At the beginning of , the armies of the French Empire, under the direct command of Emperor Napoleon I, were scrambling to defend Eastern France against the invading Coalition Armies. The Prussian commander attacked and pushed back Marmont late on 13 February.
Nevertheless, the Emperor had read into his enemy's intentions and directed powerful forces to support Marmont. The latter continued to fall back until he was reinforced. Napoleon arrived on the battlefield with strong combined-arms forces, which allowed the French to launch a determined counterattack and drive back the leading elements of the Army of Silesia.
While the actual pitched battle was short, the French infantry, under Marshal Marmont, and most of all the cavalry, under General Emmanuel de Grouchy , launched a relentless pursuit that rode down the enemy.
The Emperor deduced that the enemy force before him would have to be a much reduced one and promptly decided to go to Marmont's aid. Taking with him the cavalry of the Guard and Grouchy 's Cavalry Reserve, Napoleon headed for the village of Vauchamps. These were grouped into three or four temporary battalions and an artillery battery. The rump of IX Corps lost men and all of its guns on the evening of 14 February. II Corps had eight 6-pound batteries and two pound batteries.
Each battery had eight guns or a total of 80 cannons. There was also a howitzer battery of unknown strength, with X Corps having three batteries attached.
