Nap Campaign: Battle of Ainsworth (Prussia) Part 1

Having amassed his forces, Blucher now firmly believed he had sufficient to deal with Napoleon. Time to get these damn French off Prussian soil!

The situation during the night of 9th - 10th March -

THE BATTLE OF AINSWORTH

French v Prussian

Total French 1,272

CinC Napoleon

Total Prussian 1,859

CinC Blucher

Figure Scale = 6mm

10th March 1808

Start 0900 hours (max 32 moves)

ORDER OF BATTLE

A note regarding the order of battle. You will recall that in the 3rd column the number indicates the number of bases. This is different for cavalry. The number is in italics and is the number of squadrons not bases. This is an important factor for formations in General de Brigade. It is also possible for squadrons to act independently.

TERRAIN

Each square = 2'3"

6' x 3'9" table

Prussian attacking from north 17A23 and 24

French defending south 28A15 and 20

Terrain Description:

From top left:

17A22 - firm open heathland

17A23 - firm grazing land, hedgerows, farm, deep river, stone bridge

17A24 - firm grazing land, fences, farm, cottage, smooth grassy hill

17A25 - bleak rocky terrain, cottage, deep river, stone bridge

From bottom left:

28A10 - rough terrain

28A15 - broken heathland, rocky hill, village of Ainsworth

28A20 - bleak treeless district, deep river, high cliffs where river touches hills, stone bridge

28A25 - bleak rocky district, deep river, deep gorge.

Although outnumbered, Napoleon was confident of victory. He had little doubt that 'Marschall Vorwarts' Blucher would launch an all out assault. He would add a little temptation of his own to ensure that happened. Napoleon took a risky gamble placing the 6th Division across the whole of his right wing. The 11th Cavalry Division were placed in reserve hidden from Prussian view on the reverse side of the hill. Their backs were against impassable terrain and if cut off from the east, their only means of escape was a single bridge. His only insurance to prevent that from happening was the Guard Heavy Cavalry Brigade which he placed in a reserve position close to the junction of the two wings of his army. The right wing was placed under the 2nd Corps commander, Reille. 

All the right wing had to do was hold their ground while his left wing provide the counter stroke. On the left his massed batteries of artillery were arrayed in front of the Middle Guard. They were to absorb the Prussian attack and once checked the Old Guard reserve would counter attack to break the Prussians. As the Prussian right was swept away, the guard would then swing onto the flank of the Prussian left to finish the job. The 12th Cavalry Division were deployed to cover the guards left flank.

For his part, Blucher had indeed decided to behave aggressively. Lt Gen von Pirch commanded his left wing consisting of 2nd Corps troops. The right, under Count von Bulow, consisted of the 4th Corps units. Pirch was tasked with driving the French right from the hill and up against the river where they would be destroyed. He was also tasked with driving a wedge between French right and left. Bulow was ordered to attack the French guard. Blucher stressed to him that he must close as quickly as possible or risk being pounded into submission by the massed batteries of French artillery. Sydow's 3rd Cavalry Brigade provided Bulow's right flank cover.

The French right, the 6th Division of Jerome Napoleon holding the high ground.

Their opposition, the men of 2nd Prussian Corps.

The French left, the Imperial Guard in full splendour.

Napoleon behind his Imperial Guard.

The Prussian right wing.

Following an artillery duel the main Prussian advance gets underway along the whole line. The French 12th Cavalry Division moves out to counter Sydow on the French left flank.

On the opposite flank the French 6th Division advances to the brow of the hill in readiness to receive the Prussian advance. The massed French batteries pour shot into the Prussian columns gouging gaps into the densely packed ranks. The Prussians press on regardless.

As the Prussian columns begin their ascent of the hill, French infantry form up in line beyond the artillery. 

Out on the Prussian right flank, Sydow's Landwehr cavalry prove no match for the Cuirassiers and Carabiniers of the French 12th Cavalry Division. As they charge into each other the Heavy French cavalry maul the inexperienced Prussian light cavalry. There is one exception. The 1st Neumark Landwehr successfully push back the elite 1st Carabiniers. It is not enough though to prevent Sydow's brigade from breaking in the face of the heavily armoured French cavalry.

The advancing Prussian 13th and 16th Brigades have absorbed the punishment meted out by the Guard artillery but now face the initial volley fire from the Middle Guard battalions as they form up in front of the artillery. 

A crescendo of fire rolls out across the entire battlefield as the French infantry of the 6th Division and Middle Guard pour volleys of musket fire into the massed Prussian columns at close range. The columns shudder under the impact.

