3 September 1813 – Nordhausen Campaign - Day 2

 

 

French retreat to Weringerode
4 French army – retreat to Weringerode
5 French army – defend Sangerhausen
6 French army – defend Heldrungen

Russian attack Sangerhausen
1 Russian army – occupy Halberstadt
2 Russian army – attack Sangerhausen
3 Russian army – observe border

3 September 1813 – Battle of Sangerhausen

Tactical map of battle area

Fifth French army is commanded by Marshal Moncey
Russian army is commanded by General Constantine

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Russian – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

The fighting on 2 September warned Moncey that the Russian invasion has started
He orders his three corps to take up position in front of Sangerhausen

Table at start of battle

Fifth French army is deployed at the top of the table
Russian army is deployed at the bottom of the table

There are three game objectives in the centre of the table
Woods on the left
Cottage in the centre
Hill on the right

End of move 2

French advance and deploy out of artillery range
CinC takes command of half of 15 corps
13 Corps cavalry charge gunners, infantry move onto hill
14 Corps deploy out of artillery range
15 Corps deploy behind northern woods

Russian advance and deploy out of artillery range
CinC takes command of half of 6 corps
4 Corps gunners evade to square, infantry move onto hill
5 Corps deploy out of artillery range, artillery move to the left
6 Corps deploy behind southern woods

End of move 4

French withdraw on left and right
CinC cavalry lose 10% to artillery fire and retreat
13 Corps attack hill, both brigades 10% casualties, first round of melee a draw
14 Corps advance towards cottage in the centre
15 Corps cavalry lose 10% to artillery fire and retreat

Russian artillery success against French cavalry
CinC prepare to advance between woods and cottage
4 Corps melee on hill, two brigades lose 10%, first round a draw
5 Corps artillery force cavalry to withdraw
6 Corps advance into woods

End of move 6

French wide spread fighting
CinC withdraw towards town
13 Corps lose melee on hill, hold to right of hill
14 Corps withdraw towards town
15 Corps lose melee for woods

Russian getting the upper hand
CinC capture right of woods
4 Corps win infantry melee for hill on the right
5 Corps advance to left of main road, pinned to right of road
6 Corps capture left of woods

End of move 8

French retreat and abandon all three game objectives
CinC attempts to rally troops in town
13 Corps lose counter attack on hill and retreat
14 Corps retreat to town
15 Corps retreat to woods left of town

Russian occupy all three objectives and win the battle
CinC occupy right half of woods on the left
4 Corps occupy hill on the right
5 Corps occupy cottage in the centre
6 Corps occupy left half of woods on the left

Summary

Russians occupy all three game objectives
French retreat and attempt to rally at Sangerhausen

French have lost 11 infantry, 2 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (4700 men)
Russians have lost 7 infantry casualties (2800 men)

French have 6 brigades in rout
Russians have 4 brigades in rout

3 September 1813 – Nordhausen Campaign - Day 2

 

French defend Sangerehausen
4 French army – retreat to Weringerode
5 French army – defend Sangerhausen
6 French army – defend Heldrungen

Russian attack Sangerhausen
1 Russian army – occupy Halberstadt
2 Russian army – attack Sangerhausen
3 Russian army – observe border

2 September 1813 – Battle of Halberstadt

Tactical map of battle area

The campaign opens with a surprise attack by First Russian Army on the border town of Halberstadt.

Fourth French army is commanded by Marshal Davout
First Russian army is commanded by General Wittgenstein

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Russian – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Both armies are at full strength and have no campaign casualties

Table at start of battle

Both armies are on the table at the start of the battle
The French are at the top of the table, in front of the walled town of Halberstadt
The Russians are at the bottom of the table and have orders to advance
Because this is the surprise attack the French will not move until the start of move 2

There are three game objectives, all in the centre of the table
The farm on the left, the woods in the centre and the hill on the right
The winner will be the side which occupies at least two of them at the end of 12 moves

End of move 2

French not allowed to move during move 1
10 Corps infantry reach the edge of the hill on the right
11 Corps infantry reach edge of woods in the centre
12 Corps infantry reach edge of farm on the left

Russian reach all three objectives before the French
1 Corps advance along hill on the right
2 Corps enter woods in the centre
3 Corps enter farm on the left

End of move 4

French winning battle on the left and right
CinC moves to join battle on the hill
10 Corps winning battle on hill, cavalry melee a draw
11 Corps lost cavalry melee in the centre
12 Corps winning battle for farm and cavalry melee

Russian winning battle in the centre
CinC leads grenadier attack between farm and woods
1 Corps two brigades rout on hill, cavalry melee a draw
2 Corps occupy all of woods in the centre
3 Corps lose battle for farm on the left, and cossacks rout

End of move 6

French retake farm on the left
CinC lose infantry melee on hill and retreat
10 Corps retreat in square
11 Corps lose melee in woods and retreat
12 Corps retake farm on the left

Russian take woods in the centre and hill on the right
CinC win infantry melee between farm and woods
1 Corps take hill and ground to the right
2 Corps take woods and area to the right
3 Corps lose melee and rout from farm

Summary
At the end of six hours the Russians have taken two of the three objectives
The French have held the farm on the left, the remainder of their army is in retreat
The Russians have won this battle

French have lost 8 infantry and 5 cavalry casualties (3700 men)
Russians have lost 9 infantry and 3 cavalry casualties (3900 men

There are 11 French brigades in rout (blue star) and 5 Russian brigades (green star)

2 September 1813 – Nordhausen Campaign - Day 1

French defend Nordhausen/Halle border
4 French army – defend Halberstadt
5 French army – defend Sangerhausen
6 French army – defend Heldrungen

Russian attack Halberstadt
1 Russian army – attack Halberstadt
2 Russian army – observe Sangerhausen
3 Russian army – observe Heldrungen