Battle of Helmstedt - Move 2

0900-1000

24 July 1813

Table at the start of Move 2

First - French CinC – 6CP

Davout joins Marmont and changes corps orders to “hold Helmstedt and farm"

Second - Poor Card

Third - VI French – 5CP

21 brigade move into the farm

The gunners manhandle guns towards enemy, who are out of range

Marmont moves to the centre of the corps

Marmont orders 24 brigade to return to east Helmstedt and occupy the town.

Fourth - 4^th Prussian – 7CP

Blucher changes corps orders to “engage enemy”

The cuirassier brigade move forward to pin the enemy cavalry

The infantry move towards east Helmstedt in column of march

Battle of Helmstedt - Move 1

0800-0900

24 July 1813

Table at the start of Move 1

First - VI French – 6CP

The corps has completed the march to the farm.

Marmont has ordered the leading brigade to occupy the farm.

The chasseur brigade is east of Helmstedt to cover the move to the farm in column of march.

The corps artillery have deployed to the left of the farm to support the cavalry

Second - French CinC – 7CP

Davout has taken command of the chasseur brigade and has moved them closer to the corps to be within command distance of the corps commander, but still able to cover the deployment

Third - Poor Card

Fourth - Prussian CinC – 7CP

Blucher has taken command of 4^th corps, which has a poor commander, and leads them towards Helmstedt

Rule Note

When the Poor Card is drawn the next Poor Commander drawn may not issue any orders.

However the CinC may take command of any corps, and providing he is not also a Poor Commander the Poor Card will not then affect the corps.

This is covered in Rule 2 - Command and Control – CinC

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Helmstedt - Set Up

Battle of Helmstedt

Start 0800

24 July 1813

Tactical Map 24 July 1813

Campaign Background

The first contact of the campaign is between Marshal Marmont’s VI corps and General Tauentzien’s 4^th corps.

The battle starts at 0800 24 July 1813.

French Army

On the previous day the Prussian cavalry had retreated in the face of the French chasseur brigade. This convinced Marshal Davout, who was traveling with VI corps, that the Prussians did not intend to attack. He decided to concentrate his army at Helmstedt in preparation for the drive on Magdeburg.

He ordered VI corps to move south, to make space for V corps to occupy Helmstedt.

VI French Corps Marshal Marmont (Gifted)

5 Infantry Division

21 Infantry Brigade CA FB SA

22 Infantry Brigade CB FB SB

6 Infantry Division

23 Infantry Brigade CB FC SB

24 Infantry Brigade CC FC SC

6 Chasseur Brigade CB Light Cavalry

6 Corps Artillery CB 9 pounder

Prussian Army

Blucher had recently arrived at Helmstedt, where Tauentzien informed him of the contact with the enemy. Without hesitation he ordered 4^th corps to attack Helmstedt. He was completely unaware of the approach of V corps.

4 Prussian Corps General Tauentzien (Poor)

7 Infantry Division

13 Infantry Brigade CA FB SB

14 Infantry Brigade CB FB SB

8 Infantry Division

15 Infantry Brigade CB FB SB

16 Landwehr Brigade CC FC SC

4 Cuirassier Brigade CB Heavy Cavalry

4 Corps Artillery CB 9 pounder

Table at 0800 24 July 1813

Wargames Table

Helmstedt is in the middle of the table at the cross roads

The road from left to right is from Brunswick to Walbeck

The road top to bottom is from Wolfsburg to Marienborn

VI corps has been ordered to move to the farm bottom left

This movement will be covered by the chasseur brigade to the right of the town

The corps is in column of march ready to march south

The Prussians will enter from the right on the Walbeck road

VI corps at Helmstedt

Marshal Marmont leads VI corps out of Helmstedt on the Marienborn road.

6 Chasseur Brigade is deployed to the right of the town to cover the move

Marshal Davout has joined the chasseurs to confirm there is no Prussian movement

Game Notes

This is the first battle of the Hanover Campaign.

The Prussian objective is to take Helmstedt

The French objective is to cover the French concentration

The French start the game with orders to move to the farm.

They may not change their orders until the Prussians arrive on the table

Rule Note

The rules will be our standard wargames rules.

They can be found at http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

The French start the game with orders to move to the farm.

They may not change their orders until the Prussians arrive on the table

Twin Battlles of Helmstedt and Marienborn

24 July 1813

Strategic Map - First light 24 July

At Blucher’s headquarters in Walbeck all was quiet by midnight 23 July. He has joined general Tauentzien, commander of 4^th corps, earlier in the day and they were together when the cuirassier brigadier reported his clash with the French cavalry and his subsequent retreat. Blucher was outraged that the cuirassiers had retreated without a fight and ordered the unhappy brigadier to immediately deploy his brigade to the west of Walbeck in preparation for an advance at daylight.

