Blockades and Sieges

Battle Name : Blockades and Sieges

Date(s) : 24 October 1813 - 14 May 1814

Part of : The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , Napoleon's defence of France ,

Outcome : An inconclusive engagement between French Garrisons and Allied Forces

Type of battle : Land

Summary

Many major fortified places were held by the French and only surrendered on hearing of Napoleon's abdication or later. They tied up some 98,000 French soldiers many of the highest quality. The figures for the besiegers are less accurate because they exercised the option of changing the size and composition of the besieging forces. Actual casualties in battle are low but many garrisons lost many men to sickness, the besiegers less so. Six main blockades were:
Würzburg [Marienburg] 24/10/1813 to 2/5/1814
Antwerp 14/1/1814 to 4/5/1814
Mainz 21/11/1813 to 4/5/1814
Wesel 18/12/1813 to 10/5/1814
Hamburg 24/12/1813 to 12/5/1814
Magdeburg 15/9/1813 to 14/5/1814