Battle of Jena–Auerstedt
Napoleon I of France thrust a force of 180,000 men through the Franconian Forest in October 1806. This massive army moved against the Fourth Coalition while Prussia awaited his advance with about 130,000 soldiers and 20,000 Saxons. The Prussian declaration of war had occurred just weeks before this campaign began. Russia refused to accept defeat after the War of the Third Coalition, prompting Napoleon to keep his forces in a high state of readiness. He conceived a plan to force Prussia into a decisive battle similar to Austerlitz. His troops were positioned in present-day Baden-Württemberg when he decided on a northeast advance toward Saxony and Berlin. The French Emperor sought to pre-empt any Prussian offensive movement. Prussia had begun its mobilization almost a month before France but failed to capitalize on this head start.
Prussian military doctrines remained unchanged for more than fifty years by 1806. Tactics were monotonous and the wagon system was obsolete. The Prussian musket of 1754 was called the worst in Europe by one authority. Key roles were divided between multiple officers creating uncertainty in field coordination. No courier system existed for messages to be transmitted quickly. If orders changed, precious minutes were lost distributing new arrangements. The position of chief of staff was held by three different officers: General Phull, Colonel Gerhard von Scharnhorst, and Colonel Rudolf Massenbach. This confusing system led to delays resulting in over a month's delay before the final order of battle was prepared. Five main plans emerged for discussion during protracted planning. These deliberations shifted the initiative to the French forces. Protracted planning meant Prussian plans became mere reactions to Napoleon's movements.
Napoleon improved his corps system greatly by 1805. At Jena he utilized flexible dispositions to rapidly achieve local superiority. A force reaching 96,000 men was available though less than half actually fought. Only 40,000 men were sent to take part in the battle against Hohenlohe. The Emperor kept the Imperial Guard under his direct command. He could order them to take positions depending on the situation presented. Marshal Michel Ney completed his maneuvers and took up position as ordered. Ney decided to attack despite having no orders which proved almost disastrous. Napoleon recognized Ney's distressed salient and ordered Marshal Jean Lannes to shift from the center. That action left the French center weak but Napoleon deployed the Imperial Guard to hold it until Ney could be rescued. This adaptability remained one of Napoleon's greatest strengths.
The battle commenced on the morning of the 14th of October 1806 on grassy fields near Jena. First movements involved attacks on either flank of the Prussian lines. Skirmishes had little decisive success save for a breakthrough by General Saint-Hilaire who isolated the Prussian left flank. Ney found himself overextended and under heavy fire from Prussian artillery. The Prussian general ordered a counterattack that enveloped Ney's forces. Ney formed them into a square to protect all their flanks. Around 1 p.m. Napoleon decided to make the decisive move. He ordered his flanks to push hard and try to break through while the center attempted to crush the main army. Attacks on the flanks proved successful. With its flanks broken, the Prussian army was forced to withdraw. In total the Prussian army lost 10,000 men killed or wounded. They also lost 15,000 prisoners of war and 150 guns. Before Rüchel's 15,000 men could arrive from Weimar Hohenlohe's force was routed.
General Étienne Gudin's Division moved from Naumburg before 6:30 a.m. By 7 a.m. the 1st Chasseurs were stopped cold outside Poppel by Prussian cavalry. Heavy fog lifted just as they approached the village. Davout ordered Gudin to deploy his force at Hassenhausen once aware of the Prussian force. The Prussian commander Friedrich Wilhelm Carl von Schmettau had orders to block Davout's advance in the Kösen Pass. Blücher arrived with his cavalry and deployed on the left. Together they attacked Gudin's troops and pushed them back to the village. Wartensleben arrived at 8:30 a.m. with the Duke of Brunswick who ordered infantry to the left flank. French squares were rained down with grapeshot during the fighting. At this critical point the Duke needed to take drastic action. Shortly before 10 a.m. he ordered a full assault on Hassenhausen. By 10 a.m. the Duke of Brunswick was carried from the field mortally wounded along with Schmettau. With the loss of both commanders the Prussian command broke down. Davout's corps lost 7,052 officers and men killed or wounded while Prussian casualties reached 13,000.
Napoleon initially did not believe that Davout's single Corps had defeated the Prussian main body unaided. He responded to the first report by saying Your Marshal must be seeing double. As matters became clearer the Emperor was unstinting in his praise. Davout was made Duke of Auerstedt. On the Prussian side Brunswick was mortally wounded at Auerstedt. Over the next few days remaining forces could not mount serious resistance to Murat's cavalry pursuit. In the Capitulation of Erfurt on the 16th of October a large body of Prussian troops became prisoners. Bernadotte crushed Eugene Frederick Henry Duke of Württemberg's Prussian Reserve Army on the 17th in the Battle of Halle. Davout led his exhausted III Corps into Berlin in triumph on the 25th of October. Hohenlohe's force surrendered on the 28th of October after the Battle of Prenzlau. The French captured several small columns at Boldekow on the 30th of October and Anklam on the 1st of November. Blücher moved west to cross into neutral Denmark but Danes placed their army on the border. The Prussians violated neutrality of Lübeck and fortified it with intent to join Swedish forces.
Important Prussian reformers like Scharnhorst Gneisenau and Clausewitz served at the battle. Their reforms together with civilian reforms instituted over following years began Prussia's transformation into a modern state. This modernized Prussia took the forefront in expelling France from Germany. The reduction of Prussia to a French vassal formed a key component of German nationalism. Napoleon built a bridge in Paris named after the battle. When he was defeated the Prussian contingent wished to destroy the bridge. Talleyrand temporarily renamed the bridge after the French Grand Army dissuading them. A museum about the battle exists in the village of Cospeda. To mark the 200th anniversary the battle was re-enacted on the 14th of October 2006 with 1,800 participants. Annually in October commemorative events are organized by the association Jena 1806 e. V. This takes place on a grander scale every five years.
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Common questions
What happened during the Battle of Jena, Auerstedt in 1806?
Napoleon I of France defeated Prussia and Saxony on the 14th of October 1806 near Jena. The French army thrust through the Franconian Forest to force a decisive battle against the Fourth Coalition forces.
Why did the Prussian military fail at the Battle of Jena, Auerstedt?
Prussian military doctrines remained unchanged for more than fifty years by 1806 with obsolete tactics and an outdated wagon system. Key roles were divided between multiple officers creating uncertainty while no courier system existed for quick message transmission.
How many men fought in the Battle of Jena, Auerstedt on the 14th of October 1806?
Napoleon deployed a force reaching 96,000 men though less than half actually fought at the engagement. Only 40,000 men were sent to take part in the battle against Hohenlohe while Davout commanded his corps separately at Auerstedt.
Who died during the Battle of Jena, Auerstedt on the 14th of October 1806?
The Duke of Brunswick was carried from the field mortally wounded along with General Friedrich Wilhelm Carl von Schmettau shortly before 10 a.m. on the 14th of October 1806. Their deaths caused the Prussian command to break down completely during the fighting.
When did Napoleon's forces capture Berlin after the Battle of Jena, Auerstedt?
Davout led his exhausted III Corps into Berlin in triumph on the 25th of October 1806 following the dual battles. The French captured several small columns at Boldekow on the 30th of October and Anklam on the 1st of November.