Blucher suspected that at least one enemy corps was approaching him on the Hanover road. He was unaware that one days march to the south Bulow’s 3^rd corps has also made contact with the enemy.

The Prussian CinC did not hesitate, he ordered Tauntzien to advance on Helmstedt at first light and take the village. He then had his usual large gin and went to bed. Tauntzien was his poorest corps commander but he would accompany 4^th corps at first light and take command during the battle if necessary.

Just 15 miles to the west Davout worked late into the night at his headquarters in Helmstedt. He reasoned that the Prussians would have made preparations to hold Magdeburg, and that a powerful attack would be his best chance of victory.

VI corps was with him at Helmstedt, and XIII just one day’s march to the south at Marienborn. V corps and the cavalry reserve were one days march behind him at Brunswick.

He would use 24 July to concentrate all three corps between Helmstedt and Marienborn. On 25 July he would advance to Madgeburg and drive all before him. By 26 July he would have destroyed Blucher’s army, taken Magdeburg and be in possession of the river Elbe bridges. The Second French army would be poised to advance on Berlin.

He sent urgent messages to XIII corps, V corps and the cavalry reserve. Due to the large numbers of men concentrating in such a small area VI corps would have to move south to leave Helmstedt free for V corps. By midday there would be a solid defence line between Helmstedt and Marienborn.

Tactical Map - First light 24 July

These are the actual locations of each corps at daybreak.

In the north V corps and the cavalry reserve are at Brunswick. They can only move to Helmstedt along the single road L9 and L10. V corps was already in Brunswick when the cavalry reserve arrived, they will therefore lead the advance. This large body of men moving on a single road would delay their arrival at Helmstedt. V corps would arrive at 1600, but the cavalry reserve would not arrive until 2000.

At daybreak VI corps moved south into M11, making for M12. Their cavalry brigade would cover this move. This movement would be under way before the Prussians made their move towards Helmstedt

In the south XIII corps had orders to move from Wolfenbuttel to Marienborn. 3^rd Prussian corps also had orders to move to Marienborn. The French cavalry were unable to hold the town, and withdrew into O10 to await the arrival of the remainder of XIII corps.

Due to the large area involved, there would be two seperate battles, one at Helmstedt and the other at Marienborn. Blucher and Davout were only aware of the fighting at Helmstedt, and would not receive news of Marienborn until nightfall.

The battle of Helmstedt

This is the area of fighting around Helmstedt. VI corps would complete their first move south before the Prussian cavalry arrived on the Walbeck road. The remainder of 4^th Prussian corps would not arrive until 1200

The Battle of Marienborn

The battle at Marienborn is more straight forward. Both commanders were aware that the enemy wanted to take the town. Both were determined that they would take it first. The two cavalry brigades were in contact at first light, and both VI corps and 4^th corps would enter the battle area at 0800.

First Contact

23 July 1813

strategic map

At first light on 23 July 1813 the roads between Magdeburg and Hanover became very busy, with long columns of French military traffic moving east, and Prussian columns moving west. The columns consisted of infantry and artillery, plus miles of supply vehicles. Ahead of each column squadrons of cavalry pushed ahead searching out the enemy

At each town or village cavalry patrols questioned local authorities and searched mail in transit. The arrival of the cavalry prompted masses of civilians to flee, which produced chaos as they met military columns moving in the opposite direction. Each village and cross roads produced havoc as the columns condensed to move through the bottle neck.

It is a six day march from Hanover to Magdeburg, however the nearest French and Prussian corps were much closer than that. Just after midday the first contact of the campaign took place on the high road between Helmstedt and Walbeck.

tactical map

The Prussian cuirassier brigade entered the village of Walbeck at 11am. They had spent the morning screening the advance of 4^th Prussian corps from Colbitz. The sympathic villagers informed them that a large body of the enemy were in Helmstedt and the surrounding area.

The brigade commander had orders to locate and observe the enemy, but not to engage in combat. He ordered one squadron to advance with caution along the Helmstedt road. The remainder of the brigade were drawn up in battle formation just west of Walbeck

Ten miles away a squadron of French chasseurs had posted a skirmish line just west of Helmstedt. The commander was the first to spot the cuirassiers, and raced back to the town to report to his brigade commander. The young French light cavalry brigadier occupied the inn, where he questioned the mayor and post officials about enemy activity, surrounded by a group of admiring local girls.

