Craonne

7 March, 1814

Marshal Blucher had recovered from his earlier setbacks more quickly than Napoleon Bonaparte had hoped and so the French emperor was forced to switch his attacks from Field Marshal Schwarzenberg back to the Prussian commander.

Moving with speed and aggression, the French pushed the Allies over the Aube river and while Blucher planned his counter with some 85,000 men, Bonaparte's 37,000 troops struck.

Bonaparte's aim was to pin the Allies and then launch Marshal Ney, leading a mixed force heavily weighted towards cavalry, in a flanking move.

Unfortunately, for the French, the coordination was poorly timed and Ney not only suffered heavy casualties but the Allies managed to extricate themselves from a sticky situation.

Craonne cost Blucher 5000 casualties, while Bonaparte lost some 5400.