ABSTRACT
Napoleon was aware of some kind of allied presence near Zwenkau but faulty reconnaissance, probably due to the inexperience of his cavalry, failed to reveal that at Zwenkau lay Wittgenstein's army of four Prussian corps, some 75,000 strong, supported by a further strong Russian corps in reserve. Napoleon therefore determined to retain the initiative by pushing on to occupy Leipzig, relying on Ney to protect his southern flank against this as yet unspecified threat.
