At a glance
- Napoleon is back on the Seine front
- Gérard leads the attack on Pahlen's Russians
- French cavalry outflank both wings
- Pahlen loses about 2,000 men and 10 guns
The full account
While Napoleon was beating Blücher, Schwarzenberg had pushed Victor and Oudinot back over the Seine towards Paris. The Emperor came south by forced marches and reached Guignes. Macdonald, reinforced from Paris, joined him with 12,000 men.
On the morning of 17 February, Gérard led the French advance against Count Pahlen’s Russians at Mormant, and French cavalry outflanked them on both wings. The Russians were badly beaten and lost about 2,000 men and ten guns as they fell back.
The Army of Bohemia’s advance on Paris had been stopped. Napoleon ordered his marshals to secure the crossings of the Seine. He was furious when Victor failed to reach Montereau that evening.
Why it mattered
It reversed the situation on the Seine. Schwarzenberg now began to pull his scattered corps back.