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Leipzig (first day) - October-16 1813
Epilog

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Napoleon massed the bulk of his forces against Schwarzenberg in the south. Schwarzenberg 
attacked first however and attempted to outflank the French right at Doelitz and Connewitz. 
Gyulai also attacked from the southwest in an attempt to capture Lindenau. This forced 
Napoleon to switch Bertrand from supporting the attack on Schwarzenberg to defending against 
Gyulai. Meanwhile in the north Blucher assaulted Marmont and Ney around Moeckern. 

Napoleon's counterattack against Schwarzenberg made good initial progress but was eventually 
halted and both sides in this sector ended pretty much in their start positions. Bertrand 
defeated Gyulai and kept the road to France open. In the north Blucher made gains despite 
desperate resistance from Marmont who eventually had to abandon Moeckern. The fighting 
on the 16th ended then indecisively. Napoleon had failed to defeat one of the armies ranged 
against him and probably should have cut his losses and retreated. 

Instead he decided to fight on. Both sides mainly rested on the 17th. Allied reinforcements 
continued to arrive. Napoleon pulled his lines back to form a tight semi circle around 
Leipzig and sent elements of the Guard to support Bertrand and keep the road to France open.
On the 18th the Allies, reinforced by Bennigsen, Bernadotte and Colloredo attacked all along 
the line. They made slow progress and in some areas were completely stopped but it became 
obvious to Napoleon that the odds were too great. The retreat was ordered. The bulk of the 
French forces managed to get away, but most of the rearguard was lost when the bridge connecting 
Leipzig to Lindenau was blown too early.

The French pulled back to the Rhine, inflicting a sharp defeat on Wrede en route as he tried to 
block their path at Hanau. Napoleon had lost the 1813 campaign and his German allies deserted 
him. The 1814 campaign would be fought within the borders of France.

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