Siege of Dresden (1813) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Dresden (1813)
Part of the German campaign of the Sixth Coalition
Battle of Dresden, 26 August 1813
Date 10 October 1813 -11 November 1813 Location Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony 51°03′00″N 13°44′24″E / 51.05000°N 13.74000°E / 51.05000; 13.74000 Result Austro-Russian victory
Belligerents
French Empire	Austria Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr	Johann von Klenau Alexander Ostermann-Tolstoy
Casualties and losses
35,000 captured

The Siege of Dresden was an important event during the German campaign of 1813. This campaign was part of the larger War of the Sixth Coalition. A siege happens when an army surrounds a city or fort to cut it off and force it to surrender.

What Was the Siege of Dresden?

The Siege of Dresden took place in 1813 in the city of Dresden, which was then part of the Kingdom of Saxony. It involved the French army, led by Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, and the combined forces of Austria and Russia. The siege lasted for about a month, from October 10 to November 11, 1813.

Why Did the Siege Happen?

Before the siege, there was a big fight called the Battle of Dresden. After this battle, the French leader Napoleon ordered his general, Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, to keep control of Dresden. Saint-Cyr and his soldiers, known as the XIV Corps, stayed in the city.

However, things changed for Napoleon's army. They suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Leipzig. This battle happened not long after the Battle of Dresden. Because of this loss, the French soldiers in Dresden became cut off from the rest of their army.

The City Under Siege

With the French army isolated, the city of Dresden was surrounded. First, a Russian army group, led by Alexander Ostermann-Tolstoy, began the siege. They wanted to take control of the city from the French.

A few weeks later, on October 26, an Austrian army group joined the Russians. This Austrian force was led by Johann von Klenau. Together, the Austrian and Russian armies completely surrounded Dresden. They cut off supplies and tried to force the French to give up.

The French Surrender

The French soldiers inside Dresden could not get any help or supplies. After being surrounded for weeks, General Saint-Cyr decided to surrender. He gave up to General Klenau on November 11, 1813.

When the French surrendered, a large number of soldiers were captured. This included Saint-Cyr himself. Also captured were 11 Divisional Generals, 19 Brigade Generals, and 1,759 other officers. In total, 33,744 French soldiers were taken prisoner. The Austrian and Russian forces also captured 94 cannons. This was a big victory for the Austrian and Russian armies.