Minor campaigns of 1815
Encyclopedia
On 1 March 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from his imprisonment on the isle of Elba
, and launched a bid to recover his empire. A confederation of European powers pledged to stop him. During the period known as the Hundred Days
Napoleon chose to confront the armies of Prince Blücher and the Duke of Wellington
in what has become known as the Waterloo Campaign. He was decisively defeated by the two allied armies at the Battle of Waterloo
, which then marched on Paris forcing Napoleon to abdicate for the second time. However Russia, Austria and some of the minor German states also fielded armies against him and all of them also invaded France. Of these other armies the ones engaged in the largest campaigns and saw the most fighting were two Austrian armies: The Army of the Upper Rhine and the Army of Italy.
The Battle of Waterloo, followed as it was by the advance of the armies of Blücher and Wellington upon Paris, was so decisive in its effects, and so comprehensive in its results, that the great object of the War — the destruction of the power of Napoleon Bonaparte and the restoration of the Bourbon Dynasty under King Louis XVIII
on 8 July 1815 — was attained while the armies of the Upper Rhine and of Italy were but commencing their invasion of the French territory. Had the successes attendant upon the exertions of Blücher and Wellington assumed a less decisive character, and, more especially, had reverses taken the place of those successes; the operations of the Armies advancing from the Rhine and across the Alps would have acquired an immense importance in the history of the war: but the brilliant course of events in the north of France materially diminished the interest excited by the military transactions in other parts of France. The operations of the Confederation armies which invaded France along her eastern and south eastern frontier; afford a clear proof that amongst the more immediate consequences of the decisive Battle of Waterloo and speedy capture of Paris, was their having been the means of averting the more general and protracted warfare which would probably have taken place on these frontiers, had a different result in Belgium emboldened the French to act with vigour and effect a stronger defence of these parts of France.
By the end of May Napoleon had deployed his forces as follows:
The preceding corps were to be formed into L'Armée du Nord
(the "Army of the North") and led by Napoleon Bonaparte would participate in the Waterloo Campaign. For the defence of France, Bonaparte deployed his remaining forces within France observing France's enemies, foreign and domestic, intending to delay the former and suppress the latter. By June they were organised as follows:
More troops guarded the south east frontier from Basel
to Nice
, and covered Lyons:
There were two other major deployments:
. Its target was Paris. This Austrian contingent was joined by those of the following nations of the German Confederation
: Kingdom of Bavaria
, Kingdom of Württemberg
, Grand Duchy of Baden
, Grand Duchy of Hesse
(Hessen-Darmstadt), Free City of Frankfurt
, Principality of Reuss Elder Line
and the Principality of Reuss Junior Line
. Besides these there were contingents of Fulda
and Isenburg
. These were recruited by the Austrians from German territories that were in the process of losing their independence by being annexed to other countries at the Congress of Vienna. Finally, these were joined by the contingents of the Kingdom of Saxony
, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
and the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen. It's composition in June was:
commanded this army. This force was to observe any French forces that operated near its borders. Its composition in July was:
Total 37,000
; and of the IV Corps, or the Bavarian Army, under Field Marshal Prince Wrede
, was to cross the Rhine between Germersheim and Mannheim. The Left Column, consisting of the I Corps, under the Master General of the Ordnance, Count Colloredo
, and of the II Corps, under General Prince Hohenzollern-Hechingen together with the Austrian Reserve Corps; the whole being commanded by General the Archduke Ferdinand
, was to cross the Rhine between Basle and Rheinfelden
. The column formed by the right wing was to be supported by the Russian Army, under Field Marshal Count Barcaly de Tolly
, which was expected to be collected at Kaiserslautern
by 1 July. The object of the operations, in the first instance, was the concentration of the Army of the Upper Rhine and the Russian Army at Nancy.
: and, by turning through the Vosges Mountains
, to cut off the French V Corps under General Rapp, collected in the environs of Strasbourg
, from its base of operations; and to intercept its communications with the interior of France.
A Russian Corps, under General Count Lambert, forming the advanced guard of the army of Count Barclay de Tolly, was attached to the IV (Bavarian) Corps of Prince Werde; who was to employ it principally in keeping up the communication with the North German Corps under Prussian General von Hacke
.
and Oppenheim
, and advanced towards the Sarre river. On 20 June there were some minor skirmishes between advanced posts near Landau
and Dahn
. On 23 June, the Austrian army having approached the Sarre, proceeded, in two columns, to take possession of the passages across the river at Saarbrücken
and Saargemünd.
The right column, under Lieutenant General Count Beckers, attacked Saarbrücken, where it was opposed by the French General Meriage. The Bavarians carried the suburb and the bridge, and penetrated into the town along with the retiring French; of whom they made four officers and seventy men prisoners, and killed and wounded one hundred men: suffering a loss, on their own part, of three officers and from fifty to sixty men killed and wounded. Count Beckers occupied the town, posted his division on the heights towards Forbach
: and detached patrols along the road to Metz
, as far as St. Avold; and to the right along the Sarre, as far as Saarlouis
.
The left column, consisting of the First Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron von Ragliovich and of the First Cavalry Division, under Prince Charles of Bavaria, advanced against Saargemünd; at which point the French had constructed a tête-de-pont on the right bank of the river. After some resistance, this was taken possession of by the Bavarians; whereupon Baron von Ragliovich marched through the Town, and took up a position on the opposite Heights, commanding the roads leading to Bouquenom and Lunéville
.
The Fourth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Zollern, advanced towards the Fortress of Bitach; which, however, the French commandant, General Kreutzer, refused to surrender.
The Russian corps, under Count Lambert, attached to the right wing of Prince Wrede's Army, advanced as far as Ottweiler
and Ramstein
.
On 24 June, Prince Wrede occupied Bouquenom; and detached the cavalry division under Prince Charles towards Pfalzburg, to observe it. His second, third, and fourth divisions, and the reserve, were collected at Saargemünd. The Russian troops under Count Lambert occupied Saarbrück, having previously detached the cavalry, under Lieutenant General Czernitscheff, as far as St. Avold.
On 26 June, Prince Wrede Headquarters were at Morhenge; and, on 27 June, his advanced posts penetrated as far as Nancy, where he established his headquarters on the 28 June. From St. Dieuze Wrede detached units to the left, in order to discover the march of General Rapp
; who, however, was still on the Rhine, and whose retreat had thus become cut off by the occupation of Nancy.
Prince Wrede halted at Nancy, to await the arrival of the Austrian and Russian corps. Upon his right Lieutenant General Czernitscheff crossed the Moselle
, on 29 June, within sight of Metz
; and carried by storm, on 3 July, the town of Châlons-sur-Marne. The garrison of this place had promised to make no resistance, and yet tired upon the Russian advanced guard; whereupon the cavalry immediately dismounted, scaled the ramparts, broke open the gates, sabred a part of the garrison, made the remainder prisoners, including the French General Rigault, and pillaged the town.
After remaining four days in the vicinity of Nancy and Lunéville, Prince Wrede received an order from Prince Schwartzberg to move at once upon Paris, with the IV (Bavarian) Corps; which was destined to become the advanced guard of the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine. This order was given in consequence of the desire expressed by the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blücher]; that the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine should afford immediate support to their operations in front of Paris. On 5 July the main body of the Bavarian Army reached Châlons
; in the vicinity of which it remained during 6 June. On this day, its advanced posts communicated, by Épernay
, with the Prussian Army. On 7 July Prince Wrede received intelligence of the Convention of Paris, and at the same time, directions to move towards the Loire
. On 8 July Lieutenant General Czernitscheff fell in with the French between St. Prix and Montmirail
; and drove him across the Morin
, towards the Seine
. Previously to the arrival of the IV (Bavarian) Corps at Château-Thierry
; the French garrison had abandoned the place, leaving behind it several pieces of cannon, with ammunition. On 10 July, the Bavarian Army took up a position between the Seine and the Marne
; and Prince Wrede's Headquarters were at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
.
, on the left bank of the Rhine. Lieutenant Field Marshal Count Wallmoden was posted, with ten battalions and four squadrons, in observation of the Fortress of Landau
, and the Line of the Queich
. The main body of the corps stood between Bruchsal
and Philipsburg
. On 23 June the corps crossed the Rhine at Germersheim
, and passed the Line of the Queich without opposition.
The Crown Prince was directed to proceed by Wissembourg
and Hagenau, with a view to complete, in conjunction with the IV (Bavarian) Corps, the plan of intercepting the retreat of General Rapp.
On 24 June the III Corps advanced to Bergzabern
and Niederotterbach
, at both of which points engaged the French, and drove them back. Count Wallmoden left a small detachment to observe Landau
, and advanced, with the remainder of his force, as far as Rheinzabern
. On 25 June the Crown Prince ordered the advance towards the Lines of Wissembourg, in two columns. The first column assembled at Bergzabern, and the second moved forward by Niederotterbach. Count Wallmoden was directed to advance upon Lauterburg. The Crown Prince advanced his Corps still further along the Hagenau road. His advanced guard pushed on to Inglesheim, and the main body of the III Corps reached the Lines of Wissembourg; which the French abandoned in the night, and fell back upon the Forest of Hagenau
, occupying the large village of Surburg. On 26 June the Crown Prince attacked and defeated the French at the last mentioned place, with his right column; whilst the left column, under Count Wallmoden, was equally successful in an attack which it made upon the French General Rothenburg, posted, with 6,000 infantry and a regiment of cavalry, at Seltz
. On the following day, General Rapp fell back upon the Defile
of Brumath
; but this he quit in the night, and took up a favourable position in the rear of the Suffel, near Strasbourg. His force comprised twenty four battalions of infantry, four regiments of cavalry, and a numerous artillery, and amounted to nearly 24,000 men.
The Crown Prince of Württemberg engaged General Rapp's Army of the Rhine on the 28th June at the Battle of La Suffel
, but despite outnumbering the French two to one, the Austrian forces were rebuffed. Rapp, however, withdrew into the Fortress of Strasbourg shortly after the action, Austrian numbers telling. The loss of the III Corps on this occasion amounted to 75 officers, and 2,050 men, killed and wounded. That of the French was about 3,000 men.
and Basle in the night of 25 June. On 26 June the I Corps, under Count Colloredo, was directed upon Belfort
and Montbelliard; and, on the same day, the Austrian invested
the Fortress of Huningen. The advanced guard of the Austrian I Corps fought a skirmish with a French detachment of 3,000 men belonging to the VIII Corps (also known as Armée du Jura) of General Lecourbe
, and repulsed it as far as Dannemarie
. On 28 June the Austrian I Corps attacked the French near Chavannes
, between Dannemarie and Belfort, when the French force, amounting to 8,000 Infantry and 500 Cavalry, was driven back upon Belfort. Major General Von Scheither of the I Corps was detached against Montbelliard, a town fortified and defended by a citadel
. After having maintained a most destructive fire against the place, the Austrian troops carried it by storm; with a loss, however, of 25 Officers and 1,000 men, killed and wounded.
