Battle of Haynau

Battle of Haynau Part of The German campaign of the War of the Sixth Coalition Battle of Haynau by Richard Knötel Date 26 May 1813 Location Haynau (now Chojnów), in Lower Silesia Result Prussian victory Belligerents Kingdom of Prussia French Empire Commanders and leaders General Blücher General Maison

The Battle of Haynau was fought on 26 May 1813, between Prussian cavalry under the command of General Blücher and a French infantry division under the command of General Maison. The result was a Prussian victory.

Prelude

After their defeat at the Battle of Bautzen (20–21 May) the Coalition allies broke off the action at their own time and retired in such good order that Napoleon failed to capture a single trophy as proof of his victory. The enemy's escape annoyed him greatly, the absence of captured guns and prisoners reminded him too much of his Russian experiences, and he redoubled his demands on his corps commanders for greater vigour in the pursuit.^[1]

Battle

Napoleon's entireties led his corps commanders to push on without due regard to tactical precautions, and Blücher took advantage of their carelessness. On 26 May, with some twenty squadrons of Landwehr cavalry, he surprised, rode over and almost destroyed Maison's division. The material loss inflicted on the French was not very great, but its effect in raising the morale of the raw Prussian cavalry and increasing their confidence in their old commander was, enormous.^[1] On the other hand they had to suffer the loss of the commanding cavalry officer Florens von Bockum-Dolffs (1769-1813), who had led the charge himself.

Notes

1. Maude 1911, p. 229.

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Maude, Frederic Natusch (1911). "Napoleonic Campaigns". In Chisholm, Hugh. Encyclopædia Britannica 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 212–236.
• Leonard Dorn: Vier biographische Studien aus der Grafschaft Mark während der napoleonischen Herrschaft. Gisbert von Romberg, Barthold von Rappard, Ludwig Freiherr Vincke und Florens von Bockum-Dolffs, in: Eckhard Trox/Susanne Conzen (ed.): Wider Napoleon! Die Geburtsstunde von Demokratie, Emanzipationsbewegung und nationaler Bewegung in der Grafschaft Mark (1813 – 1815) (Forschungen zur Geschichte Preußens im südlichen Westfalen, 9), Lüdenscheid 2013, p. 113-145, especially p. 132-140.