Michel Ney

The Battle of Elchingen, often called the Battle of Höchstädt, was a decisive victory for French forces under General Ney, breaking Austrian lines and renewing the offensive in southern Germany.

The Battle of Elchingen was a crucial engagement in tightening the noose around Ulm. Ney launched a vigorous attack against Austrian forces entrenched on the heights of Elchingen, forcing them to retreat in disorder.

After a short siege, the powerful fortress of Magdeburg, one of Prussia's most important, capitulated without offering real resistance. Ney, encircling the city and bombarding its outskirts, persuaded the Prussian commander to surrender.

During a winter redeployment phase, Ney was surprised by a Russian offensive near Mohrungen. His troops, numerically inferior, resisted fiercely and prevented the Russians from penetrating deeper into the French zone. After violent fighting, the Russians withdrew.

Charged with marching on Berlin, Ney suffered an allied counter-offensive at Dennewitz. Poorly coordinated, his attack failed against determined resistance and a turning maneuver by Bernadotte. The French retreat degenerated into rout, ending the offensive toward the north.

The same day as Ligny, Ney attempted to take the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras to prevent junction between Wellington's and Blücher's armies. Despite vigorous initial attack and temporary capture of the crossroads, Ney failed to exploit advantage and was repulsed by allied reinforcements. The battle ended without clear victor, but the Allies retained the position.