Nap Campaign: The Battle of Rosenheim (Hanover) Part 1

The night before the battle:

Grouchy had decided that he now had to make a stand having already surrendered almost all the ground gained. Now reinforced by the Young Guard and the 7th Division he was determined that the allies would be repulsed before they step foot on French soil. With messengers arriving bringing news of Napoleon's victory over Blucher, additional pressure is on Grouchy to recover lost ground.

For the Prince of Orange, glory is beckoning. At long last he has a sizeable force thanks to the Prussian arrival that will enable him to push on to France. 

As his troops make camp for the night, an exhausted messenger arrives at the Prussian commander, Ziethen's tent. A sealed envelope is passed to Ziethen containing a hastily scribbed note from Blucher. "Army routed by Napoleon at Ainsworth. Falling back to make a stand at Grissburg (capital). Make with all haste to my position. Prussia in mortal danger."

Ziethen is left with a horrendous decision to make. He knows that if he abandons The Prince of Orange now it will mean certain defeat for him the next day. After consulting with his Brigade commanders he decides that he will stay for one day only. He calculates that if the Dutch/Belgians lose badly it could clear the way for Grouchy to advance on Prussia. Therefore, they must defeat Grouchy the next day after which he will march to join Blucher.

THE BATTLE OF ROSENHEIM

French v Dutch/Belgian, Hanover, Brunswick, Prussia

Total French 1504

CinC Grouchy

Total Allies 1894

CinC Prince of Orange

Scale = 6mm (Baccus)

Rules - General de Brigade (modified)

21st March 1808

0900 hours (max 32 moves)

ORDER OF BATTLE

TERRAIN

6' x 3'9" table

French defending 14B3, 14B2

Allies attacking from north 14B8, 14B7 

Terrain Description

From top left (figures in brackets are the capacity of that building/settlement)

14B8 – Firm grazing land, stone walls. Good Terrain

14B7 – Broken heathland, stone walls, farm (cap 25 difficult). Good Terrain

14B3 (bottom left) - Firm grazing land. Hedgerows, farm (cap 50 difficult). Good Terrain

14B2 – Rough heathland, gullies. Village of ROSENHEIM (cap 150 difficult) containing slaughter house with walled yards Good Terrain

All Woods – Difficult Terrain visibility 6cm

The overall view of the battlefield looking west. To the right the allied forces deploy with Ziethen's Prussians occupying the eastern half of the allied line in 14B7. The Dutch/Belgians, Hanoverians and Brunswickers deploy along the western half in 14B8.

Quiot's 1st Division occupied Rosenheim. To his right occupying a wood was a sole battalion, the veteran 2/13th Light of Donzelot's 2nd Division. Under the command of an ADC this battalion was responsible for holding the French right flank.

Milhaud's 4th Cavalry Corps of Cuirassiers and the Light Cavalry of the Guard form the reserve on the French right behind the 1st Corps.

Donzelot's 2nd Division forms up across the French right between Rosenheim and the French left (where the hedgerows start upper right of photo).

Girard's 7th Division lined the hedgerows on the French left linking in with Donzelot's Division (middle of photo).  Durutte's 4th Division continues the line to the left flank (far left of photo).

The young Guard forms the reserve behind Girard's Division on the left. 

Jacquinot's 1st Cavalry Division and Soult's 4th Cavalry Division screen the left flank.

Ziethen's 1st Prussian Corps, 1st Brigade of Steinmetz, with from bottom right, Hulsen's 1st Wesphalian Landwehr supported by the 1st Hussars. Laurens' 24th Infantry Regt in middle with Othegraven's 12th Infantry Regt in support. On the right of the 1st Brigade is the Artillery reserve under the command of Rentzell.

A view along the allied line with Hulsen's Landwehr in the foreground. 

Beyond Steimentz' Brigade in the distance behind stone walls are Pirch II 2nd Brigade.

The 3 regiments of Pirch II's 2nd Brigade with, in the foreground, Lutzow II's 2nd Cavalry Brigade in reserve. Just beyond the 2nd Brigade is Treskow II's 1st Cavalry Brigade linking in with the Dutch/Belgians (upper right of photo).

Another view of Treskow's Brigade (middle of photo). Bylandt's enlarged Dutch/Belgian Brigade has formed up behind walls (bottom right).

Another view of Bylandt's Brigade (middle and left). The Hanoverians form the allied right flank linking with Bylandt. The Brunswickers are in reserve behind the Hanoverians. The Dutch/Belgian heavy cavalry brigade forms a reserve behind Bylandt. On the far right of the line, the 2 Dutch/Belgian light cavalry brigades screen the right flank.

 The view across to Girard's Division from Bylandt's position.

The Prince of Orange decided to use his superior numbers to force both flanks and then swing in rolling up the French army. He is conscious of the threat posed by the French heavy cavalry and Guard cavalry for which he has no real counter. The centre therefore will hold their position behind protective walls with the allied cavalry acting as a support.

For the French, Grouchy has decided to defend in the first instance with his right flank cavalry providing the counter-punch.

On the allied left the whole of Steimetz's 1st Brigade was ordered to attack Rosenheim and the woods to the east of the village. Unfortunately for the Prussians, Laurens with the 24th Infantry failed keep up with Othegraven's 12th Infantry in the attack on Rosenheim. A combination of command failures and struggling to climb over walls!

In the foreground, Hulsen's Landwehr confidently charges the 2/13th Light who are lining the wood to their front. Their confidence evaporates however, when the are on the receiving end of a fuselage of shots from the French battalion. As casualties mount their attack stalls.

Othegraven has more success and his 12th Infantry engage Quiot's Division in the buildings of Rosenheim.

