When did the Battle of Dresden take place?
The Battle of Dresden took place on the 26th and the 27th of August, 1813, during the War of the Sixth Coalition. It was fought around the city of Dresden, then the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony.
Questions about Battle of Dresden
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the French forces at the Battle of Dresden?
Napoleon commanded the French forces at Dresden. Marshal Saint-Cyr initially held the city with around 20,000 men before Napoleon arrived on the 26th of August with reinforcements, having covered 140 kilometers in a forced march over three days.
Who commanded the Coalition army at the Battle of Dresden?
Generalissimo Karl von Schwarzenberg commanded the Army of Bohemia, the Coalition force at Dresden. The Coalition also included three monarchs in the field: Alexander I of Russia, Francis I of Austria, and Frederick William III of Prussia.
What were the casualties at the Battle of Dresden?
The Coalition lost between 38,000 and 40,000 men, 40 guns, and 15 colours. Austrian losses alone amounted to over 16,300 men and 22 guns. French casualties totaled around 10,000.
Why did Murat's cavalry destroy the Austrian left wing at Dresden?
The flooded Weisseritz River cut off the Coalition's left wing under Klenau and Gyulai from the main body, leaving it isolated. Continuous rain also rendered the Austrians' flintlock muskets unable to fire, making them vulnerable to Murat's cuirassiers and dragoons.
What happened after the Battle of Dresden that undermined Napoleon's victory?
Three days after Dresden, General Vandamme's I Corps marched into the withdrawing Coalition forces and was surrounded and destroyed at the Battle of Kulm on the 30th of August, 1813. Combined with earlier French defeats at Grossbeeren and the Battle of Katzbach, this loss overshadowed Napoleon's win at Dresden.