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Tuesday, September 18, 2018

26 August 1813 – Battle of Eschenbach


Tactical map of battle area
General Langeron, commander of 4th Russian corps, has orders to report any French activity, hold the bridge and prevent any river crossing by single enemy corps.   However he has been told to retreat if the enemy launch a major attack and outnumber him.

Marshal Davout commands 4th French and 16th Westphalian corps.   He has ordered 4th corps to cross the river and pin the Russians.   He will cross the river further south with 14th corps and attack the Russian flank.   He hopes to destroy the isolated enemy corps before they can retreat.

4th Russian corps cannot retreat until they have sighted 14th French corps
They musts be within 24” to see each other

4th Russian corps – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns
6th French corps – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns
14th Westphalian corps – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

Table at start of wargame
Eschenbach is the town bottom right
The road top right leads to the rest of the Russian army
The river is fordable, except on the bend which is too marshy
Infantry and cavalry can ford at half movement rate
Artillery must use bridge
0800-1200
Russians have occupied hill and send one brigade to occupy farm
French have crossed the river and deployed facing the hill

 
1200-1600
Westphalian corps have crossed further south
Davout has taken command of the cavalry and threatens the hill

French corps have lost cavalry melee, but still forced Russian cavalry to retire
They have redeployed to attack the farm and threaten the enemy line of retreat

The Russians have started to retreat
They have had to form square on the hill, but are still retreating
Their grenadier brigade holds the farm, to cover the rest as they retreat
1600-2000
The Russians continue to retreat in an orderly manner

6th French corps press their attack on the farm, forcing the garrison to retire shaken
The lancer brigade charge and rout the reformed Russian cuirassiers.
This rout causes the garrison to test their morale, they fail and also rout
The cuirassiers become tangled with the supporting infantry square

The Westphalian cavalry charge the mass of Russian horse and infantry
Unable to fight back both horsemen and infantry rout through the pass

Nightfall allows the remainder of 4th Russian corps to retreat towards Waldershof.

Conclusion
Langeron put up a strong defence and was unlucky not to cause any artillery casualties.    As soon as he realised the Westphalians were about to join the fight he ordered a retreat towards Waldershof.   The retreat went well until just before nightfall, when the combined French and Westphalian cavalry routed half of his corps.

The Russians have lost 2200 casualties and all of their guns
The French and Westphalians have lost no casualties


Link to Slideshow
There is a slideshow of this wargame which you will find here



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