To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig, historically fought in October 1813, we recently deployed our 6mm miniatures for a multiplayer engagement nominally set south of Leipzig in the vicinity of the fictional town of Kleindorf. Our battle, much larger than we normally play, would eventually see well over 3,000 miniatures on the table.The general situation can be described as follows.
Napoleon had concentrated much of his army and now moved south intending to break the Allies to his front before Blucher and Bernadotte could threaten Leipzig from the north. The Allies in the south, commanded by Schwarzenburg, comprise Austrians, Russians and Prussians. The Austrians are on the Allied western flank, near the River Pleisse, the Allied centre comprised the Prussians and on the right flank the Russians are concentrated. The extreme French left flank was reasonably open Cossacks were known to be operating in this area - a potential threat Napoleon could not ignore.
The battlefield was reasonably open, with limited areas of rising ground. The field was however broken up by a number towns, the largest being the town of Kleindorf on the east. The western portion of the battlefield was bordered by the Weissenbach, a stream that is a tributary of the larger River Pleisse. Like the areas nearer the Pleisse River locals report the Weissenbach could be boggy after periods of rain. Those streams to east less boggy where the Russians were advancing were not.
A Gathering Storm - 13th October
On the afternoon of the 13th of October one Austrian and two French corps were deployed. But as the afternoon progressed reinforcements for both armies began to arrive. Throughout the afternoon the various commanders moved reinforcements forward, each determined to complete his concentration before engaging. Initially delayed the Prussians would eventually form the Allied centre while the Russians extended the Allied right. The Russians were particularly slowed in their approach by a combination of delays in their march to the battlefield, then by streams and finally French cavalry.
Above, the general situation viewed from the west in the early afternoon with the French on the left the Allies on the right. In the left foreground the Austrians are deployed one corps and are moving the second forward.
Below, French cavalry move towards the French left flank. The cavalry would eventually deploy to threaten the Russians, delaying their advance. Napoleon would have preferred to allocate his light cavalry to this task but the only significant body of cavalry available was that of Pajol's V Cavalry Corps comprising two divisions of dragoons and Sulkowski's 8th Cavalry Division of Polish cavalry. Their position would later be relieved by Fournier's 6th Light Cavalry Division from Souham's III Corps.
Below, a view from the Austrian positions, looking towards the French centre. The Austrians visible are two divisions from Gyulai's III Armeekorps.
Fighting on the French right eventually began late in the afternoon around the town of Fleindorf. Below, the situation viewed from the French lines with Fleindorf garrisoned by the Austrians.
Just prior to dusk elements of the French right conducted a determined attack against Fleindorf. The French brigades drove the Austrian defenders out.
Above, the attack by elements of Marmont's Corps on Fleindorf. Involved in the attack were Compan's 20th Division which included Pelleport's and Joubert's brigades.
Below, the general situation at dusk on the 13th, again viewed from the west with the French on the left. The Austrians are all on the field, though not all in the front line. The Prussians, while delayed are beginning to reinforce the Allied centre. The Russians are just visible on the top right having been significantly delayed.
An Austrian counterattack to recapture Fleindorf was expected, but none came. Gyulai it seemed placed no value on the town unlike Marmont who believed the town further secured the French right. Overnight the French bolstered their defences around the town.
Day of Decision - 14th of October
During the evening of the 13th the last of the reinforcements arrived, so by the morning of the 14th the troops were deployed as follows.
The French right comprised two corps. These were Marmont’s VI Corps and Sebastiani’s II Cavalry Corps. The centre comprised Macdonald’s XI Corps, Lauriston’s V Corps and Poniatowski’s small VIII Corps. It was reinforced by Pajol's V Cavalry Corps. On the French left was Souham’s III Corps and Bertrand’s IV Corps. Finally, Napoleon reinforced the centre with the Imperial Guard. The Guard comprised Mortier’s II Young Guard Corps, Victor's II Cavalry Corps as well as a division of the Old Guard, the Middle Guard and Guard cavalry. In all Napoleon had some 101,000 infantry, 16,500 cavalry and 324 cannon.