The III Corps remained in front of Strasbourg until 4 July; when it was relieved by the arrival of the Austrian II Corps, under Prince Hohenzollern from the vicinity of Colmar
. At this last point the advanced guard of the Austrian Reserve Corps, under Lieutenant Field Marshal Stutterheim, moved upon Remiremont
, and the main body upon St. Marie aux Mines. The Austrian Reserve Corps itself reached Raon l'Etape; whence it subsequently moved (on the 10 July) to Neufchâteau
. The III Corps, under the Crown Prince of Württemberg, marched into the vicinity of Molsheim
.
On 7 July, Württemberg reached Lunéville; but instead of proceeding to Nancy, according to its original destination, the III Corps, on 9 July it took the road to Neufchâteau, advancing in columns; the one via Bayon
, and the other via Rambervillers
. These two columns continued their advance, the one, by Vaucouleurs
, Joinville
, Brienne le Château, Troyes
, and Auxerre
; and the other, by Neufchâteau, Chaumont
, Bar sur Aube, Vendoeuvres, Bar sur Seine, and Châtillon
: at which points (Auxerre and Châtillon) they halted on 18 July. On 21 July, the corps entered into cantonment
s between Montbard
and Tonnerre
.
With the exception of a few sorties of little consequence, General Rapp remained very quiet in the Fortress of Strasbourg. The news of the capture of Paris by the British and Prussian troops led to a Suspension of Hostilities; which was concluded on 24 July; and extended to the Fortress of Strasbourg, Landau, Lutzelstein, Huningen, Schlettstadt, Lichtenberg
, Pfalzburg, Neuf Brisac and Belfort.
commanded this army. Its composition in June was:
Total 50,000
commanded this army not General Onasco as one author suggests. (See Plotho, Appendix pp. 76,77 and Vaudoncourt, Book I, Chapter I, p. 94, to compare.) This was the Austrian army that defeated Murat's army in the Neapolitan War
. It was not composed of Neapolitans as the army's name may suggest and as one author supposed. There was however a Sardinian force in this area forming the garrison of Nice under General d'Osasco which may have been where the other part of this misunderstanding had arisen. Its composition in June was:
Total 23,000
Based at Toulon and commanded by Marshal Guillaume Marie Anne Brune
. This army was charged with the suppression of any potential royalist uprisiongs and to observe Bianchi's 'Army of Naples'. Its composition in June was:
Total 5,500-6,116 men.
. It was destined to act against the French Army of the Alps, under Marshal Suchet
, posted in the vicinity of Chambéry and Grenoble. It is uncertain what was the amount of force under Suchet, it having been estimated from 13,000 to 20,000 men; but the Corps of Observation on the Var, in the vicinity of Antibes and Toulon, under Marshal Brune, amounted to 10,000, and was not occupied with any Enemy in its front.
Baron Frimont's' Army was divided into two Corps: the I Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal [Paul, Freiherr von] Radivojevich, was to advance by the Valais
towards Lyon
s; and the other, the II Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal Count Bubna, which was in Piedmont was to penetrate into the south of France, through Savoy.
and in Savoy
(then part of the Kingdom of Sardinia
), and close them against the Austrians. On 15 June, his troops advanced at all points for the purpose of gaining the frontier from Montmeilian, as far as Geneva
; which he invested. Thence he purposed to obtain possession of the important passes of Meillerie
and St. Maurice; and in this way to check the advance of the Austrian columns from the Valais
. At Meillerie
the French were met and driven back by the advanced guard of the Austrian right column, on 21 June. By means of forced marches the whole of this column, which Baron Frimont himself accompanied, reached the Arve
on 27 June. The left column, under Count Bubna, crossed Mount Cenis on 24 June and 25 June. On 28 June, the column was sharply opposed by the French at Conflans
; of which place, however, the Austrians succeeded in gaining possession.
To secure the passage of the river Arve
the advanced guard of the right column detached, on 27 June, to Bonneville
, on its left; but the French, who had already fortified this place, maintained a stout resistance. In the mean time, however, the Austrians gained possession of the passage at Carrouge
; by which means the French were placed under the necessity of evacuating Bonneville, and abandoning the valley of the Arve. The Austrian column now passed Geneva, and drove the French from the heights of Grand Saconex and from St. Genix
. On 29 June, this part of the Austrian army moved towards the Jura
; and, on 1 July, it made its dispositions for attacking the redoubts and entrenchments which the French had thrown up to defend the passes. The most vigorous assault was made upon the Pass of Les Rousses; but the Austrians were driven back. Reserves were then brought up; and the French having quit their entrenchments to meet the latter, and a good opportunity having offered for a flank attack upon them with cavalry and artillery, the pass was captured by the Austrians: and the French were compelled to abandon both it and the other passes of the Jura
. The Austrian advanced guard pursued the French, and reached, in the evening, Saint-Claude
, on the road leading to the left from Gex; and St. Laurent
, in the original direction of the attack, beyond Les Rousses
.
. The latter, in retreating, destroyed the bridge of Seyselle; and, by holding the Fort l'Ecluse
, closed the road from Geneva to Lyons. A redoubt
had been constructed in front of the Fort, and completely commanded the approach. It was stormed and carried by the Regiment of Estherhazy. The Fort itself was now turned by the Reserve Corps along the left bank of the Rhone, with the design of forcing the passage at the Perte du Rhone
. Here the French had constructed a tête-de-pont; which, however, they were forced to abandon in consequence of a movement made by the I Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal Radivojevich. On retiring, the French destroyed the very beautiful stone bridge then existing; and thus rendered it necessary for the Austrians to construct temporary bridges over the extremely narrow space between the rocks which confine the stream at this remarkable spot. The advanced guard of the Reserve Corps, under General Count Hardegg, first crossed the Rhone, and found the French posted at Charix
, in rear of Châtillon, on the road to Nantua
. Count Hardegg immediately ordered an attack and, after encountering an obstinate resistance, forced the French to retire.
The troops of the Austrian I Corps, which, in the mean time, were left in front of the Fort 1'Ecluse, had commenced a bombardment ; and this, after twenty six hours duration, considerably damaged the fort. A powder magazine exploded, which caused a general conflagration; to escape which the garrison rushed out, and surrendered at discretion to the Auststrians: and thus, in three days, the high road from Geneva to Lyons was opened to the Army of Italy.
; where the French General Maransin
had taken up a favourable position, with 2,000 men. The Austrians turned Maransin's left flank, and forced the French to retire. The I Corps reached Bourg en Bresse on 9 July.
On 10 July a detachment, under Major General von Pflüger, was pushed on to Mâcon
on the Saône
; and gained possession of the tête-de-pont constructed there, and of the place itself.
On 7 July, the II Corps, under Count Bubna, reached Echelles. A detachment, consisting principally of Sardinian troops, under Lieutenant General Count Latour, had been directed to observe Grenoble
; in front of which its advanced guard arrived on 4 July. On 6 July the suburbs were attacked; and the communication between this place and Lyons was cut off. The garrison, consisting of eight battalions of the National Guard, offered to capitulate on 9 July, on the condition of being permitted to return to their homes. That a vigorous defence might have been maintained was evident from the fact of the Austrians having found in the place fifty four guns and eight mortars, and large quantities of provisions.
Count Bubna's II Corps and the Reserve Corps, by simultaneous movements, assembled together in front of Lyon
s on 9 July. An armistice was solicited by the garrison on 11 July, and granted upon condition that Lyons and the entrenched camp should be evacuated: and that Marshal Suchet should retire with his Corps behind the Loire
, keeping his advanced posts within a stipulated line of demarcation.
, who commanded the Armée du Var, in front of the Maritime Alps
Having secured possession of the line of the Rhone as far down as its junction with the Isère
, as also of that part of the Saône
between Mâcon
and Lyon
s; the Army of Italy now proceeded towards the upper line of the latter river, leaving the II Corps, under Count Bubna, at Lyons, in front of Marshal Suchet. The I Corps marched upon Chalon-sur-Saône
, in order to gain the tête-de-pont at that point. At this time, the French Armée du Jura, under General Lecourbe, was at Salins
, between Dole
and Pontarlier
: and as Besançon
had not yet been invested, Baron Frimont detached a part of the Reserve Corps, under General Hecht, to Salins; whilst General Folseis detached from the I Corps towards Dole. The advanced guard of the I Corps had arrived in front of the tête-de-pont at Châlons, and had completed its dispositions for attack; when the place surrendered. By the advance, at the same time, of Hecht upon Salina, and of Folseist from Dole upon Besançon; the retreat of the French General Lapane was completely cut off. This led to a convention which stipulated the dissolution of the National Guards, the surrender of all the officers, and the abandonment of one of the Forts of Salins
to the Austrians.
On 20 July the I Corps advanced from Chalon-sur-Saône as far as Autun
; and Besançon having in the mean time been occupied by the Austrian troops of the Army of the Upper Rhine, a junction was effected with the latter by the Army of Italy by Dijon
; and thus terminated all hostilities on that side of France.
commanded the First Russian Army. In June it consisted of the following:
Total 200,000
, advanced by way of Kalisch, Torgau
, Leipzig
, Erfurt
, Hanau
, Frankfurt
, and Hochheim
, towards Mainz
. The central column,commanded by General Baron Sacken, advanced through Breslau, Dresden
, Zwickau
, Baireuth, Nuremberg
, Aschaffenburg
, Dieburg
, and Gross Gerau, towards Oppenheim. The left column, commanded by General Count Langeron
, procceded through Prague
, Aube
, Adelsheim
, Neckar
, and Heidelberg
, towards Mannheim
. The vanguards of the columns reached the Middle Rhine, when hostilities were on the point of breaking out upon the Belgian frontier. The Russians crossed the Rhine at Mannheim, on 25 June; and followed the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine. The greater portion of it reached Paris and its vicinity by the middle of July.
: Electorate of Hessen-Kassel, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
, Duchy of Oldenburg (state)
, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha
, Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg
, Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau
, Duchy of Anhalt-Kothen
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
, Principality of Waldeck (state)
, Principality of Lippe
and the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
.
