October 14, 1806

Battle of Jena–Auerstedt

French victories at the separate battles of Jena and Auerstedt

Napoleon believed he was beating the Prussian main army at Jena. The harder fight was being won to the north by Davout, outnumbered better than two to one.

Two battles on one morning

In thick fog at about 6 a.m. on 14 October 1806, Napoleon's forces attacked the Prussian-Saxon army commanded by Prince Hohenlohe west of Jena. French corps arriving through the morning broke Hohenlohe's force and General Rüchel's reinforcements.

Farther north, near Hassenhausen and Auerstedt, Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout's III Corps unexpectedly met and defeated the larger main Prussian army under the Duke of Brunswick, with King Frederick William III present.

These were two simultaneous battles on separate fields, not one continuous engagement; Napoleon had believed the decisive enemy concentration was in front of him at Jena.

Outnumbered at Auerstedt

Davout had roughly 20,000 to 26,000 men against about 60,500 Prussians.

Brunswick was struck by a bullet through his left eye while leading reinforcements. The wound took the Prussian commander-in-chief out of the battle; he died several weeks later, not on the field.

One modern synthesis puts the Auerstedt losses at about 4,500 French killed, wounded or missing, and about 10,000 Prussians killed or wounded with 3,000 captured.

Pews burned in the square at Jena

Roughly 30,000 to 35,000 men were dead or wounded across the two fields. More than 3,000 wounded were crowded into Jena's city church that evening, and returning French soldiers burned its pews in the square for fuel.

Frederick William III sought peace terms the next day, demoralized troops at Erfurt capitulated to Murat on 16 October, and Napoleon occupied Berlin on 27 October. Prussia remained a kingdom and remained formally at war until the Treaties of Tilsit in July 1807.

Napoleon later blamed Bernadotte for failing to support Davout; historians dispute whether he disobeyed an unambiguous order or followed the movement instructions he actually received.

Sources

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What the sources leave uncertain

Published troop strengths and casualty totals vary substantially according to whether sources count troops present, directly engaged, missing or captured.
Napoleon later blamed Bernadotte for failing to support Davout. Historians dispute whether Bernadotte disobeyed an unambiguous order or followed the movement instructions he actually received.