Neuforberg - August 1870

The following is a report of a recent fictional Franco-Prussian War engagement using Volley & Bayonet and 6mm miniatures. This game involved three players, two commanding the Prussians and one commanding the French.

With war immanent Napoleon III was under domestic pressure to launch an offensive before the full might of Prussian forces were deployed along the border. Frossard's II Corps, reinforced by elements of De Ladmirault's IV Corps, crossed the border on the 1st of August 1870. First Saarbrucken was seized before the French pressed towards the town of Neuforberg, To their front were elements of Prince Frederich Karl's Prussian Second Army. 

Immediately available to the Prince were three divisions. Worse the surprise French advance had caused confusion in the Prussian planned dispositions. By 9am on the 2nd of August the Prussian dispositions near Neiforberg can be summarised as follows. In the centre was Hartmann's 3rd Division, itself from Fransecky's II Corps. The second division from this corps, Weyhern's 4th Division, was supposed to deploy the left but delays on the road had hindered the division's early morning move forward. Instead, Buddenbrock's 6th Division, part of Alvensleben's III Corps, had been hastily directed to the Prussian left. The other division from III Corps, Stulpnagel's 5th Division, was positioned on the right. A far from optimal deployment. Reinforcing the Prussian left was Rheinbaben's 5th Cavalry Division. 

It was soon clear that the French were concentrated and intended to press the Prussian forces with vigour. Outnumbered and informed that it would be at least 11am before Weyhern's 4th Division would arrive on the field, Prince Frederich braced himself for the French onslaught.

Hartmann's 3rd Division deployed to the right of the village of Neuforberg. The village itself was held by a detachment of Prussian jäger. The division had two artillery battalions these guns were supplemented by additional corps batteries.

Hartmann's 3rd Division.

As the French moved forward Hartmann's divisional artillery, reinforced by corps artillery, began to engage the French troops at some 2,000 yards. The Krupp guns, even when firing at long range soon caused considerable consternation to the French opposite. 

To the right was Stulpnagel's 5th Division the bulk of which would extend the centre. A portion of the division was allocated to the extreme right in an attempt to delay the numerically superior French left. Stulpnagel ordered the 3rd Jäger's to be thrown forward to secure a wood.

The Prussian right & centre with the French advancing from the right.

It was however on the Prussian left that the Prince was most concerned. Here it will be recalled Buddenbrock's 6th Division was placed. Comprising four infantry regiments and supported by the division's artillery the division faced two French divisions. 

Buddenbrock's Prussian 6th Division formed on the town of Neuforberg

Both these French divisions were from Ladmirault's IV Corps. Specifically they were General Cissey's 1st Division and Grenier's 2nd Division. These infantry divisions were further reinforced by Bonnemain's 2nd Cavalry Division it self comprising two cuirassiers brigades.

 

The French centre right with Neuforberg to their front.

With left flank under considerable pressure Prince Frederich Karl ordered a limited attack. He hoped by such action to delay the French advance and perhaps through a portion of it back. So committed was he to its success that the Prince was soon advancing with the the Prussian 20th Infantry Regiment. 

Supporting the infantry attack were the cavalry of Rheinbaben's 5th Cavalry Division. The division comprised two brigades. The first was formed by the 4th and 5th Cuirassiers while the second, positioned on the flank, comprised the 13th and 16th Uhlans. Both charged with great elan. 

The Prussian attack surges forward with the cavalry on the left. 

Opposite, the French regiments were almost immediately shaken by the ferocity of this unexpected attack. Ripples of disorder swept along the French line. First one then another French regiment of Grenier's 2nd Division collapsed. In the confusion that followed two regiments were cutdown by the glorious Prussian cavalry while another disintegrated as the Prussian infantry pressed home their own attack. In less than one hour Grenier's 2nd Division had collapsed as a fighting force. 

Meanwhile in the centre the Prussian artillery and infantry had been exchanging fire with the French opposite. Here the infantry of both sides had gone to ground in an effort to reduce casualties. Again Prussian determination was on display here. As the Prussian Krupp guns unleashed a relentless fire several Prussian regiments surged forward. 

Of particular note were the attacks of the Prussian 14th Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Dragoon Regiment who charged the French 76th Infantry Regiment - part of Verge's 1st French Division. The 76th Regiment was shaken by the attack and like those on the French right was destroyed as a fighting force, the survivors fleeing in a desperate bid to save themselves. A French cavalry attack was now thrown back by the outnumbered Prussian 3rd Dragoons. Below, the brown markers denote units that have gone prone or in the case of artillery are unlimbered but not fully deployed.

The centre with the Prussian 14th IR & 3rd Dragoons attacking in the distance.

By noon it was clear that the French right and centre were under pressure. However, the French left was gaining ground against the Prussian right. Here some regiments of Stulpnagel's Division had been poorly deployed. As pressure mounted Stulpnagel was forced to give ground. Fortunately French command problems slowed the tempo of the French advance. 

A general view from the west with the French in the foreground & right.

Meanwhile on the Prussian left the pace of battle slowed. Indeed, with the threat to the Prussian left neutralised Rheinbaben's cavalry, who had suffered only minor casualties in their earlier valiant charge, were transferred to the centre. 

Rheinbaben's 5th Cavalry Division moves to the Prussian centre.

By 2.30pm Napoleon's options for victory were clearly reducing. Despite this he was unwilling to accept the situation was lost. He ordered one last effort determined to achieve success. While the French left continued to press the French right in the centre he hoped to break Prussian resolve. Here attacks by the French 55th and 77th Infantry Regiments hit the Prussian centre. 

The situation just prior to 3pm viewed from the west.

Simultaneously an attack by the French 67th and 1st Infantry Regiments fell upon the town of Neuforberg - only held by a few hundred men of the 2nd Jäger. 

The French attack on Neuforberg.

Usurpingly the town was taken but success here was met with news that all the other attacks had failed. Napoleon, was faced with the realisation that Frossard's II Corps and De Ladmirault's IV Corps had been defeated. There was no other option to retire towards the border. 

In truth the full impact of the defeat was not revealed until that evening. Of the five French infantry divisions committed to the battle two had collapsed and two more were near exhaustion. Only General De Laveaucoupet's 3rd Division was capable of offensive action. This division, along with the remains of the General Bonnemains' 2nd Cavalry Division, would cover the retreat of the now despondent French army. In contrast Prussian casualties were much lower, indeed only casualties amongst the regiments of the Prussian 3rd Division were of concern. 

This was a particularly interesting encounter in part due to the success of the Prussian cavalry. These attacks were delivered at some considerable risk but their impact was significant with the result that it crippled the advance of the French right. Unfortunately I fear future success may not be so easily achieved.

As to the scenario itself it was developed using the Road to Glory Scenario System with the French using "Full Deployment - # 26" while the Prussians selected "Returning Detachment Left - #16". The miniatures are all from the Heroics & Ros Franco-Prussian War range and are from my own collection. They are based for half scale where each massed infantry or cavalry stand is 1.5” square and 1” represents 200 yards.