DRESDEN, BATTLy: OF. In Aug., when the war between Aapoleon and the allies, after a short "trace; broke out afresh, the armies.of the from all sides towards Dresden, which they regarded as time key of the French position. It was held by St. Cyr with a force of about 30,000 men, the main body of the French under Napoleon being in Silesia, where the emperor expected the contest was to be waged. On the 23d, the grand army of the allies appeared before Dresden. The town would in all probability have been quickly stormed, had not Schwarzenberg and the Austrians insisted on waiting the arrival of the left wing under Klenau. This delay saved the French. for at half-past 9, on the morning of the 26th, Napoleon with his guards entered the town. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Schwarzenberg, the commander-in-chief of the allies, gave orders for the attack. At various points, the assault was irresistible, but the opportune arrival of the "young guard" enabled Napoleon to hazard a sally, which was as unexpected as it was successful. The allies fell back everywhere; but not dispirited, renewed the fight next day. Towards noon, Moreau was mortally wounded by a cannon-ball at Alexander's side on the height of Ritcknitz, and Napoleon obtained a decided advantage over the left wing of the allied army, which Murat, by a skillful maneuver, contrived to outflank, taking 10,000 prisoners,- among whom was gen.
Metsko. Several other successes in other parts of the field determined the allied armies, especially after hearing that Vaudamme was advancing towards Pirne, to retreat, which they did during the night of the 27th Aug. Dresden, however, was not yet delivered from the miseries of war. When Napoleon finally quitted the city on the 7th Oct., nearly 30,000 men still remained behind. As all access was cut off by the Russians, the city suffered severely from famine. A capitulation was at length brought about (11th Nov., 1813) between St. Cyr and Klenau, according to which the garrison were to withdraw unmolested from the 12th to the 16th Nov., on condition that they laid down their arms. The capitulation was nevertheless rejected by prince Schwarzenberg, the garrison declared prisoners of war, and treated as such. The battle of Dresden, as Alison observes, was the last pitched battle,'on a scale commensurate with his former victories, that Napoleon ever gained.