8th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
			39th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
		Lieutenant Colonel Selivanov Attached from 16th Division	Kamchatka Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Okhotsk Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
	27th Division General-Leutnant Maxim Fyodorovich Stavitsky	Colonel Lewandowsky	Odessa Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Vilna Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		Colonel Alexejev	Simbirsk Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Tarnopol Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		Colonel Kalogruivoff	49th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
			50th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
	XI Corps Artillery	Not Brigaded	Light Battery Nr. 34
			Light Battery Nr. 35
Cavalry Corps General-Leutnant Ilarion Vasilievich Vasilshikov	2nd Hussar Division General-major Sergei Nicholaevich Lanskoi	General-major Ivan Mikhailovich Vadbolsky	Akhtyrsk Hussar Regiment, 6 squadrons
			Marioupol Hussar Regiment, 5 squadrons
		Colonel Dmitri Vasilievich Vasilshikov II	White Russia Hussar Regiment, 4 squadrons
			Alexandria Hussar Regiment, 5 squadrons
	3rd Dragoon Division General-major Semyon Davydovich Pandschulishev	General-major Pavel Nicolaevich Ushakov II	Smolensk Dragoon Regiment
			Kurland Dragoon Regiment
		General-major Andrey Semyonovich Umanets	Tver Dragoon Regiment
			Kinburn Dragoon Regiment
		Not Brigaded	Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 18, 10 guns[10]
	Cossacks General-major Akim Akimovich Karpov II	Not Brigaded	Karpov II Don Cossack Regiment
			Semintschikov IV Don Cossack Regiment
			Lukovken II Don Cossack Regiment
			Kuteinikov IV Don Cossack Regiment
			Grekov I Don Cossack Regiment
			St Petersburg Opolchenie Cossack Regiment
			4th Ukrainian Cossack Regiment
			2nd Kalmuck Regiment
	Cavalry Corps Artillery	Not Brigaded	Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 6
			Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 7

Yorck's Prussian order of battle

The 1st Brigade under General-major Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch and the 7th Brigade under General-major Heinrich Wilhelm von Horn were engaged.[27] The only Prussian artillery present were the two batteries attached to the 1st and 7th Brigades. The remainder of the artillery was unable to get forward because of poor condition of the roads. The 8th Brigade was sent back to hold Château-Thierry in case of an attack by Marshal Jacques MacDonald.[28]

Yorck's Corps at Montmirail and Château-Thierry[29]

Corps	Brigade	Strength	Regiment
I Corps General of the Infantry Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg	1st Brigade General-major Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch	3,505	1st East Prussian Grenadier Battalion
			Silesian Grenadier Battalion
			Leib Grenadier Battalion
			West Prussian Grenadier Battalion
		339	Foot Jägers
		4,826	13th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 4 battalions
		728	East Prussian National Cavalry Regiment, 4 squadrons (+148 Jägers)
		96	6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 2
	2nd Brigade Oberst Friedrich Wilhelm von Warburg	4,777	1st East Prussian Regiment, 3 battalions
			2nd East Prussian Regiment, 3 battalions
		197	Foot Jägers
		469	Mecklinburg-Strelitz Hussar Regiment, 4 squadrons (+46 Jägers)
		94	6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 1
	7th Brigade General-major Heinrich Wilhelm von Horn	2,688	Leib Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions
		278	Foot Jägers
		4,589	5th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 2 battalions
			15th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 2 battalions
		492	Brandenburg Hussar Regiment (+200 Jägers)
		114	6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 3
	8th Brigade General-major Prince Wilhelm of Prussia	4,726	Brandenburg Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions
			12th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
		2,102	12th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 2 battalions
		382	2nd Leib Hussar Regiment (+84 Jägers)
		97	6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 15
	Reserve Cavalry Oberst Georg Ludwig von Wahlen-Jürgass	2,031 Line 318 Jägers	Henkel's Brigade: Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment
			Henkel's Brigade: 1st West Prussian Dragoon Regiment
			Katzler's Brigade: Brandenburg Uhlan Regiment
		1,341	Katzler's Brigade: 1st Neumark Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
			Bieberstein's Brigade: 5th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
			Bieberstein's Brigade: 10th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
		327	6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 1
			6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 2
	Reserve Artillery Oberst von Schmidt	522	12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 1
			12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 2
			6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 3
			6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 12
			Park Column Nr. 15
		133	Pioneers

