22 May 1813 – Battle of Kitzbuhel

Tactical map of battle area

3^rd Austrian army launch a surprise attack on Kitzbuhel

9^th French army have orders to advance and hold Kitzbuhel

 

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

Austrian – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

9^th French army is deployed on the left, either side of the town of Kitzbuhel

Marshal Victor has added one brigade from each corps to the garrison

3^rd Austrian army is off table on the right.   They will enter table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

The French have advanced either side of the town

 

The Austrians have entered on the right

General Merveldt has taken command in the centre

He has taken two brigades from each corps to create an elite reserve to attack the town

 

End of move 4

The French are in position and await the Austrian attack

 

The Austrians are competing their deployment

5^th corps artillery are within short range of town

HQ reserve have formed column of attack

6^th corps artillery moving on to hill, remainder of corps in position

End of move 6

French artillery open fire

17^th corps cavalry lose melee and retreat shaken

Garrison receive 10% casualties, pass morale

18^th corps advance to eastern side of pass

 

Austrian artillery open fire

5^th corps hussars charge and rout French cuirassiers

HQ reserve infantry advance to skirmish garrison, lose 10% casualties

6^th corps artillery deploy on hill

End of move 8

French fighting to hold town

17^th corps artillery routed with 10% casualties

HQ reserve losing battle for northern half of town

18^th corps move onto eastern side of pass

 

Austrians fight for northern half of town

5^th corps cavalry charge and rout French gunners

HQ reserve fight their way into northern half of town

6^th corps artillery fire on French gunners

End of move 10

French have lost northern half of town

17^th corps artillery routed, remainder of corps retreat

HQ reserve hold southern half of town, but two brigades routed from northern half

18^th corps continue artillery duel, but  no damage done

 

Austrians have taken northern half of town

5^th corps advance in pursuit of retreating 17^th French corps

HQ reserve have taken northern half of town with light casualties

All four brigades are now in position to attack southern half of town

6^th corps exchange artillery fire and are prepared to pin 18^th Austrian corp

End of move 12

French have lost town, 5 brigades in rout

17^th corps have retreated out of range

HQ reserve have lost town, all three infantry brigades in rout

18^th corps continue to exchange artillery fire, no casualties on either side

 

Austrians have taken Kitzbuhel

5^th corps hold position in support of town

HQ reserve have taken town,  two brigades in garrison and two in reserve

6^th corps artillery hit garrison and cause 10% casualties

 

Summary

The Austrians have taken the town and won the game

The French have lost 9 infantry. 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3800 men)

The Austrians have lost 3 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (1300 men)

 

22 May 1813 - Southern Germany - Day 2

Marshal Massena orders the Bavarian army to advance towards the border.   His intention is to defend Walchsee, Sankt and Johann and Kitzbuhel and not to cross the border and attack the Austrian army.

 

General Schwarzenberg orders the Austrian army to halt on the border and resupply.   However he orders 3^rd army, south of the river Inn, to cross the border and attack Kitzbuhel.  

 

Austrians win the battle of Kitzbuhel.

French suffer 9 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3800 men)

Austrians suffer 3 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (1300 men)

  

21 May 1813 - Southern Germany - Day 1

 

 

The Austrian army advance to the Kufstein/Salzburg border

This brings them within attack distance of Walchsee, Sankt Johann and Kitzbuhel

However it takes out of supply range of their depots at Mattsee, Salzburg and Kuchl

All three towns forward supplies to the forward depots at Nussdorf, Inzelll and Schonau 

 

The Bavarian army is surprised by this movement  and remain in their peace time locations.  This keeps them within supply range of all six depots.  

20 May 1813 – Southern Germany – Kufstein Campaign

Map of Germany

On 1^st January 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France

 

Three allied armies would concentrate in Germany

Prussian army at Berlin

Russian army at Dresden

Austrian army at Vienna

Together they would engage and defeat Napoleon

 

General Schwartzenberg would command the Austrian army

They would concentrate in the Vienna region

They would then march into the Munich region and engage the French

 

Marshal Massena would command the French army

They would concentrate in the Strasbourg region

They would them march into the Munich region and hold it

 

This map shows the three campaign areas in Germany

Stars indicate previous campaigns, colour of star who won

The white star is Kufstein

Map of Southern Germany

There are three regions in Southern Germany

Strasbourg Region (on the left) is the concentration area for Third French army

Vienna Region (on the right) is the concentration area for the Austrian Army       

 

This map shows the location of previous campaigns, colour indicates who won

The white star is Kufstein

Map of Munich Region

This map is used for strategic (planning) movement.

