17 April 1813 – Battle of Boltenhagen

Tactical map of battle area

Having lost three of the four battles Blucher is desperate to regain the initiative

A victory today would secure the borders and take the campaign into Lubeck district.

 

Both armies have recovered from the first battle of Boltenhagen. 

They are both well supplies and have received sufficient reinforcements to replace most of their battle casualties.

 

2^nd French Army – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

3^rd Prussian Army – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The French (left) have deployed forward of the town and ridge

Augereau has created a reserve of three infantry brigades in the centre

 

The Prussians (right) are in column of march ready to advance

Bulow has created a reserve of two infantry brigades and 1^st corps artillery

End of move 2

Augereau orders two brigades back into the town (top left)

He has also retreated his reserve (centre) onto the hill

13^th Polish corps has taken up position between the hill and the farm

However they have not detached a brigade to garrison the farm

 

2^nd Prussian corps has deployed to pin 4^th French corps

The Prussian reserve is advancing between the woods and farm to support 1^st corps

1^st corps is moving to advance behind the farm and hit the Polish flank.

End of move 4

2^nd Prussian corps advance

Leading infantry brigade receive 10% casualties but pass morale test

Artillery hit French cuirassiers who retreat shaken with 20% casualties

 

Prussian reserve artillery receive 10& casualties, fail morale and rout

 

1^st Prussian corps continue to advance south of farm

One infantry brigade enters farm

End of move 6

2^nd Prussian corps continue to advance

Cavalry charge shaken cuirassiers, but the melee is a draw

Leading infantry brigade receive more casualties and rout with 20% casualties

Nearby gunners fail morale test and are shaken

 

French reserve move down from hill to support the Polish corps

Prussian reserve infantry continue to advance

 

1^st Prussian corps have cleared the farm and are about to engage the Poles

Polish artillery have fired on farm at close range, but failed to inflict any casualties

 

Two Prussian brigades are now in rout (grey stars)

One infantry brigade from 2^nd Corps and gunners from reserve

End of move 8

The cavalry melee ends with both sides breaking and running away

2^nd Prussian corps swing south to engage the French reserve

 

The Prussian reserve half and deploy into line

The French reserve have moved down from the hill

 

1^st Prussian corps lose the cavalry melee and rout

The leading infantry brigade exchange fire with the square

Both brigades suffer casualties, but the Prussians retire shaken

A second brigade moves forward and the resulting melee is a draw

 

There are now four Prussian brigades in rout, and only two French

The outcome is still uncertain, but looking bad for Blucher

End of move 10

4^th French corps attack and rout 2^nd Prussian corps

With two brigades in the town, there is only one brigade available to attack

Their nearest opponent is a landwehr brigade, who break and run

Their support is a line brigade with 20% casualties, who also break

The artillery attempt to retreat, but are caught up in the general rout

 

In the centre the two reserves fight an infantry melee. 

There are two elite infantry brigades on each side

The melee ends in a French victory, but not in a Prussian rout

The Prussian infantry retire shaken

 

13^th Polish corps also have a convincing victory against 1^st Prussian corps

The Polish lancer brigade has suffered 20% casualties

But they still charge a shaken Prussian infantry brigade (they roll two “sixes)

Meanwhile the extended infantry firefight is proving inconclusive

However the rout had a knock on effect, resulting in all of 1^st Prussian corps retreating

 

Summary

With such heavy casualties 1^st Prussian army is now non operational

They are effectively out of the campaign

2^nd French army have also suffered heavy casualties, but will soon recover

A crushing Prussian defeat

 

The French have lost 8 infantry and six cavalry casualties (3800 men)

The Prussians have lost 13 infantry, 6 cavalry and 2 gunner casualties (6000 men)