The Battle of Luckau was fought at

Luckau Luckau ( Lower Sorbian: ''Łuków'') is a city in the district of Dahme-Spreewald in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. Known for its beauty, it has been dubbed "the Pearl of Lower Lusatia". Origin of the name The name appears to be a loc ...

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...

on 4 June 1813 during the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation, a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States defeated F ...

. Prussian and Russian forces under General Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow defeated part of a French-Allied corps under Marshal Nicolas Oudinot.

Background

After the French victory over the coalition armies at

Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin () is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree river. In 2018 the town's population was 39,087. Until 1868, its German name was ''Budi ...

on 21 May, Napoleon sent the XII Corps under the command of Oudinot north toward Berlin to protect against the activities of Bülow. On 27 May, after the two forces clashed along the Black Elster River at Hoyerswerda, Bülow's corps withdrew and scattered northwest to Jüterbog and north to the vicinity of Cottbus. On 3 June, Bülow moved his forces from Cottbus northwest to Luckau in an attempt to linkup with his forces at Jüterbog. When Oudinot discovered that Bülow had moved to Luckau, he went to intercept.

Battle

Oudinot's vanguard reached Luckau at 9 a.m. on 4 June and immediately attacked. Oudinot commanded the

XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII ...

and brought only

General of Division Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army co ...

Michel Marie Pacthod's 13th Division into action. This unit consisted of two brigades under Generals of Brigade Bernard Pourailly and Antoine Gruyer. Pourailly led the 7th Battalion of the 6th Line Infantry Regiment, the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the 7th Line, the 4th Battalion of the 1st Light, and the 4th Battalion of the 10th Line. Gruyer directed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions of the 101st Line Infantry Regiment, and the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 1st Neapolitan Light Infantry Regiment. Also engaged in the fight were two foot artillery batteries and two squadrons each of the Bavarian and Hesse-Darmstatt

Chevau-léger The Chevau-légers (from French ''cheval''—horse—and ''léger''—light) was a generic French name for several units of light and medium cavalry. Their history began in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, when the heavy cavalry forces ...

Regiments. The French were initially successful in forcing the allies back into the walled portion of the town. Bülow's force consisted of 16 and a half battalions, 10 squadrons, 1 Cossack Pulk, and 58 guns. His 15,800 men included a Russian brigade led by

General-major Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Harpe and a Prussian brigade commanded by Prince Ludwig von Hesse-Homburg. The French attempted to attack the walls and breakthrough, but were unsuccessful. Bülow took advantage of the situation, reinforced his cavalry, and initiated an attack on the French flanks. After a fight that lasted throughout the afternoon, Oudinot withdrew southwest to Übigau near

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...

. The Russians and Prussians lost about 800 killed and wounded in the action. The French and their allies suffered 1,500 killed and wounded. In addition, Bülow's soldiers captured 700 men, one cannon, and two ammunition wagons.

Aftermath

On 4 June 1813, both sides had agreed to the seven-week Truce of Pläswitz. In August, Napoleon's order to take the Prussian capital of Berlin led to the Battle of Großbeeren.

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