The Austro-Bavarians had taken up their position in the woods near Hainau before the Emperor approached the Maine. He came up with them on the morning of the 30th, and his troops charged on the instant with the fury of despair. Buonaparte cut his way through ere nightfall; and Marmont, with the rear, had equal success on the 31st. In these actions there fell 6000 of the French; while the enemy had 10,000 killed or wounded, and lost 4000 prisoners; and these losses would have been far greater, but for the ready wit of a patriotic miller, who, watching the tide of battle, suddenly let the water into a mill-stream, and thus interposed a seasonable obstacle between the French cavalry and some German infantry, whom they had been driving before them; a service which was munificently rewarded by the King of Prussia later.

The pursuit had been entrusted to the Austrians, who urged it with far less vigor than the Prussians, under the fiery guidance of Blucher, would probably have exerted. No considerable advantage, therefore, followed the battle of Hainau. The remains of the French host at length passed the Rhine; and the Emperor having quitted them at Mentz, arrived in Paris on the 9th of November.

Thus terminated the campaign in Saxony.