Fearing that Napoleon was going to strike him first, Blücher ordered this army to march north to join the rest of his own army. The Prussian General Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
initially commanded this army before he fell ill on 18 June and was replaced by the Hessen-Kassel General Von Engelhardt. Its composition in June was"
Total 25,000
The German Corps, which was composed of contingent forces supplied by the small Princedoms of north Germany, was assembled, in the middle of April, in the vicinity of Coblentz. It amounted to 26,200 men, divided into thirty battalions of infantry, twelve squadrons of cavalry, and two and a half batteries of artillery, and was placed under the command of General Count Kleist von Nollendorf
. At a somewhat later period it crossed the Rhine at Coblentz and Neuwied
, and took up a position on the Moselle
and the Sarre
; its right communicating with the Prussian II Corps (Pirch I), and its Left with the Austrian IV (Bavarian) Corps (Prince Wrede
) at Zweibrücken
. Its Advanced Posts extended along the French frontier from Arlon to Mertzig. Its headquarters were at Trier
, on the Moselle.
In this position it remained until 16 June, when its commander, General von Engelhard (in the absence of Count Kleist who was ill), advanced from Trier to Arlon; which it reached on 19 June. Here it continued until 21 June, when it received an order from Prince Blücher to move into France by Bastogne
and Neufchâteau
; and to gain possession of the fortresses of Sedan
and Bouillon
. On 22 June, the Corps commenced its march, in two columns: the one by Neufchâteau, upon Sedan
; the other by Recogne, upon Bouillon
. Sedan, after a few days' bombardment, capitulated on 25 June. An attempt was made to take Bouillon by a coup de main
; but its garrison was strong enough to frustrate this project. The place was not considered of sufficient importance to render a regular siege expedient, and it was therefore simply invested, from 25 June, until the 21 August; when it was blockaded at all points by troops of the Netherlands Corps, under Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
, (Like the German Corps the Netherlands Corps did not take part in the early actions of the Waterloo Campaign).
On 28 June, Lieutenant General von Hacke, who had been appointed to the command of the German Corps, directed the advanced guard to move upon Charleville
, which lies under the guns of the Fortress of Mézières, and to carry the place by storm. The capture was successfully made by some Hessian battalions, and tended greatly to facilitate the siege of Mézières
. Moveable columns were detached to observe the Fortresses of Montmédy, Laon
, and Rheims. The last named place was taken by capitulation on 8 July; and the garrison, amounting to 4,000 men, retired behind the Loire
.
Lieutenant General von Hake finding that, notwithstanding his bombardment of Mézières, which he commenced on 27 June, his summons to surrender was unheeded by the commandant, General Lemoine, undertook a regular siege of the place, and opened trenches on 2 August. On 13 August the French garrison gave up the town and retired into the citadel, which surrendered on 1 September.
The efforts of the German Corps were now directed upon Montmédy, around which Fortress it had succeeded in placing twelve batteries in position by the 13 September. After an obstinate resistance, the garrison concluded a convention on the 20 September; by which it was to retire, with arms and baggage, behind the Loire. After the capture of Montmédy, the German Corps went into cantonment
s in the department of the Ardennes whence it returned home in the month of November.
This army was formed to suppress the Royalist revolt in the Vendée
region of France which was up in revolt at Napoleon Bonaparte's return. It was commanded by General Jean Maximilien Lamarque
. It contained a Young Guard Infantry brigade consisting of the 2nd Tirailleur and 2nd Voltigeur regiments and some line units detached from the other armies as well as gendarmes and volunteers. Its composition in June was:
and Brittany
which were known to contain many royalist sympathisers did not rise in open revolt, but the La Vendée did. The Vendée Royalists successfully took Bressuire
and Cholet
before they were defeated by General Lamarque
at the Battle of Rocheserviere
on 20 June. They signed the Treaty of Cholet five days later on 25 June.
commanded this army.
It was planned that a second Spanish army was to invade France via Bayonne and Bordeaux. General Henry Joseph O'Donnell, Count of La Bisbal
commanded this army.
Opposing them were two French Armies:
III Corps of Observation – L'Armée des Pyrenees ikt:oriental|Oriental|]es. Based at Toulouse and commanded by General Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen. This army observed the eastern Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
Total 3,516–7,600 men.
IV Corps of Observation – L'Armée des Pyrenees Occidentales. Based at Bordeaux and commanded by General Bertrand Clauzel
. This army observed the western Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
Total 3,516–6,800 men.
Both Wellington's Despatches and his Supplementary Despatches clearly show that neither of the Spanish armies contained any Portuguese contingents nor were they likely too, (See the section Portuguese contingent below), showing that both Chandler and Barbero are incorrect in their belief that the Portuguese did actually send a contingent.
This consisted of:
transported and supported by the Mediterranean Fleet of Lord Viscount Exmouth
. Its targets were Marseilles and Toulon.
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
, and launched a bid to recover his empire. A confederation of European powers pledged to stop him. During the period known as the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
Napoleon chose to confront the armies of Prince Blücher and the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
in what has become known as the Waterloo Campaign. He was decisively defeated by the two allied armies at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, which then marched on Paris forcing Napoleon to abdicate for the second time. However Russia, Austria and some of the minor German states also fielded armies against him and all of them also invaded France. Of these other armies the ones engaged in the largest campaigns and saw the most fighting were two Austrian armies: The Army of the Upper Rhine and the Army of Italy.
The Battle of Waterloo, followed as it was by the advance of the armies of Blücher and Wellington upon Paris, was so decisive in its effects, and so comprehensive in its results, that the great object of the War — the destruction of the power of Napoleon Bonaparte and the restoration of the Bourbon Dynasty under King Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
on 8 July 1815 — was attained while the armies of the Upper Rhine and of Italy were but commencing their invasion of the French territory. Had the successes attendant upon the exertions of Blücher and Wellington assumed a less decisive character, and, more especially, had reverses taken the place of those successes; the operations of the Armies advancing from the Rhine and across the Alps would have acquired an immense importance in the history of the war: but the brilliant course of events in the north of France materially diminished the interest excited by the military transactions in other parts of France. The operations of the Confederation armies which invaded France along her eastern and south eastern frontier; afford a clear proof that amongst the more immediate consequences of the decisive Battle of Waterloo and speedy capture of Paris, was their having been the means of averting the more general and protracted warfare which would probably have taken place on these frontiers, had a different result in Belgium emboldened the French to act with vigour and effect a stronger defence of these parts of France.
French deployments
Upon assumption of the throne, Napoleon found that he was left with little by the Bourbons and that the state of the Army was 56,000 troops of which 46,000 were ready to campaign. By the end of May the total armed forces available to Napoleon had reached 198,000 with 66,000 more in depots training up but not yet ready for deployment.By the end of May Napoleon had deployed his forces as follows:
- I Corps (D'ErlonJean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'ErlonJean-Baptiste Drouet, comte d'Erlon was a marshal of France and a soldier in Napoleon's Army. D'Erlon notably commanded the I Corps of the Armée du Nord at the battle of Waterloo....
) cantonedCantonmentA cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
between LilleLilleLille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
and ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
. - II Corps (ReilleHonoré Charles ReilleHonoré Charles Michel Joseph Reille was a Marshal of France, born in Antibes.Reille served in the early campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars under Dumouriez and Masséna, whose daughter Victoire he married. In 1800, Reille was appointed commander of the Italian city of Florence...
) cantoned between ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
and AvesnesAvesnesAvesnes is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:The commune is a very small village situated some 12 miles northeast of Montreuil-sur-Mer, on the D 129 E 1.-Population:-References:* -External links:*...
. - III Corps (Vandamme) cantoned around RocroiRocroiRocroi is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.The center was a fortified city, the walls of which are in the shape of a stylised star. The Battle of Rocroi was fought here.-Population:-External links:*...
. - IV Corps (GerardÉtienne Maurice GérardÉtienne Maurice Gérard, comte Gérard was a French general and statesman. He served under a succession of French governments including the ancien regime monarchy, the Revolutionary governments, the Restorations, the July Monarchy, the First and Second Republics, and the First Empire , becoming...
) cantoned at MetzMetzMetz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
. - VI Corps (Lobau) cantoned at LaonLaonLaon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
. - Cavalry Reserve (GrouchyEmmanuel, marquis de GrouchyEmmanuel de Grouchy, 2ème Marquis de Grouchy was a French general and marshal.-Biography:Grouchy was born in Paris, the son of François-Jacques de Grouchy, 1st Marquis de Grouchy and intellectual wife Gilberte Fréteau de Pény . His sister was Sophie de Condorcet, a noted femininist...
) cantoned at GuiseGuiseGuise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
. - Imperial GuardImperial GuardThe Imperial Guard was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. It acted as his bodyguard and tactical reserve, and he was careful of its use in battle...
(MortierÉdouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph MortierÉdouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier, 1st Duc de Trévise was a French general and Marshal of France under Napoleon I.-Biography:...
) at Paris.
The preceding corps were to be formed into L'Armée du Nord
L'Armée du Nord
The Army of the North or Armée du Nord is a name given to several historical units of the French Army. The first was one of the French Revolutionary Armies that fought with distinction against the First Coalition from 1792 to 1795...
(the "Army of the North") and led by Napoleon Bonaparte would participate in the Waterloo Campaign. For the defence of France, Bonaparte deployed his remaining forces within France observing France's enemies, foreign and domestic, intending to delay the former and suppress the latter. By June they were organised as follows:
- V Corps – Armée du Rhin (RappJean RappJean Rapp was a French Army general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Rapp was born the son of the janitor of the town-hall of Colmar. He began theological studies to became a clergy man, but with his build and heated character, he was better suited to the military,...
), cantoned near StrasbourgStrasbourgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, 46 guns and 20,000–23,000 men
More troops guarded the south east frontier from Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
to Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, and covered Lyons:
- VII Corps – Armée des Alpes (SuchetLouis Gabriel SuchetLouis Gabriel Suchet, 1st Duc d'Albufera was a Marshal of France and one of Napoleon's most brilliant generals.-Early career:...
) Based at Lyons, this army was charged with the defence of Lyons and to observe the Austro-Sardinian army of Frimont, 42–46 guns and 13,000–23,500 men
- I Corps of Observation – Armée du Jura (Lecourbe) Based at Belfort and commanded by General Claude LecourbeClaude LecourbeClaude Jacques Lecourbe , born in Besançon, was a French general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars....
. This army was to observe any Austrian movement through Switzerland and also observe the Swiss army of General Bachmann. Its composition in June was: 38 guns and 5,392–8,400 men
- II Corps of Observation – Armée du VarArmée du VarThe Army of the Var was one of the French Revolutionary armies. It was established along the River Var, the frontier between France and Piedmont, and charged with protecting Provence from invasion.In reality its name was not official...
10,000 men, (BruneGuillaume Marie Anne BruneGuillaume Marie Anne Brune, 1st Comte Brune was a French soldier and political figure who rose to Marshal of France....
