While French Emperor Napoleon faced the main Allied armies to the east of Paris, a secondary campaign was conducted near Lyon in the southeast.

Ultimately, the Allies captured Lyon, but they were compelled to divert considerable forces from the more important effort against Paris.

[3] Ultimately, Augereau's command would be reinforced by 8,051 infantry, 2,132 cavalry, and 18 guns drawn from Marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet's army in the eastern Pyrenees.

The Army of Bohemia detached 12,000 men under Feldmarschall-Leutnant (FML) Ferdinand, Graf Bubna von Littitz to occupy Switzerland.

[6] When Bubna's 1st Light Division appeared before Geneva on 30 December 1813, its French commander General of Brigade (GB) Nicolas Louis Jordy suffered a disabling stroke, which led to the city's immediate surrender.

[8] Anxious to defend his supply line back to Germany, Schwarzenberg ordered Prince Frederick of Hessen-Homburg to take command of the area between the Saône and Doubs Rivers.

He immediately placed GD Louis François Félix Musnier in charge of the scanty force at Lyon and went off to Valence to expedite the city's reinforcement.

[11] On 18 January, an Austrian negotiator sent to demand the city's surrender was confronted by an angry mob that screamed threats.

[12] This unexpected withdrawal raised the morale of the citizens of Lyon so that the city's National Guard began to form.

GD Alexandre, vicomte Digeon led the 2,000-man Cavalry Division, composed of one Cuirassier and two Hussar regiments.

[15] On 20 February 1814, a disturbing report reached Schwarzenberg's headquarters from Prince Frederick of Hessen-Homburg that Augereau's army was on the offensive.

A decision was made to detach the Austrian 1st Corps under FML Frederick Bianchi from the Army of Bohemia.

When Bianchi's troops marched to Dijon, the strength of the armies facing Napoleon was significantly reduced.

This massive host ponderously advanced and on 18 March, there was a clash at Saint-Georges in which the French made a spirited defense before being forced to retreat.

The northern approaches to Lyon on the east bank of the Saône were guarded by the 5,539 infantry, 283 cavalry, and 6 guns of Bardet's division.

[24] According to Digby Smith and Leopold Kudrna, the Allied army at Limonest was commanded by Prince Frederick of Hessen-Homburg.

[25] However, George Nafziger's account stated that Prince Philipp of Hessen-Homburg was in tactical command on the west bank, where the major fighting occurred.

Wimpffen moved his column against Limonest while sending GM Franz Mumb's brigade into the Mont-d'Or heights.

Though Mumb's brigade struggled to bring its artillery along, it seized the high ground on Mont-d'Or, including Mont Thoux, where the soldiers could look down on the French forces below them.

This probe compelled Bianchi to divert Wied-Runckel's division from the main attack and allowed Musnier and Pannetier to retreat with only minor fighting.

With greatly superior forces, Hessen-Homburg pressed the French back in a series of battles and captured Lyon on 22 March.