19 June 1813 – Battle of Lehre

Tactical map of battle area

It is the first day of the Wolfsburg campaign.

Blucher has ordered 4^th corps to move to Lehre and occupy the town.  They have orders to engage any enemy that they encounter

Napoleon has ordered 13^th Polish corps to take and hold Lehre.   He is one days march behind with the 1^st French corps, but will not reach Lehre until the morning of 20 June 1813.

Neither corps is aware that the enemy also have orders to take Lehre

The battle starts at 12 noon, there are 8 hours of daylight left.

Polish – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

Prussian – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

Table at start of wargame

Both corps approach Lehre (centre of table)

They arrive on the table at the start of move 1

1200-1600

The Poles are closer to Lehre, and reach the town first

They send their cavalry and artillery south of the town

The infantry are ordered to occupy the town

The Prussians react by sending their own cavalry south

Their advance is slowed by having to march through the pass

The first infantry brigade is sent towards Lehre

Their artillery moves south to support the cavalry

1600-2000

Both commanders were aware that there was only four hours to nightfall

Both ordered their infantry to take the town.

The Poles entered the town first and moved towards the eastern side

Here they were met by Prussian infantry and a fierce took place

The Poles gained the upper hand and one Prussian brigade withdrew with 20% casualties.   The fight continued, but the Prussians could not make any headway.

As night fell the Prussian artillery caused 10% casualties on the Prussian lancers

The Prussian dragoons immediately charged the shaken Poles, who broke and ran

The dragoons failed to make their morale and charged the nearby Polish artillery

The gunners lost 20% casualties and routed into the nearby infantry square

The infantry broke and joined the rout.

Conclusion

General Pirch now received reports that more French troops were starting to arrive

It was in fact Napoleon at the head of the French Imperial Guard

Pirch immediately ordered his corps to break contact and retreat under cover of darkness.

Poles lost 1300 casualties and three brigades in rout

Prussians lost 1200 casualties and one brigade shaken