Nap Campaign: The Battle of Glade (Prussia)

The Prussian 15th Brigade commander, Maj Gen von Losthin, having avoided encirclement, falls back on what he considers to be another good defensive position. Having passed through the village of Glade he locates two river crossings which are the only route into central Prussia unless a significant detour is made. The rivers are too deep to be forded so he sets about deploying his Brigade to maximise the defensive qualities of his chosen defensive line. 

The night before the battle:

Bachelu's 5th Division with Pire's Cavalry Brigade follow Losthin's line of retreat while Durutte's Brigade from 1st Corps converges on Losthin from the west (blue 15). The scene is set for:

THE BATTLE OF GLADE

French v Prussian

Total French 372

CinC Lt Gen Bachelu

Total Prussian 336

CinC Maj Gen von Losthin

Scale = 6mm (Baccus figures)

10th March 1808

Start time 0900 (max 32 moves)

ORDER OF BATTLE

TERRAIN

Each square = 2'3"

4'6" x 3'9"

Prussia defending both bridges

French attacking from south and west

Terrain description

From top left:

14B21 - Firm broken ground, gullies, thick woodland, deep river

28B1 - Firm heathland, farm, forest/swamp (severe terrain), river deep, stone bridge

28B2 - Access by road only

14B16 - Firm heathland, gullies, pine wood

28B6 - Firm grazing land, fences, farm, forest/swamp (severe terrain), deep river, bridge

28B7 - No access

Bachelu's Division and Pire's Cavalry in the foreground with Durutte's Brigade arriving middle left.

View from the Prussian position.

Schwerin's Prussian Cavalry Brigade forms up in reserve.

The Prussian 2/18th Infantry battalion lines the river bank supported by a horse artillery battery on their left. They observe the French columns of Bachelu's Division advancing towards the south bridge.

Loebell's Brigade line the river banks along with the artillery to provide the first line of defence. Thile's Brigade of Landwehr form columns with the aim of repelling any French forces successfully crossing the south bridge. The 3rd Silesia Landwehr cavalry are ready to provide additional support. Massow's Brigade of conscript Landwehr are the reserve (off to the right of the photo).

Durutte's Brigade advances in line formation to minimise casualties with the intention of engaging the Prussian forces deployed on the opposite side of the river.

Bachelu's Division will be the main assault force with Husson's Brigade on the left and Campy's Brigade mostly on the road to the right. The Chasseurs a Cheval form the reserve.

The Prussian artillery bombard the French as they advance, and as soon as they move into musket range the Prussian infantry opens fire. Massow sends the 3/4th Silesia Landwehr battalion to the right of Loebell's line to provide additional firepower in the face of the growing threat from Durutte's Brigade. On the French side, Campy is ordered to engage the Prussians lining the east side of the south bridge with Husson providing the assault force to cross the river.

The firefight intensifies as Campy's Brigade moves through the farm and opens fire on the Prussians.

Prussian casualties begin to mount, particularly the foot battery situated at the bend of the river near the top of the photo. Most were caused by a French battery who unlimbered on the opposite side of the river and then raked the Prussian battery with canister. 

The Prussian foot battery finally succumbs and departs the field. With firefights increasing in intensity across the river, Husson's Brigade closes on south bridge.

With the Prussian battery gone, the combined firepower of two French battalions and an artillery battery were focused on the Fusilier battalion of the 18th Infantry Regiment. Even worse for the Prussians, they were enfiladed by the artillery. As a result horrendous casualties were being inflicted on the Prussians. They finally broke leaving a large gap around the bridge. Losthin was fully prepared for this eventuality and ordered Thile's Brigade into line. He was in effect inviting Husson to cross the bridge where he intended to fire off a murderous volley. 

As Husson's first battalion crossed the bridge, Losthin ordered Massow to cross the north bridge to form a new defensive line. The 1/18th Infantry routed after suffering heavy casualties leading to the 3/4th Silesia Landwehr withdrawing from the firefight (bottom left). 

