Summary of North Germany Campaign – 18 July 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

01 February 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France
01 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
01 March 1813 Start of Brunswick campaign phase
08 March 1813 French win Brunswick campaign phase
12 April 1813 Start of Lubeck campaign phase
19 April 1813 French win Lubeck campaign phase
21 May 1813 Start of Goslar campaign phas
07 June 1813 Prussians win Goslar campaign phase
11 July 1813 Start of Wismar campaign phase
18 July 1813 French win Wismar 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 – 1st 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

18 July 1813 – North Germany – End of Wismar Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Blucher won four of the seven battles fought
Napoleon won the other three, including the final one for Wismar

The Prussian victories had been technical rather than decisive
In most cases they had avoided defeat by retreating
They had then been too weak to fight for a second day
This was particularly true at Ludwigslust where the Prussians won the first battle
But were crushed when they fought a second day

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

The campaign started in February and ended in April 2024

Battles fought in Brunswick Region

Napoleon ordered his army to deploy in and around Wismar
Blucher ordered his army to retreat to Magdeburg

18 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 8

 

Prussian army abandons Wismar
French win campaign

1st Prussian Army – retreat
2nd Prussian Army – retreat
3rd Prussian Army – retreat

3rd French Army – occupy Wismar
1st French Army – occupy Schwerin
2nd French Army – occupy Ludwigslust

17 July 1813 – Battle of Wismar

 

Tactical map of battle area

The outcome of this battle will decide the winner of the campaign
Wismar is the district capitol and main Prussian base

3rd French army is commanded by Marshal Murat
1st Prussian army is commanded by General Blucher

3rd French Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
1st Prussian Army – 12 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

The French have cavalry advantage, the Prussians artillery advantage
The Prussians have lost one cavalry brigade to battle casualties
Two of the three French corps artillery have 10% casualties

Table at start of battle

French deploy out of artillery range
CINC – creates cavalry reserve by taking brigades from 7th and 8th corps
9 corps – attack woods on left
8 corps – attack inn in the centre
7 corps – attack hill on the right

Prussians deploy in front of Wismar
CINC – takes command of half of 2nd corps and artillery from 1st corps
3 corps – hold woods on left
2 corps – hold inn in the centre
1 corps – hold hill on the right

End of move 2

French advance
CINC – deploy cavalry reserve between 7th and 8th corps
9 corps - advance towards woods
8 corps – advance in centre
7 corps – advance towards hill

Prussian artillery redeploy and opens fire
CINC – artillery fire, no casualties
3 corps – hold woods
2 corps – hold inn
1 corps – hold hill

End of move 4

French artillery very effective
CINC – wait for artillery results
9 corps – artillery hit woods twice
8 corps – artillery hit infantry to the right of inn
7 corps – artillery hit cuirassier brigade in centre

Prussian artillery fire ineffective
CINC – cavalry receive 10% casualties, fail morale and rout
3 corps – infantry in woods receive 20% casualties, pass morale test and hold
2 corps – enemy still out of artillery range
1 corps – reserves move onto hill on the right

End of move 6

French attack begins
CINC – cavalry rout artillery in the centre
9 corps – attack woods, rout gunners
8 corps – attack inn
7 corps – attack hill on the left

Prussian start to crumble
CINC – gunners and cavalry rout, infantry shaken
3 corps – gunners and one infantry brigade rout
2 corps – hold inn, supports retreat
1 corps – hold hill, no casualties

End of move 8

French capture inn in the centre
CINC – cavalry halt in front of infantry squares
9 corps – infantry capture top left section of woods
8 corps –infantry occupy inn (first objective)
7 corps – move onto hill and continue firefight

Prussian start to withdraw slowly towards Wismar
CINC – rallies cavalry, infantry in square in front of Wismar
3 corps – lost one section of woods, but still hold three sections
2 corps – withdraw towards Wismar
1 corps – withdraw to rear of hill, but continue firefight

End of move 10

French capture hill on the right
Cinc – lose cavalry melee, one brigade routs
9 corps – lose fight for woods, three brigades routed
8 corps – occupy inn, advance towards city
7 corps – capture hill (second objective)

Prussian hold woods, retreat and occupy city
Cinc – cavalry route French brigade
3 corps – recapture all of woods (third objective)
2 corps – retreat and occupy city
1 corps – lose firefight and retreat from hill

End of move 12

French have broken contact to secure inn and hill
Cinc – cavalry division centre rear
9 corps – deployed north of woods on the left
8 corps – deployed between inn and city
7 corps – deployed on hill

Prussian control woods and city
Cinc – in Wismar
3 corps – occupy woods on the left
2 corps – occupy Wismar in the centre
1 corps – deployed to the right of city

Summary
The French have captured two of the three game objectives
The Prussians hold the third, which is the woods on the left
They also hold Wismar, but that is not one of the game objectives

