1813 Campaign in Germany – bulletin 6 – Events covering 30-31 August including the Battle of Lauban

After failing to inflict a knock out blow on the Allies at the Battle of Liegnitz, Napoleon ordered the army to retreat on Bautzen.  The Allies were quick to grasp the new situation and gave chase with the impetuous Field Marshal Blucher leading the way.

General Vandamme is rumoured to have threatened to challenge both Ney and Marmont to duels for abandoning him at the river Quiess where he was almost overwhelmed by three Allied forces.  The wily French general was able to extricate himself but for some reason headed south towards Lauban and not east to Goerlitz where the rest of the army had retreated to.  For a while it looked as if he was going to be surrounded by converging Allied armies.  Fortunately for him, General Bertrand had spotted an opportunity to inflict a bloody nose on Osten-Sacken’s isolated cavalry corps which was near Lauban and so had also marched on that town.  Two concurrent battles were fought at Lauban as described below.

Cavalry encounter west of Lauban

General Osten-Sacken stumbled into Bertand’s cavalry corps and realised he would not be able to extricate himself without a battle.   Slightly to the east, Wittgenstein promised to send him the Russian Guard cavalry division, but nevertheless it was with much trepidation that the cautious Russian general gave battle.  He started by throwing out a strong screen of Cossacks to slow the French advance. 

Bertrand ordered his artillery forward to drive off the Cossacks.  On the French left, artillery attachments fire in bombardment and close range fire to drop the Cossack twice.  Accurate fire from the French guns completely disrupted the Cossacks and seeing this the French charged with two divisions of cavalry. 

The Cossacks fled in the face of this combined arms assault, exposing the advancing Russian hussars who suddenly found themselves faced by French heavy and light cavalry.  To make matters worse they were thrown into disorder by the retreating Cossacks.  The French cavalry made short work of this second Russian line who were soon fleeing to the rear.  Osten-Sacken realised the battle was lost barely an hour after it had begun and sounded the retreat, using all his powers of persuasion to rally enough Cossacks to cover his retreating force.  For the second time in two weeks the dispirited Russian troopers found themselves in headlong retreat after a bloody encounter with the French.   

Blucher & Wittgenstein corner Vandamme

Meanwhile at Lauban, Blucher had aggressively pursued Vandamme and forced him to give battle. In turning to face Blucher advancing from the north, Vandamme also unwittingly exposed his flank to Wittgenstein commanding the Russian Guard advancing from the east.

Both sides deployed their artillery to open the battle with long range bombardments. Blucher took up position on a dominating hill in the centre of the action personally directing his grand battery of guns with strong wings of redoubtable Prussian infantry on each side, most being recent recruits.  The bulk of the cavalry were deployed to their left except for a unit of the elite Lieb Hussars which were positioned on the right. The French likewise deployed the bulk of their foot to either side of their guns with their cavalry in reserve in the centre.  A brigade of conscripts held the village to their right.

The Prussians opened with a great volley of shot that forced the heavy French guns back and continued to pressure them throughout the battle. While the French guns replied, they concentrated on the Prussian right.

Vandamme ordered his cavalry forward to attack the battered Prussian right.  However no sooner had these troopers begun their advance when the Russian Guard began to appear on the French left.  In a bold attempt to force victory against the odds, the French cavalry, charge the Russian Guard.  However the Guard held steady and a charge by the Prussian Lieb Hussars was enough to send the French cavalry reeling backwards. 

The arrival of the Russians gave the green Prussian troops new heart and they charged forward into the reeling French lines.  Vandamme, realizing the battle was lost gave orders to retreat.  What started as a orderly retreat soon dissolved into panic as the Prussian cavalry pursued the fleeing French conscripts mercilessly.  Only the arrival of the victorious Bertrand and his cavalry corps fresh from their victory only a mile away saved Vandamme’s corps from annihilation. 

1813 Campaign in Germany – bulletin 5 – Events covering 26-29 August including the battle of Charlottenburg

Following his bloody victory at Liegnitz and on the back of reports of Austrian forces threatening to cut his lines of supply around Bautzen, Napoleon has ordered his forces to fall back west.