On the allied right flank, Vincke and Halkett's Hanoverian Brigades begin their advance supported by the Brunswick contingent. Their right is screened by Estorff's Cumberland Hussars followed by the two Dutch/Belgian light cavalry brigades. Kielmansegge's Hanoverian Brigade holds the wall and wooded areas.

Othegraven's 12th Infantry break into Rosenheim having expelled the French from the 2 buildings to the right. Laurens leading the 24th Infantry finally closes on the western end of Rosenheim (top right).

Hulsen's Westphalian Landwehr engage in a firefight having failed to close with the 2/13th Light who have lined the edge of the wood (bottom of photo). The Landwehr lose casualties without inflicting much in return. Hulsen knows that in their column formations they are never going to outshoot the French and again orders the charge.

The Prussian 2nd Brigade restlessly watch on as the French begin manoeuvres ahead of them.

The view from the Prussian reserve artillery as they observe Donzelot's 2nd Division forming columns and retiring to their rear.

The view from behind French lines of Donzelot's manoeuvre. Grouchy aims to give his cavalry a clear shot at the Prussian centre.

Pressure quickly builds on the French left. Halkett's Brigade is the lead formation in the Hanoverian advance and they come under fire from Pegot's Brigade lining the hedgerow.

While Hulsen's Landwehr continue to struggle against the 2/13th Light, the 12th Infantry advance further into Roseheim and begin assaulting the eastern end of the village (2 x 4 storey buildings top left of photo). Laurens with the 24th Infantry assault the walls of the  manor house (top right). Their initial melee is resoundingly beaten off by the French defenders with all 3 battalions forced to retreat or pushed back.

One of the Landwehr columns finally responds to Hulsen's orders and launches a charge at the French forcing them back into the wood.

Donzelot's Division has now retired clear of the Cuirassiers and Light Cavalry of the Guard. 

Halkett's Brigade struggles to close on Pegot's French brigade and now engages them in a firefight (middle of photo).  During the allied cavalry advance, Estorff (upper right green coloured cavalry) fails several command tests and is overtaken by the Dutch/Belgians who now charge the French cavalry.

The 6th Dutch Hussars of Merlen's Brigade (middle right in blue) enjoy early success and forces a French Hussar regiment to retreat. The 8th Belgian Hussars of Ghigny's Brigade also wins their melee causing the 4th Lancers to retreat (top right).

The failure of Estorff to charge leaves a gap through which the French 3rd Lancers charge towards them.  Estorff cajoles his Hussars into a counter-charge. In the ensuing melee the Hanoverian Hussars amaze Estorff and comfortably beat off the 3rd Lancers.

With 3 consecutive cavalry melee losses, the French left flank is beginning to look precarious.

An overview of the eastern end of the battlefield. Hulsen at the top has one battalion now in the woods. 

An overview of the western end of the battlefield. 

An overhead view showing the extent of Hulsen's advance in the woods and the rather isolated 2/13th Light battalion opposing the Landwehr.

Othegraven has advanced further into Rosenheim and now assaults the walls surrounding the church.  A third building has fallen to the Prussians at the eastern end of the village. Charlet of the 1st Brigade has rallied the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 55th Line and prepares them to counter-attack the Prussian within Rosenheim (middle bottom).  Two batteries of horse artillery have deployed to the rear of the village as Grouchy prepares for the worst.

Grouchy also has concerns for his left flank. The 8th Belgian Hussars had ploughed on having defeated another French cavalry unit advancing significantly ahead of the main body of cavalry (top right). In its enthusiasm it had become isolated and was now counter-attacked.

The 6th Dutch Hussars had similar success clearing the French cavalry away from a field ahead of them (to the left of the Belgian Hussars).

Having reformed his battalions into attack columns, Halkett manages to repulse the French away from the hedgerow to his front (middle right). Vincke has swung his brigade to the left of Halkett attacking French holding a wood (middle left). With many of the French battalions falling back, Grouchy sends Girard's 1st Brigade west to support Durutte (top left).

Two views of the French left from behind French lines. In the foreground are the 3 battalions of Villiers Brigade from Girard's Division.

The moment the Prussians were dreading. The great mass of French cavalry advance across the open ground towards the allied centre. Von Roeder's Prussian Cavalry reserve move out with Treskow's Brigade in front to meet them. They immediately run into problems as 2 French horse artillery batteries that had deployed in support of their cavalry opened fire on the Prussian 4th Hussars causing wholesale destruction.

In the foreground is Trip's Dutch/Belgian heavy cavalry brigade advancing to support the Prussians.

The view from behind the French cavalry advance.

Charlet's counter-attack by two weakened battalions was enough to halt the Prussians advance in Rosenheim. The question would be for how long. The Manor House and Church were still being held but it was desperate stuff.

Treskow's Brigade, minus the 4th Hussars who have now dispersed, feels the full force of the Guard Light Cavalry as the huge French formations plough into the Prussians.

Having smashed Treskow's Brigade, the Chasseurs of the Guard supported by Cuirassiers continue their momentum into Lutzow's Brigade.

Vincke on the left and Halkett on the right continue their desperate fight for the woods and hedgerows. The Brunswickers struggle through failed command tests to get their troops forward quickly to reinforce the Hanoverians.

On the left the allied cavalry continues to wear the French down. 

With the battle continuing to rage in Rosenheim, Hulsen continues to struggle against the lone 2/13th Light who refuse to give up. The Landwehr are becoming increasingly shaky in the face of this stubborn resistance. The Prussians deploy a battery of artillery to pound the lone battalion.

Grouchy becomes increasingly concerned about the state of his left flank. Although he is still reasonably confident that Durutte will hold, he takes the precaution of deploying a Young Guard Brigade along a narrow wood running along the French rear positions. If the left does collapse this will be his new defensive line protecting his right.

NEXT: Part 2