Battle of Altenburg

Battle of Altenburg
Part of the German campaign of the Sixth Coalition
Battle of Altenburg engraved by Ant. Tessaro
Date 28 September 1813[1] Location Altenburg, Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg 50°59′6″N 12°26′0″E / 50.98500°N 12.43333°E / 50.98500; 12.43333 Result Coalition victory[1]
Belligerents
Prussia  Austria  Russia	France  Baden
Commanders and leaders
Thielmann Mensdorff Platov	Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes
Strength
Unknown	8,000[1]
Casualties and losses
300 dead or wounded[1]	600 dead or wounded[1] 1,000[2]–1,400[1] taken prisoner
class=notpageimage| Location within Europe

War of the Sixth Coalition:
German campaign

200km
125miles

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  current battle

  Napoleon in command

  Napoleon not in command

The raid at Altenburg on 28 September 1813 took place during the War of the Sixth Coalition's German Campaign of 1813.^[3] The raid was carried out by the Streifkorp under the command of Saxon General Johann von Thielmann commanding seven regiments of Cossacks, a squadron each of Saxon Hussars and Dragoons, and a detachment of Saxon Freikorps numbering about 1,500 cavalry. The objective of the raid was to attempt harassment of the French lines of communication 25 miles (45 km) south of Leipzig shortly before the Battle of Leipzig. The Austrian contingent was commanded by Emmanuel Mensdorff and the Russian contingent of Cossacks by Matvei Platov.^[2][4]