With His Army Decimated After the Russian Campaign, Napoleon Rushes to Reconstitute His Defenses Along the Russo-Prussian Boundary
In a 4-page, masterful letter showing his military and organizational abilities, he reconstitutes the Corps of the Rhine, in whose territory the Battle of Leipzig would be fought.
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 was the turning point in the Napoleonic wars. Napoleon expected a quick victory there, but his hopes did not materialize. On September 7 he fought the Battle of Borodino, the bloodiest day of the entire conflict, and although the French technically won the battle, it was...
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 was the turning point in the Napoleonic wars. Napoleon expected a quick victory there, but his hopes did not materialize. On September 7 he fought the Battle of Borodino, the bloodiest day of the entire conflict, and although the French technically won the battle, it was a Pyrrhic victory. They lost nearly 30,000 men, many general officers, and much of their momentum. On arriving at Moscow, the French found the city empty and evacuated. Nonetheless, though he lacked the complete success he had envisioned, Napoleon optimistically considered the capture a victory. He continued to receive reinforcements in Russia all through the fall to assist in his campaigns, and the troops requested here were likely among those reinforcements. His plan to attack St. Petersburg never materialized, and Napoleon's army was decimated from starvation, disease, and the frigid temperatures in Russia. As an example, the 6th Corps lost 90 percent of its forces. This was slightly more but consistent with the overall loss of life in the other corps. Napoleon himself left his army to return to Paris in December 1812.
Fresh from his failure in Russia, Napoleon now had to face an emboldened Tsar and Prussia, who had formed an alliance. In March 1813, the two powers declared war against Napoleon. Where he could once field 600,000-700,000 men, now the Emperor could muster less than half that number. Napoleon's army of invasion had been a masterpiece of organization, which brought together many divisions into larger groups, called "Corps d'Observation," and these generally had geographical designations, such as the "Corps d'Observation du Rhin." These Corps also had numerical designations. A drastic reorganization of his army was now necessary to defend his territory from the encroaching powers. The center of this would be Germany. On March 12, he issued an order to reoganize his entire army into 11 Corps, of which the 6th Corps would make up the Corps of Observation of the Rhine; this would be divided into 2 Corps, the 1st and the 2nd. His decree stated, "The 6th corp will be composed of the 4 divisions of the Corps of Observation of the Rhine…" This Corps would, as Napoleon wrote, "guard our entire right line." Marshal Marmont would take command. With France facing more war, all this had to happen quickly and some of the divisions were provisional or temporary.
On March 23, Napoleon wrote directly to his Minister of War, the Duc de Feltre, finalizing the organization of the Corps de Organization du Rhin and setting them in motion. In it, he restates the entire organization of this great corps, which would guard the region that would be the scene of Napoleon's downfall.
Letter signed, March 23, 1813, to "Monsieur le Duc de Feltre."
Napoleon begins by making changes in the divisions and regiments that would compose the two corps. "We must make changes to the Corps of Observation. The 17th provisional [division] will no longer be part of the first Corps. It will be part of the 4th division, and in place the 19th provisional will be part of the 1st. For the 2nd Corps of Observation, the 1st battalion of the 2nd Marine regiment will no longer be part of the 1st division but of the 2nd."
He proceeds to establish the final organization of the entire corps. "So the first division [of the 1st Corps d'Observation] will be composed as such…" Here he has created a chart showing the organization. He goes into great detail, stating the regiment and the number of the battalions in the division. In the case of battalions, he notes where each division is to come from. This he does for all four of the divisions composing the 1st Corps, and ends this with instructions for them. "The first, second, and third divisions will be able to leave Frankfurt the 10th of April. The fourth division will remain at Mayence to complete its formation. It appears that it will not be able to be completed before the month of May."
Now Napoleon formalizes the structure of both the 1st and 2nd Corps of Observation of the Rhine (the VI Corps in totality). The 1st will have 60 battalions and the 2nd will have 58. "The two Corps of Observation are therefore at 118 battalions, of which 103 are available and ready to take their places in line in the first days of April."
The VI Corps, under Marshall Marmont, was present at the Battle of Leipzig, Napoleon's major defeat prior to his exile on Elba. Later, after Bonaparte escaped from exile and returned, during the "100 days," the 6th Corps would fight at the Battle of Waterloo.
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