Having been beaten at the Battle of the Leipzig Gap, the Prussian 3rd Division had fallen back to a position to the southeast of Leipzig.
A map showing the strategic situation before the battle.
It had been able to regain some of its strength by absorbing new recruits into its ranks, but it was still a lot weaker than it had been, and it was unable to outrun the French 4th Division.
Situation
The Prussian 3rd Division retreated after their defeat at the Battle of the Leipzig Gap. They were pursued by the French 4th Division who caught up with them southeast of Leipzig.
The French force was the 4e Division d’Infanterie/4th Infantry Division. It was commanded by General Torrance and comprised:
- 13e Régiment d’Infanterie/13th Infantry Regiment (Average)
- 14e Régiment d’Infanterie/14th Infantry Regiment (Average)
- 15e Régiment d’Infanterie légère/15th Light Infantry Regiment (Average)
- 16e Régiment d’Infanterie légère/16th Light Infantry Regiment (Average)
- 4e Régiment d’Artillerie/4th Artillery Regiment (Average)
- 4e Regiment de Cuirassier/4th Cuirassier Regiment (Average)
The Prussian force was the under-strength 3. Infanterie-Division/3rd Infantry Division. It was commanded by General von Horn and comprised:
- 9. Infanterie-Regiment/9th Infantry Regiment (Poor; reduced to 2 SPs)
- 10. Infanterie-Regiment/10th Infantry Regiment (Poor; reduced to 2 SPs)
- 11. Infanterie-Regiment/11th Infantry Regiment (Poor; reduced to 2 SPs)
- 12. Infanterie-Regiment/12th Infantry Regiment (Poor; reduced to 2 SPs)
- 3. Artillerie-Regiment/3rd Artillery Regiment (Poor; reduced to 1 SP)
The Terrain
The French Reserve Area is on the left of the map and the Prussian Reserve Area is on the right.
The battlefield's terrain. The Prussian Reserve Area is nearest to the camera.
The pursuit of the Prussian 3rd Division
Initial positions
General Torrance positioned his artillery (4th Artillery Regiment) on the hill and took up a position alongside it. Behind the artillery he deployed 14th Infantry Regiment in line. In the centre he placed his two light infantry units (15th Light Infantry Regiment and 16th Light Infantry Regiment) in a contiguous column, and on his right he deployed the 13th Infantry Regiment in line with the 4th Cuirassier Regiment in line behind them.
General von Horn positioned his artillery (3rd Artillery Regiment) on his left, with the 12th Infantry Regiment in line behind them. He also chose to accompany these two units. He deployed the 19th and 11th Infantry Regiments in lone in the centre and the 9th Infantry Regiment in line on his right.
The initial positions of both sides. The Prussian 3rd Division is nearest the camera..
Turn 1
The French immediately attacked the Prussian force.
The French 4th Artillery fired at the Prussian 9th Infantry Regiment, causing them to lose 1 SP.
In the centre both the French 15th and 16th Light Infantry Regiments advanced in a single column. This gave room for the 4th Cuirassiers to change formation into column and move into the area formerly occupied by them.
On the right, the French 13th Infantry Regiment moved forward towards the Prussian 3rd Artillery and 12th Infantry Regiments.
In response, the Prussian 3rd Artillery Regiment fired at the advancing French 13th Infantry Regiment ... and missed! Likewise, in the centre the two Prussian infantry units fired at the oncoming French column and also missed!
The situation at the end of Turn 1.
Turn 2
As pressure on them increased, the Prussians responded.
The Prussian 12th Infantry Regiment advanced and fired at the French 13th Infantry Regiment, which lost 1 SP.
The Prussian 3rd Artillery Regiment also fired at the French 13th Infantry Regiment, which fell back to its original position.
In the centre, the two Prussian infantry units fired at the French column and inflicted the loss of 1 SP on both the French 15th and 16th Light Infantry Regiments.
At this point things were beginning to look good for the Prussians ... and then the French 4th Artillery Regiment fired at the already weakened Prussian 9th Infantry Regiment ... and destroyed it!
The French column continued its advance and engaged the Prussian 10th and 11th Infantry Regiments in Close Combat, inflicting the loss of 1 SP on each of the Prussian units.
The French 4th Cuirassiers moved forward onto the flank of the French column in the centre of the battlefield.
The situation at the end of Turn 2.
Turn 3
The fighting in the centre of the battlefield continued. The French 15th Light Infantry Regiment destroyed the Prussian 10th Infantry Regiment, losing 1 SP in the process. The French 16th Infantry Regiment was unable to match this achievement, but the 4th Cuirassiers charged the Prussian 11th Infantry in the flank and destroyed them!
The Prussian 3rd Artillery Regiment fired at the French 13th Infantry Regiment ... and missed.
The Prussian 12th Infantry Regiment, led by General von Horn, moved forward, and turned right, firing into the flank of the French 16th Light Infantry Regiment, which was forced to fall back.
The situation at the end of Turn 3.
Turn 4
The French 13th Infantry Regiment advance and engaged the Prussian 12th Infantry Regiment in Close Combat from the flank. The Prussians fought well and force the French 13th Infantry Regiment to fall back ... but the Prussian 12th Infantry Regiment was all but destroyed in the process.
Seeing the his remaining troops were unable to continue fighting much longer and wanting to avoid further bloodshed, General von Horn surrendered to General Torrance.
