Background
Following his successes with the Six Days Campaign (10 to 14 February 1814) in smashing the Allied drive on Paris, Napoleon headed southward towards Seine River where the main Austrian Army under Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg, was threatening Paris from the southeast. Napoleon stopped the advance on Paris at Mormant (about 30 miles from Paris) on 17 February, some French units had to march 60 miles in 36 hours to reach Mormant.
This action, plus defeats suffered by the Prussians to the north, caused the Prince of Schwarzenberg to order a retreat. Schwarzenberg left Frederick I of Württemberg, to command a rearguard at the key village of Montereau, which was located at the confluence of the Rivers Seine and Yonne.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Montereau
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