Battle of La Rothière
Napoleon stood at the edge of disaster in November 1813. His army had just suffered a crushing defeat at Leipzig, forcing him to retreat across the Rhine River with only 60,000 to 70,000 soldiers. He left behind 100,000 men garrisoned in German fortresses, and these forces would be lost to him during the coming campaign. Former allies like Bavaria switched sides to join the Coalition against him. The French emperor spread his remaining troops thin along the Rhine line while trying to organize a new force. By the 1st of December 1813, he could deploy only 129,106 men against numerically superior enemies.
Three separate Coalition armies prepared to invade France from different directions. Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg led the Army of Bohemia across the upper Rhine near Basel on the 20th of December 1813. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher commanded the Army of Silesia crossing the middle Rhine on the 1st of January 1814. General Ferdinand von Wintzingerode moved his North Army across the lower Rhine on the 6th of January. On that same day, the 1st of January 1814, Schwarzenberg's Army of Bohemia numbered 156,868 men while Blücher's Army of Silesia counted 77,100 soldiers. Wintzingerode directed 36,000 Russians and Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow controlled another 30,000 Prussians.
Napoleon lingered in the area too long after clashing with Blücher at Brienne on the 29th of January. When the Coalition army attacked, his troops were poorly positioned to defend themselves. It was already too late to avoid battle. The French emperor mistakenly concluded that the Allies intended to keep him stationary at Brienne while their main effort targeted Troyes. Napoleon reached the theater of action on the 26th of January and assumed command of 41,303 available soldiers.
On the 30th of January, Blücher took up a position at Trannes south of Brienne and stayed there the following day. Napoleon remained fixed in position on both 30 and the 31st of January. At noon on the 1st of February, movements by Blücher indicated an Allied attack might be coming. Napoleon had ordered Marshal Michel Ney to march from Brienne to Troyes earlier that morning. A council of war held by Schwarzenberg on the 29th of January decided that Feldzeugmeister Hieronymus von Colloredo-Mansfeld's 1st Corps should move from Bar-sur-Seine to Vendœuvres. This move would free Ignaz Gyulai's 3rd Corps to join Crown Prince William of Württemberg's 4th Corps at Bar-sur-Aube.
Historian Francis Loraine Petre credited General of Division Étienne Maurice Gérard with 8,300 soldiers and Marshal Claude Perrin Victor with 17,300 troops. He counted Marmont with 8,200 men and Michel Ney with 11,300 soldiers. The French army numbered 45,100 men total with 128 guns available for battle. Digby Smith asserted that the French army counted about 45,000 men organized into 57 battalions and 62 squadrons supported by 128 artillery pieces.
Petre stated that Blücher had direct control over Sacken's 27,000 troops, Gyulai's 12,000 men, and Württemberg's 14,000 soldiers for a total of 53,000 men. However, Wrede's 5th Corps counted 26,000 soldiers while Barclay's Reserve had 34,000 troops. From the Reserves only 6,000 to 7,000 men were engaged in the actual fighting. Therefore the Allies engaged 85,000 troops and 200 guns in the battle. Gaston Bodart asserted that the Coalition had 123,000 soldiers available against 41,000 French forces. George Nafziger stated that 78,000 Allies fought out of 118,000 men available.
As soon as it became obvious that the Allies were about to attack Napoleon recalled Ney's Imperial Guard infantry divisions. Two of these divisions stood between Brienne and Lesmont while Henri Rottembourg's Guard division was at Brienne-la-Vieille nearer to the front. Gérard's 8,000 troops held Dienville on the right wing with Cyrille Picquet's cavalry brigade positioned to its left. Étienne Pierre Sylvestre Ricard division from Marmont's VI Corps also came under Gérard's command.
The weather turned terrible during the engagement. The ground grew so heavy that Napoleon's artillery, the mainstay of his whole system of warfare, became nearly useless. In the snow which swept across the field at intervals many columns lost their direction. Sacken's Russian army corps began its advance from Trannes at noon. Because roads were in terrible shape Sacken doubled teamed half his 72 artillery pieces and left the rest in the rear. When the snowfall ceased the Russians were subjected to French artillery fire but then snow began falling again just as they might have broken through the French center.
Historian Digby Smith stated that French losses numbered 4,600 killed and wounded plus an additional 1,000 soldiers and 73 guns captured. The large loss of artillery resulted partly from Coalition cavalry superiority and partly from soggy ground making it difficult to withdraw pieces in time. The Coalition had between 6,000 and 7,000 casualties according to Smith. Bodart stated that Allies sustained 6,000 casualties while French lost 3,000 killed and wounded plus 3,000 men and 63 guns captured.
Chandler assigned losses of 6,000 casualties to each side while stating that 50 French artillery pieces were captured. Petre asserted that the Coalition suffered 6,000 casualties with Sacken losing about 4,000. Chandler wrote There was no disguising the fact that the Battle of La Rothière had been a tactical defeat for the Emperor. Petre asserted The allies had undoubtedly gained a notable victory. Rothenberg wrote Blücher defeated Napoleon at La Rothière on the 1st of February and drove him back with the loss of 73 guns.
At the Battle of Lesmont a French force managed to destroy the town's bridge allowing the Coalition force to lose contact while the French moved to Troyes. Owing to state of roads or lethargy within Schwarzenberg's headquarters no pursuit was attempted resulting in Coalition subsequent defeat. During retreat to Troyes 4,000 French soldiers deserted the colors. When Napoleon's defeated army arrived at Troyes townspeople showed little interest in helping the soldiers.
Schwarzenberg allowed two main Allied armies to separate due to worry it would be too hard to supply both along single line of communications. Blücher's army marched west from Châlons-sur-Marne along south bank of Marne River toward Meaux. By the 4th of February Schwarzenberg began edging to his left and next day he and Barclay abruptly ordered Seslavin's Cossacks to shift to extreme left without informing Blücher. Feeling safe Blücher allowed his 50,000-man army to become dangerously strung out. On the 10th of February outnumbered six-to-one Olsufiev's small corps was virtually wiped out in Battle of Champaubert.
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Common questions
When did the Battle of La Rothière take place?
The Battle of La Rothière took place on the 1st of February 1814. Napoleon reached the theater of action on the 26th of January and assumed command of 41,303 available soldiers before the engagement began.
How many troops fought in the Battle of La Rothière for each side?
Napoleon commanded approximately 45,100 men with 128 guns while the Coalition engaged about 85,000 troops and 200 guns in the battle. Historian George Nafziger stated that 78,000 Allies fought out of 118,000 men available against 41,000 French forces.
Who commanded the Allied armies at the Battle of La Rothière?
Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg led the Army of Bohemia and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher commanded the Army of Silesia during the conflict. General Ferdinand von Wintzingerode moved his North Army across the lower Rhine on the 6th of January to support the invasion.
What were the casualties of the Battle of La Rothière according to historians?
Historian Digby Smith stated that French losses numbered 4,600 killed and wounded plus an additional 1,000 soldiers and 73 guns captured. The Coalition had between 6,000 and 7,000 casualties according to Smith while other sources like Chandler assigned losses of 6,000 casualties to each side.
Why did Napoleon lose the Battle of La Rothière?
The weather turned terrible during the engagement causing heavy ground that made Napoleon's artillery nearly useless. Roads were in such poor shape that Sacken doubled teamed half his 72 artillery pieces and left the rest in the rear while snowfall disrupted French formations.