Leipzig

Leipzig was the last battlefield to be visited during our Napoleon's German Battlefield tour.

I was really looking forward to this one, and had done a lot of previous research. I had read all the books I could find and had prepared maps of the different combats such as Libertwolkwitz, Wachau, Connewitz, Lindenau, Mockern and finally Leipzig itself.

This should have been the highlight of the tour, but it proved to be the most disappointing. I am not sure whether it was due to lack of knowledge or preparation by our tour guide, or whether the area is now so developed that it was not possible to find or walk any of the actual battlefields.

Whatever the cause, we only spent the morning visiting the battlefield, and most of that time was spent at the magnificient monument. Then we had a long lunch, followed by a "free afternoon"

I have not read any accounts of visits to this battlefield, either before or since our visit. So I am unable to compare our experience with that of other visitors. Those which I have read have been a brief description, such as at the end of the Osprey Campaign Series Leipzig 1813. There is mention of other memorials, but no details.

It was a shame to end our tour on a disappointing note. Especially as this battlefield promised to be the highlight of the tour.

I did manage to take some good view of the battlefield, and you can find them at

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/

Lutzen

This small German village was already famous long before Napoleon fought the first major battle of the 1813 campaign there.

In 1632 the famous Swedish general Gustavus Adolphus lost his life here during the first Battle of Lutzen.

The area is largely unchanged since 2 May 1813, when Napoleon defeated the Prussian and Russian armies and sent them in retreat to the east. Due to his lack of cavalry he was unable to mount an effective pursuit, and the allied army retreated through Dresden and formed up on the hills overlooking Bautzen for the second major battle of the war.

For more photographs, and a record of our visit, follow this link

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/

Bautzen

Bautzen is one of the less well known of Napoleon's victories.

Fought just 20 days after Lutzen, his first victory in the 1813 campaign, Bautzen was a large battle fought over a wide area. Napoleon commanded an army of 200,000 against just 96,000 Prussians and Russians. It should have been a decisive victory, and even ended the 1813 campaign in a French victory. He won, but he allowed the allies to retreat to the east. Or rather Marshal Ney allowed them to retreat, by attacking the right of the allied line instead of arriving behind the right and preventing them from retreating.

The result was the armistice, which ended with the Austrians joining Prussia and Russia, and the complete defeat of Napoleon at Leipzig.

Perhaps that is the real reason Bautzen is not well known. It was a missed opportunity and became overshadowed by the great battle of Leipzig.

We spent a day walking the battlefield and you can read about it at

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/

Festung Konigstein

Apart from an inspection visit by Napoleon in 1813, the fortress does not appear to have played an active part in the Napoleonic Wars. However its very presence overlooking the river Elbe so near to Dresden made it important enough to have a regular garrison. I was not surprised to hear that there has never been an attempt to capture it by force!

We were dropped off here whilst our guide and the coach went off to recce the next days battlefield walk. However we were not unhappy, as Konigstein is a major tourist attraction and well worth a visit.

There is an interesting museum which includes artillery uniforms and equipment of the Napoleonic period.

But the most interesting part of our visit was exploring the ramparts with their large collection of artillery equipment.

Link to blog

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/

Dresden

It was fortunate that we had done our research prior to our visit to Dresden, because it was treated as a "free day". I always consider this to be a cop out on a any holiday, but even more so in one which is dedicated to walking battlefields. We were left entirely on our own and later discovered that the guide and coach had gone off to recce Bautzen. I feel quite strongly that this is just not good enough. All recce should be done prior to starting the tour. Paid customers should not be left to explore a city as best they can. This was our first, but not our last, disappointment with this Midas tour.

Due to our preparation we were aware of the main phases of the Battle of Dresden in August 1813. In particular I knew that the Great Garden had played an important part. And even though the city has greatly changed since then, we were able to find the Grosser Garten by joining a city tour bus and asking to be dropped there.

Unfortunately the garden was also a disappointment. It has been completely rebuilt and looks similar to any other park in any other major city.

Link to the Dresden blog

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/

Auerstadt

The cross roads at the village of Hassenhausen makes this a very easy battlefield to visit and explore. The road junction was the centre of Davout's position, and the flat ground to the south the area of the Prussian attacks.

The view of the battlefield is very similar to Waterloo, and one of the main features of the battle was the ill fates Prussian cavalry attack against the French infantry squares. Again a reminder of the French cavalry attacks against the British squares at Waterloo.

Link to Blog

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/

Jena - Kapellendorf

The last visit of our day spent on the Jena battlefield, was to the small town of Kapellendorf.

It was here that General Ruchel made his fateful decision to move forward and attempt to save the broken survivors of Hohenloe's defeated army. He had arrived in the town with just 13,000 men to reinforce Hohenloe. On arrival he was advised that the Prussian army was in retreat pursued by the massed French cavalry. He ordered his division to advance towards Jena in an ill fated attempt to stem the French pursuit and save the Prussian army. In the event he was promptly crushed and joined the rout.

Link to blog

http://napoleoningermany.blogspot.com/