20 June 1813 – Central Germany – Day 4

5^th French army occupy Kulmbach, 2^nd Russian army regroup at Munchberg

4^th French army rally and regroup, 1^st Russian army retreat to Bayreuth

6^th French army attack 3^rd Russian army at Pegnitz

19 June 1813 – Battle of Hollfeld

Tactical map of battle area

French have orders to defeat 1^st Russian army and take Hollfeld

Russians have orders to hold Hollfeld

French have two infantry brigades detached on garrison

Russians have one infantry brigade detached and a second is garrison of Hollfeld

Hollfeld commands the main road to the district capitol and major depot of Bayreuth,

4^th French Army – 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

1^st Russian Army – 11 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

4^th French army are deployed on the left

1^st Russian army are deployed in front of Hollfeld on the right

 

Top - 11^th French corps enter the woods on the left

Centre – 10^th Young Guard corps advance between the hill and the woods

Bottom – 12^th French corps advance either side of the fortified farm

End of move 2

French advance, but are still out of range of the Russian artillery

 

Top – 11^th French corps are advancing through the woods

Centre – 10^th Guard corps are advancing accompanied by the CinC

Bottom – Russian CinC has taken command of two brigades of cavalry

End of move 4

French advance, Russian artillery open fire

 

Top – French advance clears woods, Russian artillery fire, no casualties

Centre – French gunners receive casualties and are shaken

Centre – Russian CinC advance with cavalry division

Bottom – French advance, still out of artillery range

 

End of move 6

Russian gunners dominate French artillery

 

Top – Cavalry melee ends in rout of both brigades

Top – French artillery receive 10% casualties

Centre – French infantry advance, Russian infantry fall back

Centre – French gunners receive casualties and are shaken

Bottom – Russian infantry withdraw through woods

Bottom – French cavalry force gunners into infantry square

End of move 8

Heavy fighting in the top half of the table

 

Top – Russians withdraw, French follow up

Centre – French infantry skirmish with village garrison

Bottom – Russians withdraw, French hold their ground

 End of move 10

French take village in top

Russians counter attack in centre and bottom

Blue stars are French brigades in rout, Green are Russian

White stars are scene of extensive hand to hand fighting

 

Top – Extensive hand to hand fighting, French take village

Centre – Russians counter attack, skirmish in woods

Bottom – French fight off 1^st Russian attack

Bottom – French move to the centre, 3^rd Russian corps counter attack

End of move 12

French win north of the road

Fighting continues south of the road

Russians hold town at nightfall

White stars show main combat

Green stars are routed Russian brigades

Blue stars are routed French brigades

 

Top – both sides suffer heavy casualties, but Russians are forced to retreat

Centre – fighting continues at nightfall

Bottom – fighting continues at nightfall

 

Summary

For most of the day it looked like the Russians would win

However for last two moves things went bad for them

Fighting continue at nightfall, so the battle would be considered a draw

However the Russians had lost more than twice the casualties of the French

8 Russians brigades were in rout, 4 French brigades in rout

 

The French have lost 5 infantry, 5 cavalry and 5 artillery casualties (3000 men)

The Russians have lost 15 infantry, 5 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (6400 men) 

19 June 1813 – Central Germany – Day 3

5^th French army rally and regroup, 2^nd Russian army retreat towards Munchberg

4^th French army attack 1^st Russian army at Hollfeld

6^th French army occupy Forchheim, 3^rd Russian army rally and regroup at Pegnitz

 

18 June 1813 – Battle of Kulmbach

Tactical map of battle area

5^th French army is ordered to attack Kulmbach

5^th Russian Army which is deployed in front of the town

CinC has taken command of half of 5^th corps

12 infantry brigade is the garrison of the town

 

French – 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Russian – 11 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

5^th French army is deployed on the left of the table

5^th Russian army is deployed on the hills to the left of the town

Kulmbach is centre right and the garrison is 12 infantry brigade

End of move 2

Top – 14^th  French corps advance towards hill

Centre – 13^th French corps advance towards pass

Bottom -  15^th Italian corps advance towards hill

End of move 4

Top – French reach base of hill, lose casualties to artillery fire

Centre – Two French cavalry brigades v one Russian

Centre – Russian infantry and artillery withdraw

Bottom – Italians approach hill, one brigade shaken due to artillery fire

End of move 6

Top – Extensive hand to hand fighting, still undecided, one Russian brigade routed

Centre top – French advantage, one cavalry brigade on each side routed

Centre bottom – French advantage, one French and two Russian brigades routed

Bottom -  French attack has failed, two infantry and one cavalry brigade routed.

End of move 8

Top – French take hill, Russians rout

Centre – French take northern pass, Russians hold southern pass

Bottom – Russians hold hill, French rout

Summary

At nightfall the French have taken the northern half of the battlefield

The Russians hold the southern half, they also still hold Kulmbach

But the Russians have suffered considerably more casualties

The French have 5 brigades in rout

The Russians have 7 brigades in rout

 

The French have lost 8 infantry and 8 cavalry casualties (4000 men)

The Russians have lost 11 infantry, 9 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (5400 men)

18 June 1813 – Central Germany – Day 2

5^th French army attack 2^nd Russian army at Kulmbach

4^th French army prepare to attack 1^st Russian army at Hollfeld

6^th French army win battle of Forchheim, 3^rd Russian army retreat to Pegnitz

17 June 1813 – Battle of Forchheim

Tactical map of battle area

The campaign opens with French attack on Forchheim

Both armies are at full strength

6^th French army have two infantry brigades detached

3^rd Russian army have one infantry brigade detached

 

French – 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Russian – 11 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The Russians are deployed in front of Forchheim

Langeron has taken command of half of 7^th corps (centre right)

4^th infantry brigade is the garrison of the town

The French are deployed out of artillery long range fire

Poniatowski has taken command of half of 16^th corps (centre left)

End of move 2

Top – French advance over hill towards farm

Centre – French advance, artillery receive 10% casualties

Bottom – French advance towards woods

End of move 4

Top – Russian artillery inflict 10% on French gunners

Centre – Russian artillery inflict 20% casualties on French gunners

Bottom – French cavalry force gunners to retreat into woods

End of move 6

Top – Despite heavy fighting the Russians hold the farm

Centre – Langeron tries to rally the routing Russian cavalry

Bottom – French drive Russians out of woods and swing left to support centre

End of move 8

Top – Russians continue to hold the farm

Centre- French take the woods and rout Russians

Bottom – French take centre and woods and rout Russians

Summary

At nightfall the Russians still hold Forchheim

They also hold their right flank

However they lose the centre and left flank

At nightfall Langeron orders 3^rd Russian army to retreat

The French win the battle

 

The French have lost 2 infantry, 2 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (1200 men)

The Russians have lost 12 infantry and 4 artillery casualties (5200 men)

17 June 1813 – Central Germany - Day 1

 

Both armies are deployed close to the border

The campaign opens with the French attack on Forchheim