Lannes commanded the centre; Augereau the right; Soult the left; and Murat the reserve and cavalry.
Soult had to sustain the first assault of the Prussians, which was violent--and sudden; for the mist lay so thick on the field that the armies were within half gunshot of each other ere the sun and wind rose and discovered them; and on that instant Mollendorf charged.

The battle was contested well for some time on this point; but at length Ney appeared in the rear of the Emperor with a fresh division; and then the French centre advanced to a general charge, before which the Prussians were forced to retire.

They moved for some space in good order; but Murat now poured his masses of cavalry on them, storm after storm, with such rapidity and vehemence that their rout became inevitable.

It ended in the complete breaking up of the army--horse and foot all flying together, in the confusion of panic, upon the road to Weimar.

At that point the fugitives met and mingled with their brethren flying, as confusedly as themselves, from Auerstadt.