Napoleon in 1812

Chapter 133

22. Battle of Leipzig - 8

The num ber of troops jointly led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III was close to 150,000.

Originally, they were the core corps of the Polish Front, but as the front became firmly established and the importance of Saxony rapidly increased, the battlefield was moved.

Even a four-year-old child knew that if the corps entered Leipzig and joined Bliicher, the battle would turn in favor of the Coalition.

Therefore, Napoleon and other allied commanders had been paying keen attention to their moves since they came to Erfurt, while they were deciding on sending the Great Army to Leipzig as soon as possible.

"I didn't know they would choose the path of self-destruction after committing such a reckless act. The Danish naval commander is such an idiot and incompetent man.

Napoleon smiled helplessly as if dumbfounded when he saw the news on the letter paper in his hand. At the end of the letter was written, 'The Danish Navy was defeated by the British Expedition Fleet and nearly half of it was destroyed'.

The chain effects triggered by the defeat of the naval battle were enough to dim the spirit of Napoleon and the Allied forces around Leipzig. And the final result was the 150,000 reinforcements led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III, who were just arou nd the corner.

"Tell all the troops coming to Leipzig now. Join our allies as soon as possible at all costs and expenses."

The position of the village of Liebertwolkwitz was tenser than ever.

If the Union members could retake Saxony, they could immediately hit Berlin, the capital of Prussia.

This was because it would be possible to secure a march route to send troops and a supply route to maintain supply. Napoleon in 1806 also successfully completed his expedition against Prussia in this way.

On the other hand, if the Coalition members occupied Saxony, a stable central European defense line would be drawn starting from the Ore Mountains.

This meant that Prussia, the closest to France geographically, would gain strength based on its natural terrain. This would allow the Coalition to have time to lead France to an unwinnable war and to divide the Union.

As such, the side holding Saxony could unconditionally lead the Great War. There was a reason why it had emerged as a key battlefield for this Great War, which both the Coalition and the Union could not give up.

Naturally, the 'Battle of Leipzig', which took place over the center of Saxony, forced the two sides to engage in an all-out war.

All European countries dispatched their troops to Leipzig, more or less quickly, expressing their willingness to fight and protect.

This was because a very disadvantageous prospect awaited if they lost this battle. Even Britain, which had always taken a step away from inland wars and showed an attitude of 'wait-and-see', was no exception.

"...To calm down the fire of the Great War that drives Europe into fear and anger, and to resist Napoleon's hegemony, the Kingdom decided to give unprecedented investment and support to its allies."

The defeat of the Battle of Cala Emboixar was an event that was sufficient to change the tone of Britain as a whole. Senior members of the British royal family, including King George IV, the Tory Party, and the Whig Party, realized that there was a crisis in which their nation's survival was at stake, and agreed that unprecedented support for the continent was needed to overcome it.

Under their solemn resolution, the Westminster Parliament passed the largest defense budget ever. And it was executed more quickly than ever, accompanied by the exercise of military power.

Although hit by the French Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, the British Navy was still Europe's, or perhaps the world's largest naval power.

It took only two weeks for it to be proved again. During this two-week period, the British Navy won a crushing victory over the French privateer fleet (the Battle of Surmer), and also won the ensuing naval battle against the French Atlantic Fleet (the Battle of Ile-de-Brehat).

The Royal Navy was still the Royal Navy, and they had succeeded in rebuilding their crumpled pride to some extent.

There were two options in front of the British Navy, which clearly took control of the maritime leadership in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first was to directly hurt France's economy and war capabilities by blocking its Atlantic coast.

This was the naval strategy that Britain had traditionally implemented against France, and it adhered to this strategy in the Iberian Peninsula War, driving France's economy to the brink of collapse.

Unlike before, however, naval staff officers and spies expressed negative opinions about this solution.

"During the war on the Iberian Peninsula, we were able to control all the coasts of France with the powerful naval power of the Kingdom and torment them, but it is not possible to do that in this Great War. Unfortunately, the defeat at the Battle of Cala Emboixar resulted in the Kingdom losing control of the Mediterranean Sea."

