The Battle of Schleiz takes place on October 9, 1806 in Schleiz, Germany between a Prussian-Saxon division under Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien and a part of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's I Corps under the command of Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'Erlon.
It is the first clash of the War of the Fourth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars.
As Emperor Napoleon I of France's Grande Armée advances north through the Frankenwald (Franconian Forest) it strikes the left wing of the armies belonging to the Kingdom of Prussia and the Electorate of Saxony, which are deployed on a long front.
Schleiz is located thirty kilometers north of Hof and 14one hunfdred and forty-five kilometers southwest of Dresden at the intersection of Routes 2 and 94.
At the beginning of the battle, elements of Drouet's division clash with Tauentzien's outposts.
When Tauentzien becomes aware of the strength of the advancing French forces, he begins a tactical withdrawal of his division.
Joachim Murat assumes command of the troops and begains an aggressive pursuit.
A battalion-sized Prussian force to the west is cut off and suffers heavy losses.
The Prussians and Saxons retreat north, reaching Auma that evening.