)
There were two other major deployments:
- 8,000 men under Clausel cantoned around Toulouse and Decaen cantoned around Bordeaux guarded the Pyrenean frontierPyreneesThe Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. - LamarqueJean Maximilien LamarqueJean Maximilien Lamarque was a French commander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member of French Parliament. As an opponent of the Ancien Régime, he is known for his active suppression of Royalist and Legitimist activity...
led 10,000 men into La Vendée to quell a Royalist insurrection in that region.
Army of the Upper Rhine (Austo-German Army)
The Austrian military contingent was divided in to three armies. This was the largest of these armies, commanded by Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of SchwarzenbergKarl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (or Charles Philip, Prince of Schwarzenberg (April 18, 1771 – October 15, 1820) was an Austrian field marshal.- Life :...
. Its target was Paris. This Austrian contingent was joined by those of the following nations of the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
: Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
, Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
, Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
, Grand Duchy of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
(Hessen-Darmstadt), Free City of Frankfurt
Free City of Frankfurt
For almost five centuries, the German city of Frankfurt am Main was a city-state within two major Germanic states:*The Holy Roman Empire as the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt...
, Principality of Reuss Elder Line
Reuss Elder Line
The Principality of Reuss Elder Line was a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Greiz, Lower- and Upper Greiz , were elevated to princely status in 1778. Its members bore the title Prince Reuss, Elder Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz...
and the Principality of Reuss Junior Line
Reuss Junior Line
The Principality of Reuss Younger Line formed a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Gera, of Schleiz, of Lobenstein, of Köstritz and of Ebersdorf, each became princes in 1806, and they and their reigning successors bore the title Prince Reuss, Younger Line...
. Besides these there were contingents of Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
and Isenburg
Isenburg
Isenburg was a region of Germany located in southern present-day Hesse, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau , which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern...
. These were recruited by the Austrians from German territories that were in the process of losing their independence by being annexed to other countries at the Congress of Vienna. Finally, these were joined by the contingents of the Kingdom of Saxony
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was one of the Saxon Duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin Dynasty. Established in the 17th century, the Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield line lasted until the reshuffle of Ernestine territories that occurred following the extinction of the Saxe-Gotha line in...
, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
Saxe-Meiningen
The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....
and the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen. It's composition in June was:
| Corps | Commander | Men | Battalions | Squadrons | Batteries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Corps | Master General of the Ordnance, Count Colloredo Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld was an Austrian corps commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-References and notes:... |
24,400 | 86 | 16 | 8 |
| II Corps | General Prince Hohenzollern-Hechingen | 34,360 | 36 | 86 | 11 |
| III Corps | Field Marshal the Crown Prince of Württemberg William I of Württemberg William I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:... |
43,814 | 44 | 32 | 9 |
| IV Corps (Bavarian Army) | Field Marshal Prince Wrede Karl Philipp von Wrede Karl Philipp Josef Wrede, Freiherr von Wrede, 1st Fürst von Wrede , Bavarian field-marshal, was born at Heidelberg, the youngest of three children of Ferdinand Josef Wrede , created in 1791 1st Freiherr von Wrede, and wife, married on 21 March 1746, Anna Katharina Jünger , by whom he had two more... |
67,040 | 46 | 66 | 16 |
| Austrian Reserve Corps | Lieutenant Field Marshal Stutterheim | 44,800 | 38 | 86 | 10 |
| Blockade Corps | 33,314 | 38 | 8 | 6 | |
| Saxon Corps | 16,774 | 18 | 10 | 6 | |
| Totals | 264,492 | 246 | 844 | 66 |
Swiss army
This army was composed entirely of Swiss. The Swiss General Niklaus Franz von BachmannNiklaus Franz von Bachmann
Niklaus Leodegar Franz Ignaz von Bachmann , was a Swiss general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.- Family and early life :He was born in an aristocratic Swiss family of long-standing military traditions...
commanded this army. This force was to observe any French forces that operated near its borders. Its composition in July was:
- I Division - Colonel von Gady
- II Division - Colonel Fuessly
- III Division - Colonel d'Affry
- Reserve Division - Colonel-Quartermaster Finsler
Total 37,000
Planning
According to the general plan of operations projected by Prince Schwartzberg, this army was to cross the Rhine in two columns. The right column, consisting of the III Corps, under Field Marshal the Crown Prince of WürttembergWilliam I of Württemberg
William I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:...
; and of the IV Corps, or the Bavarian Army, under Field Marshal Prince Wrede
Karl Philipp von Wrede
Karl Philipp Josef Wrede, Freiherr von Wrede, 1st Fürst von Wrede , Bavarian field-marshal, was born at Heidelberg, the youngest of three children of Ferdinand Josef Wrede , created in 1791 1st Freiherr von Wrede, and wife, married on 21 March 1746, Anna Katharina Jünger , by whom he had two more...
, was to cross the Rhine between Germersheim and Mannheim. The Left Column, consisting of the I Corps, under the Master General of the Ordnance, Count Colloredo
Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld
Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld was an Austrian corps commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-References and notes:...
, and of the II Corps, under General Prince Hohenzollern-Hechingen together with the Austrian Reserve Corps; the whole being commanded by General the Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este was the third son of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and of his wife Princess Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este, last member and heiress of the house of Este. For much of the Napoleonic Wars he was in command of the Austrian army.Ferdinand was born...
, was to cross the Rhine between Basle and Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden
Rheinfelden is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the Hochrhein. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in...
. The column formed by the right wing was to be supported by the Russian Army, under Field Marshal Count Barcaly de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
, which was expected to be collected at Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
by 1 July. The object of the operations, in the first instance, was the concentration of the Army of the Upper Rhine and the Russian Army at Nancy.
Start of the campaign
As soon as Prince Schwartzberg; was made acquainted with the commencement of hostilities in what is now Belgium, he gave his orders for the advance of his Army. The IV (Bavarian) Corps was directed immediately to cross the SarreSaar River
The Saar is a river in northeastern France and western Germany, and a right tributary of the Moselle. It rises in the Vosges mountains on the border of Alsace and Lorraine and flows northwards into the Moselle near Trier. It has two headstreams , that both start near Mont Donon, the highest peak...
: and, by turning through the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
, to cut off the French V Corps under General Rapp, collected in the environs of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, from its base of operations; and to intercept its communications with the interior of France.
A Russian Corps, under General Count Lambert, forming the advanced guard of the army of Count Barclay de Tolly, was attached to the IV (Bavarian) Corps of Prince Werde; who was to employ it principally in keeping up the communication with the North German Corps under Prussian General von Hacke
Karl Georg Albrecht Ernst von Hake
Karl Georg Albrecht Ernst von Hake was a Prussian general and Minister of War.Hake was born on the estate of Flatow in the Margraviate of Brandenburg. He entered the Prussian Army in 1785...
.
Austrian IV Corps
On 19 June, the Bavarian Army crossed the Rhine at MannheimMannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
and Oppenheim
Oppenheim
Oppenheim is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is well known as a wine town, the site of the German Winegrowing Museum and particularly for the wines from the Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen vineyards.- Location :...
, and advanced towards the Sarre river. On 20 June there were some minor skirmishes between advanced posts near Landau
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
and Dahn
Dahn
----Dahn is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate Forest, approximately 15 km southeast of Pirmasens, and 25 km west of Landau...
. On 23 June, the Austrian army having approached the Sarre, proceeded, in two columns, to take possession of the passages across the river at Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
and Saargemünd.
The right column, under Lieutenant General Count Beckers, attacked Saarbrücken, where it was opposed by the French General Meriage. The Bavarians carried the suburb and the bridge, and penetrated into the town along with the retiring French; of whom they made four officers and seventy men prisoners, and killed and wounded one hundred men: suffering a loss, on their own part, of three officers and from fifty to sixty men killed and wounded. Count Beckers occupied the town, posted his division on the heights towards Forbach
Forbach
Forbach is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is located near the German border. Population : 22,784....
: and detached patrols along the road to Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, as far as St. Avold; and to the right along the Sarre, as far as Saarlouis
Saarlouis
Saarlouis is a city in the Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis. In 2006, the town had a population of 38,327. Saarlouis, as the name implies, is located at the river Saar....
.
The left column, consisting of the First Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron von Ragliovich and of the First Cavalry Division, under Prince Charles of Bavaria, advanced against Saargemünd; at which point the French had constructed a tête-de-pont on the right bank of the river. After some resistance, this was taken possession of by the Bavarians; whereupon Baron von Ragliovich marched through the Town, and took up a position on the opposite Heights, commanding the roads leading to Bouquenom and Lunéville
Lunéville
Lunéville is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and lies on the Meurthe River.-History:...
.
The Fourth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Zollern, advanced towards the Fortress of Bitach; which, however, the French commandant, General Kreutzer, refused to surrender.
The Russian corps, under Count Lambert, attached to the right wing of Prince Wrede's Army, advanced as far as Ottweiler
Ottweiler
Ottweiler is a municipality, former seat of the district of Neunkirchen, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Blies, approx. 7 km north of Neunkirchen, and 25 km northeast of Saarbrücken.The town is notable for the Ottweiler porcelain....
and Ramstein
Ramstein-Miesenbach
Ramstein-Miesenbach is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.-History:As a result of the State of Rheinland-Pfalz administrative reform, Ramstein-Miesenbach, which has a population of approx. 9200, was created on 7 June 1969 from the independent...
.
Prince Wrede halts at Nancy
On 24 June, Prince Wrede occupied Bouquenom; and detached the cavalry division under Prince Charles towards Pfalzburg, to observe it. His second, third, and fourth divisions, and the reserve, were collected at Saargemünd. The Russian troops under Count Lambert occupied Saarbrück, having previously detached the cavalry, under Lieutenant General Czernitscheff, as far as St. Avold.
On 26 June, Prince Wrede Headquarters were at Morhenge; and, on 27 June, his advanced posts penetrated as far as Nancy, where he established his headquarters on the 28 June. From St. Dieuze Wrede detached units to the left, in order to discover the march of General Rapp
Jean Rapp
Jean Rapp was a French Army general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Rapp was born the son of the janitor of the town-hall of Colmar. He began theological studies to became a clergy man, but with his build and heated character, he was better suited to the military,...
; who, however, was still on the Rhine, and whose retreat had thus become cut off by the occupation of Nancy.
Prince Wrede halted at Nancy, to await the arrival of the Austrian and Russian corps. Upon his right Lieutenant General Czernitscheff crossed the Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, on 29 June, within sight of Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
; and carried by storm, on 3 July, the town of Châlons-sur-Marne. The garrison of this place had promised to make no resistance, and yet tired upon the Russian advanced guard; whereupon the cavalry immediately dismounted, scaled the ramparts, broke open the gates, sabred a part of the garrison, made the remainder prisoners, including the French General Rigault, and pillaged the town.