French order of battle

At Montmirail, Napoleon had the 1st and 2nd Old Guard Divisions, the 1st and 2nd Young Guard Divisions, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, Defrance's Cavalry Division, and Ricard's division.[30] Marshal Marmont took position at Étoges with Lagrange's division and the I Cavalry Corps with orders to observe Blücher.[31] Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes led either the 2nd Guard Cavalry Division or the 3rd Young Guard Division; it is unclear.[30]

Battle of Château-Thierry

After being beaten by Napoleon's army at Montmirail, the corps of Sacken and Yorck withdrew toward Château-Thierry. When the Allied rearguard tried to hold off the French pursuit, Marshal Ney scattered the cavalry protecting the Allied left flank. The Prussian infantry escaped across the Marne River, but the French trapped a Russian brigade on the right flank and forced it to surrender. For the loss of 600 killed and wounded, the French inflicted 1,250 casualties on the Prussians and 1,500 casualties on the Russians. The French captured nine guns and many wagons. The Allies retreated to Fismes while the French repaired the broken bridge.[32] The next day, Marshal Mortier led the pursuit with the divisions of Christiani, Colbert, and Defrance. The French captured 300–400 stragglers while as many as 2,000 more were turned in by groups of French farmers, who were infuriated by Allied plundering during the previous week.[33]

French order of battle

On the morning of the battle, Saint-Germain reinforced Napoleon with 2,400 horsemen belonging to the II Cavalry Corps. Marshal MacDonald had destroyed the Trilport bridge over the Marne, which was on the direct route from Meaux to Montmirail. Therefore, the marshal sent Saint-Germain on a detour through Coulommiers to reach the main army.[25] As on the previous day, Marmont's 4,000 soldiers continued to watch Blücher.[34]

Battle of Vauchamps

Napoleon found that Blücher drove Marmont's force from Étoges and decided to move against the Prussian field marshal. The French emperor left Château-Thierry at 3:00 am on 14 February for a rendezvous with Marmont. That morning, Blücher advanced west to Vauchamps where he ran into stiff resistance. Blücher decided to retreat after seeing the French cavalry defeat the Allied cavalry and discovering that he was facing Napoleon in person. The 25,000 French enjoyed a numerical advantage over the 20,000 Allied soldiers. By the end of the day, the French inflicted 7,000 casualties on their enemies and captured 16 guns; French losses were only 600.[35] The losses include the remnant of Olsufiev's corps which lost 600 men and all its remaining artillery.[36]

Kaptzevich's Russian order of battle

Kaptzevich's Corps at Vauchamps[37]

Corps	Division	Brigade	Regiment
X Infantry Corps General-Leutnant Peter Mikhailovich Kaptzevich	X Corps Artillery	Not Brigaded	Position Battery Nr. 39
			Light Battery Nr. 3
			Light Battery Nr. 56
	8th Infantry Division General-major Alexander Petrovich Urusov II	Colonel Schenschen	Archangel Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
			Schusselburg Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
			Old Ingremannland Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
		Colonel Suthof	7th Jäger Regiment, 2 battalions
			37th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
	22nd Infantry Division General-major Pavel Petrovich Turchaninov I	General-major Schapskoy	Olonetz Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
			Viatka Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
			Staroskol Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
		General-major Vassilshikov	29th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
			45th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
IX Infantry Corps 1,500 reorganized survivors	General-major Evstafi Evstafievich Udom II	Brigades unknown	Temporary battalion 1
			Temporary battalion 2
			Temporary battalion 3
			Light Batteries Nrs. 13 & 24

Kleist's Prussian order of battle

Kleist's Corps at Vauchamps[37]