The situation at the end of Turn 4 and tat he end of the battle.
The French had lost 4 SPs and the Prussians had lost 7 SPs.
Aftermath
The destruction of the Prussian 3rd Division convinced the King of Prussia that his army could not win the war. He immediately requested an armistice whilst matters between the two nations were settled.
The Emperor of France was magnanimous in victory. In exchange for the exclusive right to buy Prussian's grain harvest for the next five years and the payment of 100,000 gold Thalers, he agreed to withdraw his troops from Prussia.
As to the original cause of the war (a Prussian leaflet that had been printed lampooning the Emperor of France), the author of the pamphlet and the printer who had printed and distributed it were encouraged by the Prussian police to emigrate as soon as possible!
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Great battle report and an interesting campaign. Too bad your Prussians didn't perform to this level earlier. One wonders where the lampooning phampleter will wind up next? Austria?
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteThe Prussian could have continued the war, but both Gary and I felt that the campaign had run its course.
As to the lampooning pamphleteer and his printer … well it is thought that they went to Bavaria, but who know what might have happened after that to Andreas Huber and Johannes Trump?
All the best,
Bob
That lampooning pamphlet wasn't the one that was found tacked onto the doors of churches, cathedrals and city halls was it? The one that goes like this...?
ReplyDeleteThe Intermediary (with acknowledgements and apologies to Robert Burns, writer of The Plenipotentiary):
The King of Prussia, when wishing to usher
A new era in for his State, sir;
As he knew that in France, Josephine wore the pants,
He chose one well hung to negotiate, sir.
He searched through the Schloss, 'til he found out a 'hoss'
with diplomatic bags full and hairy;
With credentials aligned in breeches so fine
to act as his Intermediary.
Josephine was rapt, to moment that she clapt
Eyes upon the Envoy's manly frame.
From that instant was ignited a spark right soon requited:
The burning light of passion's deadly flame.
They began their discussion, the Empress and the Prussian,
With courtesies exchanged in seemly wise
For they both knew for certain that behind every curtain
Lurked one o' Bonaparte's multitude of spies.
Desiring to dance, the Empress of France
Soon drew the Envoy to the floor, sir.
Admiring the charms held in his arms,
He guided her out of the door, sir.
With caress and cosset, straitway to her closet,
He carried her light as a fairy;
She abandoned her 'state, surrendered to fate,
And the amorous Intermediary!
It was not, I ween, to pleasure Josephine
That the Envoy came to Paris cap-in-hand, sir:
What was to follow, that Prussia might swallow
Hanover's coveted lands, sir.
So persuasive was the force of his 'political' discourse,
To refuse him the Empress was chary.
She answered him 'Yea', she would not say 'Nay'
To the great Intermediary.
Napoleon turned green when he heard Josephine
His brows had garnished with horns, sir* (*yet again)
He swore he would make the young Prussian rake
Wish he had never been born, sir.
With tormented mind, the Treaty he signed,
But marks of perturbance were nary
That he designed to requite the libertinous slight
Done him by the Intermediary.
The emperor sought one who’d bring the Envoy undone,
He searched his Empire at large, sir;
It was Monsieur Fouche who showed him the way,
And recalled him to Mme Lafarge, sir.
Madame Lafarge, as large as a barge,
with nethers cavernous and airy;
An uncomely wench, the very one to quench
The lusty Intermediary.
Mme Lafarge, though uncommon large,
‘Twas not that she owed her ill fame, sir;
With needles she’d sit, under the guillotine and knit,
Whilst heads rolled down from the frame, sir.
Her visage gave fright to walkers at night,
Her eyes round and bloodshot and scary
The Emperor grinned: she’d be the end,
Of the false Intermediary.
But he reckoned without our libidinous lout
Whose tastes tended to the bizarre, sir
When faced with the Madame whose lusts without fathom
There was no risk of going too far, sir.
He rattled her good, right where she stood,
Three times three and a Hail Mary -
There was no quenching the appetite for wenching
Of the vigorous Intermediary.
Diplomatic work done, goodbyes said at a run,
The Envoy left for Berlin sir.
Carried with him a report with the gladsome purport
His mission was blessed with a win, sir.
But his memory rumbled of the lady he'd tumbled
A recollection that troubled his life
His heart so smitten a letter he had written
To Mme Lafarge that he might take her to wife.
Upon receipt of this missive, the Madame grew pensive,
And the answer she gave him was wary;
And Napoleon smiled for he knew that his guile
Had conquered the Intermediary.
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteWhat a magnificent poem! I am sure that Burns would have been pleased to have had his work adapted in such a clever way!
All the best,
Bob
Great poem! Much more than I could ever do, that's for certain. I did find a bit of doggerel left by some smart alec Frenchie on the door of a church, no less!
DeleteThere was a young fellow from Prussia,
Having seen his mates lose to a crusha,
Decided he would,
While the getting was good,
Get his heinie to Good Mother Russia!
Chris,
Delete👍🤣😂 It certainly made me laugh!
All the best,
Bob
This Campaign has been a very enjoyable read Bob.
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI an very glad that you enjoyed reading about this campaign. We certainly had fun fighting it!
was pleased with the way the rules (both campaign and tabletop) worked, and both will be appearing in the next PW Compendium.
All the best,
Bob