The Battle of Lützen started in the early hours of May 2nd 1813. The Prussian centre under Blücher advanced against the sleeping French garrison in the villages of Gross- and Klein- Görschen. They cought them completely by surprise. The garrison fought bravely but had to withdraw to Lützen. 

As soon as the first shots landed, French dispatches were sent to the nearby French Corps commanders for support. Over the next hours French reinforcements streamed to the battlefield culminating with the arrival of Napoleon and his elite Guard divisions. 

After a costly and failed push to retake the two villages that were lost that morning, Napoleon decided to stop all offensive operations and withdraw from the battlefield.