At the battle of Dresden, in the campaign of 1813, the camp of the
allies, although advantageously placed upon the heights on the left
bank of the Elbe, was nevertheless extremely defective, from being
traversed longitudinally by a deep ravine, which separated the left
wing completely from the centre and the right. This vicious arrangement
did not escape the penetrating eye of Napoleon. He instantly directed
the whole of his cavalry and two corps of infantry against the
insulated wing, attacked it with superior numbers, overthrew it, and
took ten thousand prisoners, before it was possible to come to its
support.