10 July 1813 - Southern Germany - Day 7

 

French accept defeat and retreat


1st Austrian army – occupy Essenbach
2nd Austrian army – regroup at Reisbach
3rd Austrian army – occupy Dorfen

7th French army – surrender Essenbach
8th French army – retreat and abandon Landshut
9th French army – retreat

9 July 1813 – Battle of Dorfen

Tactical map of battle area

3rd Austrian army attack Dorfen
9th French army have orders to hold Dorfen

The river Danube can only be crossed by a bridge

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Austrian –12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

French – 4 infantry, 3 cavalry, 2 artillery brigades have casualties
Austrian – 3 infantry, 3 cavalry, 1 artillery brigades have casualties

Table at start of battle

9th French army are deplolyed in and either side of Dorfen
3rd Austrian army will arrive on the table at the start of move 1
The river Danube can not be crossed as there are no bridges

End of move 2

Austrians arrive on table and advance towards centre

Merveldt centre right, has taken command of the elite division of 8th corps
7th corps- advance towards the village on the right
8th corps - advance through the pass
9th corps - advance over the hill on the left

Ney leads forward one cavalry and one infantry brigade between town and village
25 corps - advance to support village on the right
26 corps - hold Dorfen
27 corps - cavalry advance on the far left

End of move 4

Artillery exchange fire

Austrian reserve – halt out of artillery range
7th corps – approach village on right, artillery fire on infantry
8th corps - deploy north of pass, artillery unlimber
9th corps - near far edge of hill, artillery unlimber

French reserve – wait for Austrians to advance
25 corps - cavalry retreat disordered, artillery fire no casualties
26 corps – hold Dorfen
27 corps - wait for Austrians to advance

End of move 6

French abandon village on left

Austrian reserve – halt out of artillery range
7th corps – capture village and win cavalry melee
8th corps - advance towards town, gunners abandon guns
9th corps - advance towards woods

French reserve – cavalry charge guns, gunners retreat
25 corps – garrison rout from village, cavalry and grenadiers retreat shaken
26 corps – hold town
27 corps – hold woods

End of move 8

25 Bavarian corps rout and then rally

Austrian reserve – advance to attack Dorfen
7th corps – secure village and regroup
8th corps – advance to attack Dorfen
9th corps – lose cavalry melee and halt

French reserve - cavalry routed but rally
25 corps – routed but rally near farm top right
26 corps – hold Dorfen
27 corps – hold woods

End of move 10

French abandon half of Dorfen

Austrian reserve – attack right half of Dorfen
7th corps – swing left to support attack on Dorfen
8th corps – redeploy to attack left half of Dorfen
9th corps – cavalry melee draw, both withdraw disordered

French reserve - withdraw behind Dorfen
25 corps – fail morale and continue to retreat
26 corps – lose half of Dorfen
27 corps – hold woods

End of move 12

French abandon Dorfen

Austrian reserve – enter Dorfen
7th corps – advance in pursuit of retreating enemy
8th corps – prepare to enter Dorfen
9th corps – advance towards woods

French reserve - retreat
25 corps - retreat
26 corps – retreat, abandon Dorfen
27 corps – retreat, rear guard hold woods

Summary
The Austrians have taken all of Dorfen
They have also routed 25th and 26th Bavarian corps

The French have lost 6 infantry, 5 cavalry and 3 gunner casualties (3200 men)
The Austrians have lost 4 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (1800 men)

9 July 1813 - Southern Germany - Day 6

 

Austrians attack Dorfen
Siege of Essenbach day 2

1st Austrian army – siege of Essenbach
2nd Austrian army – retreat to Reisbach
3rd Austrian army – attack Dorfen

7th French army – garrison Essenbach
8th French army – regroup and resupply at Landshut
9th French army – defend Dorfen

8 July 1813 – Battle of Landshut

Tactical map of battle area

2nd Austrian army attack Landshut
8th French army deployed between Landshut and the river Danube

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Austrian –12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

French – 3 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (1400 men)
Austrian – 2 infantry, 1 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (1000 men)

Table at start of battle

French are deployed between the city and the river Danube
The river can only be crossed by one of the three bridges

Wrede – two infantry and two cavalry brigades on the far right
22 corps – between the main road and the river
23 corps – immediately in front of the city
24 corps - in front of the hill on the left

Austrians will arrive at the start of move 1
Klenau – left of road with half of 5 corps and 6 corps artillery
4 corps – right flank
5 corps – centre
6 corps – left flank

End of move 2

French left advance either side of the river
Austrians arrive on table and advance towards river

Wrede – cavalry advance supported by infantry
22 corps – advance towards bend in river
23 corps – await Austrian attack
24 corps – await Austrian attack

Klenau – advance towards centre bridge
4 corps – advance onto hill on the right
5 corps – advance in towards centre bridge
6 corps – advance onto hill on the left

End of move 4

French in position either side of the river
Austrians advance in centre

Wrede – cavalry in position to attack Austrians as they advance downhill
22 corps – artillery in position to support Wrede
23 corps – wait for Austrians to advance within artillery range
24 corps – wait for Austrians to advance within artillery range

Klenau – artillery advance towards bridge
4 corps – move to their right out of artillery range
5 corps – artillery advance towards bridge
6 corps – advance over hill

End of move 6

French centre and right retreat out of artillery range
Austrians deploy in centre to attack city

Wrede – cavalry in position to attack if Austrians advance
22 corps – artillery in position to engage any Austrian advance
23 corps – infantry retreat out of artillery range
24 corps – observe Austrian deployment

Klenau – deploy artillery either side of bridge, infantry ready to advance
4 corps – move to right for artillery to engage enemy cavalry
5 corps – ready to advance when enemy artillery destroyed
6 corps – unable to advance without artillery support

End of move 8

French retreat out of artillery range
Austrians lose only artillery capable of counter battery fire

Wrede – Retreat out of artillery range
22 corps – artillery hit enemy gunners
23 corps – wait for Austrians to advance over centre bridge
24 corps – wait for Austrians to advance over left brigade

Klenau – artillery unable to hit Bavarian gunners
4 corps – 12 pdr receive 10% casualties, rout and take infantry brigade with them
5 corps – Bavarian gunners out of range
6 corps – unable to advance in face of enemy artillery and cavalry

Summary

The Austrians can only cross the river Danube by one of the three bridges

Two of their three corps artillery have casualties and cannot hit enemy gunners at long range. The third has now routed with 10% casualties. Now impossible for the Austrians to advance over the river.

The French have lost no casualties

The Austrians have lost 1 artillery casualties (100 men)