Battle of Leipzig - Prelude

Prelude

Following Napoleon's failed invasion of Russia and his defeats in the Peninsular War, the anti-French forces had cautiously regrouped as the Sixth Coalition, comprising Russia, Austria, Prussia, Sweden, Britain, Spain, Portugal and certain smaller German states. In total, the Coalition could put into the field well over a million troops; indeed by the time of Leipzig, total Allied armies east of the Rhine probably exceeded a million. By contrast Napoleon's forces had shrunk to just a few hundred thousand.

Napoleon sought to re-establish his hold in Germany, winning two hard-fought victories, at Lützen on 2 May and Bautzen on 20–21 May, over Russo-Prussian forces. The victories led to a brief armistice. He then won a major victory at Dresden on August 27. Following this, the Coalition forces, under the chief command of Russian General Barclay de Tolly and individual command of Gebhard von Blücher, Crown Prince Carl Johan of Sweden and Karl von Schwarzenberg, and Count Benningsen of Russia followed the strategy outlined in the Trachenberg Plan to avoid clashes with Napoleon but to seek confrontations with his marshals, which led to victories at Großbeeren, Kulm, Katzbach and at Dennewitz.

Marshal Nicolas Oudinot was defeated at the Battle of Großbeeren and thus failed to capture Berlin with his army of 60,000. This forced Napoleon to withdraw westwards because of the threat to the north, crossing the Elbe in late September and organising his forces around Leipzig to protect his supply lines and meet the Allies. Napoleon deployed his army around the city, but concentrated his force from Taucha through Stötteritz, where he placed his command. The Prussians advanced from Wartenburg, the Austrians and Russians from Dresden and the Swedish force from the north.