3 November 1813 – Central Germany – Day 2

Davout orders 2^nd corps to occupy Eisleben, and 14^th corps to seize the road bridge from Eisleben to Halle.

He expects the Russians to counter attack on the right bank of the Saale.  So 5^th and 6^th corps are ordered to hold their position

However Wittgenstein does not attack

He is thrown of balance by the loss of Eisleben and the rout of 2^nd corps.

He orders 1^st corps, his reserve, to cross the river Saale and move to Gerbstedt.

This will allow 2^nd corps to rally there and secure a foothold on the west bank of the river.

Instead of attacking on the east bank, he orders 3^rd and 4^th corps to retreat behind Halle and Landsberg.   He wants to avoid a battle until he can open communication between the two wings of his army.

2 November 1813 – Central Germany – Day 1

Davout opened the campaign by ordering 2^nd and 14^th corps to advance on the west side of the river Saale.   His aim is to outflank the concentration of Russian corps in and around Halle.

2^nd French corps is leading the advance, and clash with 2^nd Russian corps just south of Eisleben.   At midday 14^th Westphalian corps arrive to support them.   The French press home the attack in an attempt to pin the Russians.   French Guard Grenadiers charge and rout the Russian gunners.   Westphalian lancers charge and rout Russian dragoons.   The Russian corps is broken and withdraw with five of their six brigades in rout.

Not a good start for Wittgenstein.

2 November 1813 – Battle of Eisleben

Tactical map of battle area

1^st Russian corps has orders to hold Eisleben

They can retreat as soon as they are aware that two French corps are attacking

2^nd corps will arrive in square 13 at the start of move 1

14^th corps will arrive in square 13 at the start of move 5

  

French – 32000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 60 guns

Russian – 20000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

Table at start of battle

Eisleben is the walled town top centre

19 infantry brigade is the garrison

2^nd Russian corps is deployed in the centre square

2^nd French corps will arrive lower right at start of move 1

HQ and 14^th Westphalian corps will arrive behind them start of move 5

Move 1 : 0800-0900

2^nd Russian corps redeploy to meet French advance

2^nd French corps arrive and advance in column of march

Move 2 : 0900-1000

2^nd Russian corps complete their redeployment

2^nd French corps continue to advance

Move 3 : 1000-1100

2^nd French corps swing towards Russian position

2^nd Russian corps wait for them to come within artillery range

Move 4 : 1100-1200

2^nd French corps start to deploy

Artillery unlimber, half infantry continue to advance

2^nd Russian corps move first, unable to fire now French are within range

Move 5 : 1200-1300

14^th Westphalian corps arrive on table, led by CinC

2^nd Russian corps fire on French gunners, no casualties

React to sight of Westphalians arrival

Two infantry brigades retreat, remainder form square

2^nd French corps hit infantry to right of artillery

They receive 10% casualties but pass morale test

French lancer brigade advance to pin enemy rear guard

Move 6 : 1300-1400

2^nd French corps artillery fire and no casualties

2^nd Guard Grenadiers charge and rout Russian artillery

14^th Westphalian corps continue to advance

14^th Lancers charge and rout Russian dragoons

Russian gunners routed with 20% casualties

Nearby infantry brigade lose morale and rout

Dragoons lose melee and rout with 10% casualties

Three nearby infantry brigades are shaken

Move 7 : 1400-1500

2^nd French corps cavalry rally and corps advance

24^th Westphalian corps cavalry also rally

Corps continue to advance in column of march

2^nd Russian corps are broken

Routed cavalry and gunners cause all infantry to test morale

Three brigades are broken, one pass morale and cover retreat

Conclusion

2^nd Russian corps are broken and in rout

The garrison of Eisleben abandon the town and join rout

2^nd French and 14^th Westphalian corps advance to occupy Eisleben

The French have lost 200 casualties

The Russians have lost 700 casualties

1 November 1813 – Central Germany– Halle Campaign

1813 Campaign Areas

There are five campaign areas in the 1813 Campaign, three in Germany and two in Spain.   The campaign is divided into campaign phases, each lasting about ten campaign days.  This is the thirty fourth campaign phase of the 1813 Campaign and the seventh phase in Central Germany

All Germany

All twenty one previous campaign phases are shown.  

A blue star indicates a French victory and grey, green or yellow an Allied victory

                                             

There are three campaign areas in Germany.

Northern Germany – 1^st French army v Prussian army

Central Germany – 2^nd French army v Russian army

Southern Germany – 3^rd French army v Austrian army

Each square on the map is 7 miles, it is also one square on the wargames table

A corps can march 21 miles in one day, which is also the area of a wargames table.

