Which was the most catastrophic defeat in the Napoleonic wars?

[Buxton]

For me it would personally be Austerlitz, here we see how the combined allied army crumbled under Napoleon and it signalled for Russia to withdraw from the war and also leaving Austria at the mercy of the French, it was also a horrible defeat because this could of been a chance to end Napoleons expansion into Europe if the allied army exercised more caution.

[Duuring]

Probably Austerlitz, yes, closely followed by Jena.

[ClearlyInvsible]

I'd say Leipzig, Napoleon lost two allies to the Coalition and a strong client state lost it's best General.

[1stNOG_IDF]

Listen, I'd like to join the bandwagon and say Austerlitz, but I got to say this:

Although it contibuted to Napoleon's defeat, the abandoning and burning of Moscow was, by all means, the most catastrophic defeat for the allies, or at least for Russia before finally taking advantage of it.

Let's put it this way:

It was a defeat for Russia
It contributed heavily towards Napoleon's defeat.

Nonetheless, the Russians lost their [spiritual] capital (Petersburg was the political capital). In the sense that they lost it, and burned it to ashes, it marked to the world that conventional warfare could not, and would not bring Napoleon down.

[Friedrich]

Merely not only one event but a chain of events: French invasion of Russia.

Napoleon lost hist entire army, all his experienced troops. Not for nothing the new french conscripts in the German campaign 1813 were called the Marie-Louises (named after his wife, Marie-Louise of Habsburg). Napoleon was still a genie, he was still able to win some major battles. But he couldn't win the war against a coalition of all other major powers in europe with such greenhorns. We know the result. Rest is history.

[CayM]

I cry a lot everytime I hear about the failed invasion of Russia 

[stylish]

Merely not only one event but a chain of events: French invasion of Russia.

Napoleon lost hist entire army, all his experienced troops. Not for nothing the new french conscripts in the German campaign 1813 were called the Marie-Louises (named after his wife, Marie-Louise of Habsburg). Napoleon was still a genie, he was still able to win some major battles. But he couldn't win the war against a coalition of all other major powers in europe with such greenhorns. We know the result. Rest is history.

He could have won the coalition if his army hadn't died in the snows of Russia. The Coalition smelled oppertunity and jumped on him, and it's just amazing that with such limited forces he still -almost- managed to win that war LOL. He just didn't have the cavalry to cut off his opponents retreating armies.

[Archduke Sven]

Merely not only one event but a chain of events: French invasion of Russia.

Napoleon lost hist entire army, all his experienced troops. Not for nothing the new french conscripts in the German campaign 1813 were called the Marie-Louises (named after his wife, Marie-Louise of Habsburg). Napoleon was still a genie, he was still able to win some major battles. But he couldn't win the war against a coalition of all other major powers in europe with such greenhorns. We know the result. Rest is history.

He could have won the coalition if his army hadn't died in the snows of Russia. The Coalition smelled oppertunity and jumped on him, and it's just amazing that with such limited forces he still -almost- managed to win that war LOL. He just didn't have the cavalry to cut off his opponents retreating armies.

Thats a bit of a misconception. 40% of his army had deserted/died/missing by the time he reached Smolensk. I think the better term would be that most of his army ran away in the middle of the summer.

[Duuring]

I'd like to see some sourceable proof for that. From my research into the matricules (roll call books) of the French infantry, most (if not all) 'missing' are from the winter. At earliest Smolensk.

[Archduke Sven]

I'd like to see some sourceable proof for that. From my research into the matricules (roll call books) of the French infantry, most (if not all) 'missing' are from the winter. At earliest Smolensk.

theres your problem right there

[Duuring]

Care to explain?

[Archduke Sven]

Care to explain?

well can't remember the exact numbers but from an army of over 550 000, there were about 200 000 Frenchmen where the rest soldiers of other nations, whereof some where of dubious loyalty. Not certain that the allies were more prone to desertion, but i'd assume so regarding the German, Italian and Croat soldiers. Not saying that the French and Polish weren't also hit hard by desertion, especially the cavalry. Gonna browse a bit an see where i read this.

[Duuring]

That's a very broad assumption to make and one for which I have seen no proof yet.

Desertion in the German-French and Dutch-French regiments is exactly the same as the standard French. Men also fell behind during the march or became ill, which usually leads to them being given the description 'en arriere' (to the rear), which can mean anything, from lost to deserted to death. Most non-Frenchmen fought with in their own regiment, if not their own brigades or divisions, and that's where their loyalty laid.

[Millander]

The Battle of the Nile was pretty shitty for the French,

[joer5835]

Being stuck in Egypt with no evacuation fleet? Yeah, that ain't nice.

Though Trafalgar had more impact on the long run though.