Tuesday 4 December 2007

A Holding Action

The date is August 28, 1813. The Army of Bohemia has been routed at Dresden by Napoleon himself and the Allied Sovereigns have decided that retreat into Bohemia is the better option. The Prussian Klux’s 9th Brigade (Kleist’s 2nd Prussian Corps) has been ordered by Wittgenstein to act as rearguard and cover the Army’s retreat through the mountains. Urged by Napoleon himself, the Maréchal Gouvion Saint-Cyr is pursuing the Allied with his XIV Corps and finally his 43me Division has caught the retreating Prussians deployed near Leubnitz on the road towards Kulm.
The above narrative is my adaptation of the ‘Holding Action’ scenario described in the C.S. Grant’s book (see previous post) to the Campaign of Leipzig 1813. The orders of battle are taken from the Nafziger's book 'Napoleon at Dresden. The Battle of August 1813’ (The Emperor Press, Chicago, 1994) with a little help from the members of the Benno’s Figures and Napoleon Series Forums, which kindly provided the names of the Prussian commanders.
Prussian Rearguard:

Klux’s 9th Prussian Brigade
1/2/Fus/ 1st West Prussian Regiment
1/2/3/ 6th Reserve Regiment
1/2 Silesian Schützen Battalion
1/2/3/ 7th Silesian Landwehr Regiment
Neumärk Dragoon Regiment
1st Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
6pdrs. Foot Artillery #7 (8 guns)
6pdrs. Horse Artillery #7 (8 guns)
Advancing French

Claparede’s 43me Division
1re Brigade Godard
2/3/ 27me Legere ; 3/ 29me Legere; 3/4/ 100me Ligne Regiments
2me Brigade Butrand
2/3/ 45me Ligne ; 3/ 65me Ligne ; 2/4/ 103me Ligne ; 2/ 59me Ligne ; 3/ 94me Ligne Regiments
2/ 7me 6pdrs. Foot Artillery ( 8 guns)
10me Light cavalry Division Pajol
14me Hussars ; 2me Italian Chasseurs a Cheval ; 7me (Polish) Chevaux-Legers Lanciers Regiments
7/ 3me 6pdrs. Horse Artillery (6 guns)


I'll try to fight this Scenario, according to the book, during the next week-end. See the first stages at my web site
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2 comments:

  1. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of the scenario :-) Got to say I admire your dedication to the hobby rafa.

    Regards,

    Lee.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lee
    Its only a question of having more spare time... I like the hobby, the children are grown up and me too...
    Rafa

    ReplyDelete