After remaining four days in the vicinity of Nancy and Lunéville, Prince Wrede received an order from Prince Schwartzberg to move at once upon Paris, with the IV (Bavarian) Corps; which was destined to become the advanced guard of the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine. This order was given in consequence of the desire expressed by the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blücher]; that the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine should afford immediate support to their operations in front of Paris. On 5 July the main body of the Bavarian Army reached Châlons
Chalons
Chalons may refer to:Places* Châlons, in France's Isère département* Châlons-en-Champagne, formerly Châlons-sur-Marne, in the Marne département* Chalon-sur-Saône, in the Saône-et-Loire département* Roman Catholic Diocese of Châlons...
; in the vicinity of which it remained during 6 June. On this day, its advanced posts communicated, by Épernay
Épernay
Épernay is a commune in the Marne department in northern France. Épernay is located some 130 km north-east of Paris on the main line of the Eastern railway to Strasbourg...
, with the Prussian Army. On 7 July Prince Wrede received intelligence of the Convention of Paris, and at the same time, directions to move towards the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
. On 8 July Lieutenant General Czernitscheff fell in with the French between St. Prix and Montmirail
Montmirail
Montmirail is the name of several communes in France:* Montmirail, in the Marne département* Montmirail, in the Sarthe départementMontmirail may also refer to the Dentelles de Montmirail, mountains in Vaucluse, southern France. The Battle of Montmirail took place in 1814 near Montmirail, Marne....
; and drove him across the Morin
Grand Morin
The Grand Morin is a 118 km long river in France, left tributary of the Marne. Its source is near the village of Lachy. Its course crosses the departments of Marne and Seine-et-Marne...
, towards the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
. Previously to the arrival of the IV (Bavarian) Corps at Château-Thierry
Château-Thierry
Château-Thierry is a commune in northern France about east-northeast of Paris. It is a sub-prefecture of the Aisne department in Picardy.-History:...
; the French garrison had abandoned the place, leaving behind it several pieces of cannon, with ammunition. On 10 July, the Bavarian Army took up a position between the Seine and the Marne
Marne River
The Marne is a river in France, a right tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the départements of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne....
; and Prince Wrede's Headquarters were at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
La Ferté-sous-Jouarre is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne département in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.It is located at a crossing point over the River Marne between Meaux and Château-Thierry.-History:...
.
Austrian III Corps
On 22 June a portion of the Austrian III Corps, under the Crown Prince of Württemberg. took possession of the entrenchments of GermersheimGermersheim
Germersheim is a town in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, of around 20,000 inhabitants. It is also the seat of the Germersheim district. The neighboring towns and cities are Speyer, Landau, Philippsburg, Karlsruhe and Wörth.-Coat of arms:...
, on the left bank of the Rhine. Lieutenant Field Marshal Count Wallmoden was posted, with ten battalions and four squadrons, in observation of the Fortress of Landau
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
, and the Line of the Queich
Queich
The Queich is a tributary of the Rhine, which rises in the southern part of the Palatinate Forest, and flows through the Upper Rhine valley to its confluence with the Rhine in Germersheim. It is 52 km long and is one of the four major drainage systems of the Palatinate Forest along with the...
. The main body of the corps stood between Bruchsal
Bruchsal
Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
and Philipsburg
Philipsburg
Philipsburg is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Philipsburg, Montana*Philipsburg, Pennsylvania Other places...
. On 23 June the corps crossed the Rhine at Germersheim
Germersheim
Germersheim is a town in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, of around 20,000 inhabitants. It is also the seat of the Germersheim district. The neighboring towns and cities are Speyer, Landau, Philippsburg, Karlsruhe and Wörth.-Coat of arms:...
, and passed the Line of the Queich without opposition.
The Crown Prince was directed to proceed by Wissembourg
Wissembourg
Wissembourg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France.It is situated on the little River Lauter close to the border between France and Germany approximately north of Strasbourg and west of Karlsruhe. Wissembourg is a sub-prefecture of the department...
and Hagenau, with a view to complete, in conjunction with the IV (Bavarian) Corps, the plan of intercepting the retreat of General Rapp.
On 24 June the III Corps advanced to Bergzabern
Bad Bergzabern
Bad Bergzabern is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, on the German Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated near the border with France, on the south-eastern edge of the Palatinate forest, approximately southwest of Landau....
and Niederotterbach
Niederotterbach
Niederotterbach is a municipality in Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
, at both of which points engaged the French, and drove them back. Count Wallmoden left a small detachment to observe Landau
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
, and advanced, with the remainder of his force, as far as Rheinzabern
Rheinzabern
Rheinzabern is a small town in the south-east of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany near the Rhine river.Currently, Rheinzabern, that belongs to the "Landkreis Germersheim" has approx...
. On 25 June the Crown Prince ordered the advance towards the Lines of Wissembourg, in two columns. The first column assembled at Bergzabern, and the second moved forward by Niederotterbach. Count Wallmoden was directed to advance upon Lauterburg. The Crown Prince advanced his Corps still further along the Hagenau road. His advanced guard pushed on to Inglesheim, and the main body of the III Corps reached the Lines of Wissembourg; which the French abandoned in the night, and fell back upon the Forest of Hagenau
Forest of Hagenau
Forest of Hagenau lies to the north of the town of Hagenau and is the largest undivided forest in France....
, occupying the large village of Surburg. On 26 June the Crown Prince attacked and defeated the French at the last mentioned place, with his right column; whilst the left column, under Count Wallmoden, was equally successful in an attack which it made upon the French General Rothenburg, posted, with 6,000 infantry and a regiment of cavalry, at Seltz
Seltz
Seltz is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department of the Alsace region in north-eastern France. It is located on the Sauer river near its confluence with the Rhine, opposite the German town of Rastatt.-History:...
. On the following day, General Rapp fell back upon the Defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
of Brumath
Brumath
Brumath, also Brumpt, is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-History:Brumath occupies the site of the Roman Brocomagus....
; but this he quit in the night, and took up a favourable position in the rear of the Suffel, near Strasbourg. His force comprised twenty four battalions of infantry, four regiments of cavalry, and a numerous artillery, and amounted to nearly 24,000 men.
The Crown Prince of Württemberg engaged General Rapp's Army of the Rhine on the 28th June at the Battle of La Suffel
Battle of La Suffel
The Battle of La Suffel was a French victory over Austrian forces of the Seventh Coalition and the last French pitched battle victory in the Napoleonic Wars...
, but despite outnumbering the French two to one, the Austrian forces were rebuffed. Rapp, however, withdrew into the Fortress of Strasbourg shortly after the action, Austrian numbers telling. The loss of the III Corps on this occasion amounted to 75 officers, and 2,050 men, killed and wounded. That of the French was about 3,000 men.
Austrian left wing
The Austrian I and II corps and the Reserve Corps, forming the left wing of the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine, crossed this river at RheinfeldenRheinfelden
Rheinfelden is a municipality in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, seat of the district of Rheinfelden. It is located 15 kilometres east of Basel. The name means the fields of the Rhine, as the town is located on the Hochrhein. It is home to Feldschlösschen, the most popular beer in...
and Basle in the night of 25 June. On 26 June the I Corps, under Count Colloredo, was directed upon Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
and Montbelliard; and, on the same day, the Austrian invested
Investment (military)
Investment is the military tactic of surrounding an enemy fort with armed forces to prevent entry or escape.A circumvallation is a line of fortifications, built by the attackers around the besieged fortification facing towards the enemy fort...
the Fortress of Huningen. The advanced guard of the Austrian I Corps fought a skirmish with a French detachment of 3,000 men belonging to the VIII Corps (also known as Armée du Jura) of General Lecourbe
Claude Lecourbe
Claude Jacques Lecourbe , born in Besançon, was a French general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars....
, and repulsed it as far as Dannemarie
Dannemarie, Haut-Rhin
Dannemarie is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is the principal town in the canton of the same name and the seat of the Communauté de communes de la Porte d'Alsace.-Geography:...
. On 28 June the Austrian I Corps attacked the French near Chavannes
Chavannes-sur-l'Étang
Chavannes-sur-l'Étang is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, between Dannemarie and Belfort, when the French force, amounting to 8,000 Infantry and 500 Cavalry, was driven back upon Belfort. Major General Von Scheither of the I Corps was detached against Montbelliard, a town fortified and defended by a citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
. After having maintained a most destructive fire against the place, the Austrian troops carried it by storm; with a loss, however, of 25 Officers and 1,000 men, killed and wounded.
General suspension of hostilities
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
. At this last point the advanced guard of the Austrian Reserve Corps, under Lieutenant Field Marshal Stutterheim, moved upon Remiremont
Remiremont
Remiremont is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Romarimontains.-Geography:Remiremont is located on the Moselle, close to its confluence with the Moselotte, southeast of Épinal...
, and the main body upon St. Marie aux Mines. The Austrian Reserve Corps itself reached Raon l'Etape; whence it subsequently moved (on the 10 July) to Neufchâteau
Neufchâteau, Vosges
Neufchâteau is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Néocastriens.-Geography:Positioned at the confluence of the Rivers Meuse and Mouzon, the little town dominates the Vosges Plain...
. The III Corps, under the Crown Prince of Württemberg, marched into the vicinity of Molsheim
Molsheim
Molsheim is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. The total population in 2006 was 9,382. Molsheim had been a very fast growing city between the French censuses of 1968 and 1999, passing from 5,739 to 9,331 inhabitants, but this increase came to a noticeable halt...
.
On 7 July, Württemberg reached Lunéville; but instead of proceeding to Nancy, according to its original destination, the III Corps, on 9 July it took the road to Neufchâteau, advancing in columns; the one via Bayon
Bayon, Meurthe-et-Moselle
Bayon is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department...
, and the other via Rambervillers
Rambervillers
Rambervillers is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Rambuvetais.-Geography:The town is built on the banks of the Mortagne, some to the west of Saint-Dié and to the north-east of Épinal....
. These two columns continued their advance, the one, by Vaucouleurs
Vaucouleurs
Vaucouleurs is a commune in the Meuse department.Joan of Arc stayed in Vaucouleurs for several months during 1428 and 1429 while she sought permission to visit the royal court of Charles VII of France.* Distance from Paris: -External links:* *...
, Joinville
Joinville, Haute-Marne
Joinville is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.Its medieval château-fort, which gave to members of the House of Guise their title, duc de Joinville, was demolished during the Revolution of 1789, but the 16th-century Château du Grand Jardin built by Claude de Lorraine,...
