21 April 1813 – South Spain – Day 1

Both armies have deployed their corps close to the border

This presents resupply problems for both the French and the Spanish

Both sides are too far from their rear depots to resupply

So both armies have to transfer supplies to the forward depots

This is more of a problem for the Spanish, who can only hold three days

The French can hold four days.

 

The campaign opens with 14^th French army attacking Daimiel.

By midday the battle is still undecided

However Giron loses his nerve and orders a general retreat

The French have lost 500 casualties, the Spanish 1300

20 April 1813 – Southern Spain – Cuidad Real Campaign

Map of Europe

This map shows the location of the five campaign areas. 

Each square is a military region.  

The current location of each army group is shown.  

The stars show the location of previous phases.  

The colour indicates which side won.  

 

This is the 80^th phase since the campaign started in April 2009.  

It is the 7^th in the sixth revision which started in June 2020 

 

The white star shows the location of Cuidad Real

Map of Spain

This map shows the location of the four army groups in Spain.  

Each square is a military district.  

Nine squares is a military region.  

The stars show the location of previous campaigns fought in Spain. 

The colour of the star indicates which side won.  

 

The white star shows the location of Cuidad Real

 

There are two allied armies in Spain

British army at Oporto

Spanish army at Seville

Their objective is to drive the French out of Spain

 

General Giron commands the Spanish army

They are concentrated in the Seville region

Their objective is to advance into the Madrid region and engage the French

 

Marshal Suchet commands the Fifth French army

They are concentrated in the Madrid region

Their objective is to march south and defeat the Spanish army

 

This map shows the current location of the four armies.
The colour of stars indicated which army has won the previous campaign phases.    

Map of South Spain

This map shows the location of the French and Spanish army.  

Each square is a military district.  

Nine squares is a military region.  

The stars show the location of previous campaigns fought in Spain. 

The colour of the star indicates which side won

 

There are three regions in Southern Spain

Lisbon Region (on the left) is held by the Portuguese army

Valencia Region (on the right) is the held by irregular Spanish forces

Seville Region is the disputed area in the middle

 

This map shows the current location of the French and Spanish armies

It also shows the location of previous battles fought in the area.

Cuidad Real is indicated by a white star

Seville Region

This map shows the location of the French and Spanish army. 

Each square is a military district.  

Nine squares is a military region.  

The stars show the location of previous campaigns fought in Spain. 

The colour of the star indicates which side won

 

This map is used for strategic (planning) movement.

Cuidad Real District

This map shows the campaign area

It covers the area between Cuidad Real and Albacete

The district border is in the middle of the map

 

It shows the location of each French and Spanish corps.

It also shows depots and detached brigades

Each square is a 2x2 foot scenic square.  

Nine squares is a wargames table.  

Nine squares is also a military district.   

 

This map is used for tactical (daily) movement

 

The Spanish objective is to hold the city of Cuidad Real

The French objective is to defeat the Spanish army

 

Campaign Diary

1 February 1813      Austria, Britain, Prussia, Russia and Spain declared war on France

4 February 1813      Spanish army operational n Saville region

28 February 1813    Fifth French army operational in Madrid Region

9 March 1813          Start of Toledo campaign phase

13 March 1013        Spanish win Toledo campaign phase      

 

Fifth French Army

Marshal Suchet

25^th French corps

26^th Polish corps

27^th French corps

28^th Italian corps

29^th French corps

30^th Westphalian corps

31^st Reserve corps

 

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery.   The reserve corps has six infantry brigades who form the garrison of towns in Albacete district

120,000 infantry, 6000 cavalry, 180 guns

 

Spanish Army

General Giron

1^st Spanish corps

2^nd Spanish corps

3^rd Spanish corps

4^th Spanish corps

5^th Spanish corps

6^th Spanish corps

 

1^st, 2^nd, 4^th and 6^th corps have four infantry and one cavalry brigades, plus corps artillery

3^rd and 6^th corps have three infantry brigades and corps artillery

There are also 12 militia brigades, one in each town

 

80,000 infantry, 48,000 militia, 4000 cavalry, 180 guns

 

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

50 - Introduction to the campaign in southern Spain

51 - Fifth French Army order of battle

52 - Spanish Army order of battle

53 - Daily diary for the campaign in southern Spain

54 - Battle reports of all battles fought in southern Spain

55 - Summary of campaign in southern Spain

 

Summary of North Germany Campaign – 19 April 1813

Regional map of North Germany

There are three regions in North Germany

Osnabruck Region is the rear area for First French army

Their main depot is in Osnabruck

Brunswick Region is the rear area for the Prussian Army

Their main depot is in Berlin                     

Brunswick Region is the disputed area between them

 

