Nap Campaign: Battle of Presscot, 14th April 1808: Turns 9 - 12

 

For ease of reference, this is the situation at the end of turn 8.

Turns 9 - 12

British Left

Kempt launches the 32nd Line at the French 1/9th Light hoping for more success than the failed attack of the 28th. A ragged volley from the French battalion failed to halt the charge and the British battalion succeeded in pushing them back.

Continued - 

Kempt's followed by Pack's brigades continue to put pressure on the French right. On the right the 95th Rifles deliver a disappointing volley, only scoring one hit.

It is now turn 11 and the British have succeeded in breaking down the first line of defence. A bonus for the British arrived with the French horse artillery battery that had been brought forward ran low on ammo.

Kempt lead the 1/32nd in a charge on the 1/111th Line and horse artillery battery. A combination of poor dice rolls and the battery running low on ammo resulted in only one casualty. The British battalion charged home comprehensively defeating both French units in melee. Both routed with heavy loss. 

Mazarny failed a subsequent brigade morale test causing it to break. His 3 retreating or routing units fled the field with just the 2/111th Line remaining (middle right). With the artillery battery routing and Mazarny falling back in the next turn, the British have made significant progress on this flank.

Portuguese

The Portuguese make heavy weather of breaking down the French positions, cautiously advancing and exchanging musketry.

The 1st Cacadores and 19th Line of Bradford's brigade failed their charges against the French line but are successfully rallied by their brigade commander.

Powers' brigade (on the left) has better success routing two French battalions, one of which flees the field. There is now a real prospect of them breaking through their sector.

The 20th Line sought to take advantage of the faltering French troops and charged the unformed 2/76th Line (middle left). Despite being severely disadvantaged, the French battalion stood their ground successfully forcing the Portuguese to retreat. 

The fresh independent Collins' brigade replaces the battered Bradford's brigade with its columns beginning to take fire from Desprez' brigade.

The right flank of the Portuguese division is now making steady progress assisted by the collapse of Capitaine's brigade. Its 'broken' status resulted in several battalions dispersing from the field allowing the Cacadores to take advantage of the gap left.

British Right

Adams' Brigade on the right with Fane's on the left continue to advance across the open ground before the French defensive positions. A setback for the British struck when a French battery rolled a double '6' upon firing on a KGL horse battery. The resultant carnage saw it eliminated (gap in the middle of photo). Fane was also killed in action.

On the left, the 43rd Light battalion deliver a shattering volley on the 6pdr French battery that had caused them so much grief causing the few surviving crew to flee the field. On the right the 52nd and 71st Light battalions form line as the two battalions of 95th Rifles continue to trade fire with French skirmishers.

On the top left, the 60th Rifles have fallen back after a double '6' was rolled by French skirmishers.

All skirmishers were recalled and now was the moment of extreme danger for the British infantry. They were being fired upon from 3 sides including from 2 batteries of artillery. 

On the left, the 43rd Light infantry continued to sustain heavy casualties but held their formation pouring volleys into the French infantry to their front. They were now joined by the 29th Line on their right and the combined fire from both British battalions succeeded in causing the two opposing French battalions to falter.

On the right the 52nd Light infantry begin to engage the French battalion holding the wall while both newly reformed battalions of the 95th rifles took fire as they prepared to unleash their own volleys. 

In the centre, du Platt's KGL columns are punished by French artillery but they confidently march on.

The removal of the 60th Rifles from the heights to the left, frees up Remond's brigade of the 19th Division to bolster the faltering battalions of Bellair's brigade.

On the right the 71st Light infantry continue to blast holes in a French battalion that had been holding the wall to its front. The latter falls back faltering.

In the centre the KGL brigade is ordered to fall back beyond canister range and change to line formation in order to minimise casualties. Rather than reckless charges towards both artillery batteries they will deploy their skirmishers to harass them prior to any new assault.

The French 19th Division are in a disorganised state following the routing of a unit which has now been successfully rallied. They are still though in a mess attempting to reform. On the right, the 43rd Light battalion has charged the 2 battalions of 11th Line with the latter pouring musket volleys into the British unit. The 43rd has already suffered significant casualties leaving it unsteady. Its nerve fails and it falters during its charge move.

Spanish Left

All French units that were able to, fired volleys into the advancing Spanish columns scoring hits but not enough to trouble them unduly.

Urged on by there commanders, 3 Spanish battalion columns successfully charge the French line. On the right, Zayas leads the Valencia battalion with the 1st Jaen of the 4th Division joining them piling into the unformed 2/4th Dutch Line.

On the left the 1st Irlanda battalion charges into the 2/107th Line.

