When was the Battle of Reims 1814 fought?
The Battle of Reims was fought on the 12th and the 13th of March 1814. Allied forces captured the city on the 12th, and Napoleon retook it on the 13th.
Questions about Battle of Reims (1814)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the Allied forces at the Battle of Reims 1814?
The Allied force was commanded by General Emmanuel de Saint-Priest, a French émigré serving in Russian service who led the Russian 8th Infantry Corps. The Prussian contingent was commanded by General Friedrich Wilhelm von Jagow.
How many troops did Napoleon bring to Reims in March 1814?
Napoleon approached Reims with approximately 20,000 troops. Of those, no more than 10,000 were actually engaged against the 14,500 Allied soldiers deployed on the west side of the city.
What happened to General Saint-Priest at the Battle of Reims?
Saint-Priest was struck by a howitzer shell while riding between the Soissons road and Tinqueux village and was thrown senseless from his horse. He died two weeks later from the wound.
What were the Allied casualties at the Battle of Reims 1814?
Estimates vary by source. Historian Digby Smith put Russian losses at 1,400 men and 12 guns, and Prussian losses at 1,300 men and 10 guns. George Nafziger listed total Allied losses at 700-800 dead, 1,500-1,600 wounded, and 2,500-3,500 captured, plus 11-14 guns and 100 caissons or wagons.
What was the strategic significance of Napoleon's victory at Reims?
The victory allowed Napoleon to position himself between the armies of Blücher in the north and Schwarzenberg in the south, threatening Schwarzenberg's supply line to the Rhine. Historian F.W.O. Maycock called it one of the greatest triumphs of Napoleon's career. Napoleon subsequently moved south toward Arcis-sur-Aube, where battle was joined on the 20th and the 21st of March 1814.