Battle of Corunna 1809

Battle of Corunna 

16 Jan 1809

6mm

Sir John Moore's tomb in San Carlos Gardens, Corunna.
Visited 24th October 2017

Working through the Peninsular war it was time to have a go at Corunna. Using slightly modified General de Brigade rules and Baccus figures on a figure ratio of 1:20. The rules modifications are still a work in progress chief of which is a command and control system imported from Sam Mustafa's Grande Armee rules which have been altered slightly. I have removed skirmishers in their entirety which will not please purists, but in this scale I have found them too fiddly and slow the game down. The game was played solo with die roles and the combat and control system providing the surprises!

British commanded by General Sir John Moore.

French by Marshal Soult.

Continued -

Overview of battlefield with villages from left to right, Portago, Palavea, Elvina (in distance), and Piedralonga.

Hope's Division forms the British left flank behind Piedralonga with Hill's Brigade on the left and Leith's Brigade partially on the hill. Baird's Division continues the line to the right with Elvina in the distance.

View from behind Baird's Division with Warde's Guards Brigade in the foreground. General Sir John Moore is situated in front of the Guards.

Delaborde's French Division advancing towards Portago.

The thin British line await the onslaught of Merle's Division in the centre and Mermet's Division on the French left. General Moore observes from the hill crest. Hope's Division occupies Piedralonga and Crauford's Brigade rushes to reinforce the left (bottom right).

Another view as the French columns advance.

Confusion in the French centre temporarily slows their advance allowing Delaborde to catch up in the foreground.

Mermet's Division flanked by Lahoussaye's Division of Dragoons advance towards the exposed British right flank.

With the banks of the Rio Mero protecting the British left flank, Delaborde has no option but to launch his columns directly at Hill's and Leith's Brigades. The initial attack is repulsed by the steady British volleys. 

Delaborde's Division exchange volley fire as Thomiere's Brigade advances past Palavea to provide further support. In the distance Lefebvre's Swiss Brigade assaults Elvina.

Paget's small Division of 5 battalions rushes onto the battlefield and hurriedly deploys to form the British right flank in the face of Mermet's advancing columns.

The French finally break into Piedralonga as Merle's columns make heavy weather of breaking the British centre.

Bentinck's Brigade hold off repeated attacks by the Swiss and French columns on Elvina.

Franceschi's French cavalry Division arrives on the far left of the French line.

British centre pours volley after volley into the advancing columns.

Situation is getting desperate on the British left as they begin to buckle under the relentless French attacks.

More of the same from the French viewpoint.

Mermet's Division is launched on the reinforced British right as the battle continues to rage around Elvina. The advantage of French Cavalry is cancelled out by the rough terrain leaving them as nothing but onlookers and a potential screen. They await with glee though the opportunity to tear into the fleeing British infantry which must surely be only a matter of time.

Fraser's 3rd Division arrives to further reinforce the British right watched helplessly by French Cavalry who are unable to form up in the rough terrain.

The French finally break through the British line.

While on the right the British desperately try to hold on to Elvina. An ADC takes command of a Guards Battalion and lines a hedgerow protecting Elvina's flank.

A counter-attack by Crauford's brigade drives the French from Piedralonga and they hurriedly reform to plug the British line in the centre.

With Delaborde's Division spent on the French right, and Merle's Division too depleted to take advantage of the breakthrough in the centre, it fell to Merlet's division to roll up the British right. Unfortunately for the French, the reinforcing British Brigades of Paget and Fraser's divisions were all too quickly stabilising the British line.

With the British line stabilised, Soult now contemplated the inevitability of defeat.

It was now clear that any further attacks on the British line was futile. Soult ordered his troops to disengage and the British were now free to retreat to the port of Corunna for evacuation. And General Moore survived!