Central Germany

All 24 previous battles fought are shown.    A blue star indicates a French victory, a red star a British victory and one white start is a drawn battle.   Each square on this map covers the same area as one 2x2 foot scenic square on our wargames table.

Summary of the campaign in Central Germany

At the start of February 1813 Napoleon believed that the Russian Army was held on the eastern bank of the river Oder by his allies the Prussians.   He was unaware of the secret treaty signed by the allies on 1 January 1813 which agreed that Prussia, Russia, Austria, England and Spain would all declare war on France.   Or that the Russians had crossed the river Oder on 20 January 1813

On 15 February he received reports that the Russians had not only crossed the river Oder, but had entered Dresden a week earlier.

He immediately ordered Marshal Davout to form Second French Army at Dusseldorf and prepare to march east to confront the Russians.   On 28 February Davout confirmed that his Army was operational and ready to advance.

5 March 1813 – Kassel Campaign.  The Russians advanced west and defeated the French at the battles of Kassel and Warburg.   The French recovered and beat the Russians at Second Kassel, but lost four days later again at Kassel.   The Russians again won at Friedland.   However the French fought back and won at the third battle of Kassel.   The Russians were forced to retreat east.

19 March 1813 – Gotha Campaign.   The Russians again attacked and beat the French at Suhl.  However the French quickly recovered and won at both Gotha and Suhl.   Once more the Russians retreated east.

5 April 1813 – Armistice.   The Russians accepted the seven day truce offered by Napoleon.   Second French Army would concentrate at Kassel.  The Russian Army would retreat to Gotha.

12 April 1813 – Second Gotha Campaign.   The French opened the campaign and won at First Meiningen.  However the Russians recovered and defeated them at Second Meiningen and again at Barchfeld.   The French retreated to Kassel.

24 May 1813 – Eisenbach Campaign.   Davout lost the first battle at Kassel.   He defeated the Russians at Meiningen, but lost again at Friedland.   He won at Gotha and again at Dolstadt.   The final battle of Meiningen was a draw.   The battered Russian Army retreated to Erfurt and the French won the campaign.

         

16 July 1813 – Erfurt Campaign.   Davout won the first battle at Amstadt, forcing the Russians to retreat and abandon Erfurt.   He was surprised and defeated as he tried to cross the river Saale, but when the Russians tried the same tactic again they were defeated at Weissensee.   The final battle was fought at Rudolstadt.   The Russians still held the town at the end of the battle and claimed a victory.  However with two of their four corps in rout they had to retreat during the night leaving the French winners of the campaign.

                                                   

26 August 1813 – Bayreuth Campaign.   The French opened the campaign by crossing the southern Saale bridge and taking Eschenbach.   They were defeated when they attacked Kulmbach, but won a major victory at Bayreuth.   They also won the final battle at Kulmbach and won the campaign.  

Introduction to the Halle Campaign

Having won five of the six previous campaign phases, Davout is confident that he can drive the Russians back to Leipzig and secure he river Saale.

Wittgenstein retreated to Halle after his defeat in the Bayreuth campaign.   From there he holds a vital bridge over the river Saale, and is determined to hold it and keep his options open

Halle Campaign Map

This map shows the area covered by the Halle campaign.  Each square is 7 miles.  It shows all terrain features.   Green areas are high ground.     Red roads are main supply, yellow connect main towns and broken are local tracks.   It also shows the location of French and Russian corps at the start of the campaign, plus the four supply depots per side.

This map is used for all campaign movement and on the campaign diary blog.

            

At the start of the campaign the two armies are deployed as shown on the map above.

Halle Campaign Objective

The Russian objective is to hold Halle and the bridge over the river Saale

The French objective is to take Halle and force the Russians to retreat to the east

Halle Wargames Map

This map covers the same area as the campaign map, but actual size of hills are shown.   Each square is the same as one 2x2 foot square used on the wargames table, and shows the exact terrain feature.   The number shown in the top right of each square is the number of the scenic terrain square to be used on the table.   When a battle is declared this map is used to prepare the wargames table.

Second French Army

Marshal Davout

2^nd Young Guard corps

5^th French corps

6^th French corps

14^th Westphalian corps

Reserve corps

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

The reserve corps has four infantry brigades and will provide depot garrisons

80000 infantry, 4000 cavalry, 120 artillery

Russian Army

General Wittgenstein

1^st Russian corps

2^nd Russian corps

3^rd Russian corps

4^th Russian corps

Reserve corps

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

The reserve corps has four infantry brigades and will provide depot garrisons

80000 infantry, 4000 cavalry, 120 artillery

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

20 - Introduction to the campaign in Central Germany

21 – 2^nd French Army order of battle

22 - Russian Army order of battle

23 - Daily diary for the campaign in Central Germany

24 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Central Germany

25 - Summary of campaign in Central Germany