Battle of Kulm
Part of the War of the Sixth Coalition
Date: August 30, 1813 Location: Kulm, Bohemia Result: Coalition victory
Combatants
First French Empire	Sixth Coalition Russia Prussia Austria
Commanders
General Dominique Vandamme Marshal Saint-Cyr Marshal Auguste Marmont	Field Marshal Barclay de Tolly Prince Peter Wittgenstein Count Alexander Tolstoy General Kleist
Strength
32,000	54,000
Casualties
5,000 killed or wounded, 7,000-13,000 captured	around 11,000 total

The Battle of Kulm was a battle of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle was fought on August 30, 1813 between French troops (32,000 men commanded by General Dominique Vandamme) and allied Austrian-Russian-Prussian forces of 54,000 men commanded by Field-Marshal Barclay de Tolly. The Sixth Coalition (1813-1814) was a coalition of the United Kingdom, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Austria and a number of German States against the Napoleonic France. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The name Kulm may be used as follows. ... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ... The First French Empire, commonly known as the French Empire or the Napoleonic Empire, covers the period of the domination of France and much of continental Europe by Napoleon I of France. ... The Sixth Coalition (1812-1814) was a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and a number of German States against Napoleonic France. ... Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 Prussia (German: ; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Lithuanian: ; Polish: ; Old Prussian: PrÅ«sa) was, most recently, a historic state originating in East Prussia, an area which for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. ... General Dominique José Vandamme (1770–1830) was a French military officer, who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Image File history File links White_flag_icon. ... The Marshal of France (maréchal de France) was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France. ... Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, Marshal of France Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (April 13, 1764 – March 17, 1830) was a French marshal. ... Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, Marshal of France Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, duke of Ragusa (July 20, 1774 - July 22, 1852), marshal of France, was born at Châtillon-sur-Seine. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... Knyaz Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, called by the Russians as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay de Tolly (Михаи́л Богда́нович Баркла́й-де-То́лли) (1761 - 1818), Russian field marshal, was born in Livonia, a descendant of a Scottish family which had settled in Russia in the 17th century. ... Prince Peter Khristianovich Wittgenstein (1769-1843) was a Russian Field Marshal distinguished for his services in the Napoleonic wars. ... Coat of arms of Count Leo Tolstoy This article is about the Tolstoy family; for the famous novelist, see Leo Tolstoy. ... Friedrich Emil Ferdinand Heinrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (April 9, 1762 - February 17, 1823), born and died in Berlin, was a Prussian field marshal and a member of the old junker family von Kleist. ... The Sixth Coalition (1813-1814) was a coalition of the United Kingdom, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Austria and a number of German States against the Napoleonic France. ... This Battle of Lützen happened as Napoleons army was on the way home from its Russian disaster. ... The Battle of Bautzen was fought on May 21, 1813, and resulted in a French victory under Napoléon Bonaparte against the Kingdom of Prussians and Russians. ... The Battle of Grossbeeren took place on 23 August 1813, between forces of the First French Empire and an allied Prussian, Swedish army of the Sixth Coalition. ... The Battle of Katzbach on 26 August 1813, was an accidental engagement of the Napoleonic Wars which took place in a heavy thunderstorm between the forces of the First French Empire under Marshal MacDonald and a Russo-Prussian army of the Sixth Coalition under Prussian Marshal Graf (Count) von Bl... The Battle of Dresden was fought on August 26-27, 1813, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte against Austrians, Russians and Prussians under General Schwartzenberg. ... Battle of Dennewitz 6 September 1813 Prelude: Marshall Oudinot advanced his corp along 3 separate roads on an advance to Berlin. ... Combatants France, Poland, Saxony and other states of Confederation of the Rhine Russia, Austrian Empire, Prussia, Sweden Commanders Napoleon I of France, prince Jozef Antoni Poniatowski, King Frederick Augustus of Saxony Karl Philipp, prince of Schwarzenberg Gebhard von Blücher Crown Prince Charles of Sweden Strength 191,000 330,000... Battle of Hanau was fought between French and Austro-Bavarian armies on October 30-31, 1813 during the Liberation Wars against Napoleonic France. ... Combatants France, Prussia Commanders Napoleon I of France Strength Casualties The Battle of La Rothiere was fought on February 1, 1814 between France and Prussia. ... The Battle of Champaubert was fought on February 10, 1814, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte against Russians and Prussians under General Olsufiev. ... The battle of Montmirail was fought on February 11, 1814 and resulted the victory of the French under Napoleon Bonaparte over the Russians under General Dmitri Sacken and the Prussians under General Johann Yorck. ... The Battle of Château-Thierry occured on February 12, 1814 between a Prussian army under Marshall von Blücher and the French under Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. ... The Battle of Vauchamps, the final major engagement of the Six Days Campaign, was fought on February 14, 1814 and resulted in 18,000 French under Napoleon defeating 30,000 Prussian troops. ... The battle of Montereau was fought on February 18, 1814 and resulted the victory of the French under Napoleon Bonaparte against Austrians and Wütembergeois under Prince Royal of Würtemberg. ... The Battle of Craonne was fought on March 7, 1814, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte against Russians and Prussians under General Blücher. ... The Battle of Laon was fought on March 9 and March 10 of 1814 between the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Prussian army of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. ... The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. ... The Battle of Paris was fought during the Napoleonic Wars in 1814. ... Combatants Allies: • Great Britain/United Kingdom, • Prussia, • Austria, • Sweden, • Russia, • and Others • France • Denmark-Norway • Poland Casualties Full list The Napoleonic Wars consisted of a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... General Dominique José Vandamme (1770–1830) was a French military officer, who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 Prussia (German: ; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Lithuanian: ; Polish: ; Old Prussian: PrÅ«sa) was, most recently, a historic state originating in East Prussia, an area which for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. ... A Field Marshal (sometimes incorrectly spelled Marshall) is a military officer of the highest rank, one step above a full General, Army General or Colonel General. ... Knyaz Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, called by the Russians as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay de Tolly (Михаи́л Богда́нович Баркла́й-де-То́лли) (1761 - 1818), Russian field marshal, was born in Livonia, a descendant of a Scottish family which had settled in Russia in the 17th century. ...