, Brienne le Château, Troyes
Troyes
Troyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
, and Auxerre
Auxerre
Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
; and the other, by Neufchâteau, Chaumont
Chaumont
-France:* Chaumont-Porcien, in the Ardennes département* Chaumont, Cher, in the Cher département* Chaumont-le-Bois, in the Côte-d'Or département* Arrondissement of Chaumont, in the Haute-Marne département...
, Bar sur Aube, Vendoeuvres, Bar sur Seine, and Châtillon
Châtillon
Châtillon may refer to:*Châtillon ** Hugh I of Châtillon*First Battle of Châtillon during the war in the Vendée .*Battle of Châtillon during the Siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War It is the name of several places:...
: at which points (Auxerre and Châtillon) they halted on 18 July. On 21 July, the corps entered into cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
s between Montbard
Montbard
Montbard is a commune and subprefecture of the Côte-d'Or department in the Bourgogne region in eastern France.Montbard is a small industrial town on the river Brenne. The Forges de Buffon, ironworks established by Buffon, are located in the nearby village of Buffon...
and Tonnerre
Tonnerre
Tonnerre is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Twin town:* Nenagh, North Tipperary, Ireland-References:*...
.
With the exception of a few sorties of little consequence, General Rapp remained very quiet in the Fortress of Strasbourg. The news of the capture of Paris by the British and Prussian troops led to a Suspension of Hostilities; which was concluded on 24 July; and extended to the Fortress of Strasbourg, Landau, Lutzelstein, Huningen, Schlettstadt, Lichtenberg
Lichtenberg
Lichtenberg is the eleventh borough of Berlin, Germany. In Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it absorbed the former borough of Hohenschönhausen.-Overview:...
, Pfalzburg, Neuf Brisac and Belfort.
Army of Upper Italy (Austro-Sardinian Army)
This was the second largest of Austria's contingents. Its target was Lyons. General Johann Maria Philipp FrimontJohann Maria Philipp Frimont
Johann Maria Philipp Frimont, Count of Palota, Prince of Antrodoco was an Austrian general.Frimont was born at Fénétrange, in what is now French Lorraine...
commanded this army. Its composition in June was:
- I Corps - General Radivojevich
- II Corps - General Bubna
- Reserve Corps - General Meerville
- Sardinian Corps - General Latour
Total 50,000
Austrian Army (Army of Naples)
This was the smaller of Austria's military contingents. Its targets were Marseilles and Toulon. General BianchiFrederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza , was an Austrian general and later field marshal.-Biography:...
commanded this army not General Onasco as one author suggests. (See Plotho, Appendix pp. 76,77 and Vaudoncourt, Book I, Chapter I, p. 94, to compare.) This was the Austrian army that defeated Murat's army in the Neapolitan War
Neapolitan War
The Neapolitan War was a conflict between the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples and the Austrian Empire. It started on 15 March 1815 when Joachim Murat declared war on Austria and ended on 20 May 1815 with the signing of the Treaty of Casalanza...
. It was not composed of Neapolitans as the army's name may suggest and as one author supposed. There was however a Sardinian force in this area forming the garrison of Nice under General d'Osasco which may have been where the other part of this misunderstanding had arisen. Its composition in June was:
- I Corps - General NeippergAdam Albert von NeippergAdam Albert, Count von Neipperg was an Austrian general and statesman. The son of a diplomat, famous for inventing a letter-copying machine, and a French mother, he was the grandson of Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg....
; - II Corps - General Mohr;
- Reserve Corps - General NugentLaval Nugent von WestmeathLaval Graf Nugent von Westmeath was a soldier of Irish birth who fought in the armies of Austria and the Two Sicilies.-Biography:...
.
Total 23,000
French order of battle
The French Army of the Var (II Corps of Observation)Based at Toulon and commanded by Marshal Guillaume Marie Anne Brune
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, 1st Comte Brune was a French soldier and political figure who rose to Marshal of France....
. This army was charged with the suppression of any potential royalist uprisiongs and to observe Bianchi's 'Army of Naples'. Its composition in June was:
- 24th Infantry Division;
- 25th Infantry Division;
- 14th Chasseurs à Cheval Cavalry Regiment
- 22 guns;
Total 5,500-6,116 men.
Start of the campaign
The Austrian Army of Italy, composed of Austrian and Sardinian troops, and amounting to 60,000 men, was under the command of General Baron FrimontJohann Maria Philipp Frimont
Johann Maria Philipp Frimont, Count of Palota, Prince of Antrodoco was an Austrian general.Frimont was born at Fénétrange, in what is now French Lorraine...
. It was destined to act against the French Army of the Alps, under Marshal Suchet
Louis Gabriel Suchet
Louis Gabriel Suchet, 1st Duc d'Albufera was a Marshal of France and one of Napoleon's most brilliant generals.-Early career:...
, posted in the vicinity of Chambéry and Grenoble. It is uncertain what was the amount of force under Suchet, it having been estimated from 13,000 to 20,000 men; but the Corps of Observation on the Var, in the vicinity of Antibes and Toulon, under Marshal Brune, amounted to 10,000, and was not occupied with any Enemy in its front.
Baron Frimont's' Army was divided into two Corps: the I Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal [Paul, Freiherr von] Radivojevich, was to advance by the Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
towards Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
s; and the other, the II Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal Count Bubna, which was in Piedmont was to penetrate into the south of France, through Savoy.
French abandon the passes of the Jura
Marshal Suchet had received orders from Napoleon to commence operations on 14 June; and by rapid marches to secure the mountain passes in the ValaisValais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
and in Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
(then part of the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
), and close them against the Austrians. On 15 June, his troops advanced at all points for the purpose of gaining the frontier from Montmeilian, as far as Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
; which he invested. Thence he purposed to obtain possession of the important passes of Meillerie
Meillerie
Meillerie is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
and St. Maurice; and in this way to check the advance of the Austrian columns from the Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
. At Meillerie
Meillerie
Meillerie is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
the French were met and driven back by the advanced guard of the Austrian right column, on 21 June. By means of forced marches the whole of this column, which Baron Frimont himself accompanied, reached the Arve
Arve
The Arve river flows for approximately 100 km through France, in the département of Haute-Savoie, and in Switzerland...
on 27 June. The left column, under Count Bubna, crossed Mount Cenis on 24 June and 25 June. On 28 June, the column was sharply opposed by the French at Conflans
Conflans
- Communes :Conflans is the name or part of the name of ten communes of France:*Conflans-en-Jarnisy in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département*Conflans-Sainte-Honorine in the Yvelines département*Conflans-sur-Anille in the Sarthe département...
; of which place, however, the Austrians succeeded in gaining possession.
To secure the passage of the river Arve
Arve
The Arve river flows for approximately 100 km through France, in the département of Haute-Savoie, and in Switzerland...
the advanced guard of the right column detached, on 27 June, to Bonneville
Bonneville, Haute-Savoie
Bonneville is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:Bonneville is on the A40 autoroute, roughly halfway between Geneva and Chamonix...
, on its left; but the French, who had already fortified this place, maintained a stout resistance. In the mean time, however, the Austrians gained possession of the passage at Carrouge
Carrouge
Carrouge is a municipality in the district of Broye-Vully in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:Carrouge has an area, , of . Of this area, or 70.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 19.7% is forested...
; by which means the French were placed under the necessity of evacuating Bonneville, and abandoning the valley of the Arve. The Austrian column now passed Geneva, and drove the French from the heights of Grand Saconex and from St. Genix
Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers
Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-External links:*...
. On 29 June, this part of the Austrian army moved towards the Jura
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
; and, on 1 July, it made its dispositions for attacking the redoubts and entrenchments which the French had thrown up to defend the passes. The most vigorous assault was made upon the Pass of Les Rousses; but the Austrians were driven back. Reserves were then brought up; and the French having quit their entrenchments to meet the latter, and a good opportunity having offered for a flank attack upon them with cavalry and artillery, the pass was captured by the Austrians: and the French were compelled to abandon both it and the other passes of the Jura
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
. The Austrian advanced guard pursued the French, and reached, in the evening, Saint-Claude
Saint-Claude, Jura
Saint-Claude is a commune in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.The town was originally named Saint-Oyand after Saint Eugendus. However, when St...
, on the road leading to the left from Gex; and St. Laurent
Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux
Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux is a commune in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-Demographics:As of the census of 1999, the population was .The estimate for 2007 was .-References:*...
, in the original direction of the attack, beyond Les Rousses
Les Rousses
Les Rousses is a commune in the Jura département in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.Lac des Rousses is located on the territory of the commune.-Demographics:As of the census of 1999, the population was .The estimate for 2006 was .-Tourism:...
.
Fort l'Ecluse surrendered to the Austrians
In the mean time, the Austrian Reserve Corps, under Lieutenant Field Marshal Meerville, was directed to advance, and to throw back the French upon the RhoneRhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
. The latter, in retreating, destroyed the bridge of Seyselle; and, by holding the Fort l'Ecluse
Fort l'Ecluse
The Fort l'Écluse is close to the village of Collonges, Ain in Eastern France. It commands the Rhone valley and is a natural entrance into France from Switzerland between the Vuache hills and the Jura Mountains....
, closed the road from Geneva to Lyons. A redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
had been constructed in front of the Fort, and completely commanded the approach. It was stormed and carried by the Regiment of Estherhazy. The Fort itself was now turned by the Reserve Corps along the left bank of the Rhone, with the design of forcing the passage at the Perte du Rhone
Perte du Rhone
Perte-du-Rhône . North of Bellegarde-sur-Valserine there is a sixty metre deep fault into which the Rhone used to disappear during the dry season. In 1948 the Génissiat Dam was built south of Bellegarde and the perte du Rhône was transformed in a reservoir twenty three kilometre long from...
. Here the French had constructed a tête-de-pont; which, however, they were forced to abandon in consequence of a movement made by the I Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal Radivojevich. On retiring, the French destroyed the very beautiful stone bridge then existing; and thus rendered it necessary for the Austrians to construct temporary bridges over the extremely narrow space between the rocks which confine the stream at this remarkable spot. The advanced guard of the Reserve Corps, under General Count Hardegg, first crossed the Rhone, and found the French posted at Charix
Charix
Charix is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, in rear of Châtillon, on the road to Nantua
Nantua
Nantua is a commune and subprefecture in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:The town grew up around a Benedictine Monastery founded in 671 by St...
. Count Hardegg immediately ordered an attack and, after encountering an obstinate resistance, forced the French to retire.
