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16 October in military history: the Battles of Wattignies, 1793, and Leipzig, 1813

Military history · 16 October · Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars · Full calendar

By Echoes of Battle

Painting of a wide plain under a cloudy sky, with columns of troops in the distance and smoke rising from burning villages. Mounted officers and cavalry fill the foreground.
The Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, painted by Alexander Sauerweid. Public domain. Alexander Sauerweid, painted between 1817 and 1844.
Quick answer

On 16 October 1793 Jourdan's French army took Wattignies, near Maubeuge, and the Coalition lifted its siege of the fortress. On 16 October 1813 the four-day Battle of Leipzig began, in which the armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden defeated Napoleon. Each battle has its own full story below.

Wattignies, 1793

Jourdan's Army of the North attacked the Austrian covering force south of the besieged fortress of Maubeuge on 15 October and was beaten back. On 16 October it massed against the village of Wattignies and took it, and the Prince of Saxe-Coburg lifted the siege.1

Read the full story of Wattignies, 1793 ›

The Battle of the Nations, 1813

From 16 to 19 October 1813 Napoleon fought the armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden outside Leipzig, in the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars. He was defeated, and his army fell back toward the Rhine.2

Read the full story of The Battle of the Nations, 1813 ›

Frequently asked questions

What happened at Wattignies?

French troops under Jourdan attacked the Coalition covering force on 15 and 16 October 1793 and took Wattignies on the second day. The Allies lifted the siege of Maubeuge.

Wattignies, 1793 ›

What was the Battle of Leipzig?

A four-day battle fought from 16 to 19 October 1813, in which Russian, Prussian, Austrian and Swedish armies defeated Napoleon. It is known as the Battle of the Nations.

The Battle of the Nations, 1813 ›

Notes

A number in the text points to a note; each note names the works that paragraph draws on, listed in full under Sources.

  1. HistoryOfWar.org, “Battle of Wattignies, 15-16 October 1793”; Harrison W. Mark, “Battle of Wattignies”. ↩
  2. Napoleon-Empire.org, “Battle of Leipzig (Battle of the Nations)”; Harrison W. Mark, “Battle of Leipzig”. ↩

Sources

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