14 April 1813 – North Germany - Day 2

To counter the Prussian attack on Wittingen Napoleon orders 2^nd army to attack Boltenhagen.   The battle opens with two cavalry melee, both won by the French.

Prussians retreat before the French can close and pin them.  

The French lost 700 men, the Prussians lost 1300 men

3^rd French army regroup around Wittingen.   2^nd Prussian army regroup in front of Gadebusch.

 

1^st French army and 3^rd Prussian army continue to face each other south of the river Elbe.

 

This forward deployment by both army groups is causing supply problems.    Both are too far from their rear depots, and there are not sufficient supplies at the depots which are in range.   At present neither are prepared to retreat to come within supply 

13 April 1813 – Battle of Wittingen

Tactical map of battle area

The campaign opens with 2^nd Prussian army attacking Wittingen

The town is defended by 3^rd French army

 

3^rd French Army – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

2^nd Prussian Army – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

3^rd French army are deployed on the left of the table

St Cyr has placed two infantry brigades in the town and taken command of them

 

2^nd Prussian army are deployed in column of march on the right of the table

Blucher has created a reserve of both corps artillery and two infantry brigades in the centre.

End of Move 2

16^th Italian corps (left) move forward and occupy the farm

The rest of the French wait for the Prussians to advance

 

4^th Prussian corps (top) advance slowly over the hill

Reserve (centre) move to support 4^th corps

3^rd Prussian corps (bottom) move down from the hill

End of Move 4

4^th Prussian corps (top) reach left of hill and deploy into column of attack

Prussian reserve artillery engage French gunners

3^rd Prussian corps (bottom) move down from hill and form column of attack

End of Move 6

3^rd and 4^th Prussian corps halt out of artillery range

Prussian reserve artillery rout 5^th French corps gunners

But fail to cause any casualties to French infantry or cavalry

End of Move 8

The Prussians must attack now, or risk running out of time

Top – 4^th corps advance, their cavalry charge French cuirassiers

Centre – Reserve advance to bring guns into close range

Bottom - 3^rd corps advance towards farm, French cavalry move forward

End of Move 10

Top – Prussian cavalry lose melee, infantry forced to halt and form square

Centre – Reserve artillery break and rout nearest French infantry brigade

Bottom – 3^rd corps attack farm, French infantry advance to support garrison

French cavalry support counter attack, melee is a draw

End of Move 12

Top – French have held the flank.   They have routed one cavalry and one infantry brigade.   They have also lost one infantry brigade and their artillery.

 

Centre – French have held the town.

 

Bottom – Italians have lost the farm, but held the flank.   They have routed one infantry and one cavalry brigade.   However they have lost their own cavalry and two infantry brigades, including the garrison of the farm.          

 

Summary

The French have lost more casualties than the Prussians.  However they have held their position, including the town.   They have won the battle.

 

The French have lost 11 infantry, 6 cavalry and 1 gunner casualties (5100 men)

The Prussians have lost 9 infantry and 8 cavalry casualties (4400 men)

13 April 1813 – North Germany - Day 1

The Prussian army is deployed on the Lubeck/Wismar district border

The French army is further back from the border, to ease resupply

 

The campaign opens with 2^nd Prussian army crossing the border to attack Wittingen

Despite suffering most casualties, the French held their position and the town

The French lost 5100 men, the Prussians lost 4400 mean.

12 April 1813 – North Germany – Lubeck Campaign

Map of Germany

On 1^st January 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France

Three allied armies would concentrate in Germany

Prussian army at Berlin

Russian army at Dresden

Austrian army at Vienna

Together they would engage and defeat Napoleon

 

Marshal Blucher would command the Prussian army

They would concentrate in the Berlin region

They would then march into the Brunswick region and engage the French

 

Emperor Napoleon would command the First French army

They would concentrate in the Osnabruck region

They would then march into the Brunswick region and engage the Prussians

This map shows the current location of the six armies, and the colour of the stars indicates which won has won the previous campaign phases.    The location of the current campaign is shown by a white star.