The news caused him great satisfaction. He would have the honour of the first engagement of the campaign. The chasseur brigade was mustered and left Helmstedt in haste.

Outside the village they formed line of battle and moved towards Walbeck. It was clear from their determined advance that they were about to attack. The Prussian commander ordered his forward squadron to fall back on the main brigade. The French continued their advance, and the Prussians retreated by squadron on Walbeck.

During the retreat a small group of cuirassiers were cut off by the faster moving chasseurs. Casualties were light on both sides, but two Prussians were taken prisoner. They confirmed that Walbeck was occupied by General Tauentzien’s 4^th Prussian corps.

Aware that to advance any closer to Walbeck would open his brigade to unnecessary casualties, the French commander halted five miles short of Walbeck. He established a skirmish line and sent a messenger to report this important news.

The first contact of the campaign was a hailed as a small French victory, and generally agreed that the young brigadier was a fine example of a French light cavalryman.

Introduction to the Test Hanover Campaign

Campaign Background- The Magdeburg Campaign

Northern Germany 1 May 1813

The Hanover Campaign is the sixth phase of the 1813 campaign.

In April 1813 Marshal Davout was appointed CinC of all French troops in Northern Germany. These were mainly the survivors of the Russian campaign of the previous year. He was ordered to hold the line of the river Elbe from Hamburg to Magdeburg.

On 1 May 1813 Prussia declared war on France, and general Blucher was ordered to invade Westphalia, take Magdeburg and secure a crossing of the river Elbe. It was anticipated that this objective could be achieved before the French could build up their forces and take the field.

Against all expectations Marshal Davout had the Second Army battle ready within days of the Prussian advance. He could not prevent Blucher crossing the river Elbe, but he did fight a series of battles for Magdeburg.

On 14 May 1813 Blucher won a narrow victory at the major battle of Magdeburg.

The next day Davout abandoned his defence of the river Elbe and withdrew towards Hanover.

Both armies were battered and weary after a hard fought campaign, both needed rest and reinforcement.

The Hanover Campaign

Northern Germany 22 May 1813

After a period of rest and reorganization on 22 May 1813 Blucher received orders from Berlin to march his army eastwards and take the city of Hanover. The second phase of the battle for Northern Germany had begun.

At the start of the campaign the French army is concentrated in and around Hanover. The Prussian army is in and around Magdeburg

The Campaign Area

Hanover Strategic Map 22 May 1813

The campaign area covers an area 135 miles by 75 miles

The French concentration area is in and around Hanover

The Prussian concentration area is in and around Magdeburg

All movement is by road

The red roads are the major supply routes

The yellow roads are minor supply routes

The brown roads are tracks suitable for movement but not supply vehicles

Second French Army

The Second French Army consists of four corps.

Each corps has four infantry and one cavalry brigades.

Marshal Davout may withdraw cavalry brigades from corps to form a cavalry reserve

First Prussian Army

The First Prussian army also consists of four corps

Each corps has four infantry and one cavalry brigades

No change in this order of battle is allowed.

Decisive victory for Wellington at Baltanas

22 July 1813

Battle of Baltanas

Background

To secure his hold on Valladolid, Wellington must take Baltanas and force Soult to withdraw to Burgos.

Rather than wait for both armies to concentrate and fight a major battle, he orders 1 and 3 corps to take the town before the French can bring up reinforcements.

The French have one corps holding the town, and (unknown to Wellington) a second will arrive by mid morning.

Table at start of battle

Wargames Table

Baltanas is the village in the centre of the photograph

The top road leads to the north coast

The bottom road leads to Madrid

The right hand road leads to Burgos

The left hand road leads to Valladolid

7 French corps in and around the town

Battle

Wellington pins the defenders with Hills corps, whilst Picton advances on the left and attacks the town from the north.

Villate holds the town much longer than expected, but suffers heavy casualties doing so.

Sarrut arrives just in time to check Picton’s advance. His dragoons catch the guards brigade in flank and rout them.

The town is large enough to hold two brigades, and proves a real challenge.

However with two moves to go to nightfall, Hill finally takes both town sections.

Sarrut is still deploying, and largely unaffected by the heavy fighting. He is therefore able to cover the French retreat towards Burgos.

Link to battle report

http://1813valladolidcampaign.blogspot.com/

Effect on the Campaign

This is a convincing victory for Wellington and secures his hold on Valladolid.

Marshal Soult has been unable to concentrate his whole army to fight for Valladolid, but there is nothing to stop him doing so in front of Burgos.

This Campaign has gone to Wellington, but the war is far from over.