24/25 Aug 1813 - Prussians in retreat but Napoleon loses Dresden

Despite giving Oudinot a bloody nose, the Prussian army has been forced to retreat under the weight of overwhelming French numbers.  Thoughts of holding the river line at Baruth appear to have been abandoned as Blucher has pulled his army back towards Berlin.  The Prussian Field Marshal is rumoured to be under enormous pressure from his King not to abandon the capital.   An anonymous source reports that Blucher has in turn been pleading with his King for reinforcements, but so far these requests have gone unanswered.  It is known that recruits are streaming into Prussian training depots, but will these eager men be ready for war before Prussia is forced to its knees?

Meanwhile, the concentration of French forces in the north has resulted in Dresden being encircled by Austrian forces advancing up from the south.  This move has effectively cut the French lines of supply from this city, which until now has been their main supply depot.  How will this break in supply affect the morale and fighting ability of the French army?  We can now report that Napoleon has ordered a new depot to be built at Wittenberg in the north, effectively nailing his tactics to the door of that city, as Luther did his 95 theses in the same city 300 years ago. 

The French Emperor is clearly trading space for time as he tries to deal the Prussians a death blow before they can unite with their allies. One wonders what King Frederick Augustus of Saxony makes of the Emperor's decision to abandon his capital.  No doubt he was consulted.  What will the men in the Saxon army make of their homes being abandoned to the depredations of the Cossacks? 

Talking of Cossacks, reports from further east talk of long columns of Russians marching steadily deeper into Germany.  Tales of maruading Cossacks are being told as far afield as Elsterwerda and Kalua.  The main Russian army can't be that far behind.

In the south, the Austrians are continuing their advance with glacial alacrity, and are now enjoying the taste of French champagne and wine, captured in the supply trains that they cut off coming out of Dresden.  We suspect this will have a less than positive influence on their marching pace.


Austrian troops confront French troops attempting to protect the supply train from Dresden, making short work of them.  Mysteriously the Austrians are still wearing the old style helmet.  Obviously they are struggling to equip their army with enough uniforms, possibly a sign that they have raised a very large force for this campaign? (or that Stubbs has the wrong bloody figures??)

 Clearly a major battle is brewing in the north.  The next few days will be crucial and may determine the future of Europe.