Both Spanish attacks prove successful with the 2/4th Dutch Line forced to retreat, and the 2/107th Line routed. The difficulty for the inexperienced Spanish is to maintain order after melee. The two battalions who had defeated the Dutch were now unformed. The Irlanda was more successful maintaining good order. 

On the left, 2 battalions sought to take advantage of the unformed Spanish battalions but the 2/4th Dutch Line completely lost their nerve and retreated. As they did so they collided with a Swiss battalion unforming them and preventing the charge. 

In the centre the 1st Irlanda routed the 2/107th Line causing a partial collapse of the French units nearby. Only the increasingly isolated 1/10th Line on the right held their ground repelling another charge by two Spanish battalions, one of which fled the field.

The collapsing morale of the French triggered a brigade morale check for Tromelin's brigade. This he failed and now the entire brigade broke (middle left).

On the right the Spanish 4th Division has taken over from the exhausted 2nd Division with the 2nd Jaen battalion charging the 2/8th Light battalion with such ferocity it routs the startled French. On the left the Valencia battalion of the Vanguard Division charges into the 1/3rd Swiss forcing them to retreat. 

Both these battalions are from Lafitte's brigade generating a brigade morale check. This it failed and with no units left in the field in good order, the entire brigade shamed themselves by fleeing the battle.

Spanish Centre

The 4pdr battery of the 22nd Division continues to stoically defend the pass in the face of the Spanish 5th Division's advance. Bassecourt again attempted to charge the battery at the head of the 2nd Murcia battalion. Despite the small calibre of cannon, the Baden battery continued to pour devastating canister fire at the Spanish troops. The Murcia battalion found it all too much and routed despite the urging of Bassecourt.

The Murcia battalion failed to rally and it was increasingly clear to Bassecourt that he could not afford to keep throwing units at the French battery for no gain. He decided he would try one last time and sent the 1/2nd Reina battalion forward.

Bassecourt's persistence finally pays off with the 1/2nd Reina seeing off the pesky battery leaving it free to charge any other French units in the area. It sees its chance with the unformed 1/76th Line battalion directly to their front. The Spanish blood was up as it charged into the reeling French causing them to rout (middle of photo).

Spanish Right

On the right, Portago lead the Provincial de Guadix into a charge on the faltering 2nd Hesse-Darmstadt who were bolstered by the presence of Grandjean. The Spanish conscripts succeeded in pushing them back although losses were fairly even.

On the left the lancers of the Vistula Legion charged the Cantabria Line that had caused the French so much trouble. The heroic Spanish battalion finally lost its nerve and routed, but unfortunately for them not far enough and were caught by the lancers. The lancers mercilessly cut the Spanish battalion down leaving just a handful of survivors who fled the field.

The aftermath of the melees with Spanish battalions to the rear hurriedly forming square in response to the oncoming cavalry threat.

The successful Vistula Legion launched and uncontrolled charge against the nearest Spanish square, that of the grandly titled Granadrers Provinciales. The Spanish conscripts held their nerve successfully repelling the attack.

An overview of the substantially weakened French left flank. 3 of Grandjean's battalions and the last remaining Polish battalion fled the field. 

Portago with the victorious conscripts of the Provincial de Guadix found themselves isolated with two French cavalry regiments thundering towards them. They did not have time to form square and had to hope that their column formation was sufficient. 

The 11th Chasseurs on the right failed to charge home giving the Spanish some hope. Merlin personally lead the Westphalia Lancers into the now faltering Spanish. Fortunately for the latter, the Lancers were also conscripts and failed to capitalise on the situation and were pushed back. The Spanish were indeed supremely lucky!

Luck ran out for the Guadix battalion in turn 12. Merlin lead the Vistula Legion in a charge at the unformed Spanish. The latter attempted to retreat to safety but were caught by the lancers utterly decimating them.

The situation on the Spanish right flank as the Spanish 2nd Cavalry Division rush past the infantry squares in at attempt to cancel out the threat posed by the French cavalry.

Overview end turn 12.

A quick look at the precarious situation for the French on their left flank. The Spanish left have decisively broken through and their centre is likely to do the same.

In this phase of the battle, the situation for the French has taken a turn for the worse in all sectors. The real surprise has been the success of the largely conscript Spanish. The 6th Corps found it increasingly difficult to contain the relentless attacks. The Achilles heel for the Spanish, the tendency for any rout to have a ripple effect, failed to materialise with all divisions remaining on the battlefield. 

The main advantage for the French, their cavalry, is not able to operate well in terrain that is not suited to large scale cavalry actions. Their task in the next phase will be to stabilise their line using the cavalry whenever possible to buy them time and maybe turn the tide if they are lucky. 

It is not all plain sailing for the allies with many units having sustained heavy losses. But they still have a significant number of fresh uncommitted troops to commit to the fray.