The troops of the Austrian I Corps, which, in the mean time, were left in front of the Fort 1'Ecluse, had commenced a bombardment ; and this, after twenty six hours duration, considerably damaged the fort. A powder magazine exploded, which caused a general conflagration; to escape which the garrison rushed out, and surrendered at discretion to the Auststrians: and thus, in three days, the high road from Geneva to Lyons was opened to the Army of Italy.
Surrender of Lyon
On 3 July General Bogdan, with the advanced guard of the Austrian I Corps, having been reinforced by Lieutenant Field Marshal Radivojevich, attacked the French at Ojanax, beyond St. ClaudeSaint-Claude, Jura
Saint-Claude is a commune in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.The town was originally named Saint-Oyand after Saint Eugendus. However, when St...
; where the French General Maransin
Jean-Pierre Maransin
Jean-Pierre Maransin was a Général de Division of the First French Empire who saw action during the Peninsular War. He was made Colonel of the 1st Legion du Midi on 27 January 1807 and promoted to Général de Brigade on 8 November 1808. He fought at the Battle of Albuera on 16 May 1811...
had taken up a favourable position, with 2,000 men. The Austrians turned Maransin's left flank, and forced the French to retire. The I Corps reached Bourg en Bresse on 9 July.
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
on the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
; and gained possession of the tête-de-pont constructed there, and of the place itself.
On 7 July, the II Corps, under Count Bubna, reached Echelles. A detachment, consisting principally of Sardinian troops, under Lieutenant General Count Latour, had been directed to observe Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
; in front of which its advanced guard arrived on 4 July. On 6 July the suburbs were attacked; and the communication between this place and Lyons was cut off. The garrison, consisting of eight battalions of the National Guard, offered to capitulate on 9 July, on the condition of being permitted to return to their homes. That a vigorous defence might have been maintained was evident from the fact of the Austrians having found in the place fifty four guns and eight mortars, and large quantities of provisions.
Count Bubna's II Corps and the Reserve Corps, by simultaneous movements, assembled together in front of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
s on 9 July. An armistice was solicited by the garrison on 11 July, and granted upon condition that Lyons and the entrenched camp should be evacuated: and that Marshal Suchet should retire with his Corps behind the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
, keeping his advanced posts within a stipulated line of demarcation.
General armistice
The Sardinian General d'Osasco, who had been detached to Nice, concluded on the 9 July an armistice with Marshal BruneGuillaume Marie Anne Brune
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, 1st Comte Brune was a French soldier and political figure who rose to Marshal of France....
, who commanded the Armée du Var, in front of the Maritime Alps
Maritime Alps
The Maritime Alps are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between the French département Alpes-Maritimes and the Italian province of Cuneo. The Col de Tende separates them from the Ligurian Alps; the Maddalena Pass separates them from the Cottian Alps...
Having secured possession of the line of the Rhone as far down as its junction with the Isère
Isère River
The Isère is a 286 km long river in southeastern France, in the Rhône-Alpes région. Its source is in the Alps on the border with Italy, near the ski resort Val d'Isère. It flows into the Rhône River in Pont-de-l'Isère, a few km north of Valence...
, as also of that part of the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
between Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
and Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
s; the Army of Italy now proceeded towards the upper line of the latter river, leaving the II Corps, under Count Bubna, at Lyons, in front of Marshal Suchet. The I Corps marched upon Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
, in order to gain the tête-de-pont at that point. At this time, the French Armée du Jura, under General Lecourbe, was at Salins
Salins-les-Bains
Salins-les-Bains is a commune in the Jura department in Franche-Comté in eastern France.Salins owes its name to its saline waters, used for bathing and drinking. There are also salt works and gypsum deposits. In 2009 the historic saltworks were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites...
, between Dole
Dole, Jura
Dole is a commune in the Jura department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France, of which it is a subprefecture ....
and Pontarlier
Pontarlier
Pontarlier is a commune and one of the two sub-prefectures of the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-History:...
: and as Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
had not yet been invested, Baron Frimont detached a part of the Reserve Corps, under General Hecht, to Salins; whilst General Folseis detached from the I Corps towards Dole. The advanced guard of the I Corps had arrived in front of the tête-de-pont at Châlons, and had completed its dispositions for attack; when the place surrendered. By the advance, at the same time, of Hecht upon Salina, and of Folseist from Dole upon Besançon; the retreat of the French General Lapane was completely cut off. This led to a convention which stipulated the dissolution of the National Guards, the surrender of all the officers, and the abandonment of one of the Forts of Salins
Salins
Salins is the name or part of the name of several communes in France and Switzerland:In France:* Salins, Cantal, in the Cantal département* Salins, Seine-et-Marne, in the Seine-et-Marne département...
to the Austrians.
On 20 July the I Corps advanced from Chalon-sur-Saône as far as Autun
Autun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
; and Besançon having in the mean time been occupied by the Austrian troops of the Army of the Upper Rhine, a junction was effected with the latter by the Army of Italy by Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
; and thus terminated all hostilities on that side of France.
Other campaigns
The Russians followed the northern wing of the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine into France and towards Paris while to its north the German Corps helped elements of the armies of Blücher and Wellington subdue some of the French frontier Forts which did not immediately surrender to Coalition forces.Russian order of battle
Field Marshal Michael Andreas Barclay de TollyMichael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
commanded the First Russian Army. In June it consisted of the following:
- III Army Corps - General DokhturovDmitry DokhturovDmitry Sergeyevich Dokhturov was a Russian Infantry General and a prominent military leader during the Patriotic War of 1812....
- IV Army Corps - General RaevskyNikolay RaevskyNikolay Nikolayevich Raevsky was a Russian general and statesman who achieved fame for his feats of arms during the Napoleonic wars. His family left a lasting legacy in Russian society and culture.-Early life:Nikolay Raevsky was born in Saint Petersburg...
- V Army Corps - General Sacken
- VI Army Corps - General LangeronLouis Alexandre Andrault de LangeronCount Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langéron , born in Paris, was a French general in the service of the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars.-Early life:...
- VII Army Corps - General Sabaneev
- Reserve Grenadier Corps - General YermolovAleksey Petrovich YermolovAleksey Petrovich Yermolov , or Ermolov , was a Russian Imperial general of the 19th century who commanded Russian troops in the Caucasus War.-Early life:...
- II Reserve Cavalry Corps - General Wintzingerode
- Artillery Reserve - Colonel Bogoslavsky
Total 200,000
Campaign
The main body of the First Russian Army, commanded by Field Marshal Count Barclay de Tolly, and amounting to 167,950 men, crossed Germany rapidly, in three main columns. The right column, commanded by General DoctorovDmitry Dokhturov
Dmitry Sergeyevich Dokhturov was a Russian Infantry General and a prominent military leader during the Patriotic War of 1812....
, advanced by way of Kalisch, Torgau
Torgau
Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen.Outside Germany, the town is most well known as the place where during the Second World War, United States Army forces coming from the west met with forces of the Soviet Union...
, Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, Hanau
Hanau
Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. Its station is a major railway junction.- Geography :...
, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, and Hochheim
Hochheim
Hochheim may refer to either:* Hochheim am Main, a town in Hesse, Germany* Hochheim, Thuringia, a municipality in Thuringia, Germany* Hochheim, Texas, in the United States of America...
, towards Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
. The central column,commanded by General Baron Sacken, advanced through Breslau, Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Zwickau
Zwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
, Baireuth, Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
, Dieburg
Dieburg
Dieburg is a town in southern Hessen, Germany. It was formerly the seat of the district of Dieburg, but is now part of the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg.-History:...
, and Gross Gerau, towards Oppenheim. The left column, commanded by General Count Langeron
Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron
Count Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langéron , born in Paris, was a French general in the service of the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars.-Early life:...
, procceded through Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Aube
Aube
Aube is a department in the northeastern part of France named after the Aube River. In 1995, its population was 293,100 inhabitants.- History :Aube is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
, Adelsheim
Adelsheim
Adelsheim is a small town in northern Baden-Württemberg, about 30 km north of Heilbronn. The state-recognized resort of Adelsheim in the Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis looks back on a 1,200-year heritage.- Geography :...
, Neckar
Neckar
The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...
, and Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, towards Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
. The vanguards of the columns reached the Middle Rhine, when hostilities were on the point of breaking out upon the Belgian frontier. The Russians crossed the Rhine at Mannheim, on 25 June; and followed the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine. The greater portion of it reached Paris and its vicinity by the middle of July.
German Corps
The German Corps (or the North German Federal Army) was part of the Prussian Army above, but was to act independently much further south. It was composed of contingents from the following nations of the German ConfederationGerman Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
: Electorate of Hessen-Kassel, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a duchy and later grand duchy in northern Germany, consisting of the eastern fifth of the historic Mecklenburg region, roughly corresponding with the present-day Mecklenburg-Strelitz district , and the western exclave of the former Bishopric of Ratzeburg in modern...
, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. It was raised to a Grand duchy in 1815 by resolution of the Vienna Congress. In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony , but this name was...
, Duchy of Oldenburg (state)
Oldenburg (state)
Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...
, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha
Saxe-Gotha
Saxe-Gotha was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine of the Wettin dynasty in the former Landgraviate of Thuringia. The ducal residence was erected at Gotha....
, Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
, Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
, Duchy of Anhalt-Kothen
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
, Principality of Waldeck (state)
Waldeck (state)
Waldeck was a sovereign principality in the German Empire and German Confederation and, until 1929, a constituent state of the Weimar Republic. It comprised territories in present-day Hesse and Lower Saxony, ....
, Principality of Lippe
Principality of Lippe
Lippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:...
and the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...
.
Fearing that Napoleon was going to strike him first, Blücher ordered this army to march north to join the rest of his own army. The Prussian General Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
Friedrich Emil Ferdinand Heinrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf , born and died in Berlin, was a Prussian field marshal and a member of the old junker family von Kleist....
initially commanded this army before he fell ill on 18 June and was replaced by the Hessen-Kassel General Von Engelhardt. Its composition in June was"
- Hessen-Kassel Division (Three Hessian Brigades)- General Engelhardt
- Thuringian Brigade - Colonel Egloffstein
- Mecklenburg Brigade - General Prince of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Total 25,000
The German Corps, which was composed of contingent forces supplied by the small Princedoms of north Germany, was assembled, in the middle of April, in the vicinity of Coblentz. It amounted to 26,200 men, divided into thirty battalions of infantry, twelve squadrons of cavalry, and two and a half batteries of artillery, and was placed under the command of General Count Kleist von Nollendorf
Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
Friedrich Emil Ferdinand Heinrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf , born and died in Berlin, was a Prussian field marshal and a member of the old junker family von Kleist....
. At a somewhat later period it crossed the Rhine at Coblentz and Neuwied
Neuwied
Neuwied is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the right bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne...
