Another bicentennial: The surrender of Saragosse

The second siege of Saragosse finished in February 20th, 1809 after 61 days from its start (see this post).
That day, the French were the masters of the greater part of the ruined buildings of the town and Palafox, the soul of the resistence, was seriously ill. The power was transferred to the hands of a 21 members Junta, that began negotiations of peace with the Marshal Lannes, commander of the besiegers.
At noon of February 21th, the pityful rests of the garrison left the city by the Portillo's door and laid their arms in front of the Aljafería castle. From the initial 32,000 strong garrison only 8,000 men marched past about. Together with the men remaining still in the town, a final total of 12,000 spanish soldats passed into captivity, so the Spanish losses amounted to 20,000. The French declared a total of 3,230 losses but some authors increase this number to around 10,000 men.
Marshalls Lannes and Mortier entered solemnly in the town three days later, being received by the authorities and the clergy of the town, attending a Te Deum at the Basilica of the Pilar.

Taken from: Guerra de la Independencia (Vol. III). Juan Priego Lopez, Editorial San Martin, Madrid 1972

Peterdohna is finishing

The presence of Napoleon has been noted by the Barclay's staff, and this last General has ordered the retreat in compliance with the Trachenberg Plan. Napoleon hesitates to use his precious heavy cavalry regiments, so the Prussians are allowed to retire under the protection of their artillery and cavalry.

More problems for Napoleon

The French line is broken!
The Klux's 9th brigade of the Prussian Kleist's I corps has finished the last French resistance in the area, the Claparede's 43th Division. The two French wings, XIV and I Corps, are now separated and the Prussian tide is menacing to break throught. The last and desperate Napoleon's trick has been to send the Cassagne's 1st Division from the Lobau's I Corps from his left flank, in a last attempt to delay the Prussian advance in the center.

To be continued!

Darwin's Bicentennial

Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist who realised and demonstrated that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called natural selection. The fact that evolution occurs became accepted by the scientific community and much of the general public in his lifetime, while his theory of natural selection came to be widely seen as the primary explanation of the process of evolution in the 1930s and now forms the basis of modern evolutionary theory. In modified form, Darwin’s scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, providing logical explanation for the diversity of life.

Taken from Wikipedia

French troubles

The battle of Peterdohna is not going well for Napoleon. While all Allied forces are in the battlefield, the French reinforcements are being delayed by bad staff work. Thus, the Latour-Mauburg's I Cavalry Corps scheduled for arrival at 13.00h arrived at 14.30h.
Meanwhile, the Allied commanders (Wittgenstein and Kleist) have launched a frontal attack, and the Prussians have succesfully breaken the French front with the Klux's 9th Brigade. Napoleon himself is in danger to be overruned!
To be continued...
See the main web-site for the Scenario

The first serious combats at Peterdohna

The battle of Peterdohna is under way!
Besides a small cavalry affair in the center, that resulted in the retreat of the Russian Pahlen's Corps (now reforming), the first serious encounter has taken place in Peterdohna.
The fight between the Prussian Avant-Garde (Zhieten) and the French 44th division (Berthezène),, has resulted in the defeat of these last. Peterdohna has been occupied by the Prussian Fusiliers, whereas the Prussian Dragoons have dispersed a French brigade and forced other to take refuge in the forests. Moreover, they have mortally wounded General Berthezène and have sacked the baggage of the XII Corps… suffering only 2 losses in all the process!
To see the Scenario and its design, go to the main web-site