After the disastrous retreat of Napoleon's army, while recovering from his injuries Poniatowski quickly undertook the rebuilding of the Polish army in order to replace the forces devastated by the Moscow campaign.
The corps fought major successful battles at Löbau on 9 September, and at Zedtlitz on 10 October, where General Pahlen attempted to stop their movement toward Leipzig, but was defeated in a cavalry charge led by Poniatowski.