Opposite the Allies were arranged as follows. The Austrians, positioned on the Allied left comprised Gyulai’s III Corps and Klenau’s IV Corps. In the centre were the Prussian II Corps under von Kleist. While just one corps it was a strong formation with five divisions. On the Allied right were the Russians under Grand Duke Constantine. They comprised Gorchakov’s I Corps, Württemberg’s II Corps, Raevsky’s Grenadier Corps and elements of Platov’s Cavalry Reserve. The Allied reserve comprised Austrians, Russians and Prussians. Some four grenadier or guard infantry divisions, and two cuirassier divisions. These were massed in the centre, with many mvoing to reinforce the Allied right. In all the Allies deployed 105,500 bayonets, 15,000 cavalry and 354 cannon.
Above, a general view from behind the Austrian lines looking towards the French centre. The Austrians are now extended by the Prussians while the Russians are not visible.
The battle itself was complex and therefore I will only attempt to describe it in the simplest of terms. Basically it can be divided into in three sectors and I will attempt to describe it in these terms below.
The Centre:
In the centre Napoleon intended to go on the offensive and was of course where he had massed the majority of his forces. He ordered his generals to strike at both the Austrians and Prussians, but as the battle unfolded the growing focus would be the Prussians. The French attack in the centre would begin slowly, initially with artillery bombardments and limited attacks. Below, the general situation.
As the battle in the centre raged the French also began to press the Prussians, especially those further to the Allied right centre who were not fully deployed.
Poniatowski's VIII Corps began the attacks supported by the elements of French 3rd Guard Cavalry under Walthier. Such an early commitment of the Empress Dragoons illustrated how important Napoleon considered this section of the attack. He hoped to achieve two immediate objectives. First, he intended to slow the deployment of the Prussians. Secondly, he intended to shatter the Prussian cavalry reserve of Kleist's Prussian II Korps. With the Prussian cavalry destroyed and the Prussian line not optimally deployed he then intended to turn the Austrian position.
Above and below, the French attack on the Prussians develops. In time von Roder's Prussian Cavalry Reserve would indeed collapse.
With the Prussian cavalry broken the Polish infantry were reinforced by Rochambeau's 19th Division while elements of the Guard infantry awaited for possible commitment.
While the Old Guard were to be used initially elsewhere, the two divisions of the Young Guard and the Middle Guard were soon committed to the fighting in the centre.
As dusk approached Napoleon continued to press the Prussians all along the line.
Above, having secured the high ground, Granjean's 7th Division from Poniatowski's VIII Corps supports the attacks of additional Young Guard brigades. Below, the Grenadiers of the Old Guard and the Grenadiers a Chevel launch the final attacks of the day in the centre, decimating the Prussians.
The battle had been slow to develop in the centre, but eventually three Prussian divisions were exhausted - specifically Ziethen's, von Preussen's and von Roder's Cavalry. French casualties had fallen on a number of divisions on while generally not critical were increasing. Albert's and Maison's divisions, both from Lauriston's Corps had suffered the worst with Albert's 10th Division exhausted.
The French Left:
The French left, was of particular concern to Napoleon. The French left was opposite the Russians who were well served by a preponderance of artillery. It was expected the Russians would progressively advance during the course of the day. Further, each advance would likely be supported by massive deployments of artillery. This was indeed how the Russian attack developed.
The aggressive demonstration by French cavalry the previous day had slowed the Russian advance. This demonstration was to continue during the course of the second day. However, slowly the French cavalry were forced to give ground. Likewise the French infantry, Souham's III Corps and Bertrand's IV Corps, would threaten to deploy forward but also slowly fell back. Intelligence indicated that Russian Cossacks could at anytime arrive on the French left. As such French troops were required to be on guard for such advances.
By early afternoon the Russian advance, shown above from the Russian perspective, was gaining ground. With the Allied main effort involving the Russians the bulk of the Allied reserves reinforced this sector. In the foreground from right to left are elements of the Allied reserve, which include the Austrian Cuirassiers of Kretov's Division, von Alvenslebben's Prussian Guard Division and Udom's 2nd Russian Guard Infantry Division. Combined they added much weight to the already strong Russian forces.
Above, a view from the French lines with, from left to right, Ricard's 11th Division and Morand's 12th Division in the foreground. The French had come under heavy pressure but the Russian advance was somewhat overstretched as Grand Duke Constantine had become overconfident. A determined attack by Polish cavalry and Friant's 1st Division of the Old Guard now drove the Russians back, causing chaos in the Russian ranks.
Shocked by this setback Constantine reverted to a more deliberate deployment. His artillery were massed in his front and he began to bombard the French lines. Some ten artillery battalions were deployed. In all some 120 guns, a mix of heavy and shorter ranged light artillery belched fire.
