When did the Battle of Vauchamps take place?
The Battle of Vauchamps was fought on the 14th of February 1814. It was the final major engagement of the Six Days Campaign of the War of the Sixth Coalition.
Questions about Battle of Vauchamps
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the French forces at the Battle of Vauchamps?
Napoleon I commanded the French forces overall. Marshal Auguste de Marmont led the infantry, and General Emmanuel de Grouchy commanded the cavalry reserve, which played the decisive role in the pursuit.
What were the French and Coalition troop strengths at Vauchamps?
Blucher's Army of Silesia numbered between 20,000 and 21,500 men from three army corps. Napoleon assembled roughly 25,000 men in the sector, though only about 19,000 reached the battlefield in time and no more than 10,000 were actively engaged in the fighting.
How many casualties did the Army of Silesia suffer at the Battle of Vauchamps?
The Army of Silesia lost between 9,000 and 10,000 men across the day, according to historian Alain Pigeard. French author Jean-Pierre Mir records 3,500 Prussian casualties plus 2,000 prisoners, and around 3,500 Russian casualties along with 15 cannon and 10 flags captured. French losses were around 600 men.
Why was the Battle of Vauchamps considered one of Napoleon's greatest tactical victories?
Vauchamps is rated among Napoleon's most outstanding tactical victories because a French force of roughly 10,000 engaged troops defeated a Coalition army of up to 21,500 while suffering fewer than 600 casualties. The result turned on Napoleon correctly anticipating Blucher's plan the night before and positioning cavalry on terrain that made the Coalition retreat catastrophic.
What happened to Blucher at the Battle of Vauchamps?
Field-marshal Blucher narrowly escaped capture during the French cavalry pursuit. He, his chief of staff Gneisenau, and Generals Kleist, Kapsevitch, and Prince Augustus of Prussia all came close to being taken prisoner as Grouchy's cavalry broke the retreating Coalition squares near Etoges.