Following the French victory at Dresden, Vandamme pursued the retreating allies. Napoleon sent Marshals Gouvion Saint Cyr and Auguste Marmont to support Vandamme's corps. So with Vandamme in advance, Saint Cyr's and Marmont's corps brought up the rear. Vandamme caught up with Alexander Ostermann-Tolstoy's forces near the town of Kulm (today Chlumec, 8 km N.W. of Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic). The Battle of Dresden was fought on August 26-27, 1813, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte against Austrians, Russians and Prussians under General Schwartzenberg. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, Marshal of France Laurent, Marquis de Gouvion Saint-Cyr (April 13, 1764 - March 17, 1830) was a French marshal. ... Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, Marshal of France Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, duke of Ragusa (July 20, 1774 - July 22, 1852), marshal of France, was born at Châtillon-sur-Seine. ... Coat of arms of Count Leo Tolstoy This article is about the Tolstoy family; for the famous novelist, see Leo Tolstoy. ... The name Kulm may be used as follows. ... Ústí nad Labem (German: Aussig) is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Usti nad Labem Region. ...

Yuft chapel near Přestanov witnessed heavy fighting in the late afternoon of 29 August 1813

Memorial at the crossroads, where decisive fight took place during the first day of the battle

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Battle

At 6:00, Vandamme successfully attacked Russian formations under the command of Prince Wittgenstein, capturing Russian troops and artillery. Vandamme then crossed Ore Mountains and at about 12:00 attacked Austrian troops located in Kulm. Initially, the Austrians were forced to withdraw to Teplice. However, Prussian corps commanded by General Kleist attacked Vandamme's rear guard. Kleist then received help from a combined Russian and Austrian attack on Vandamme's front, under the command of General Ostermann-Tolstoy. In an attempt to repulse simultaneous attacks on his front and rear, Vandamme ordered his forces to form squadrons. The inexperienced French troops were unable to fend off the allies, and soon had to escape from the battlefield, with heavy losses. Prince Peter Khristianovich Wittgenstein (1769-1843) was a Russian Field Marshal distinguished for his services in the Napoleonic wars. ... In the 19th century the Erzgebirge mountains were a centre for lace making. ... The name Kulm may be used as follows. ... Teplice (-Czech, German: Teplitz) is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. ... Friedrich Emil Ferdinand Heinrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (April 9, 1762 - February 17, 1823), born and died in Berlin, was a Prussian field marshal and a member of the old junker family von Kleist. ...

Losses

The French lost about 5,000 soldiers killed or wounded. Between 7,000 and 13,000 French soldiers were taken prisoner, including Vandamme. The allies lost approximately 11,000 soldiers killed or wounded.

In Vandamme's corps there were two Polish regiments of Uhlans, part of cavalry divisions under the command of general Jean Corbineau. All these regiments were used by Vandamme to defend against enemy cavalry charges. One regiment, commanded by Colonel Maximilian Fredro (brother of Alexander Fredro, the author of the play "Vengeance"), was attacked after withdrawal in defile and was forced to surrender. The other regiment of Uhlans, under command of count Tomasz Łubieński (generally known in English as Thomas Łubieński) successfully withdrew. Uhlan dressed in the characteristic czapka. ... Aleksander Fredro (1793–1876) was a Polish poet and writer, author of social comedies about Polish nobility lifestyle. ...

After the battle, Vandamme was accused by Tsar Alexander I of being a brigand and plunderer. He retorted "I am neither a plunderer nor a brigand but in any case, my contemporaries and history will not reproach me for having soaked my hands in the blood of my father." This statement apparently hinted at the widespread belief that Alexander I was implicated in the murder of his father Tsar Paul I (Pavel I). Aleksander I Pavlovich Romanov (Russian: Александр I Павлович) (December 23, 1777–December 1, 1825), was Emperor of Russia from March 23, 1801–December 1, 1825 and King of Poland from 1815–1825, as well as the first Grand Duke of Finland. ... Paul I of Russia by Vladimir Borovikovsky Paul I of Russia (Russian: ; Pavel Petrovich) (October 1, 1754–March 23, 1801) was an Emperor of Russia (1796–1801). ...

References

• Jadwiga Nadzieja "Lipsk 1813" historical battles serie published in Warsaw by Bellona 1998 ISBN 83-11-08826-8 pages 57-59

External links

• Battle of Kulm
• Memoirs of the Duke Rovigo
• Biography of Dominique Vandamme (in French)