 Kunyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Pashure pokunge vaFrench vadzingwa muSpain, Merlin akagamuchira kukwidziridzwa kuva mukuru wemauto muuto reFrance musi wa5 Ndira 1814. Pashure pokuiswa mutarisiri wechitoro chepakati chevatasvi vemabhiza musi wa 21 Ndira uye achitungamirira mamwe mauto eNational Guard musi wa 31 Ndira, akatora mutungamiri weboka revatasvi vemabhiza musi wa 11 Kukadzi. Panenge panguva iyi, Emperor Napoleon akarongazve vatasvi vake, achiumba I Cavalry Corps kubva kumapoka aMerlin naÉtienne Tardif de Pommeroux de Bordesoulle naBordesoulle achitungamira mauto. Merlins 1st Light Cavalry Division yakatanga kuoneka murongwa wehondo panguva yeHondo yeChampaubert musi wa9 Kukadzi. Muhondo yeVauchampsmusi waFebruary 14, 1st Brigade pasi paFrançois Isidore Wathiez yaive ne6, 7th uye 8th Hussars uye 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th uye 8th Chevau-léger Lancers. Boka rechipiri raClaude Raymond Guyon raiumbwa ne1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 16 uye 25th Chasseurs à Cheval. Musi waFebruary 20, brigade yaWathiez yakaverenga mapanga 1.063 apo brigade yaGuyon yakanga ine 956. Zvirwi zvacho zvakanga zviri zviduku; chikuru chakanga chine 177 uye chiduku chakanga chine 84 vaiva vakatasva mabhiza. 