, and took up a position on the Moselle
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
and the Sarre
Saar River
The Saar is a river in northeastern France and western Germany, and a right tributary of the Moselle. It rises in the Vosges mountains on the border of Alsace and Lorraine and flows northwards into the Moselle near Trier. It has two headstreams , that both start near Mont Donon, the highest peak...
; its right communicating with the Prussian II Corps (Pirch I), and its Left with the Austrian IV (Bavarian) Corps (Prince Wrede
Karl Philipp von Wrede
Karl Philipp Josef Wrede, Freiherr von Wrede, 1st Fürst von Wrede , Bavarian field-marshal, was born at Heidelberg, the youngest of three children of Ferdinand Josef Wrede , created in 1791 1st Freiherr von Wrede, and wife, married on 21 March 1746, Anna Katharina Jünger , by whom he had two more...
) at Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
. Its Advanced Posts extended along the French frontier from Arlon to Mertzig. Its headquarters were at Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, on the Moselle.
In this position it remained until 16 June, when its commander, General von Engelhard (in the absence of Count Kleist who was ill), advanced from Trier to Arlon; which it reached on 19 June. Here it continued until 21 June, when it received an order from Prince Blücher to move into France by Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
and Neufchâteau
Neufchâteau, Vosges
Neufchâteau is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Néocastriens.-Geography:Positioned at the confluence of the Rivers Meuse and Mouzon, the little town dominates the Vosges Plain...
; and to gain possession of the fortresses of Sedan
Château de Sedan
The Château de Sedan is a castle situated in Sedan, France, on a headland on the border of Meuse, flanked by the rivers Bièvre and Vra, in the Ardennes département of France...
and Bouillon
Bouillon
Bouillon is a municipality in Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Luxembourg Province.The municipality, which covers 149.09 km², had 5,477 inhabitants, giving a population density of 36.7 inhabitants per km².- History :...
. On 22 June, the Corps commenced its march, in two columns: the one by Neufchâteau, upon Sedan
Sedan, France
Sedan is a commune in France, a sub-prefecture of the Ardennes department in northern France.-Geography:The historic centre is built on a peninsula formed by an arc of the Meuse River. It is around from the Belgian border.-History:...
; the other by Recogne, upon Bouillon
Bouillon
Bouillon is a municipality in Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Luxembourg Province.The municipality, which covers 149.09 km², had 5,477 inhabitants, giving a population density of 36.7 inhabitants per km².- History :...
. Sedan, after a few days' bombardment, capitulated on 25 June. An attempt was made to take Bouillon by a coup de main
Coup de main
A coup de main is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. The United States Department of Defense defines it as:The literal translation from French means a stroke or blow of the hand...
; but its garrison was strong enough to frustrate this project. The place was not considered of sufficient importance to render a regular siege expedient, and it was therefore simply invested, from 25 June, until the 21 August; when it was blockaded at all points by troops of the Netherlands Corps, under Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau , was the second son of king William I of the Netherlands and his wife, Wilhelmine of Prussia....
, (Like the German Corps the Netherlands Corps did not take part in the early actions of the Waterloo Campaign).
Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
, which lies under the guns of the Fortress of Mézières, and to carry the place by storm. The capture was successfully made by some Hessian battalions, and tended greatly to facilitate the siege of Mézières
Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
. Moveable columns were detached to observe the Fortresses of Montmédy, Laon
Laon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
, and Rheims. The last named place was taken by capitulation on 8 July; and the garrison, amounting to 4,000 men, retired behind the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
.
Lieutenant General von Hake finding that, notwithstanding his bombardment of Mézières, which he commenced on 27 June, his summons to surrender was unheeded by the commandant, General Lemoine, undertook a regular siege of the place, and opened trenches on 2 August. On 13 August the French garrison gave up the town and retired into the citadel, which surrendered on 1 September.
The efforts of the German Corps were now directed upon Montmédy, around which Fortress it had succeeded in placing twelve batteries in position by the 13 September. After an obstinate resistance, the garrison concluded a convention on the 20 September; by which it was to retire, with arms and baggage, behind the Loire. After the capture of Montmédy, the German Corps went into cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
s in the department of the Ardennes whence it returned home in the month of November.
Order of battle
Army of the West, - Armée de l'Ouest (also known as the Army of the Vendée and the Army of the Loire)This army was formed to suppress the Royalist revolt in the Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
region of France which was up in revolt at Napoleon Bonaparte's return. It was commanded by General Jean Maximilien Lamarque
Jean Maximilien Lamarque
Jean Maximilien Lamarque was a French commander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member of French Parliament. As an opponent of the Ancien Régime, he is known for his active suppression of Royalist and Legitimist activity...
. It contained a Young Guard Infantry brigade consisting of the 2nd Tirailleur and 2nd Voltigeur regiments and some line units detached from the other armies as well as gendarmes and volunteers. Its composition in June was:
- One Un-numbered Infantry Division under General Brayer;
- One Un-numbered Infantry Division under General Travot
- 24 guns
- Total 10,000–27,000 men
Campaign
ProvenceProvence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
which were known to contain many royalist sympathisers did not rise in open revolt, but the La Vendée did. The Vendée Royalists successfully took Bressuire
Bressuire
Bressuire is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in France. The town is situated on an eminence overlooking the Dolo, a tributary of the Argenton.-Notable buildings:...
and Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
before they were defeated by General Lamarque
Jean Maximilien Lamarque
Jean Maximilien Lamarque was a French commander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member of French Parliament. As an opponent of the Ancien Régime, he is known for his active suppression of Royalist and Legitimist activity...
at the Battle of Rocheserviere
Battle of Rocheservière
The Battle of Rocheserviere was fought at Rocheservièreon the 20 June 1815, between Vendéen Royalists, who had remained loyal to King Louis XVIII and the Army of the West, commanded by General Jean Maximilien Lamarque...
on 20 June. They signed the Treaty of Cholet five days later on 25 June.
Pyrenees
It was planned that a Spanish army was to invade France via Perpignan and Toulouse. General Francisco Javier Castanos, 1st Duke of BailenFrancisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén
Francisco Javier Castaños Aragorri Urioste y Olavide, Count of Castaños y Aragones, 1st Duke of Baylen , was a Spanish general.Castaños was born at Madrid.He is remembered for his victory over the French under Dupont, whom he...
commanded this army.
It was planned that a second Spanish army was to invade France via Bayonne and Bordeaux. General Henry Joseph O'Donnell, Count of La Bisbal
Henry Joseph O'Donnell, Count of La Bisbal
Don Henry Joseph O'Donnell y Mareschal , 1st Count of la Bisbal , Spanish soldier, was descended from Joseph O'Donnell y O´ Donnell, Colonel of the Spanish Regiment Irlanda, Lieu - Tenant General of the Spanish Army.O'Donnell was the brother of Carlos O´Donnell y...
commanded this army.
Opposing them were two French Armies:
III Corps of Observation – L'Armée des Pyrenees ikt:oriental|Oriental|]es. Based at Toulouse and commanded by General Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen. This army observed the eastern Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
- 26th Infantry Division;
- 5th Chasseurs à Cheval Cavalry Regiment;
- 24 guns;
Total 3,516–7,600 men.
IV Corps of Observation – L'Armée des Pyrenees Occidentales. Based at Bordeaux and commanded by General Bertrand Clauzel
Bertrand Clauzel
Bertrand, comte Clausel was a marshal of France.- Military career :Bertrand Clausel was born on 12 December 1772 at Mirepoix in the County of Foix, and served in the first campaign of the French Revolutionary Wars as one of the volunteers of 1791In June 1795, having distinguished himself...
. This army observed the western Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
- 27th Infantry Division;
- 15th Chasseurs à Cheval Cavalry Regiment;
- 24 guns;
Total 3,516–6,800 men.
Both Wellington's Despatches and his Supplementary Despatches clearly show that neither of the Spanish armies contained any Portuguese contingents nor were they likely too, (See the section Portuguese contingent below), showing that both Chandler and Barbero are incorrect in their belief that the Portuguese did actually send a contingent.
Prussian reserve army
Besides the four Army Corps that fought in the Waterloo Campaign listed above that Blücher took with him in to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Prussia also had a reserve army stationed at home in order to defend its borders.This consisted of:
- V Army Corps - Commanded by General Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg
- VI Army Corps - Commanded by General Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von TauentzienBogislav Friedrich Emanuel von TauentzienBogislav Friedrich Emanuel Graf Tauentzien von Wittenberg was a Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars....
- Royal Guard (VIII Corps) - Commanded by General Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzCharles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzCharles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg was ruler of the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1794 until his death. Originally ruling as duke he was raised to the title grand duke in 1815...
Royal Danish Auxiliary Corps and Hanseatic Contingent
A Danish contingent known as the Royal Danish Auxiliary Corps commanded by General Prince Frederick of Hessen-Kassel and a Hanseatic contingent (from the free cities of Bremen, Lübeck and Hamburg) commanded by the British Colonel Sir Neil Campbell, were also on their way to join Wellington's army both however, joined the army in July having missed the conflict.Portuguese contingent
Wellington had very much hoped to obtain a Portuguese contingent of 12-14,000 men that might be boarded on ships and sent to this army. However, this contingent never materialised, as the Portuguese government were extremely uncooperative. They explained that they did not have the authority to send the Prince Regent of Portugal's forces to war without his consent (he was still in Brazil where he had been in exile during the Peninsular War and had yet to return to Portugal). They explained this even though they themselves had signed the Treaty of 15 March without his consent. Besides this, the state of the Portuguese army in 1815 left much to be desired and were a shadow of their former with much of it being disbanded.Russian 2nd (Reserve) Army
This Second Russian Army was behind the First Russian Army to support it if required.- Imperial Guard Corps
- I Army Corps
- II Army Corps
- I Grenadier Division
- I Reserve Cavalry Corps
Russian support for Wellington
The Tsar of Russia offered Wellington the II Army Corps under General Wurttemberg from his Reserve Army, but Wellington was far from keen on accepting this contingent.Anglo-Sicilian army
The Anglo-Sicilian army was the smaller military contingent of Great Britain. It was composed of Anglo-Sicilian troops under General Sir Hudson LoweHudson Lowe
Sir Hudson Lowe KCB, GCMG was an Anglo-Irish soldier and colonial administrator who is best known for his time as Governor of St Helena where he was the "gaoler" of Napoleon Bonaparte.-Early life and career:...
transported and supported by the Mediterranean Fleet of Lord Viscount Exmouth
Viscount Exmouth
right|thumb|Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount ExmouthViscount Exmouth, of Canonteign in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1816 for the prominent naval commander Edward Pellew, 1st Baron Exmouth...
. Its targets were Marseilles and Toulon.