Battle of the Katzbach

In driving rain, Macdonald's troops crossed the Katzbach to face Blücher, but waterlogged ground disorganized their progress. Blücher counterattacked vigorously on the flanks, broke the French order of battle, and provoked a rout. It was one of the worst defeats of the campaign.

Napoleon, occupied at Dresden, delegated to Macdonald the task of containing Blücher in Silesia. The latter refused direct battle but struck when the French crossed the river during a downpour. Initiative clearly returned to the coalition.

Blücher refused linear battle and chose the right moment to counterattack on muddy ground that handicapped French maneuver. Prussian cavalry and artillery exploited confusion in the marshes.

The disastrous defeat ruined the left wing of the French dispositions in Germany. It galvanized the coalition, which redoubled efforts toward Leipzig. Blücher's reputation soared; Macdonald's declined severely.