Pirna: a new Lasalle project

Taken from Nafziger

The Allied main army, including the three coalition heads, the sovereigns of Austria, Prussia and Russia, has been defeated at Dresden by Napoleon, after a two-day battle ((26 - 27 August, 1813). The Allied C-i-C, Schwarzenberg, has ordered that the Allied forces will retire, in three columns, in southern direction towards Bohemia. In that way, the Allied forces will reorganize behind a protecting mountain screen in order to return immediately to the offensive. Additionally, that retrogradous movement will drag behind him as many as possible Imperial forces, thus facilitating the efforts of the remaining Allied armies (North and Silesia) which, according to the Trachtenberg plan, are succesfully operating against the Emperor's lieutenants in other areas of Saxony.
However, the eastern Osterman-Tolstoy's Russian column, formed by the 2nd (Württemberg) and 5th (Yermolov) Corps, is under the threat of Vandamme’s II Corps. The French commander, after crossing the Elbe River in Koniggstein, is menacing to cut the roads leading to  Bohemia in the Pirna area (See the enclosed map). The outnumbered Russians, were forced to make a fighting withdrawal, cutting their way through the French, leaving them behind and reaching the Bohemian mountain passes.
This Lasalle Scenario is based on that combat. The Russian forces will a mix of units of the Württemberg 2nd and Yermolov 5th (Guard) Corps. The French units will belong to the Vandamme's reinforced II Corps. The French will enjoy both, a slight numerical superiority and the possibility of the arrival of outflanking reinforcements.

Bibliography
G.F. Nafziger. “Napoleon at Dresden: The Battles of August 1813”. The Emperor Press, Chicago, 1994
D. Smith. “Napoleonic Wars Data Book”. Greenhill Books, London, 1998
G. Fabry. “Journal des Campagnes du Prince du Württemberg 1812-1814”, Chapelot, Paris, 1907

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