It shows the location of each army at the start of the campaign

Stars indicate previous campaigns, colour of star who won

 

Campaign Diary

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

01 February 1813    Formation of Third French army in Munich region

25 February 1813    Third French army declared operational

28 February 1813    Austrians moved into the Munich region

30 March 1813        Start of Branau campaign phase

11 April 1813           Austrians win Branau phase

20 May 1813           Start of Kufstein campaign phas 

Map of Kufstein/Salzburg District

This map is used for tactical (daily) movement

It shows the location of both armies at the start of the campaign

The Austrian objective is to take and hold the city of Kufstein

The French objective is to defeat the Austrian army

 

French Army of Southern Germany

Marshal Massena

9^th Bavarian corps

10^th Bavarian corps  

11^th Bavarian corps

12^th Baden corps

17^th French corps

18^th French corps

6 militia town garrisons

 

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

Total strength 96000 infantry, 24000 militia, 6000 cavalry, and 180 guns

 

Austrian Army

General Schwarzenberg

1^st Austrian corps

2^nd Austrian corps

3^rd Austrian corps

4^th Austrian corps

5^th Austrian corps

6^th Austrian corps

 

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

Total strength 96000 infantry, 24000 militia, 6000 cavalry, and 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

30 - Introduction to the campaign in Southern Germany

31 – French Army order of battle

32 - Austrian Army order of battle

33 - Daily diary for the campaign in Southern Germany

34 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Southern Germany

35 - Summary of campaign in Southern Germany

 

 

Summary of Northern Spain Campaign – 19 May 1813

Regional map of Northern Spain

There are three regions in Southern Spain

But unlike Germany, the French do not have a secure rear area

All of Spain is in revolt against the French, who only control the area they occupy

Fourth French army are in Burgos

Their main depot is in Santander

The Anglo/Portuguese army is in Salamanca

Their main depot is in Oporto

 

French Strategy in Spain

King Joseph is the commander in chief of all French troops in Spain.

However he commands no respect from either his army commanders

Both Soult and Suchet are determined to remain independent commanders

Suchet wants to invade southern Spain and become King of Andalusia

Soult wants to defeat Wellington and become King of Portugal

 

All three agree that Soult will drive Wellington out of Spain

Suchet will invade Andalusia and take Seville

He will then detach two of his four corps to support Soult

Soult will invade Portugal and drive Wellington out of the Peninsula

 

Anglo-Spanish Strategy in Spain

Wellington is the commander in chief of all allied troops in the Peninsula

However all Spanish generals deeply resent this appointment

Giron is determined to take Madrid and become the hero of Spain

 

Wellington is well aware that he cannot rely on his Spanish generals

To defeat the French he must first take Madrid

To do so the Spanish army must hold southern Spain to pin Suchet

Most importantly the Spanish must avoid a comprehensive defeat

This would allow both French armies to concentrate against Wellington

 

Diary of Northern Spain Campaign

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

20 February 1813    Anglo/Portuguese army operational in Oporto Region

27 February 1813    Fourth French army operational in Burgos Region

22 March 1813        Start of Valladolid campaign phase

29 March 1813        British win Valladolid campaign phase

19 May 1813           British win Llanes 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

40 - Introduction to the campaign in Northern Spain

41 – French Army order of battle

42 – Anglo/Portuguese Army order of battle

43 - Daily diary for the campaign in Northern Spain

44 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Northern Spain

45 - Summary of campaign in Northern Spain

 

19 May 1813 – Northern Spain – End of Llanes Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Wellington won three of the five battles fought.

Soult won the remaining two

 

Wellington held the city of Llanes and therefore won the campaign

 

The campaign started on 21 April 2022 and ended on 5 July 2022

The French had the initiative and opened the campaign with a surprise attack on the 4^th Spanish army.   To my surprise the Spanish held their own, and the French were forced to abandon the attack.   The Spanish won two of the the five battles, and were not defeated once by the French.   It was British who lost the two battles to the French.

Madrid Region

At the end of the campaign the two armies were facing each other over the Llanes/Santander district borders.    They were in the same positions as at the start of the campaign.

 

Soult ordered his army to hold the border

He established his headquarters in Santander

 

Wellington ordered his army to hold the border

He established his headquarters in Llanes