26 August 1813 – Battle of Eschenbach

Tactical map of battle area

General Langeron, commander of 4^th Russian corps, has orders to report any French activity, hold the bridge and prevent any river crossing by single enemy corps.   However he has been told to retreat if the enemy launch a major attack and outnumber him.

Marshal Davout commands 4^th French and 16^th Westphalian corps.   He has ordered 4^th corps to cross the river and pin the Russians.   He will cross the river further south with 14^th corps and attack the Russian flank.   He hopes to destroy the isolated enemy corps before they can retreat.

4^th Russian corps cannot retreat until they have sighted 14^th French corps

They musts be within 24” to see each other

4^th Russian corps – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

6^th French corps – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

14^th Westphalian corps – 16000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, 30 guns

Table at start of wargame

Eschenbach is the town bottom right

The road top right leads to the rest of the Russian army

The river is fordable, except on the bend which is too marshy

Infantry and cavalry can ford at half movement rate

Artillery must use bridge

0800-1200

Russians have occupied hill and send one brigade to occupy farm

French have crossed the river and deployed facing the hill

 

1200-1600

Westphalian corps have crossed further south

Davout has taken command of the cavalry and threatens the hill

French corps have lost cavalry melee, but still forced Russian cavalry to retire

They have redeployed to attack the farm and threaten the enemy line of retreat

The Russians have started to retreat

They have had to form square on the hill, but are still retreating

Their grenadier brigade holds the farm, to cover the rest as they retreat

1600-2000

The Russians continue to retreat in an orderly manner

6^th French corps press their attack on the farm, forcing the garrison to retire shaken

The lancer brigade charge and rout the reformed Russian cuirassiers.

This rout causes the garrison to test their morale, they fail and also rout

The cuirassiers become tangled with the supporting infantry square

The Westphalian cavalry charge the mass of Russian horse and infantry

Unable to fight back both horsemen and infantry rout through the pass

Nightfall allows the remainder of 4^th Russian corps to retreat towards Waldershof.

Conclusion

Langeron put up a strong defence and was unlucky not to cause any artillery casualties.    As soon as he realised the Westphalians were about to join the fight he ordered a retreat towards Waldershof.   The retreat went well until just before nightfall, when the combined French and Westphalian cavalry routed half of his corps.

The Russians have lost 2200 casualties and all of their guns

The French and Westphalians have lost no casualties

Link to Slideshow

There is a slideshow of this wargame which you will find here

https://youtu.be/sWcMAzz58g0