When was the Battle of Champaubert fought?
The Battle of Champaubert was fought on the 10th of February 1814. It was the opening engagement of the Six Days' Campaign during the War of the Sixth Coalition.
Questions about Battle of Champaubert
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the forces at the Battle of Champaubert?
Napoleon commanded the French army while Lieutenant General Count Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev led the Russian IX Corps. Olsufiev was captured at the end of the battle.
What happened to Olsufiev's Russian corps at Champaubert?
Olsufiev's IX Corps of roughly 4,000 men was destroyed. Sources estimate 2,400 or more Russian casualties, with 9-21 guns lost. Olsufiev and General-major Prince Konstantin Poltoratsky were both captured. Only 1,500-2,000 men escaped.
Why did Olsufiev choose to fight rather than retreat at Champaubert?
Olsufiev had previously been criticized for losing a château at the Battle of Brienne on the 29th of January 1814, and was blamed for mishandling troops at La Rothière. Sacken had sought a court-martial against him. Facing those pressures, Olsufiev chose to fight to clear his name rather than order a retreat.
What was the numerical advantage France held at the Battle of Champaubert?
The French held a six-to-one numerical advantage at Champaubert, one of the largest imbalances in France's favor during the 1814 campaign. Napoleon brought roughly 30,000 troops against Olsufiev's corps of approximately 4,000-5,000 men.
How did Champaubert lead to the Battle of Montmirail?
After destroying Olsufiev's corps, Napoleon found himself in the center of Blücher's overextended Army of Silesia. He ordered Marmont to hold Étoges with Lagrange's division and the I Cavalry Corps, then drove west with the rest of his army. The Battle of Montmirail was fought on the 11th of February 1814 against Sacken and Yorck.