Combat of Sprottau, 27 May 1813

The combat of Sprottau (27 May 1813) was a minor French success during their pursuit of the Russians and Prussians in the aftermath of the battle of Bautzen (War of Liberation).

After their defeat at Bautzen the Allies retreated east into Silesia, where they eventually decided to make a stand. The French followed, fighting their way across the Neisse into Silesia at Görlitz (23 May 1813), and then spreading out across western Silesia.

One cavalry column, under General Sebastiani, was sent towards Sprottau (now Szprotawa in Poland), 35 miles to the north-west of Leignitz (Legnica), on the left flank of the French advance.

On 27 May Sebastiani ran into an allied convoy, and in a short action captured 500 men, twenty-two guns and eighty caissons (taking more artillery than Napoleon had managed at Lutzen or Bautzen).  Although this was a fairly minor success, it did help make up for the embarrassing French defeat at Hainau on the previous day, where Maison's division had been ambushed by Prussian cavalry.

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (7 April 2017), Combat of Sprottau, 27 May 1813 , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_sprottau.html

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