By nightfall Davout was confident that he could halt his beaten army and start to rally his shaken and routed brigades. There had been no sign of the Prussian’s since early morning, and it was clear that they were not mounting a pursuit.
Leaving his corps commanders to rally V and VI corps he awaited reports from IV and XIII corps to the north and west. Tonight he would have to decide where to concentrate his army and hope that he could concentrate them before Blucher attacked again.
Blucher had also had a busy day. Resting on the battle field after the battle he had managed to rally his disordered brigades. But they had to be withdrawn to Helmstedt and prepared for their move east. By evening they were all in their march positions ready to start at first light.
He was taking a risk in not mounting a pursuit of Davout. To do so he would have had to detach at least one of his three corps. That corps would then have been at the mercy of the French should they turn and fight. He would keep his three corps concentrated and be ready to react to whatever Davout might attempt.
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