Prussian and Russian forces under General Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow defeated part of a French-Allied corps under Marshal Nicolas Oudinot.

[1] After the French victory over the coalition armies at Bautzen on 21 May, Napoleon sent the XII Corps under the command of Oudinot north toward Berlin to protect against the activities of Bülow.

On 27 May, after the two forces clashed along the Black Elster River at Hoyerswerda, Bülow's corps withdrew and scattered northwest to Jüterbog and north to the vicinity of Cottbus.

Also engaged in the fight were two foot artillery batteries and two squadrons each of the Bavarian and Hesse-Darmstadt Chevau-léger Regiments.

After a fight that lasted throughout the afternoon, Oudinot withdrew 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest to Übigau near Dresden.