On the Prussian left several battalions falter, colliding with each other in the confusion. Some even retreat back down the hill rather than take any further punishment. Some however, successfully charge into the French lines. Helmenstreit rode to the front of his own 25th Infantry regiment shouting encouragement. Two of his battalions respond and launch themselves into the French line. The French line buckles but holds and the melee continues into another round. 

To Helmenstreit's left, Cardell faces the same problem with the 2nd Infantry Regt with one battalion falling back. He also joins the front of his remaining battalions but only the Fusilier Battalion reinforced by the Jager detachment make it into the French. Their attack proves to be more successful as the melee is decisive against the French who fall into a compulsory retreat.

Over in the centre, two battalions of the Prussian 26th Infantry Regt lead by Reuss plough into a battalion of Soye's brigade and after suffering heavy casualties in the subsequent melee, the French battalion routs.

Back on the Prussian left, a combination of the success of several battalions making it into the French lines and the slackening in French fire, emboldens the Prussian columns who renew their attack. Baudiun's light infantry brigade begin to struggle under Prussian pressure and gaps begin to open up in their line.

With very little to fill the yawning gap in Bauduin's line it would fall to the Cuirassiers to counter the Prussian threat. The Dragoons of Piquet's Cavalry Brigade protected the extreme right of the French line but was limited in any aggressive move on it's part due to the narrow confines of the terrain which it must pass through to get to the Prussian cavalry.

In the centre, Reuss' success was a double edged sword. As the victorious Prussian 26th charged into, and defeating, the 2nd of the French battalions holding this position, the large regiment of Empress' Dragoons hoved into view. The most exposed Prussian battalion hurriedly formed a square. The only Prussian cavalry available to counter this threat was a sole regt of Hussars commanded by Watzdorf.

On the opposite flank a similar story was being played out. As the Prussian columns prepared to charge the Middle Guard, a cloud of smoke erupted from the entire French line at point blank range. Chaos ensued as most Prussian columns fell back or faltered under the hail of musket balls. As on the Prussian left flank, several battalions did persevere and charged into the Middle Guard.

Two battalions of the Prussian 15th Infantry Regiment and an adjacent battalion of the 2nd Neumark Landwehr struck two battalions of the Middle Guard. Further to their left, Fischer lead the charge of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Silesia Landwehr into the French line. 

As a precaution, Napoleon detached 2 battalions of the Old Guard and placed them under the command of an ADC to act as a reserve should the French right wing need further support. The remaining 6 battalions formed column in readiness to counter-attack the Prussian right.

D'Hurbal, after reforming his 12th Cavalry Division, was rather surprised to see that Sydow had also reformed his brigade of Landwehr cavalry and was perfectly ready for round 2. Despite the disparity in quality of troops, Sydow had no intention of going down without a fight. Two Prussian artillery batteries had also deployed to make the French heavy cavalry's life a little harder.

The melee with the Middle Guard was to cost Fischer his life as the Silesians suffered a mauling at the hands of the French. The 2/15th Infantry were repulsed in their melee but the 1/15th and the battalion of Neumark Landwehr continued fighting it out with the Chasseurs of the Middle Guard. 

With the Prussian attack on the Middle Guard checked, Napoleon began moving out his Old Guard supported by artillery towards the flank of the Prussians. He sensed it would not be long before he could order his counter-attack.

Disaster struck for the Prussians in the centre. Or more specifically for the 2nd battalion of the 26th Infantry Regt. Having defeated the French line battalion, the battalion was faced with an immediate charge by the Empress' Dragoons. The entire battalion routed in panic chased by the Dragoons. Watzdorff, who could have intervened, froze (failed a command test in the order phase). The Dragoons quickly caught the panicked 26th and rode them down leaving very few survivors. The Fusilier battalion of the 26th, who was already in full retreat to the rear of the 2nd battalion, took fright at the scene in front of them and fled the field.

The French right wing however, was collapsing! Repeated attacks by Prussian battalion columns wore down Baudiun's light infantry brigade. Attacks by the Cuirassiers had some effect but there were quite simply insufficient French manpower deal with the Prussians. Baudiun's Brigade had finally been ejected from the hilltop. Soye's Brigade was still holding out on it's section of the hill but the Prussian 6th Infantry Regt was pressing hard. The Prussian columns, now reformed, advanced for the final destruction of the 6th Division and the French right. It would then be time to roll up the flank of the Imperial Guard!

To be continued........