Map of North Germany

There are three regions in North Germany

Osnabruck Region (on the left) is the concentration area for First French army

Berlin Region (on the right) is the concentration area for the Prussian Army        

Brunswick Region is the disputed area in the middle

 

This map shows the current location of the French and Prussian armies

It also shows the location of previous campaign phases

Lubeck region is indicated by a white star

 

Brunswick Region

This map is used for strategic (planning) movement.

It shows the location of each army at the start of the campaign

It also shows the location of previous battles fought in the region.

Campaign Diary

01 February 1813    Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France

01 February 1813    Formation of First French army in Osnabruck region

19 February 1813    First French army declared operational.

20 February 1813    Prussians invade Brunswick region

25 February 1813    Prussians occupied the city of Brunswick

26 February 1813    Napoleon advanced into the Brunswick region

28 February 1813    French occupy the city of Hannover

01 March 1813        Start of Brunswick campaign phase

08 March 1813        French win Brunswick campaign phase

12 April 1813           Start of Lubeck campaign phase

Lubeck District

This map is used for tactical (daily) movement

 

The second campaign phase in northern Germany is in Lubeck district

This map shows the location of both armies at the start of the campaign

The Prussian objective is to take the city of Lubeck

The French objective is to hold Lubeck and defeat the Prussian army

The Prussian army are deployed close to the border

 

The French army are deployed further back, for ease of resupply.

 

First French Army

Emperor Napoleon

1^st Old Guard corps

3^rd French corps

4^th French corps

5^th French corps

13^th Polish corps

16^th Italian corps

 

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

104000 infantry, 6000 cavalry, 180 guns

 

Prussian Army

General Blucher

1^st Prussian corps

2^nd Prussian corps

3^rd Prussian corps

4^th Prussian corps

5^th Prussian corps

6^th Prussian corps

 

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

104000 infantry, 6000 cavalry, 180 guns

 

Reference

The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign.   The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

 

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign

02 - Five campaign areas

10 - Introduction to the campaign in Northern Germany

11 – French Army of Northern Germany order of battle

12 - Prussian Army order of battle

13 - Daily diary for the campaign in Northern Germany

14 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Northern Germany

15 - Summary of campaign in Northern Germany

Summary of Southern Germany Campaign – 11 April 1813

Regional areas of Southern Germany

There are three regions in Southern Germany

Strasbourg Region is the rear area for Third French army

Their main depot is in Strasbourg

Vienna Region is the rear area for the Austrian Army

Their main depot is in Vienna                    

Munich Region is the disputed area between them

Diary of Southern German Campaign

The French Grand Army was destroyed during the 1812 Russian campaign

Napoleon had to create a new army to fight the 1813 campaign

01 February 1813    Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France

01 February 1813    Formation of Third French army in Munich region

25 February 1813    Third French army declared operational

28 February 1813    Austrians moved into the Munich region

30 March 1813        Start of Branau campaign phase

11 April 1813           Austrians win Branau phase

         

Reference

The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign.   The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign

02 - Five campaign areas

30 - Introduction to the campaign in Southern Germany

31 – 3^rd French Army order of battle

32 - Austrian Army order of battle

33 - Daily diary for the campaign in Southern Germany

34 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Southern Germany

35 - Summary of campaign in Southern Germany

11 April 1813 – Southern Germany – End of Branau Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Schwarzenberg won six battles

Massena won four

Schwarzenberg took all nine towns on the campaign map and won the campaign

 The campaign started on 8 April 2021 and ended on 30 June 2021

There were twelve days in this campaign phase, and ten battles fought.  This made it the longest phase since the campaign started in 2009.  This was largely because of the larger armies of six corps per side.

Munich Region

The Austrian objective is to take and hold the city of Branau.   They not only did so, they also took all nine towns in the district, and forced the Bavarian army to retreat towards Munich.

Schwarzenberg won a decisive victory.