Busaco 27th September 1810: Turns 17 - Conclusion

 

The situation at the end of turn 16.

JUNOT'S ASSAULT

Turn 17

Junot's Corps begins to climb the ridge and several charges were made. 

I should add here for those not familiar with the rules, each average brigade commander can order up to 2 battalion charges (an exceptional commander 3, poor 1). It is possible to add further charges on battalion initiative. They must roll a 5 or 6 on a D6 dice.

Volleys of musketry opened up across the entire ridge. The allies took the decision not to wait to see the "whites of their eyes" but blaze away intending to inflict the maximum damage on the slow moving columns.

Continued -

The most successful of Junot's attacks occurred on his far right flank. Godart ordered his brigade to attack the ridge. All 4 battalions joined in (2 having successfully rolled for battalion initiative). 

Their principle target was the 1/11th Portuguese Line of Collins' Brigade. 2 of the 4 battalions charged home (1 disgracefully fled the field!) and the Portuguese decided not to wait for the impact. They immediately retreated through the 1/23rd Portuguese Line disordering them. There was insufficient movement allowance left for the French to make further charges leaving them to occupy the space left on the ridge. 

Another contact was made by the 4/34th Line of Menard's Brigade. They hit the 1/6th Portuguese Line of A. Campbell's brigade who fought ferociously throwing back the French with heavy loss.

Turn 18

Godart orders the 1st and 3rd battalions of the 22nd Line to charge the unformed 1/23rd Portuguese Line to press home the earlier success. Incredibly both lost there nerve as they closed the distance. 1 of the brigade's battalions had fled the field the previous turn adversely affecting both battalions. They required to roll a total of at least 6 on 2D6. Both rolled '5'! The result being both halted in good order electing to fire a volley instead. Which they did and missed!

Further along the line the 4/19th Line of Menard's Brigade defeated the 1/6th Portuguese Line in melee pushing them back.

Aside from the minor melee victory, the situation took a nasty turn for Junot's Corps. Morale began to fail among many other battalions as their casualties mounted. Several charges failed leading to 4 battalions fleeing the field. 2 each from Taupin's and Menard's Brigades with the former failing their brigade morale test. Large gaps had now opened in Junot's two attacking divisions.

Turn 19

Success at last for Godart. The 1st and 3rd battalions of the 22nd Line respond positively to orders to charge the Portuguese. The 1/23rd Portuguese Line battalion did not have time to fire off a volley before both columns struck. Outnumbered 2:1 the inexperienced Portuguese must surely be destroyed by the French columns. Nope! A truly heroic resistance (stupendous dice roll compared to 2 poor dice rolls for the French) resulted in both French battalions defeated and forced to retreat off the ridge. 

That last ditch defence saved the allies from a developing headache on this flank.

The 4/19th Line is the last surviving battalion in Menard's Brigade. Menard himself joins them in the hope of pushing on into the allied line. They do though have to reform following the successful melee in the previous turn.

This delay proved costly for the French battalion. The Portuguese 1/18th Line fired a volley into them shredding many of their number. Already depleted from earlier actions, the 4/19th Line was now reduced below half strength meaning they would depart the field in the next turn. Their only consolation was a passed morale test meant they retired in good order. This signalled the complete demise of Menard's Brigade.

In the upper middle of the photo are 3 battalions of Gratien's Brigade. Gratien is currently at the rear having light wounds treated so any attacks would have to be battalion initiative. All 3 failed the test but they had a sting in their tail. All 3 fired very effective volleys from the head of their columns causing 3 casualties among the 2/6th Portuguese Line causing them to falter. A charge by the French in the next turn should prove rewarding!  

Seeing his attack columns break down in their futile assaults on the ridge, a visibly angry Junot orders the large supporting brigade of Thomieres to get on that damn ridge!

Turn 20

2 of Gratien's battalions are no on the ridge and grimly hang on hoping for the quick arrival of Thomieres' Brigade. In the meantime the French columns continue to be mauled by steady musket volleys leading to 2 more battalions fleeing the field.

Turn 21

In the middle of the photo, Thomieres orders the 4/66th Line to charge the British line and as they do so the British 1/11th Line of Campbell's Brigade lost their nerve and retreated in disorder through the 2/7th and 2/53rd Line with the latter managing to maintain good order. The French battalion had insufficient move left to mount another attack and received a volley from the 2/53rd only suffering a couple of casualties.

This proved to be the high watermark for Junot. On the upper right of the photo, Gratien's 2 battalions mounted their charge but failed to make contact. Both suffered heavy casualties and retreated in disorder.

Both Gratien's retreating battalions failed to rally having suffered such heavy losses and fled the field. 2 of Thomieres battalions similarly lost all heart and followed suit. Gratien passed his brigade morale check but Thomieres did not. A broken result lead to all his battalions falling back from the ridge in disorder. The photo shows the aftermath.

The view from the ridge of the now depleted Junot's Corps.

NEY & REYNIER'S ATTACKS

Turn 17

Ney's columns struggled to make headway against the storm of musket balls losing 2 battalions in the process.

One column did have success though. The small 6/26th Line Battalion of Simon's Brigade (an inferior 2nd Line battalion) struck the 1/1st Portuguese Line battalion defeating them comprehensively. The Portuguese battalion routed causing 2 more Portuguese battalions of Pack's Brigade to the rear to retreat. Even companies of the 1/95th Rifles occupying the convent grounds faltered on seeing the mass of Portuguese in disarray.

A slightly different tactic was used by Labessee's Brigade. With one battalion in line formation sandwiched between columns, the entire brigade advanced slowly allowing them to open fire on the ridge hoping to soften them up. With only 1 casualty inflicted so far it was a poor start!