Corps	Brigade	Regiment	Strength
II Corps General-major Friedrich von Kleist	9th Brigade	no units present	-
	10th Brigade General-major Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch	2nd West Prussian Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions	-
		7th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions	-
		8th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
		6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 8	8 guns
	11th Brigade General-major Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten	1st Silesian Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions	-
		10th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions	-
		Silesian Schützen Battalion, 2 companies	-
		1st Silesian Hussar Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
		6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 9	8 guns
	12th Brigade General-major Prince Augustus of Prussia	2nd Silesian Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions	-
		11th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions	-
		7th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
		6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 21	8 guns
	Cavalry Brigade Oberst Karl Georg Albrecht Ernst von Hake	Silesian Cuirassier Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
		Silesian Uhlan Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
		6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 8	8 guns
	Cavalry Brigade General-major Friedrich Erhard von Röder	East Prussian Cuirassier Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
		Brandenburg Cuirassier Regiment, 4 squadrons	-
	II Corps Artillery Oberst Braun	12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 3	8 guns
		12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 6	8 guns
		6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 11	8 guns
		6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 13	8 guns
		6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 9	8 guns
		6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 10	8 guns
		Howitzer Battery Nr. 1	-

French order of battle

Hearing about Blücher's advance to Champaubert, Napoleon ordered Ricard's division to rejoin the VI Corps. He reorganized Marshal MacDonald's infantry into the XI Corps and sent it south to face Schwarzenberg's Allied army.[38] Napoleon directed the following troops eastward to face Blücher: Friant's 1st Old Guard Division, Ney's two Young Guard divisions, Nansouty's 2nd and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, and Saint-Germain's II Cavalry Corps. Jean Francois Leval's infantry division was marching north from Sézanne.[39] The fighting ended before Leval's soldiers arrived on the field.[40]

Notes

Footnotes

1. If Sacken had 12 guns for each of his 11 batteries, he would have had 132 guns available at Montmirail, instead of the 80–90 guns given by the sources.

Citations

1. Nafziger 2015, pp. 168–169.
2. Petre 1994, p. 43.
3. Petre 1994, pp. 52–53.
4. Petre 1994, pp. 55–57.
5. Nafziger 2015, pp. 601–602.
6. Nafziger 2015, p. 552.
7. Petre 1994, p. 105.
8. Rothenberg 1980, pp. 201–201.
9. Nafziger 2015, p. 554.
10. Nafziger 2015, p. 551.
11. Rothenberg 1980, p. 193.
12. Rothenberg 1980, p. 195.
13. Nafziger 2015, p. 527.
14. Rothenberg 1980, p. 143.
15. Petre 1994, p. 37.
16. Chandler 1979, p. 87.
17. Smith 1998, p. 494.
18. Nafziger 2015, p. 597.
19. Nafziger 2015, pp. 134–135.
20. Pelet 1973, p. 511.
21. Nafziger 2015, pp. 526–545, 575–580, 594–596, 599–600, 604–607.
22. Chandler 1979, pp. 286–287.
23. Nafziger 2015, p. 144.
24. Petre 1994, p. 64.
25. Petre 1994, p. 66.
26. Nafziger 2015, p. 152.
27. Nafziger 2015, pp. 602–603.
28. Nafziger 2015, p. 149.
29. Nafziger 2015, pp. 549–550, 602–603.
30. Nafziger 2015, p. 146.
31. Petre 1994, p. 61.
32. Chandler 1979, pp. 90–91.
33. Nafziger 2015, p. 159.
34. Nafziger 2015, p. 153.
35. Chandler 1979, pp. 458–459.
36. Nafziger & 20125, p. 608–609. sfn error: no target: CITEREFNafziger20125 (help)
37. Nafziger 2015, pp. 608–609.
38. Petre 1994, p. 67.
39. Nafziger 2015, pp. 159–160.
40. Nafziger 2015, p. 168.

References

• Chandler, David G. (1979). Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-523670-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Nafziger, George (2015). The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign. Solihull, UK: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-909982-96-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Pelet, Jean-Jacques (1973) [1811]. Horward, Donald D. (ed.). The French Campaign in Portugal 1810-1811. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-0658-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Petre, F. Loraine (1994) [1914]. Napoleon at Bay: 1814. London: Lionel Leventhal Ltd. ISBN 1-85367-163-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Rothenberg, Gunther (1980). The Art of War in the Age of Napoleon. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-31076-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)