Battle of Friedland
Europe had become embroiled in the War of the Third Coalition in 1805. Following the French victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in December 1805, Prussia went to war in 1806 to recover her position as the leading power of Central Europe. Franco-Prussian tensions gradually increased after Austerlitz. Napoleon insisted that Prussia should join his economic blockade of Great Britain. This adversely affected the German merchant class. Napoleon ordered a raid to seize a subversive, anti-Napoleonic bookseller named Johann Philipp Palm in August 1806. He made a final attempt to secure terms with Britain by offering her Hanover, which infuriated Prussia. The Prussians began to mobilize on the 9th of August 1806 and issued an ultimatum on the 26th of August. They required French troops to withdraw to the west bank of the Rhine by the 8th of October on pain of war between the two nations. Napoleon aimed to win the war by destroying the Prussian armies before the Russians could arrive. 180,000 French troops began to cross the Franconian forest on the 2nd of October 1806. They deployed in a bataillon-carré system designed to meet threats from any possible direction. On the 14th of October the French won decisively at the large double-battle of Jena-Auerstedt. A famous pursuit followed, and by the end of the campaign the Prussians had lost 25,000 killed and wounded. They also lost 140,000 prisoners and more than 2,000 cannons. A few Prussian units managed to cross the Oder River, but Prussia lost the vast majority of its army. Russia now had to face France alone.
When the French arrived in Poland, the local people hailed them as liberators. The Russian general Bennigsen worried that French forces might cut him off from Buxhoevden's army, so he abandoned Warsaw and retreated to the right bank of the Vistula. On the 28th of November 1806 French troops under Murat entered Warsaw. The French pursued the fleeing Russians and a significant battle developed around Pułtusk on the 26th of December. The result remained in doubt, but Bennigsen wrote to the Tsar that he had defeated 60,000 French troops. At this point, Marshal Ney began to extend his forces to procure food supplies. Bennigsen noticed a good opportunity to strike at an isolated French corps, but he abandoned his plans once he realized Napoléon's maneuvers intended to trap his army. The Russians withdrew towards Allenstein on the 3rd of February and later to Eylau. On the 7th of February the Russians fought Soult's corps for possession of Eylau. Daybreak on the 8th of February saw 44,500 French troops on the field against 67,000 Russians. After receiving reinforcements the French had 75,000 men against 76,000. Napoleon hoped to pin Bennigsen's army long enough to allow Ney's and Davout's troops to outflank the Russians. A fierce struggle ensued, made worse by a blinding snowstorm on the battlefield. The French found themselves in dire straits until a massed cavalry charge, made by 10,700 troopers formed in 80 squadrons, relieved the pressure on the centre. Davout's arrival meant the attack on the Russian left could commence, but the assault was blunted when a Prussian force under L'Estocq suddenly appeared on the battlefield. Casualties at this indecisive battle were horrific, perhaps 25,000 on each side.
After several months of recuperating from Eylau, Napoleon ordered the army on the move once again. Learning that the Russians had encamped at their operational base in the town of Heilsberg, by the Alle River, Napoleon decided to conduct a general assault. In fact, the French ran into the entire Russian army of over 50,000 men and 150 artillery guns. Repeated and determined attacks by the French failed to dislocate the Russians, who were fighting inside elaborate earthworks designed to prevent precisely the kind of river crossing Napoleon was attempting. French casualties soared to 10,000 while the Russians lost about 6,000. The Russians eventually withdrew from Heilsberg as their position became untenable, prompting Napoleon to chase after them once again. The French headed in the direction of Königsberg to gain additional supplies and provisions. On the 13th of June the advance guard of Marshal Lannes reported seeing large numbers of Russian troops at the town of Friedland. Both sides engaged one another for the remainder of the day with no result. Crucially, Bennigsen believed he had enough time to cross the Alle the following day, to destroy the isolated units of Lannes, and to withdraw back across the river without ever encountering the main French army.