Bardet's Brigade along with the depleted Merle's Division begin their advance to the north of San Antonio.

Turn 18

The 3 routing and retreating Portuguese battalions of Pack's Brigade pours through the grounds of the convent. Pack himself attempted to rally the routing 1/1st Line but failed with the battalions fleeing the field. Both other battalions failed to rally and will continue retreating.

Labassee orders his brigade to attack with the 3/50th Line charging into the 1/2nd Guards. An unexpected French victory pushed back the British guards battalion.

Ney's attack along the spur almost breaks down completely. The 6/26th Line that had been so successful in routing a defending Portuguese battalion failed its morale test when seeking to capitalise on that success. Like many French battalions, they had suffered heavy losses leaving them susceptible to morale failures. Others similarly failed with a collection of battalions routing and retreating away back along the spur. This generated more morale checks from neighbouring battalions.

The end result being a total of 5 battalions fleeing the field with Ferey's Brigade breaking and Marcognet's faltering.

Across the centre French columns move into charge range in the face of continual musket volleys from the ridge.

Turn 19

Ney's attack along the spur continued to fail. The last of his brigades, that of Marcognet, suffered further heavy losses from a sustained volley of musketry by the British 1/79th Line. The 2 nearest battalions to the British failed their subsequent morale tests and will retreat the next turn.

The victorious 3/50th Line, having maintained good order, charged the 1/3rd Guards who had been joined by Stopford. They were unable to fire off a volley before the column struck. I reinstated the charging column bonus for the French now that they were fully on the ridge. 

The guards, however, stood their ground defeating the French column who would now retreat. Another potential breach of the allied line saved for now.

Lightburne's Brigade risks becoming isolated as the great mass of Labassee's columns charged up the slope. Both his battalions were becoming increasingly depleted as casualties gradually mounted. They frantically unloaded their 3 shots a minute into the advancing columns when one of those, the 2/50th Line piled into the British 2/83rd Line. The melee resulted in a draw with the scrap continuing in the next turn.

Just in time, the first two battalions of Coleman's Portuguese Brigade moved up to support Lightburne having marched from the north of the allied position.

On the left of the photo, Bardet's columns gradually closed on the 88th, the Connaught Rangers. The Irishmen continued to pile up French bodies on the steep slopes.

To the right more bad news for the hapless Corps of Reynier. Morale among Graindorge's Brigade began to collapse as they suffered from Portuguese musketry. The entire brigade broke with 2 of his 4 battalions fleeing the field.

Turn 20

Disaster occurs for Ney's assault along the spur. Most of Marcognet's Brigade suffered morale failures leading to the majority retreating from the ridge. The subsequent brigade morale check also failed leading to 3 battalions dispersing from the field. Only a total of 6 shaky battalions remained on the spur signalling the end of any possible offensive action in this part of the battlefield.

For Ney, his only hope for any success lies with Mermet's Division. The brief success against Stopford's Guards came to an end with a bayonet charge by the 1/3rd Guards (middle bottom of photo). So shocked were the previously successful 3/50th Line, they retreated in disorder from the ridge. Worse was to come when they failed their rally check compounded by retreating battalions in near proximity on the spur. This lead to them dispersing. 

Coleman was ordered to attack in order to stabilise a possible breakthrough by the French. He ordered his only 2 battalions that were in position, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Portuguese 19th Line to charge the oncoming French columns. 1 French battalion while the other, the 1/27th Line, stood to receive the oncoming Portuguese battalion. They lost the ensuing melee and retreated back down the ridge (middle of photo).

To their left, Lightburne's British 2/83rd Line won the 2nd round of melee forcing the 2/50th to retreat. 

Not to be outdone, the Connaught Rangers to the right of the Portuguese, fixed bayonets and charged 2 of Bardet's columns who held the attack to a draw.

More bad news for Ney arrived with the brigade of Labassee failing its morale check with all its battalions falling back in disorder in the next turn. 

The French 1/25th Line launches a charge at the Portuguese 1/19th Line (lower left) defeating them in melee and forcing the Portuguese to retreat.

The ongoing melee between the Connaught Rangers (88th Line) and the 2 French columns lead to bad news for the elite British battalion. Their impetuous desire to send the French back down the ridge proved too much even for them. Having held the initial charge, French numbers gave them the edge. The two columns surged forward overwhelming the 88th inflicting such heavy losses the survivors fled the field.

The 3 battalions of Bardet's Brigade now had a real chance to gain a foothold on the ridge when he received dispiriting orders. He had been instructed to retire from the ridge and fall back to the main French line!

The pitiful remnants of 2 French divisions reformed on the spur before they too were ordered to retire.

CONCLUSION

The failure of Junot's assault along with Labassee's Brigade breaking signalled the end for the French. Bardet's success was too little too late. It would have shown real promise had adequate support been available to take advantage of the breach in allied lines but 3 isolated battalions were never going to hold their position let alone make any material difference to the outcome of the battle.

Massena therefore, issued the inevitable retire orders to all his troops in order to preserve their numbers for the main assault on Lisbon.  

This proved to be exceptionally tough for the French. Wellington had chosen an ideal defensive position with the steep slopes cancelling out any advantage of charging in column formation and of course neutering French cavalry. I had hoped that by broadening the attack frontage there was an increased chance of a lucky breakthrough which could be exploited. But any that did occur could not be held long enough for reinforcements to be brought in, largely as a result of those slopes reducing manoeuvrability.

So an end to a battle that proved frustrating for the French and something of a turkey shoot for the Anglo/Portuguese army. Not that dissimilar to the real thing.