Diary of North German Campaign

The French Grand Army was destroyed during the 1812 Russian campaign

Napoleon had to create a new army to fight the 1813 campaign

1 February 1813      Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France

1 February 1813      Formation of First French army in Osnabruck region

19 February 1813    First French army declared operational.

20 February 1813    Prussians invade Brunswick region

25 February 1813    Prussians occupied the city of Brunswick

26 February 1813    Napoleon advanced into the Brunswick region

28 February 1813    French occupy the city of Hannover

1 March 1813          Start of Brunswick campaign phase

8 March 1813          French win Brunswick campaign phase

12 April 1813           Start of Lubeck campaign phase

19 April 1813           French win Lubeck campaign phase

         

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

10 - Introduction to the campaign in Northern Germany

11 – 1^st French Army order of battle

12 - Prussian Army order of battle

13 - Daily diary for the campaign in Northern Germany

14 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Northern Germany

15 - Summary of campaign in Northern Germany

19 April 1813 – North Germany – End of Lubeck Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Napoleon won five of the six battles fought

 

At the end of the campaign the Prussians had been forced to retreat into the Wismar district

 

Due to supply problems the French were unable to pursue the retreating Prussian army

 

The campaign started on 12 April 2021 and ended on 22 August 2021

 

This campaign phase was the first using the new larger armies

There were six corps per side, instead of the previous four corps per side

 

They were organised in three armies of two corps each

This allowed a battle to be fought each campaign day

It also allowed for larger wargames, with at least two corps per side

Brunswick Region

Blucher ordered his army to retreat into Wismar district

 

Napoleon deployed his army along the Lubeck-Wismar border

He moved his headquarters to Lubeck

 

19 April 1813 – North Germany - Day 7

Blucher orders the Prussian army to concentrate at Wismar, Schwerin and Ludwigslust.   This will take them east of both the Wismar/Lubeck border and also the river Elbe.

Napoleon orders First French army to retreat closer to the border, but to hold the border towns of Boltenhagen, Gadebusch and Fletchingen.

The French are low on supplies, and their lines of supply are over extended from Lubeck.   To ease his supply problems he must move his army west until he can reorganise his supply system.

The French have won a significant victory in the Lubeck  campaign, but they are not yet ready to move into Wismar district.

18 April 1813 – Battle of Fletchingen

 

Tactical map of battle area

Napoleon is now almost certain to win the campaign

However he is determined to defeat Blucher with 1^st corps

This will allow his Old Guard to avenge their earlier defeat at Fletchingen

 

1^st 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 Prussian commander has created a reserve (centre right) of two elite infantry brigades, which he has placed in the town

Napoleon has also created a reserve (centre left) of two infantry brigades and 1^st corps artillery

End of move 2

The Prussian artillery have deployed slightly forward of their battle line

The French have advanced but remain out of range of the Prussian guns

End of move 4

The French infantry and cavalry halt out of artillery range

Their artillery move forward to deploy within range of the Prussian infantry

3^rd French corps artillery deploy, fire and hit an infantry brigade

The Prussians pass their morale test with 10% casualties

1^st French corps artillery continue to advance to deploy within short range of the town.   Before they can do so they are hit by the Prussian artillery.   They lose their morale test with 10% casualties and are shaken.  However on the next move they pass the test and are disordered.   This delays their deployment by two moves.

End of move 6

The French artillery have failed to soften up the enemy for the infantry attack.

Despite this Napoleon must send his infantry forward to have time to complete the attack.

3^rd French corps is ordered to pin 6^th Prussian corps, but not to attack

 

1^st French corps is ordered to attack 5^th Prussian corps

They will be supported by the French reserve.

End of move 8

3^rd French corps artillery rout a Prussian square

Panic spread to the nearby gunners who join the rout

This allows the rest of 3^rd corps to advance

 

The guard cavalry move forward to protect 1^st corps attack

They are charged by 5^th Prussian hussars, who they quickly rout

Panic spreads to the Prussian infantry in the woods

5^th corps gunners abandon their guns and run to safety in the town.

Summary

Napoleon orders 1^st corps and the reserve to swing left to attack the town

3^rd corps will continue their pressure on 6^th Prussian corps

With five brigades in rout Blucher orders both corps to retreat

His reserve will continue to hold the town until nightfall

The French have lost 1 artillery casualty (100 men)

The Prussians have lost 3 infantry, 2 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (1500 men)