The Battle of Lesmont was a battle of the War of the Sixth Coalition. It took place at Lesmont in Aube on 2 February 1814. A Coalition force of Russians and Bavarians under generals Eugen of Wurtemberg and Carl Philipp von Wrede was defeated by a French force under general Joseph Lagrange, which managed to destroy the town's bridge and prevent the Coalition force crossing the river Aube.

Battle of Lesmont
Part of the Campaign of France of the Sixth Coalition

Painting of the battle by Théodore Young, showing French sappers mining the first arch of the bridge and Lagrange's infantry repulsing Eugen's cavalry
Date2 February 1814
Location48°25′42″N 4°24′55″E / 48.4283°N 4.4153°E / 48.4283; 4.4153
Result French victory
Belligerents
First French Empire France Kingdom of Bavaria Bavaria
Russian Empire Russia
Commanders and leaders
First French Empire Joseph Lagrange Kingdom of Bavaria Karl Philipp von Wrede
Russian Empire Eugen of Württemberg
Strength
4,500 men[1] Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown 2,000 killed, wounded, or captured
Battle of Lesmont is located in France
Battle of Lesmont
Location within France
Map
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200km
125miles
Paris
22
Battle of Paris (1814) from 30 to 31 March 1814
21
Battle of Saint-Dizier on 26 March 1814
20
Battle of Fère-Champenoise on 25 March 1814
19
Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube from 20 to 21 March 1814
18
Battle of Limonest on 20 March 1814
17
Battle of Reims (1814) from 12 to 13 March 1814
16
Battle of Mâcon (1814) on 11 March 1814
15
Battle of Laon from 9 to 10 March 1814
14
Battle of Craonne on 7 March 1814
13
Battle of Laubressel on 3 March 1814
12
Battle of Saint-Julien (1814) on 1 March 1814
11
Battle of Gué-à-Tresmes on 28 February 1814
10
Battle of Montereau on 18 February 1814
9
Battle of Mormant on 17 February 1814
8
Battle of Vauchamps on 14 February 1814
7
Battle of Château-Thierry (1814) on 12 February 1814
6
Battle of Montmirail on 11 February 1814
5
Battle of Champaubert on 10 February 1814
4
3
Battle of La Rothière on 1 February 1814
2
Battle of Brienne on 29 January 1814
Bar-sur-Aube
1
First Battle of Bar-sur-Aube on 24 January 1814 Second Battle of Bar-sur-Aube on 27 February 1814
  current battle
  Napoleon in command
  Napoleon not in command

Background

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After the battle of La Rothière on 1 February 1814, Napoleon ordered a retreat towards Troyes and placed some of Michel Ney's troops as well as Joseph Lagrange's division from marshal Marmont's corps as his rearguard.[2]

Battle

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The French army crossed the bridge at Lesmont on the night of 2 February protected by troops under Ney's command, who then retired. Lagrange's division remained in the village to cover the retreat and took up position on the right bank of the river behind the bridge.[3] It was soon attacked by Eugen's cavalry and elements of von Wrede's corps.[3]

Lagrange's division managed to hold its central position against several attacks, especially by Eugen's Russian cavalry.[3] At the end of the battle the French troops set fire to the bridge and rejoined the main retreating force.[4]

Aftermath

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The loss of the bridge meant that the Coalition cavalry lost contact with the French troops, which reached Troyes the following day without incident.[5] There Napoleon gathered his army and re-took the offensive, beating the Russians at the battle of Champaubert on 10 February.

Notes

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References

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  • Tranié, Jean; Carmigniani, Juan-Carlos (1989). Napoléon : 1814 - La campagne de France. Pygmalion/Gérard Watelet.
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