Battle of Brienne

The battles of Brienne-the-Castle (Aube) took place on January 29th 1814 at the time of the countryside of France and saw the victory of the French army of Napoleon i over the Prussian troops of the general Blücher.

Context

After its offensive on January 27th on Saint-Dizier, the shock hoped by Napoleon with the army of Silesia of the marshal Blücher obtained that this force is divided. In spite of the vicinity of the army of Bohemia of Schwarzenberg, it decides to launch out to the continuation of Blücher in order to intercept it at the time of its attempt at passage of the Aube to join its ally. But the lieutenant-colonel Bernard, charged by Berthier with carrying the orders to Mortar, is taken by the Cosaques. Blücher put at the current of the plans of Napoleon, is folded up on Brienne: the effect of surprise is missed.

The battle

The January 29th the French attack is done in three columns including only one, directed on the castle, succeeds and can even get a foothold in the city, but a vigorous renewed attack of the Russian bodies of Sacken and Olsuviev dislodges about it. After a keen combat of night the forces of Napoleon preserve the castle.

The situation could become critical if the Allies, receiving reinforcements, started again the fight the following day. But Blücher is in a hurry to make its junction with the army of Bohemia and is folded up, in the middle of the night, in the direction of Trannes.

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