21 June 1813 – Battle of Munchberg

Tactical map of battle area

5^th French army have orders to take Munchberg

2^nd Russian army have orders to defend Munchberg

 

French – 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Russian – 10 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

 

Both armies start the battle with considerable casualties from earlier battles

Table at start of battle

Russian army deployed in front of Munchberg

16 infantry brigade is the town garrison

French army will arrive at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French army arrive on table

Russian cavalry redeploy between 4^th and 5^th corps

 

Left – 14^th French corps advance towards woods

Left – Reserve cavalry support 14^th corps

Centre – 13^th French corps approach pass

Right – 15^th Italian corps approach hill

End of move 4

French army advance

 

Left – 14^th French corps approach woods

Left – French cavalry halt out of artillery range

Centre – 13^th French corps cross pass at half move rate

Right – 15^th Italian corps cross hill at half move rate

End of move 6

French artillery unlimber and open fire

6^th Russian artillery receive 10% casualties

 

Left – French infantry reach woods

Centre – French infantry move down from pass

Right – Italian infantry move down from hill

End of move 8

French cavalry routed

 

Left – skirmish fight continues in the woods

Left – French cavalry charge guns, counter charged by Cossacks and routed

Centre – French cavalry charge runs, routed with 20% casualties

Centre – French infantry forced to form square when cavalry routed

Right – Italian infantry advance against shaken artillery crew

End of move 10

Russian tactical withdrawal

 

Left – French infantry take woods

Left – Russian cavalry force gunners to abandon their guns

Left – One Russian and Two French cavalry brigades in rout

Centre – Russian centre withdraw towards town

Right - Russian infantry withdraw and abandon fortified farm

Right – Russian gunners in rout 

End of move 12

Russians retreat to Munchberg

French take woods and inn

 

Left – French occupy woods, two Russian infantry brigades rout

Left – Two French cavalry brigades rout

Centre – Two Russian cavalry brigades rout

Right – French take inn, Russians redeploy north of the inn

  

Summary

At nightfall the Russian army are largely intact and still hold Munchberg

However they have lost more casualties than the French

They also have five brigades in rout to two French brigades in rout

The Russians have won the game, but it feels more like a draw

 

The French have lost 1 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (600 men)

The Russians have lost 4 infantry, 1 cavalry and 3 artillery casualties (1900 men)

21 June 1813 – Central Germany – Day 5

 

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

4^th French army occupy Hollfeld and advance towards Bayreuth

6^th French army lay siege to Pegnitz, 3^rd Russian army withdraw from campaign

20 June 1813 – Battle of Pegnitz

Tactical map of battle area

6^th French army ordered to take Pegnitz

3^rd Russian army ordered to hold Pegnitz

 

Both armies have light casualties from battle of Forchheim

 

3 French infantry brigades detached on garrison duty

One Russian infantry brigade missing due to casualties 

 

French – 9 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Russian – 11 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

Russians are deployed in front of the town of Pregnitz

CinC has taken command of both cavalry brigades

15 infantry brigade is the town garrison

 

French will arrive at the bottom of the table at the start of move 1

 

End of move 2

French arrive bottom of table

Russian cavalry advance between 7 and 9 corps

 

Left – 17^th Polish corps advance left of inn

Centre – CinC takes command of 16 and 17 cavalry brigades

Centre – 16^th French corps advance between inn and hill

Right – 18^th Vistula corps advance either side of the walled farm

 

End of move 4

Russian infantry have not occupied forward line of woods

French artillery open fire

 

Left – Poles infantry advance towards woods, artillery unlimber on their right

Centre – Artillery open fire, infantry remain out of artillery range

Right -  Vistula advance towards woods, artillery unlimber on their left

End of move 6

Russian cavalry rout

French advance to attack

 

Left – Polish infantry advance to woods, Russian infantry fall back

Centre – French advance, Russians artillery fire but no casualt9ies

Right – Vistula artillery rout Russian cavalry division

End of move 8

Russians retreat and abandon artillery

 

Left – Russian gunners run to square, infantry start to withdraw

Centre – French cavalry force gunners to abandon guns

Centre – Russian infantry brigade routed by artillery fire

Right – Russian cavalry continue to rout

Right -  Russian gunners routed by artillery fire

Right – Russian infantry start to withdraw

 

Summary

With the loss of all of their cavalry and artillery the Russian infantry withdraw

Casualties have been light, but morale low due to earlier battle casualties

Russians still hold Pegnitz at nightfall

But without artillery or cavalry will not be able to fight another major battle

 

The French have lost no casualties

The Russians have lost 1 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 gunner (600 men)

They also have four brigades in rout

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)