ber 4th and 5th), and
once more the allied Grand Army thrust its columns through the Erz and
threatened Dresden. Hurrying back in the worst of humours to defend
that city, Napoleon heard bad news from the north. On September 6th
Ney had been badly beaten at Dennewitz. In truth, that brave fighter
was no tactician: his dispositions were worse than those of Oudinot,
and the obstinate bravery of the Prussians, led by Buelow and
Tauenzien, wrested a victory from superior numbers. Night alone saved
Ney's army from complete dissolution: as it was, he lost some 9,000
killed and wounded, 15,000 prisoners along with eighty cannon, and
frankly summed up the situation thus to his master: "I have been
totally beaten, and still do not know whether my army has
reassembled."[366] Ultimately his army assembled and fell back behind
the Elbe at Torgau.

Thus, in a fortnight (August 23rd-September 6th), Napoleon had gained
a great success at Dresden, while, on the circumference of operations,
his lieutenants had lost five battles--Grossbeeren, Hagelberg,
Katzbach, Kulm, and Dennewitz. The allies could therefore contract
that circumference, come into closer touch, and threaten his central
intrenched camps at Pirna and Dresden. Yet still, in pursuance of a
preconcerted plan, they drew back where he advanced in person. Thus,
when he sought to drive back Schwarzenberg's columns into Bohemia,
that leader warily retired to the now impregnable passes; and the
Emperor fell back on Dresden, wearied and perplexed. As he said to
Marmont: "The chess-board is very confused: it is only I who can know
where I am." Yet once more he plunged into the Erzgebirge, engaged in
a fruitless skirmish in the defile above Kulm, and again had to lead
his troops back to Pirna and Dresden. A third move against Bluecher led
to the same wearisome result.

The allies, having worn down the foe, planned a daring move. Bluecher
persuaded the allied sovereigns to strike from Bohemia at Leipzig,
thus turning the flank of the defensive works that the French had
thrown up south of Dresden, and cutting their communications with
France. He himself would march north-west, join the northern army, and
thereafter meet them at Leipzig. This rendezvous he kept, as later he
staunchly kept troth with Wellington at Waterloo; and we may detect
here, as in 1815, the strategic genius of Gneisenau as the prime
motive force.

Leaving a small force to screen his former positions at Bautzen,