LEIPZIG, Battles of, three important battles, two of h were in the Thirty Years' War, and one in the Napoleonic Wars. (1) The first battle of Leipzig is also known as the battle of Breitenfeld from the plain about a mile from the city, upon which it was fought. It was fought 17 Sept. 1631 between the Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus and the Im perialists under Tilly. The forces of the Im perial army were estimated at 44,000 men; while the Swedes, with whom were allied the Protestant Saxons under Elector John George I, had altogether about 20,000 men. The Im perialists were defeated with losses variously reckoned as from 7,000 to 10,000 men, while the allied Swedish and Protestant Saxon troops lost 2,700. The battle is important from the military point of view in its exemplification of the prime necessity for mobility; and from the historical viewpoint as constituting the first signal advance of Protestant forces against the hitherto impregnable forces of Catholicism. (2) The second battle of Leipzig was fought 2 Nov. 1642, and is also called the second battle of Breitenfeld. The Imperialists of Aus tria, under Leopold of Austria and Piccolo mint, were defeated by the Swedes under Tor stenson. (3) The most important battle of Leipzig is the victory gained by the allied armies of Prussians, Russians, Austrians and Swedes under the command of Prince Schwar zenberg against the French forces under Napo leon. The battle was fought 16-19 Oct. 1813
and practically secured the liberty of
where it is called "Volkerschlacht° (lithe Battle of the Nations))), owing to the number of nationalities involved in the two armies At the outset of the battle the allied army numbered about 200,000, which was later in creased to 300,000. Napoleon had, all told, about 180,000. Napoleon personally directed the battle, which at first went in his favor, and was lost only through the inability of Marshal Ney to furnish him with reinforcements; Napo leon failed to make use of an opportunity to effect a retreat by way of Lindenau on 17 October, a Sunday, and in falling back on the two succeeding days was subjected to heavy losses. Of his forces 40,000 were killed or wounded and 30,000 taken prisoner. The allied losses were about 54,000. The battle, aside from its constituting a decisive victory is im portant as marking the point from which the downfall of Napoleon became assured. Con sult Gerlach, L.,