Narrative of the Most Remarkable Events Which Occurred in and near Leipzig Immediately Before, During, and Subsequent to, the Sanguinary Series of Engagements Between the Allied Armies of the French, from the 14th to the 19th October, 1813Shoberl, Frederic
History
Narrative of the Most Remarkable Events Which Occurred in and near Leipzig Immediately Before, During, and Subsequent to, the Sanguinary Series of Engagements Between the Allied Armies of the French, from the 14th to the 19th October, 1813
I have forgotten to mention a circumstance worthy of notice in the
history of this day. It is this; that in the midst of the cannonade all
round Leipzig--when the whole city shook with the thunders of the
artillery, and the general engagement had, strictly speaking, but just
commenced--all the bells of the churches were rung by French command, to
celebrate the victory won in the forenoon. Such an instance was
certainly never afforded by any battle which had scarcely begun, and
terminated in the total and decisive overthrow of him who had already
fancied himself mounted in triumph upon the car of victory. This day,
however, the engagement still remained undecided, according to the
reports of those who returned from different points of the field of
battle. The French had stood as if rooted to the spot--the allies, like
rocks of granite. The former had fought like men, the latter like lions.
Both parties, inspired with mutual respect, desisted from hostilities
during the night.
The combined troops, who had not been able in two sanguinary days to
bring the contest to an issue, had, however, during that time gained
several essential advantages. They had ascertained the strength of their
antagonist, and made themselves acquainted with the nature of the
ground. They knew what points were the most vulnerable, and could thence
infer how the enemy would manœuvre. They were enabled to make their own
dispositions accordingly, and to give to the plan of the grand
engagement that perfection by which it is so peculiarly characterized.
In this point of view the allies had, without our suspecting it,
advanced a considerable step on the night of the third day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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