When did the Six Days' Campaign take place?
The Six Days' Campaign was fought from the 10th to the 15th of February 1814, during the campaign in north-east France as the Sixth Coalition moved toward Paris.
Questions about Six Days' Campaign
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What battles were fought during the Six Days' Campaign?
Napoleon fought four battles: Champaubert on the 10th of February, Montmirail on the 11th, Château-Thierry on the 12th, and Vauchamps on the 14th. All four were French victories against elements of Blücher's Army of Silesia.
How many casualties did Napoleon inflict during the Six Days' Campaign?
Napoleon's force of approximately 30,000 men inflicted around 17,750 casualties on Blücher's army of 50,000-56,000, while suffering only 3,400 losses of their own. The Army of Silesia lost roughly a third of its total strength.
Why was the Six Days' Campaign considered a masterpiece of tactics?
Austrian general Johann von Nostitz-Rieneck said the campaign displayed Napoleon's talents as a field commander "to the highest degree" because he defeated five enemy corps in sequence while outnumbered, using careful manoeuvre rather than mass assault. He achieved this despite commanding a largely inexperienced army.
Who was Blücher and what role did he play in the Six Days' Campaign?
Field Marshal Blücher commanded the Army of Silesia, a Russo-Prussian force of 50,000-56,000 men that Napoleon targeted during the campaign. A series of intelligence failures left his army scattered along the Marne valley, allowing Napoleon to defeat its corps individually before Blücher could concentrate his forces.
What happened to Napoleon after the Six Days' Campaign?
Napoleon continued fighting but was ultimately outmaneuvered after his plan to cut coalition supply lines was exposed when a letter outlining his strategy was captured. Paris fell on the 31st of March 1814, and Napoleon signed an unconditional abdication and was exiled to the island of Elba. The Treaty of Fontainebleau formalized his abdication, and the War of the Sixth Coalition officially ended with the Treaty of Paris on the 30th of May 1814.