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Sunday, July 10, 2016

26 April 1813 – Battle of Eilseben


Tactical map of battle area
The French are running short of supplies and Napoleon cannot delay his attack
He orders 1st and 4th corps to attack Eilseben
Blucher is expecting the attack and has deployed 1st and 3rd corps to hold the town
20 infantry brigade is the garrison of Eilseben and must remain within the town

Prussian - 36000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 60 guns
French    - 32000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 60 guns
Table at start of wargame
All four corps are on the table
The two French corps have orders to move towards enemy
The two Prussian corps have orders to hold their position

0800-1200
The first four hours have been more eventful than usual
Napoleon has ordered both corps to advance and engage the enemy
The Imperial Guard (top) have advanced towards the hill
3rd brigade (passing through farm) have received 400 casualties.
Guard chasseurs (top right) have charged and routed Prussian hussars
They then failed to rally and pursued routed hussars, who lost 200 casualties
But the guard cavalry are now cut off by the Prussian infantry
4th corps (bottom) artillery have killed 400 Prussian gunners
This caused the 3rd Prussian artillery to withdraw to their main battle line
1200-1600
1st Prussian corps (top) has remained behind the ridge, safe from artillery fire
Their artillery have caused 1200 casualties on 1st French corps
1st French corps artillery have fired on the enemy gunners but without any hits
Their cavalry have rejoined the corps without any casualties
Their infantry are moving forward to engage the hill

3rd Prussian corps (bottom) have suffered 800 infantry casualties to artillery fire
Their hussars have charged the French cuirassiers but the melee is inconclusive
Napoleon has ordered 4th corps to attack the battered Prussian infantry
1600-2000
On the left 1st French corps have taken the ridge and routed one Prussian brigade.
However the Prussians have won the firefight between the ridge and Eilseben
The Prussian cavalry have routed

On the right 4th French corps have failed to break 3rd Prussian corps
The French cuirassiers have routed the Prussian hussars
But the French infantry have lost the fire fight
One French brigade is in rout, and two more are shaken

The Prussians have held Eilseben throughout the battle and still do so at nightfall

Conclusion
Blucher has lost both cavalry brigades and one infantry brigade in rout
He has also lost the hill west of Eilseben
However he had halted the French attack and held the town throughout the battle

Napoleon has lost one brigade and four more are shaken.   He has failed to take Eilseben and orders a general retreat.

The French have lost 4500 casualties
The Prussians have lost 3900 casualties

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