The Allies, bloodied but unbowed have pursued them with vigour and a number of skirmishers were fought between the respective rear and advance guards but the French were able to withdraw in good order. Vandamme reportedly has challenged both Marmont and Ney to duels for failing to support him as agreed. Vandamme turned to stand and fight at Bunzlanu on the Bober river against the combined Russo-Prussian forces pursuing him, believing he had the support of the two French Marshals. Instead he found himself desperately holding off a force three times his size and was saved only by the strong position he had taken on the river, while Ney and Marmont had instead continued their retreat west to Goerlitz. Vandamme finally managed to extricate himself and fell back south west towards Lauban, hotly pursued by Field Marshal Blucher.

Further west General Lauriston has been playing a cat and mouse game with the Austrians south of Bautzen. Latecomers to the campaign, the Austrians have been very tentative in their advance. However, their presence was suddenly very apparent when they briefly cut the French lines of communication east of Bautzen. Schwarzenberg’s triumph was short-lived however as he found himself confronted by Napoleon with the Guard arriving from the east and Lauriston advancing on him from Bautzen in the west. Suddenly the Austrians showed that they can actually move at pace and they very quickly scuttled away south with the Guard in hot pursuit.

Meanwhile in the north on 27 August a desperate battle was fought just outside Berlin at Charlottenberg. On the 25th Oudinot had almost managed to get past Yorck and Bernadotte to seize Berlin but a rapid counter-march by the Prussians had saved the day. Yorck then advanced out of the city to fight Oudinot. The French general was happy to give battle having discounted the risk of Bernadotte coming to Yorck’s aid. However, the Crown Prince surprised everyone by actually getting to the battle on time. While Oudinot was able to inflict a bloody nose on the Prussians with a bold attack on his left wing, he was horrified when he learned that the dust clouds to his right was the arrival of the Swedes. A desperate fight ensued and the brave French with their allies were able to hold off the Swedes for long enough before nightfall allowed them to slip away, tactically triumphant but strategically relieved they had avoided being completely overwhelmed.

Below is the battle report from Oudinot that he sent to the Emperor.

“The terrain was sparse with a stream on the Prussian left. He deployed giving nothing away , a large infantry Division on each flank , guns and cavalry in the centre. I opted to hold the bases line village with my Bavarians and attack with everyone else down my left flank ,thinking the stream would slow any redeployment 

My left launches against his withheld right. Two French Light Cvalary on the flank, guns, then infantry . Two large conscripts hold the centre advancing to fix his Dragoons while the Bavarian light cavalry help out.

Then I see dust on my right! Ah ,here comes his 4th Division was my first assumption. This force is is slowed through  the stream, while my left pushes. I pin their right with my cavalry as he was cunningly falling his line back to buy time. My guns unlimber while he brings up cavalry to threaten my infantry attack .

How I see the enemy reinforcements starting to arrive. Wait, they’re not Prussians! A Swedish Division arrives on my right. The treacherous Bernadotte has force marched to attack me! The Swedish infantry advance towards the Bavarians in the town , the Swedish Guard  and artillery march down the road, aiming at my centre . I’m still thinking I can win this, but then I see more dust – there are still more Swedes arriving!

I throw in my reserves against the Prussians to try and finish them off before the Swedes numbers start to count. My attack develops on my left with my cavalry charging a disordered square however it doesn’t go well. His square wavers but holds, and the French cavalry are bounced.

Meanwhile the French dragoons rout the Prussian hussars in the centre but then charge after them uncontrolled! He charges my Dragoons with his Landwehr cavalry and the Dragoons are driven back.  

Another Division of Swedes arrives! Swedish Guard Light Cavalry , Prussian Heavy Cavalry and Russian infantry. And I can still see more dust! I realise then that it must be the whole Swedish army!

His large Swedish battery deploys in the centre next to a Prussian battery, ta grand battery of 40 or so guns . The French conscripts are wilting under this fire just as the Prussian infantry are forcing past the town towards them

But at last the Prussian right breaks from French volley fire just as night is falling and more enemy are pouring onto the right flank. The French are able to disengage and fall back to the West . The Prussians are mauled, the French are retreating and typically Bernadotte is left holding the field without a scratch on his precious Swedes!”
End of Report from Oudinot