The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-26
THE BATTLE OF LuTzEN
(PRUssIAN OFFICIAL AccouNT.)

L
On the 3oth of April, information was
received at General Count Won Wittgen-
STEMS head quarters of the greater part &
the French army aud the French Guards
having crossed the Saale, in the vicinity OF
Naumburg; it was at the same time re-
lported that the emperor Napoleon had
arrived at the army We observed that the
| Viceroy's army drew TO the right. 1t was
Itherefores clear, that the enemy cndeavor-
ed by all means TO form junction, and
that it was most probably his intention to
give general battle. Ills inaics;ys the
emperor Alexander, and his majesty the
king of Prussia, therefore, went to their al.
mics, to animate the courage of their troops
fby their personal presence. But the bet
terto be enabledthe better to judge Of the
epemy's strength, q reconnaissance was I'm.
dertaken with general Winzingerode's
corps, fom Leipsic, on the road to Weis-
! senfels. They confirmed the intelligence
received OF the enemy being there in con-
siderable force.
| upon TINS, very severe engagement
took place on the LIST of May, with the said
! corps, by which we were convinced, that
the main force of the enemy was in the
vicinity Of IVeisscnlcls and Lutzen. 1t was
believed that the Viceroy's position was
between Leipsic and Halle, and consc-
quently the cncmy's plan for the battle was
clearly apparent. Gen. Count Won Wit
genstcin resolved on being beforc-hand
with him, to obstruct him in his DISPOSE
| lions by bold attack, and to restrain his
| offensive operations. 1t was necessary in
this attempt to make it our main object,
Immediately TO fall on such part of his
| force as was, on his side, considered to be
the best troops; in order, after such
! stroke, to give larger space for the opera
| tons OF our flying corps, over whom the
enemy had latterly required superiority.
Therefore it was requisite if possible, TO
| direct the attack Immediately against the
| rearmost troops. For this purpose, the
| main army broke up in the night between
I the Isl and I'd of May, from Notha and
Borna, in two columns, and pushed for
ward as far as the defile of the Elster in
the vicinity of Pcgau Gen. Won Wmzin-
gcrode received orders to mask his opera
tons, TO leave his posts Of cavalry staod.
ing. and to unite himself with the main ar
my by the way of Swenkau.
Atbreak of day all the troops passed tie
! dehle Of the Elster, near Pegau, and drew
up i'll order of battle on the left bank of the
| Elsacr, with their right wing to the village
| By accommodating, we, discovered that the
encmy's main body already extended be-
yond Weissenfels to the. villages of Gross
Gorschcn, Klein Gorschen Rahno, Starsie-
del, and Lutzcn, The enemy did not ven
ture to attempt disturbing our march, nor
to go before us into the plain, but took his
position in the village between Gross Gors-
chen and Starsiedel.
| About twelve o'clock at noon, general
| Butcher received orders, as commanding.
the vanguard of the army, and supported
| by part of the Russian artillery, to attack
the enemy The attack was made on the
| village of Gross-Gorschen, which was OBJ
| stinaiely defended by the enemy. Ii was
taken by storm. General Yorck marched
| with his corps TO the right of the village.
| The whole army wheeled to the right, and
| presently after the battle became general
along the whole lines of Blucher's corps
The enemy at the same time, displayed
numerous artillery, chiefly Of heavy cali
brc, and the fire OF musEe;ry in the villa
ges was kept up with great yivacity for Sc
| veral hours.
| In this murdcrous battle The villages Of
! klien Groschen and Rhano, as likewise the
| village Of Gross Gorschen, were early ia
ken by storm, and with uDeXampled brave.
ry, and kept possession OF for several
hours. At length the enemy returned in
considerable force, surrounded, and i'll pars
retook these villages; bat on the attack
bcirg renewed was not able TO retain pos
session of them. The Prussan guards
moved forward, and after q most obstinate
combat of an lionr and half those villages
were again retakcn from the enemy, aud
Ycnaincd in our p5sscssio". During this