Bennigsen's main body began to occupy the town on the night of the 13th of June, after Russian forces under General Golitsyn had driven off the French cavalry outposts. The army of Napoleon marched on Friedland, but remained dispersed on its various march routes. Knowing that Napoleon was within supporting distance with at least three corps, Lannes sent aides galloping off with messages for help. He waged an expert delaying action to fix Bennigsen in place. With never more than 26,000 men, Lannes forced Bennigsen to commit progressively more troops across the Alle to defeat him. Showing a bold front, and shifting troops where needed to stop Russian advances, the French engaged the Russians first in the Sortlack Wood and in front of Posthenen in the early hours of the 14th. Lannes held Bennigsen in place until the French had massed 80,000 troops on the west bank of the river. Both sides now used their cavalry freely to cover the formation of lines of battle. A race between the rival squadrons for the possession of Heinrichsdorf ended in favor of the French under Grouchy and Nansouty. Bennigsen was trapped and had to fight. Having thrown all of his pontoon bridges at or near the bottleneck of the village of Friedland, Bennigsen had unwittingly trapped his troops on the west bank.
The head of Mortier's corps appeared at Heinrichsdorf and drove the Cossacks out of Schwonau. Lannes held his own, and by noon Napoleon arrived with 40,000 French troops at the scene of the battle. Napoleon gave brief orders: Ney's corps would take the line between Postlienen and the Sortlack Wood, Lannes closing on his left, to form the centre, Mortier at Heinrichsdorf the left wing. I Corps under General Victor and the Imperial Guard were placed in reserve behind Posthenen. Cavalry masses were collected at Heinrichsdorf. The main attack was to be delivered against the Russian left, which Napoleon saw at once to be cramped in the narrow tongue of land between the river and the Posthenen mill-stream. At 5 o'clock all was ready, and Ney, preceded by a heavy artillery fire, rapidly carried the Sortlack Wood. A furious charge by Russian cavalry into the gap between Marchand and Bisson was repulsed by the dragoon division of Latour-Maubourg. Soon the Russians found themselves huddled together in the bends of the Alle, an easy target for the guns of Ney and of the reserve. The infantry division of Dupont advanced rapidly from Posthenen, the cavalry divisions drove back the Russian squadrons into the now congested masses of infantry on the river bank. Finally the artillery general Sénarmont advanced a mass of guns to case-shot range. The terrible effect of the close range artillery saw the Russian defense collapsing within minutes. When Friedland itself was seen to be on fire, the two marshals launched their infantry attack.
On the 19th of June Emperor Alexander sent an envoy to seek an armistice with the French. Napoleon assured the envoy that the Vistula River represented the natural borders between French and Russian influence in Europe. On that basis, the two emperors began peace negotiations at the town of Tilsit after meeting on an iconic raft on the River Niemen. The very first thing Alexander said to Napoleon was probably well-calibrated: I hate the English as much as you do. Napoleon reportedly replied, Then we have already made peace. The two emperors spent several days reviewing each other's armies, passing out medals, and frequently talking about non-political subjects. Although the negotiations at Tilsit featured plenty of pageantry and diplomatic niceties, they were not spared from ruthless politics. Alexander faced pressure from his brother, Duke Constantine, to make peace with Napoleon. Given the victory he had just achieved, the French emperor offered the Russians relatively lenient terms. He demanded that Russia join the Continental System, withdraw its forces from Wallachia and Moldavia, and hand over the Ionian Islands to France. By contrast, Napoleon dictated very harsh peace terms for Prussia, despite the ceaseless exhortations of Queen Louise. Wiping out half of Prussian territories from the map, Napoleon created a new kingdom of 1,100 square miles called Westphalia and appointed his young brother Jérôme as its new monarch.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the Battle of Friedland take place?
The Battle of Friedland took place on the 14th of June 1807. French forces under Napoleon defeated Russian troops led by General Bennigsen near the town of Friedland.
Who commanded the French army at the Battle of Friedland?
Napoleon commanded the French army during the Battle of Friedland. Marshal Lannes held the line with 26,000 men until Napoleon arrived with 40,000 additional troops to secure victory.
What were the results of the Battle of Friedland for Russia and Prussia?
Russia suffered heavy casualties and withdrew from Heilsberg after losing the battle. The Treaty of Tilsit forced Russia to join the Continental System and withdraw from Wallachia and Moldavia while Prussia lost half its territories.
Where was the Battle of Friedland fought geographically?
The Battle of Friedland occurred in the town of Friedland near the Alle River in East Prussia. French forces trapped Russian troops on the west bank of the river before destroying their defenses.
Why did Napoleon win the Battle of Friedland?
Napoleon won because he massed 80,000 troops against Bennigsen's isolated units and used superior artillery to collapse the Russian defense. General Sénarmont advanced guns to case-shot range which caused the Russian lines to crumble within minutes.