Battle of Saint-Dizier facts for kids
The Battle of Saint-Dizier was a fight on March 26, 1814. It happened between the Russian Army, led by Ferdinand Wintzingerode, and the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte. This battle was part of Napoleon's "Campaign of France" during the War of the Sixth Coalition. It's important because it was Napoleon's last victory before Paris surrendered and he gave up his power.
What Happened Before
The main Allied generals, Blücher and Schwarzenberg, wanted to attack Napoleon from both sides. They hoped to end the war quickly. They marched their armies to find Napoleon, but he was already heading towards Saint-Dizier. He wanted to draw the Allied armies away from Paris.
On March 24, the Allied leaders met. They decided to march their main armies towards Paris. They left General Wintzingerode with his cavalry and horse artillery to chase Napoleon. Napoleon had his best troops with him.
The Allied armies were deep inside France, far from their supplies. They were also heading towards Paris, a big city that could cause trouble for them. Despite these risks, the Allies decided to push on.
On March 25, the Allies met French marshals Marmont and Mortier near Fere-Champenoise. The French marshals were trying to join Napoleon. After a tough fight, the Allies defeated them and continued their march to Paris.
Meanwhile, Wintzingerode's cavalry moved towards Saint-Dizier on the evening of March 24. They had some small fights with French soldiers. The next day, they caught up with a larger French group in Saint-Dizier. The French were holding the town to protect other troops crossing the Marne River. It seemed Napoleon was planning to attack the main Allied armies again.
The Allies saw many French troops moving towards them. General Tettenborn used his cannons to fire at the French. The French retreated into the woods. When some Cossacks crossed the river, the French in Saint-Dizier also fled. However, French cannons on the heights of Valcourt soon stopped the Allied fire. The French held these heights until evening, then retreated towards Wassy. Tettenborn followed them, but the French infantry fought hard, showing that Napoleon's main army was nearby.
Skirmishes continued all night. The Allies saw many campfires, meaning a large French force was close. Tettenborn stayed in Eclaron, and Wintzingerode set up his headquarters in Saint-Dizier.
The Battle
Early on March 26, about 30,000 French soldiers attacked the Allies from all directions. The Cossacks had to retreat. Tettenborn realized that Napoleon's entire army had turned around to fight them.
The situation was dangerous. The ground made it hard for the Allies to use their cavalry well. If the French captured the village of Valcourt behind them, the Allied force would be trapped. Tettenborn quickly retreated across the Marne River to give Wintzingerode time to react. Wintzingerode was unsure if Napoleon's whole army was there, but then he saw his own troops being pushed back.
The French attacked very fast, covering the entire plain. Many cannons were brought up and aimed at Saint-Dizier. The area was flat but had vineyards and hedges, which made it difficult for the Allied cavalry to fight effectively.
A quick retreat could have saved the Allies from a certain loss. Tettenborn tried to convince Wintzingerode, but Wintzingerode had 700 Russian chasseurs (light infantry) in Saint-Dizier. He delayed his retreat to save them. He ordered Tettenborn to defend the road to Vitry, while he stayed in Saint-Dizier, planning to fall back to Bar-le-Duc if needed.
Meanwhile, the French crossed the Marne with many cavalry, infantry, and cannons. They moved towards the Vitry road, protected by their cannons on the Valcourt heights. The Russian cavalry and horse artillery were on the plain behind this road, with woods behind them and the French in front. The French fired heavily into their ranks.
The Allied baggage and horses were still there, causing confusion. Tettenborn, with about 1,000 horses (hussars and Cossacks), faced about 10,000 French cavalry. The French had already crossed the Marne and were between Tettenborn and Wintzingerode.
More French infantry and artillery kept crossing the river. Retreating was no longer an option. Tettenborn formed his 1,000 men into a tight group and charged the French as they were getting ready to attack. The hussars and Cossacks broke through the French lines in a very bloody fight. But more and more French cavalry appeared. Tettenborn had to pull back when the French got more reinforcements.
The Allied troops came under heavy French cannon fire and broke apart, fleeing along the road to Vitry. The baggage and horses running everywhere caused huge disorder. Tettenborn managed to get his troops back in order at the village of Perthe. He fought a little more that evening and then retreated during the night to Vitry. He lost only 40 men. The rest of Wintzingerode's cavalry, who waited for the French to attack them, lost many more men and cannons. After defending Saint-Dizier, Wintzingerode left the town that evening and retreated to Bar-le-Duc. The French chased him, but he fought them off when they got too close.
What Happened After
Even though the Allies lost the battle, it actually helped them in the long run. It tricked Napoleon and delayed him for three days. During this time, his capital, Paris, was in great danger. Napoleon thought that the main Allied army was chasing him. Wintzingerode helped this idea by renting rooms in Saint-Dizier for the Russian Emperor and the King of Prussia. He also spread the word that his cavalry was just the front part of the main Allied army.
Napoleon, who heard all this from his supporters in Saint-Dizier, stopped at Vassy. He called back troops that had already marched forward. He thought he would fight a big battle where he had the advantage.
Even the day after the battle, Napoleon didn't believe he had been tricked. He kept moving towards Vitry, where a small French group was ready to defend. But then, he suddenly learned that Marshals Marmont and Mortier had been defeated at the Battle of Fère-Champenoise. He also found out that the Allies were marching on Paris. Napoleon quickly gathered his tired and hungry troops and made forced marches towards Paris to try and save his capital.
