Editing Battle of Leipzig (section)

====Napoleon's attempt to sue for an armistice====
It was soon evident that the Allies would encircle Napoleon and his army, and he knew that not retreating from the battle would mean capitulation for his entire army, which by this time were starting to run out of supplies and ammunition.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=933}} So Napoleon began to examine whether the roads and bridges of Lindenau could be used to withdraw his troops, or at the very least to secure a bridgehead crossing on the Pleiße River.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=933}} However, he was not yet in the mood for withdrawing as he thought to achieve one more great victory for France.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=932}} He also thought that a strong, formidable rear guard in Leipzig itself could repulse any Allied assault, which could buy him and his forces more time to withdraw from the battle.{{sfn|Chandler|1966|p=933}}

During this time, Napoleon sent Merveldt, who had been captured two days earlier, back to the Allies on parole. Merveldt was given a letter to Alexander I, Francis I, and Frederick William III in which Napoleon offered to surrender to the Allies the fortresses he held along the Oder and Vistula, on the condition that the Allies allow him to withdraw to a position behind the Saale. He added that, if approved, they should sign an armistice and undertake peace negotiations. However, all three monarchs declined the offer.{{sfn|Nafziger|1996|p=191}}