Germany · Warfare / Napoleonic Wars. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
The advance guard of Marshal Lannes reported seeing large numbers of Russian troops at the town of Friedland. Both sides engaged one another for the remainder of the day with no result. Crucially, Bennigsen believed he had enough time to cross the Alle the following day, to destroy the isolated units of Lannes, and to withdraw back across the river without ever encountering the main French army
Benningsen was trapped and had to fight. Having thrown all of his pontoon bridges at or near the bottleneck of the village of Friedland, Benningsen had unwittingly trapped his troops on the west bank.
Both sides now used their cavalry freely to cover the formation of lines of battle, and a race between the rival squadrons for the possession of Heinrichsdorf ended in favor of the French under Grouchy and Nansouty.
Lannes held Benningsen in place until the French had massed 80,000 troops on the left bank of the river.
The French engaged the Russians first in the Sortlack Wood and in front of Posthenen in the early hours of the 14th.
The Russians suffered heavy losses in the disorganized retreat over the river
After defeat at the Battle of Friedland Czar Alexander sent an envoy to seek an armistice with the French
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