News from the northern front is not good for the French. Marshal Oudinot has suffered a defeat at the hands of Blucher. A despatch from the Marshal to the Emperor has fallen into our hands and we are pleased to be able to publish it in full here. The despatch reads as follows:
"I have been defeated in a battle by the Prussians. We were in a good position to give the Prussians a bloody nose, but soon after the battle commenced, I received alarming reports of a Prussian division marching to the battlefield from my rear. They arrived around 3pm and caused me to draw off part of my force.
My men fought heroically, but they are still green and were unable to withstand the onslaught from two sides. Also, the dense nature of the terrain was not conducive to my cavalry being able to deploy entirely as I would have wished. We could see the approach of Prince Poniatowski’s men from the Prussian rear, but they were unable to arrive in time before my army broke under the weight of Prussian pressure.
My Carabiniers and Cuirassiers have suffered serious losses, and I have had some losses in Dragoons. I will only know he full extent of my losses in the next few days, as I manage to regather my dispersed forces. Fortunately, the arrival of Prince Poniatowski and the losses we inflicted on the Prussian cavalry (together with the fall of night) forestalled any serious pursuit on their part and we were able to break contact without too many further casualties.
The Prussians will be in no position to break off contact now that the Prince has arrived and I wish him and his brave men all the luck in the battle that I am sure will happen in the morning. Unfortunately, my men are too shattered to be able to assist him in his endeavour. They have become widely dispersed in the panic that followed our defeat.
I believe the division that arrived in my rear must have come from the forces that Marshal Ney was supposed to be fighting at Baruth. I am furious that he allowed some of them to withdraw from under his nose and cause me my defeat. I intend to challenge him to a duel as soon as this crisis is past! I am sure the Prussian force he is facing must now be depleted and would be urging him to attack them with the utmost vigour!
Your ever faithful servant
Oudinot"
End of despatch.
Stay posted for what looks like a lot more fighting in northern Germany. Field Marshal Blucher was heard asking whether the Austrian and Russian armies were enjoying their quiet tour of southern Germany while his men bleed in the north.
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