Losthin ordered Thile's battalions to hold their fire as Husson formed his brigade into a large column. Still no firing from the Prussians! Husson's column advanced towards the Landwehr whereupon he ordered the charge. At the last moment Losthin ordered the 3 battalions to fire. At close range into such a large column, the Prussians could not miss. The volley did indeed prove murderous inflicting large numbers of casualties on the French. The French brigade was stopped dead in its tracks. Husson was alarmed to see one of his battalions break from the column routing over the bridge followed by another, then another and then the entire Brigade dissolved into a panicked mass of men. There was nothing he could do as his entire brigade routed from the field.  

The 3rd Silesians were jubilant.

Durutte quickly moved to fill the gap. 

Although pleased how the battle was progressing, Losthin was nevertheless realistic about what his inexperienced troops could achieve. He knew it would only be a matter of time before the French gained a foothold on the northern shore of the south bridge. With Thile ready to meet any new threat, all the remaining Prussian forces were ordered to defend the north bridge.

Initially it appeared that Durutte was going to make the same mistake as Husson as he manoeuvred his battalions into column formations ready to charge Thile's brigade. The Prussians were already taking casualties from a French artillery battery sited on the opposite side of the river. Durutte ordered the charge but this time the volley proved to be far less effective. As the French columns surged towards the Prussian line, the Landwehr did not wait for the impact. One battalion routed with the other two retreating. 

Thile attempted to hold the line in the face of the advancing French columns.

The Landwehr had other ideas and both retreating battalions broke.

With Pire's Chasseurs crossing south bridge and Durutte's Brigade with it's blood up it was starting to look bleak for the Prussians.

As Durutte's Brigade charged towards the mass of panicked Landwehr, the 3rd Silesia Landwehr cavalry launched a desperate charge to save their infantry compatriots. They succeeded in deflecting 2 battalions but at a terrible loss. The remaining two French battalions contacted the routing Landwehr and began their own form of retribution for the damage they inflicted on Husson's Brigade.

Hubert's Chasseur Cavalry Brigade helped mop up any remaining Prussian 

resistance between the two bridges. 

It was now down to the Prussians holding the north bridge.

The Prussians were now down to Massow's Conscript Brigade and the 2nd battalion of the 18th Infantry. The last remaining heavily depleted artillery battery was low on ammo. Schwerin's Cavalry Brigade would be used to counter any crossing on the bridge. Should the worst happen and the Prussian infantry rout then they were to prevent a massacre. Durutte's Brigade starts to form up into a line out of Prussian musket range. Bachelu does not intend to expose his units to an expensive forced river crossing again. They were to simply 'blow' the Prussians away by using superior firepower.

Durutte's Brigade now in line is joined by Campy's Brigade on their left.

The Prussians look on apprehensively.

Durutte does not wait for Campy but advances to the river bank and exchanges fire with Massow's conscripts. Although the French suffer losses it is the Prussians who begin to fall in alarming numbers. The Landwehr cannot match the fully trained and experienced soldiers opposite them.

The last of the Prussian artillery are destroyed and Massow's Landwehr are looking increasingly thin on the ground as they desperately attempt to fend off the French. To the right of the bridge, the Prussian 18th Line opens up on the advancing battalions of Campy's brigade. Unfortunately for the Prussians, a French artillery battery has deployed within canister range and begins to shred their ranks. By the time Campy's Brigade has advanced to within effective musket range, the 18th are already looking shaky.

The inevitable happened with both Massow's Brigade and the 2/18th Line battalion breaking simultaneously. There was nothing more Losthin could do. Schwerin's cavalry brigade still held and acted as a rearguard. Bachelu had no intention of immediately pursuing Losthin. Although he had emerged victorious it could so easily have gone the other way when Husson's brigade broke. Before he advanced further into Prussia he needed to regroup his Division ensuring that Husson's brigade returned to the fold. 

For Losthin it was a masterly defence. Had he been commanding a more experienced force there would have been a high probability that he would have seen off the French. 

CASUALTIES:

The situation by nightfall:

Result = A decisive French victory

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