24 October 1813 – Santiago Campaign – Day 6

1^st and 2^nd British corps retreat to Santiago

3^rd British corps move east to cover the retreat

4^th British corps hold to defend Ourense

Spanish guerrilla redeploy to threaten French convoys

Soult has won three battles and captured huge areas

However his supply system has broken down

This is partly due to his rapid advance

But also to Spanish guerrilla attacks on his convoys

7^th, 8^th and reserve French corps are down to just one days supplies

16^th Italian corps is down to two days supplies

Only 13^th Polish corps has four days supplies

The French army has ground to a halt until the supply system can be sorted out.

23 October 1813 – Santiago Campaign – Day 5

Soult is well pleased with progress so far

He orders 7^th and 16^th corps to hold Corunna and resupply

8^th and reserve corps to occupy Lugo and resupply

13^th corps to hold Ponferrada and resupply

When all are resupplied and regrouped he will attack Santiago

He also orders four days supplies from Oviedo to Ribadeo

Wellington is aware that the French are in need of rest and resupply

Despite the loss of Lugo, he orders 1^st and 2^nd corps to attack Corunna

3^rd corps retreats to Santiago

4^th corps continue to hold Ourense

Guerrillas attack and capture the convoy from Oviedo

They also rout the escort with a loss of 10% casualties

The battle of Corunna is a defeat for Wellington.

After a promising start his dragoon brigade lose a melee and rout

One of his attacking infantry brigades also routs, and a second is shaken

Just after midday he admits defeat and orders a general retreat

23 October 1813 – Battle of Corunna

Tactical map of battle area

Despite his defeat at Lugo Wellington orders a counter attack on Corunna

He wants to disrupt the French and prevent them attacking Santiago.

French – 32000 infantry, 1800 cavalry, 60 guns

Russian – 32000 infantry, 1900 cavalry, 60 guns

Table at start of battle

All troops are on the table at the start of the game

The British are on engage orders

The French are on hold orders

5 Spanish militia brigade (bottom right) is not part of the game

In the campaign they have orders to move to farm top right

They will do so if they can, and will only fight if attacked

Move 1 : 0800-0900

British and Spanish advance

French wait to see where British will attack

Soult takes command of 7^th corps artillery

Move 2 : 0900-1000

British and Spanish continue to advance

Wellington takes command of 2^nd hussars and moves to centre

Move 3 : 1000-1100

British continue to advance

1^st dragoons receive 10% casualties, fail morale and are shaken

16^th Italian corps infantry deploy into line

Artillery hit British dragoons who are shaken

Italian hussars advance to charge shaken dragoons

Move 4 : 1100-1200

2^nd British corps infantry skirmish with garrison, inflict 10% casualties

2^nd British corps artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

1^st British corps infantry continue to advance through woods in centre

1^st British dragoons lose melee and rout with 40% casualties

Wellington moves 2^nd hussars to right to cover loss of dragoon brigade

Italian hussars charge and rout shaken British dragoons

Italian artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

Suchet moves artillery forward to engage infantry attacking Corunna

Move 5 : 1200-1300

2^nd British corps press home their attack on the eastern half of Corunna

Artillery continue to fire on garrison, but no casualties

A second brigade is sent forward to join the skirmish

However the deployment of artillery under Marshal Soult prevents the second division joining the attack

1^st British corps clear the woods and advance on the French centre

Their artillery fire on infantry, but no casualties

Wellington arrives with the hussar brigade to support 1^st corps

7^th corps send an infantry brigade forward to support the garrison of Corunna

They exchange fire with the leading brigade and inflict 10% casualties

The British pass fail their morale test and are shaken

Soult deploys his artillery to engage any infantry who approach Corunna

16^th corps artillery fire on Portuguese brigade in square, but no casualties

Their hussar brigade rally and return to their own lines

Centre brigade moves forward and engages in firefight with leading enemy brigade

They win the firefight and rout the British with 20% casualties

Conclusion

Even at this early stage of the battle Wellington admits defeat

He has lost his dragoon brigade and one of 1^st corps brigades

They now have only two brigades to attack four French brigades

By moving his hussar brigade to the right flank he has left the left unsupported

2^nd corps have no answer to the artillery about to engage their attack on the town

The same artillery prevents their remaining two brigades from supporting the attack

It is clear to Wellington that the odds have moved in favour of the French

To continue the attack risks the loss of half of his army

He orders 1^st and 2^nd corps to break contact and retreat

The French have lost 800 casualties

The British have lost 1400 casualties and two brigades in rout