Editing Battle of Leipzig (section)

====Action at Liebertwolkwitz====
[[File:Leontiy korennoj.jpg|thumb|left|French soldiers sparing the life of Russian soldier Leontiy Korennoy for his bravery]]
[[Liebertwolkwitz]] was a large village in a commanding position, defended by Marshal MacDonald and General [[Jacques Lauriston|Lauriston]] with about 18,000 men. General [[Johann von Klenau|von Klenau]]'s Austrian IV Corps attacked with 24,500 men backed up by [[Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch|Pirch]]'s 10th Brigade (4,550) and [[Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten|Zieten]]'s 11th Brigade (5,365). The Austrians attacked first, driving the French out of Liebertwolkwitz after hard fighting, only to be driven out in turn by a French counterattack. Russo-Prussian General [[Duke Eugen of Württemberg (1788–1857)|Württemberg]] was notable for his extreme bravery directing his troops under fire. At this point, Napoleon ordered General [[Antoine Drouot|Drouot]] to form a grand battery of 150 guns on Gallows hill.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=928}} This was done and the guns blasted the exposed Russian II Corps, forcing the Prussian battalions supporting it to take cover.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=929}}

The hole had now been opened as Napoleon wished and at this point, Marshal Murat was unleashed with 10,000 French, Italian, and Saxon cavalry.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=929}} However, Murat's choice of massive columns for the attack formation was unfortunate for the French force, as smaller mobile formations of Russian, Prussian, and Austrian cavalry were able to successfully harass Murat's division, driving them back to their own artillery, where they were saved by the French [[Dragoons of the Imperial Guard|Guard Dragoons]]. The Young Guard was sent in to drive out the allies and give Napoleon his breakthrough. They recaptured both Liebertwolkwitz and Wachau, but the allies countered with Russian Guard and Austrian grenadiers backed by Russian cuirassiers. The units lived up to their elite reputation, forming squares that blasted the French cavalrymen from their horses and overran the French artillery batteries. On the southern front, although Napoleon gained ground, he could not break the Allied lines.{{sfn|napolun|2021}}