17 March 1813 – Battle of Kassel

Tactical map of battle area

Background to battle

3 French corps have orders to attack

3 Russian corps have orders to hold

French – 28000 infantry, 3000 cavalry, 81 guns

Russian – 35600 infantry, 1800 cavalry, 90 guns

Table at start of wargame

All corps start on the wargames table

Russian HQ arrive start of move 5

French have 5 brigades missing due to casualties or garrison duties

Russians have 4 brigades missing due to casualties or garrison duties

0800-0900

French advance

Russians wait for French deployment 

0900-1000  

All three French corps advance

However 2^nd corps at the top will be the main attack

5^th and 6^th corps are both outnumbered, and have weak artillery

1000-1100  

Russian artillery open fire on approaching French

No casualties

1100-1200 

1^st Russian artillery hit 6^th French gunners, who already have 10% casualties

They fail their morale and are shaken with 20% casualties

2^nd French artillery hit 2^nd Russian infantry, who pass their morale with 10% casualties

1200-1300 

2^nd French infantry pass through woods and approach 2^nd Russian

Russian artillery fire on infantry, but no casualties

French cavalry charge and rout Russian cuirassiers with 20% casualties

5^th and 6^th French corps ordered to halt and hold their current position

All now depends on 2^nd French corps

1300-1400 

Davout orders 2^nd corps to attack the Russians

They charge, and rout, both the artillery and supporting infantry square

The Russian gunners rout into the rear square, who break and join the rout

All of 2^nd Russian corps is now in rout

Russian Rout

Conclusion

With the rout of 2^nd corps Wittgenstein accepts defeat and orders a retreat

The French have lost 100 gunners

The Russians have lost 2000 infantry, 200 cavalry and 200 gunners

Outcome

A crushing defeat for the Russian Army

Wittgenstein must now consider whether he should accept defeat and order a general retreat.

Battle Summary

Davout took a risk in ordering an attack when he was outnumbered.

His artillery were particularly weak.

Two of his corps were heavily outnumbered

But 2^nd corps, on his left, was full strength except for a brigade on detachment

He ordered his two weak corps to hold the centre and right

2^nd corps would decide the outcome of the battle.

It was fortunate that the Russian right wing was held by their weakest corps

The Young Guard advanced through the woods and charged the Russian line

The Russian cavalry were routed by the horse grenadiers

Their infantry were forced to form square and were broken by the French columns

The Russians lost 2400 casualties and four brigades in rout

The French lost just 100 gunners