Battle of Dresden

The Battle of Dresden (26–27 August 1813) was a major engagement of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle took place around the city of Dresden in modern-day Germany, then the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony. With the recent addition of Austria, the Sixth Coalition felt emboldened in their quest to expel the French from Central Europe. Despite being heavily outnumbered, French forces under Napoleon scored a victory against the Army of Bohemia led by Generalissimo Karl von Schwarzenberg. However, Napoleon's victory did not lead to the collapse of the coalition, and the weather and the uncommitted Russian reserves who formed an effective rearguard precluded a major pursuit. Three days after the battle, the Coalition surrounded and destroyed a French corps advancing into their line of withdrawal at the Battle of Kulm.

Dresden lies on the banks of the Elbe. Strategically, the Dresden Augustus Bridge (the only permanent bridge in the city at that time) was a choke point for Schwarzenberg's coalition forces advancing from the south, plus French artillery parks and supplies were stockpiled in the city. In anticipation of the battle, Napoleon ordered the strengthening of Dresden's defenses, whose southern walls were in a degenerated state. Marshal Saint-Cyr erected hasty fortifications south of the city. By attacking, his corps temporarily held off Schwarzenberg's advanced Russo-Prussian units under General Peter Wittgenstein. Having bought the necessary time, Saint-Cyr was soon reinforced by Napoleon himself, whose three corps had made a rapid forced march to his aid. Napoleon thus abandoned the pursuit of Blücher's Army of Silesia, for which observation forces were left in the form of Macdonald's Army of the Bober. Schwarzenberg was a "competent soldier who was prone to moments of hesitation and tended to be overcautious"; he was further burdened with three monarchs whose opinions had to be taken into account. It was the hesitation that cost Schwarzenberg the opportunity to act in accordance with the Trachenberg Plan and defeat the French in detail. The battle occurred between the areas southwest and southeast of the city limits. The Coalition belatedly launched a massive assault on the city's outskirts, but after some successes, they were outmatched by surprise and efficient counterattacks under Napoleon himself. Thus Schwarzenberg was decisively defeated on all sectors of the battle. Marshal Murat's cavalry particularly distinguished itself by breaking through the left allied flank, which was isolated by the flooded river from the rest of the army—a vulnerability that Napoleon took advantage of.

Historian Modest Bogdanovich summarized the battle and noted the following details. 'Both the city itself and its surroundings presented a picture of anxiety and devastation... Napoleon, in turn, was justifiably proud of his success. The allies had almost double the cavalry, and they also had the advantage in artillery. Napoleon's troops consisted almost exclusively of fresh conscripts, while the allies had many veterans. But these advantages could not compensate for the lack of unity of command, prompt mutual understanding, and fast execution. Many of the individual commanders, for example, Zieten and Colloredo, covered themselves with glory, and the troops fought very bravely, but at their head was Schwarzenberg, while at the head of the French was Napoleon. Neither even the experience of Moreau nor the profound knowledge of Jomini, the French apostates who participated on the Imperial-Russian side, could compensate for the shortcomings.' Historian David G. Chandler stated that owing to the Battle of Dresden, "the legend of French invincibility had been fully re-established."