"The Kingdom succeeded in improving its relations with the United States and completed India's conquest, leaving no battlefield outside of Europe. Are you saying that it is difficult to control the coast of France even though all navy and army power can be brought onto the European continent?"

"To be honest... Yes. So we have to find a new way."

A blockade of the Atlantic coast was still possible but it was now meaningless, because France was able to continue maritime trade through the Mediterranean Sea.

In addition, France's economic foundation was firmly laid down by Napoleon's numerous reforms, constitution, and industrial improvements, and the Union established after the Strasbourg talks was enough to unite Europe into one huge market.

In other words, France's economy had become too solid to be hit with intermittent coastal blockade. Thus, the new strategy that emerged among the Navy's leaders was to change the target of their ships. They turned their eyes toward Denmark.

"The Kingdom must unconditionally take control of the Baltic Sea to ca rry out a stable war. In order to support our allies with finances and war supplies, dispatch troops to the continent, and maintain continuous supply, we need a route there."

"Of course, Denmark, which is loyal to Napoleon, will not let us do as we please. So we need to overpower them first before they bother us."

Under the strategy of 'Hit Denmark first!' Robert Dundas, the First Lord of the Admiralty, took the lead in the battle plan and parliamentary approval immediately followed. And this plan led to great success.

The British fleet, which raided the port of Hundested on the northwest coast of Zealand Island, on which the capital of Denmark was situated, sank three Danish ships of the line, destroyed two, and captured one along with six frigates in a great victory.

London media praised it as 'a great victory that washes away the disgrace of Cala Emboixar'. In this one battle, Denmark lost more than a quarter of its naval power.

The victory of the Battle of Hundested was very valuable for the Coalition. This was because the Baltic Sea was completely taken away from Denmark.

This also meant that sea supplies were made possible from the British mainland to the Baltic regions from Germany, Poland and Russia.

Currently, the strongest army of the Coalition was the Russian and Prussian allied corps led by Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III.

If these troops could reach the battlefield in Leipzig, the situation would be completely reversed in an instant. It meant that the most decisive battle could end with victory. However, the large army of 150,000 troops, with their horses and artillery, had a colossal size.

Supplying them with military supplies, food and drinking water was a tremendous amount of hard work. In other words, as always, the supply was a problem again this time.

However, winning the Battle of Hundested opened the way for supply through the sea. The strategic decision makers from Britain and its allies naturally decided to take full advantage of this.

The troops of Alexander I-Friedrich Wilhelm III departed from Danzig. Their number reached 150, 000, but their march speed was very fast, unlike the speed of a regular giant army. It was because they did not carry the supplies necessary for the war and to maintain the army to such an extent that it looked like they had almost no supplies.

At the same time, Britain set up 550 transport ships and set sail. They contained gunpowder, ammunition, muskets, rifles, hay, extra clothing, and drinking water for more than 150,000 people.

By the time Alexander I-Friedrich Wilhelm III's army had just entered the city of Szczecin, the transport ships also arrived at the port of Szczecin. The date was May 17, 1818, two days before Napoleon won the battles on three fronts.

And they arrived in Leipzig at 5 p.m. on May 26, 1818, declaring their participation in the 'Battle of Leipzig'. This was how the surprising news hit Napoleon and the French army.

"We have properly hit their gaps with strategies and methods breaking their expectations. Now Napoleon must be feeling like a cornered mouse. Have the commanders prepare for a counterattack immediately."

Alexander I's exciting words were filled with absolute confidence. Confidence that he would be able to conclude this battle with victory. Friedrich Wilhelm III and the generals of Russia, Prussia, and Sweden, who were in the same position, also felt the same way.

However, just as Napoleon misjudged the movements of the Coalition members, they also made the mistake of misjudging Napoleon's capabilities. May 28th, 1818 was the date when the gunfire, which had stopped for several days, rang out again on the battlefield of Leipzig.

