Battle of La Rothière

Battle of La Rothière
	Part of the Campaign of France of the Sixth Coalition
	; Württemberg dragoons charging French infantry
Date	1 February 1814
Location	La Rothière, French Empire48°20′45″N 4°33′30″E / 48.3458°N 4.5583°E
Result	Coalition victory
Belligerents
Austria; Bavaria; Prussia; Russia; Württemberg;	France
Commanders and leaders
Gebhard Blücher	Napoleon Bonaparte
Strength
85,000–123,000, 200 guns	36,140–50,460, 128 guns
Casualties and losses
6,000–7,000	5,600–6,000, 50–73 guns
	Location within France

War of the Sixth Coalition:
Campaign in north-east France

190km
118miles

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Bar-sur-Aube

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current battle

Napoleon in command

Napoleon not in command

The Battle of La Rothière (1 February 1814) saw the Coalition forces of the Austrian Empire, Russian Empire, Kingdom of Prussia, Kingdom of Bavaria, and Kingdom of Württemberg attack a French army led by Emperor Napoleon. The main Coalition army was under the command of Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg but Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher was given tactical control of the fighting. The Allies defeated the outnumbered and overextended French during a snowfall.

After clashing with Blücher's forces in the Battle of Brienne on 29 January, Napoleon lingered in the area too long. When the Coalition army attacked, Napoleon's troops were poorly positioned to defend themselves and it was too late to avoid battle. Nevertheless, the French army fought hard and managed to hold its ground until it could retreat under cover of darkness.