Editing Battle of Vauchamps (section)

==Context==
On 13 February, having fought three successful actions in three days against the Prussian and Russian army at [[Battle of Champaubert|Champaubert]], [[Battle of Montmirail|Montmirail]] and [[Battle of Château-Thierry (1814)|Château-Thierry]], Napoleon was pursuing the defeated enemy. After his consecutive defeats, Field-marshal Blücher decided to disengage from Napoleon and move a significant force against the isolated French Army Corps of [[Marshal of the Empire|Marshal]] [[Auguste de Marmont|Marmont]], at [[Étoges]].<ref name="Tulard">Tulard 1999, p. 920.</ref> Blücher knew that Marmont's Corps was weak and his plan was to destroy it and thus fall upon the rear of Napoleon's main force.<ref name="Mir63">Mir 2009, p. 63.</ref>

Still in pursuit of the debris of the enemy force, late on 13 February, Napoleon received reports that Marmont's Corps had been attacked and pushed out of his position at Étoges. The Emperor deduced that the enemy force before him would have to be a much reduced one and promptly decided to go to Marmont's aid. The Emperor left [[Château-Thierry]] on 14 February, towards 3 o'clock in the morning, leaving a small portion of his forces with Marshal [[Édouard Mortier, duc de Trévise]], with orders to continue the pursuit of the enemy. Taking with him the [[Imperial Guard (Napoleon I)#Cavalry regiments|cavalry of the Guard]] and [[Emmanuel de Grouchy|Grouchy]]'s Cavalry Reserve, Napoleon headed for the village of [[Vauchamps, Marne|Vauchamps]].<ref name=Tulard/>

Meanwhile, late on 13 February, having successfully regrouped what forces he could muster at [[Bergères-lès-Vertus]], Blücher had launched an attack against Marmont's single division, pushing him out of Étoges and advancing as planned towards [[Champaubert]] and [[Fromentières, Marne|Fromentières]], in the rear of Napoleon's force. However, having read Blücher's intentions, Napoleon had given orders for a concentration of French forces in that very sector.<ref name=Mir63/>