Above, the Russian artillery viewed from the French lines. the white markers denote the artillery is unlimbered, No sooner had the Russian guns deployed than advanced French elements retired, placing a proportion of the lighter Russian artillery out of effective range.
Constantine now moved his focus to his extreme right with a determined attack on the large town of Kleindorf. The town was garrisoned by only minimal French detachments, in fact just two leger battalions from Friederich's 22nd Division. Half of the town was captured by the Count Ourousov's 8th Russian Infantry Division. However, with casualties mounting Ourousov was unwilling to launch further attacks to clear the remaining half of Kleindorf.
However, the attack opened up the battle on the French right where a series of swirling cavalry melees now occurred. These drew in Fournier's 6th Light Cavalry Division and the 6th Heavy Cavalry Division who were engaged against the Prussian Guard Cavalry and Rudinger's Russian Light Cavalry Division. While the Prussian Guard Cavalry were driven back Rudinger's Cavalry were shattered.
Above, the situation soon after the Allied cavalry had been forced to retreat.
This action effectively drew the engagement on the French left to a conclusion. With casualties being generally even.
The French Right:
It will be recalled that the French right deployed opposite a significant proportion of the Austrians and on the previous day elements of Marmont VI Corps successfully secured the town of Fleindorf just prior to darkness.
However, on the 14th Marmont rather than continue his attack was ordered to pin the Austrians in place while two divisions of Sebastiani's II Cavalry Corps were to reinforce the centre. Yet to pin the Austrians in place a static deployment would not be effective. Therefore Marmont was authorised to actively probe and should a situation occur, attack. Yet he was not to overly risk his forces. Further, he was encouraged to use his artillery to disrupt the Austrian line.
In all Marmont had at his disposal just three infantry divisions. They were Compans' 20th Division, Lagrange's 21st Division and Friederichs' 22nd Division, some 14,000 bayonets and 48 cannon. The Austrians greatly outnumbered him.
Below, the general situation around noon with the French on the left. The first town is Fleindorf In the foreground before the Fleindorf is Marmont's VI Corps. In reserve are Roussel d'Hurbal's Light Cavalry Division and Marmont's Converged Light Cavalry Brigade. Opposite Marmont's divisions are Murray's 2nd Austrian Division from III Armeekorps and behind them Mayer's 3rd Austrian Division from Klenau's IV Armeekorps. East of Fleindorf the battle in the centre rages.
Faced with the massed French guns Gyulai eventually ordered his infantry to retire, unwilling for them to be bombarded at cannister range by the Marmont's artillery.
This retrograde movement gave Marmont his opportunity and elements of Friederichs 22nd Division attacked the Grenzers of Folliot de Crenneville's Austrian Light Division holding a position on the Austrian left. Despite being delivered with great elan the Grenzer's held.
Above in the right foreground the Grenzers formed on a hill are under attack. Unable to achieve his desired breakthrough Marmont's consolidated his gains.
Above, the position in the Allied left, clearly showing the Weissenbach stream that became the western flank of the battlefield. In the right foreground is the cavalry of Folliot de Crenneville's Austrian Light Division.
Yet dusk was by now enveloping the battlefield. On the French right stalemate existed. On the French left the Russian advanced had been slowed and the Russian cavalry had suffered crippling casualties. Yet, the weight of Russian artillery and fresh units provided opportunity for the Allies to continue the fight for a third day.
However, in the centre Allied casualties had been heavy. The Prussians had suffered the weight of relentless French attacks and three divisions were crippled. The Austrian 3rd Division under Hessen-Homberg was also now under pressure. While the Austrian divisions were large, the continued French attacks were taking their toll. Rather than risk the Allied centre collapsing Schwarzenburg, the Allied commander in the south, reluctantly ordered the Army of Bohemia to retire. At least until Blucher and Bernadotte could begin their attacks from the north.
As to the game it was fought on a table measuring 6’x4’. We use half scale, so this equates to a table of 12’ x 8’ at full scale which represents a battlefield some eight miles in length. By the second day there were well over 3,000 miniatures on the table. Our intention was to have six players involved but illness prevented one player attending. As a result the French were commanded by three players, the Allies by two. The miniatures illustrated are all from Heroics & Ros’ 6mm ranges and are from my own collection.
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