As soon as the large corps led by the Russian Emperor and the Prussian King joined, the Coalition members switched to the offensive. It was only natural. Their enemies were 100,000 when they had 350,000 troops on their side. Even considering the soldiers consumed in the battles so far, the difference in power was overwhelming.

As if to repay the humiliation they had suffered so far, they hurriedly pushed down toward the territories occupied by the French, and the area toward the village of Liebertwolkwitz, where Napoleon was staying, was no exception.

The French soldiers gulped their saliva with a look of nervousness at the sight of the Russian and Prussian forces rushing in, The French army seemed to be about to be swept away under that huge wave.

'It would be arrogance and madness for us French to fight such a fight. But... there is something going on here that breaks that common sense.'

There was a man shining more than anyone else in the absolute inferiority of power of the French army. A commander who opened the lens of a telescope on the hill of Galgenberg in the northwest of the village of Liebertwolkwitz and dissected the enemies' formation with a sharp gaze,

Napoleon, the Emperor of the French Empire, and Marshal Oudinot, overlaid a 4m-wide map and the situation of the battlefield in front of him in three dimensions, and laid down the tactics to respond.

"The infantry battalions belonging to the 7th Brigade immediately turn around Meringer's clock tower and attack the side of the Prussian army. Since the alley is narrow, go in four rows, fire before the enemy and return to the central square, Subsequent instructions will be delivered according to the situation, so respond with the goal of protecting the front line."

"Kolmberg's defense is limited to three infantry regiments and two artillery battalions. All other troops should be led by Major General Morand and gather northwest of the hill, Don't forget to order non-combatants to move shells, ammunition, and guns as transporters."

"Immediately deliver my order to Joseph Claude, the artillery commander of the 3rd Division. Based on his position, he should adjust the artillery shelling by 25 degrees upward. Convey that the destruction of Russia's elite artillery battalion is the top priority."

"The hussar cavalry wait in the left flank of the main force, Later, when the artillery battle broke out, enemy cavalry will pour in, but light infantry riflemen and grenadiers are placed on their routes. They will hinder the enemy cavalry's advance and when that time comes, the hussars will raid them immediately and annihilate them."

There was no error in Napoleon's operations and tactics for which he issued orders mechanically without taking his eyes off the battlefield.

The tremendous advance of the enemy was blocked by Napoleon's defensive tactics. In battles taking place here and there on the wide battlefield, the French army brought overwhelming fighting power.

Prussian, Russian, and some Swedish troops all danced as Napoleon intended, and were destroyed by the arrangement that he had prepared.

Oudinot, who was watching all this in real time, felt a thrill squeezing his entire body.

'This person...!'

The environment of the battlefield defended by the French armywasa hill about 300 to 400 m above sea level, a smal I town in front of it, and a muddy a rea.

Since it was protected with temporary defense facilities such as trenches and stone walls, no matter how many enemies there were, the amount that could fight at once was limited. It was definitely an easy terrain to defend.

The number of enemy troops on this side of the battlefield easily exceeded 100,000 and reached nearly 120,000. On the French side, reinforcements from the Kingdom of Wiirttemberg and the Grand Duchy of Baden were added to form a total of 43,000 troops. Nevertheless, Napoleon completely blocked the enemy's wave offensive.

Oudinot took a telescope and looked at the progress of the enemy's formation. He saw a movement that seemed slow and full of hesitation. At a glance, the enemies seemed em barrassed by the fierce counterattack of the forces of France and its allies. In proportion, the morale on the French side was gradually rising,

The French army was a little better, but in fact, soldiers from Wiirttemberg and Baden had lost their fighting spirit from the beginning because of the overwhelming number of enemy troops pouring in.

However, as they moved according to the commanders' instructions, they defeated enemy troops, supported allies, and brought victory to each battle, so they could now com pletely trust their superiors and fight with confidence.

The chaotic foreign reinforcements were already transforming into warriors brave enough to entrust the back of the French army.

'The God of War.'

Oudinot, who had served Napoleon for 20 years, was well aware of how great the Emperor was. But today, he realized it once again. The army led by Napoleon could never lose.