By taking two of the three game objectives the French have won this battle

The French have lost 6 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2500 men)
The Prussians have lost 9 infantry, 1 cavalry and 5 artillery casualties (4600 men)

17 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 7

 

Third Prussian army left campaign
Battle of Wismar

1st Prussian Army – defend Wismar
2nd Prussian Army – redeploy at Schwerin
3rd Prussian Army – left campaign

3rd French Army – attack Wismar
1st French Army – retreat to Gadebusch
2nd French Army – rergroup and reorganise at Ludwigslust

16 July 1813 – Battle of Schwerin

Tactical map of battle area

The Prussians have already lost their Third Army at Ludwigslust
A defeat at Schwerin would leave them in possession of only Wismar in the north
A French defeat would leave their Second Army isolated at Ludwigslust

1st French army is commanded by Emperor Napoleon
2nd Prussian army is commanded by General Bulow

1st French Army – 12 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
2nd Prussian Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

French are advancing at the top of the table, out of artillery range
Cinc – observing the Prussian deployment
3 corps – on the left, either side of the village
1 corps – in the centre to attack Schwerin
2 corps – on the right moving through the woods

Prussian are deployed in front of Schwerin
Cinc – has taken command of both cavalry brigades just behind 5 corps
6 corps – on the left hand hill
5 corps – in front of Schwerin
4 corps – on the right hand hill

End of move 2

French halt out of artillery range and form column of attack
Cinc – had taken command of two cavalry brigades to counter Prussian cavalry
3 corps – cavalry brigade under command of CinC
1 corps – cavalry brigade under command of CinC
2 corps – clear woods and form column of attack

Prussian make minor adjustment in deployment
Cinc – deploys cavalry division between 6 and 5 corps
6 corps – one more brigade moves onto hill
5 corps – await French advance
4 corps – one more brigade moves onto hill

End of move 4

French artillery open fire
Cinc – hold
3 corps – artillery fire on gunners, no casualty
1 corps –artillery fire on gunners, no casualty
2 corps – artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualty

Prussian artillery open fire
Cinc –hold
6 corps – artillery fire on gunners, no casualty
5 
4 corps - artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualty

End of move 6

French attack
Cinc – counter charge, lose first round of melee
3 corps – left hand division attack hill
1 corps – gunners receive 10% casualties, pass morale test
2 corps – cavalry force gunners to retreat to nearby square

Prussian artillery cause casualties and provoke early French attack
Cinc – charge guard chasseurs, win first round of melee
6 corps – hold hill, wait for French attack
5 corps – infantry rout and take second brigade and gunners with them
4 corps – infantry form square and retreat on hill

End of move 8

French continue to attack
Cinc – lost cavalry melee, both brigades in rout
3 corps – one brigade routed, attack stalled
1 corps – one brigade shaken, attack stalled
2 corps – fighting on hill

Prussian start to retreat
Cinc – won cavalry melee, but one brigade has 20% casualties
6 corps – withdraw behind crest but holding their own
5 corps – two brigades in rout, gunners abandoned guns, remainder retreat to town
4 corps - forced into square by enemy cavalry, gunners abandoned guns.

End of move 10

French continue to attack
Cinc – rally cavalry and lead them forward
3 corps –withdraw from hill to regroup
1 corps – regroup and advance towards town
2 corps – continue to attack hill

Prussian attempt to break contact and withdraw
Cinc – redeploy cavalry between left hill and town
6 corps – withdraw to rear edge of left hill
5 corps – move into Schwerin
4 corps – retreat in square from right hill

End of move 12

French regroup
Cinc – cavalry deployed to left of main road
3 corps – withdraw north of left hand hill
1 corps – halt in front of Schwerin
2 corps – occupy right hand hill

Prussian redeploy in and around Schwerin
Cinc – cavalry deployed to the left of Schwerin
6 corps – hold left hand hill
5 corps – garrison Schwerin
4 corps – garrison fortified inn to the right of Schwerin

Summary

At nightfall the Prussians hold Schwerin and the crossroads

The French have taken the right hand hill, but failed to take the left hand one
They have also failed to either take Schwerin or rout the Prussian army
They have also lost more casualties, particularly in 1st (Guard) corps

The Prussians have won this battle.

The French have lost 8 infantry, 2 cavalry and one artillery casualties (3500 men)
The Prussians have lost 3 infantry and 3 cavalry casualties (1500 men)

16 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 6

 

Third Prussian army retreat off map
Battle of Schwerin

1st Prussian Army – regroup and resupply at Wismar
2nd Prussian Army – battle of Schwerin
3rd Prussian Army – retreat off map

3rd French Army – regroup and resupply at Boltenhagen
1st French Army – attack Schwerin
2nd French Army – occupy Ludwigslust