Battles & Campaigns · 1814
Battle of Laon
Laon, Aisne, France
What happened
Prussian and Russian forces under Blücher defended Laon against Napoleon and Marshal Marmont. Blücher's army held the hilltop town of Laon and threw back Napoleon's attacks. At night the allies made a surprise attack on Marmont's separate corps, which fell back in disorder. Napoleon then had to withdraw.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The allies kept their ground and could still march on Paris. Blücher's army had far more men, but false reports made him cautious.
What came next
The French beat an allied corps at Reims a few days later. The allies took Paris at the end of March.
Did you know?
Blücher believed Napoleon had 90,000 men when he really had far fewer.
Timeline
- 9–10 March 1814Battle of Laon.
- March 1814The French win at Reims.
- 31 March 1814Paris surrenders.
- 12 September 1819Blücher dies at Krieblowitz.