Battle of Hanau

Battle of Hanau
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Date October 30-31, 1813 Location Hanau, Hesse Result Tactical French Victory
Belligerents
First French Empire	Bavaria, Austria
Commanders and leaders
Napoleon I	Karl Philipp von Wrede
Strength
17,000	43,000
Casualties and losses
~4,500	9,000

In the Battle of Hanau (October 30-31, 1813) Wrede's Austro-Bavarian corps attacked Napoleon's retreating French army a few miles to the east of Frankfurt, but was routed.

Background

Bavaria, a former French ally, joined the Sixth Coalition according to the Treaty of Ried concluded just before the battle of Leipzig. Napoleon’s retreat into the Rhine following the crushing defeat at Leipzig, had been largely successful. However, by late October La Grande Armée had become increasingly disorganized with stragglers, which the Allies took note of. 43,000 newly committed Bavarians and Austrians commanded by Wrede, had advanced northward from the Danube into Franconia to block the French retreat. Wrede’s forces reached Hanau, blocking Napoleon’s route to Frankfurt, but thinking that the main French army was retreating along a more northerly road to Coblenz, Wrede expected to face a force of only 20,000 protecting the main Army's flank.

Battle

Memorial Stone indication the emplacement of the German troops during the Battle of Hanau

Wrede, following successful skirmishing against the French, began to deploy his forces to face the main French force of 20,000. On the 30 October, Wrede placed his centre with the River Kinzig behind it, and his right wing to its south in an isolated position with only a single bridge linking it with the main force. Napoleon had only 17,000 troops including Marshal MacDonald’s infantry and General Sébastiani’s cavalry to face the enemy forces blocking them. Due to dense forests on the east of Wrede’s positions the French were able to advance and make close contact with the allies almost unseen . Napoleon decided to attack the allies' left with all available troops. By midday Marshal Victor and MacDonald had cleared the forest in front of the Allied centre of allied forces. Soon after General Drouot found a track in the forest towards Wrede’s left capable of moving cannons through. Three hours later Grenadiers of the Old Guard had cleared the area of allied troops, and Drouot began to deploy 50 cannons supported by cavalry of the Guard and Sébastiani . A brief artillery bombardment from Drouot’s cannons silenced Wrede’s 28 cannons. French cavalry then attacked and pushed back Wrede’s cavalry on his left flank, then attacked the flank of Wrede’s centre. Wrede’s centre started to fall back, skirting the banks of the Kinzig River suffering heavy casualties. On the right wing, Wrede’s forces tried to cross the single bride over the Kinzig River to reinforce the centre, but many drowned trying to cross the bridge . Wrede was successful in rallying his troops to form a defensive line running from the Lamboy Bridge to the Town of Hanau. During the night the allies abandoned Hanau. The French occupied Hanau on 31 October with little resistance. Napoleon made no effort to pursue Wrede, the main road to Frankfurt was now reopened, the French retreat continued.

Conclusion

Wrede suffered 9,000 casualties, Napoleon suffered much less, but between October 28 and 31 some 10,000 French stragglers became Allied Prisoners of war . The French reached Frankfurt on 2 November and were only 20 miles from their, relatively safe, rear base at Mainz.

References

• Blond, G. La Grande Armée. Castle Books, 1979.
• Chandler, D. The Campaigns of Napoleon. Scribner, 1966.
• Eggenberger, D. An Encyclopedia of Battles. Dover Publications inc., 1985