Napoleon and the Grand Armée

Napoleon was moving cautiously when the Grand Armée began to emerge from the Turingian forest. The disorganization and indecision in the Prussian leadership had made it impossible for Napoleon to guess at their intentions. First contact was made on October 9 at the town of Schlaas in modern-day Turingia. It wouldn't have been much of a battle, but in their retreat a Prussian battalion was caught out of position.