Fourth Coalition After the
Battle of Auerstädt,
Kalkreuth sent him to negotiate a twelve-hour ceasefire with
Davout for the burial of the dead and the evacuation of the wounded, which
Davout, however, refused. During the
Battle of Eylau, he commanded the 1st Hussar (Outpost) Brigade (4 squadrons of Württemberg Hussars, Fusilier Battalion Wakenitz, a half-mounted battery) and soon found the opportunity to demonstrate his talent as a commander. Promoted to
lieutenant colonel on May 21, 1807, after the
Battle of Friedland, he had to cover the retreat of
L'Estocq's Corps on the road to
Königsberg, suffering significant losses in his brigade. At
Labiau, he engaged in a fierce battle on the 17th with the pursuing troops of
Davout, which once again inflicted heavy losses and revealed serious deficiencies in his troops. In the following winter
campaign on French soil, Zieten, now part of
Kleist Corps of
Blücher's army and since December 8, 1813, a
lieutenant general, repeatedly found himself in action at crucial moments with his newly formed troops (mainly
Silesians), particularly on February 14, 1814, in the
Battle of Vauchamps, where, after driving
Marmont back to Fromentieres the day before, he was encircled by
Napoleon himself at
Vauchamps and had to retreat to the main body after exceedingly brave and prudent resistance under heavy losses that nearly exhausted his brigade. On 1 July, Zieten's I Corps participated in the
Battle of Issy just outside the walls of
Paris. At the end of the campaign on 7 July, his corps was granted the honour of being the first major Coalition force to enter Paris. ==Later life==