Bill
In case you ever have a chance - visit the terrain - a map is unfortunatly not 3 dimensional, as well as taking into account the fog and Murat's cavalry - and I am sure you will understand the diffiulties Bernadotte had to overcome much better.
He was really hell bent to arrive at Apolda - even only with one division.
Also it is very often claimed - that this had no impact - but it had, because he was cutting the lines of comunications as well as catching retreating troops from Auerstedt or blocking their way.
It is not his fault that his request for precise orders were ignored by the Etat - Major.
I am also not blaming anybody for those actions at the 14th - but well what happened in the unjustifyable post mortem attacks of Napoleon and Berthier, which unfortunatly still seem to stick - despite the overwhelming evidence that Bernadotte acted as the situation dicatated at that time (in accordance with Napoleon AND Davout)