Battle of Montereau

At Montereau, Napoleon faced Austro-Württemberg troops of the Hereditary Prince of Württemberg. After difficult progress due to enemy resistance and slowness of some French troops, the Emperor personally took command on the field. Thanks to coordinated attack on the bridges of the Seine and Yonne, he inflicted a heavy defeat on the coalition, which abandoned the town.

The Allies, repulsed during the Six Days' Campaign, continued disorganized retreat. Napoleon sought to prevent them crossing the Seine and joining Schwarzenberg. Montereau, at the confluence of the Yonne and Seine, was a vital logistical node. Napoleon had to push his marshals, notably Victor, to rapid action under penalty of fatal inaction.

Napoleon concentrated efforts on taking Montereau bridges. French artillery pounded enemy heights. Gérard's division forced the Yonne crossing under fire while Macdonald outflanked on the right bank. Simultaneous attack forced allied forces to withdraw precipitously. French cavalry pursued fugitives and inflicted heavy losses.

This victory allowed Napoleon to threaten Schwarzenberg's line of communication and pushed the coalition temporarily to suspend their offensive on Paris. The Emperor's authority over sometimes hesitant or slow marshals was reaffirmed. However, the Allies retained strategic advantage in numbers and continued their encirclement.