Friday 22 April 2011

Return to Saxony: Wiederitzsch

After a Peninsular break of near five months long, the moment has arrived for a return to the Campaign of Leipzig. The battle has been chosen by my Argentinian friend Armand d'Arc which acting as my Chief-of-Staff (my particular Jomini) has found the battle of Wiederitzsch.
This combat was part of the battle of Mockern, fought during the first day of the battle of Leipzig (October 16, 1813) between the Bluecher’s Army of Silesia and the Marmont’s VI Corps. The forces involved at Wiederitzsch were the Dombrowski’s (in polish Jan Henryk Dąbrowski) 27th Polish division reinforced by the Delmas’s division of the Souham’s III Corps (escorting the baggage train of the III Corps towards Leipzig) and the Langeron's Russian Army Group.
For the OOB, I have used the books of Digby Smith and George Nafziger as a basis, but removing some brigades to make the battle manageable for Lasalle.

Polish/French Army Moral 42 ; Break point 14
11 Battalions/7 Regiments/5 Batteries

27th (Polish) Division Dombrowski (+1/-)
Infantry Brigade Zoltowski (+1/*)
1/2nd [P] Reg R/E/SK2
2/2nd [P] Reg R/E/SK2
1/4th [P] Reg R/E/SK2
2/4th [P] Reg R/E/SK2
Cavalry Brigade Krukowiecki (+1/*)
2nd CheCHL Reg V/E/Pu/La
4th ChasChe Reg R/A/Pu
Artillery
1st [P] FA Foot/2 cannons/Medium/1 Hw
2nd [P] HA Horse/2 cannons/Medium/1 Hw
6th LC Division Fournier (-/-)
Mixed R/A/Pu
Mixed Hussars R/E/Pu
1/2 Horse Artillery Horse/2 cannons/Medium
1st Brigade 4th HC Division Avice(+1/*)
Mixed Dragoons R/E/Sh/Pu (+)

Reinforcementes
9th Division Delmas (-/-)
1st Brigade Esteve (-/*)
1/2nd Prv Leg Reg R/E/SK2
1/136th Ligne Reg R/E/SK2
2/136th Ligne Reg R/A/SK1
2nd Brigade Maran (+1/*)
1/138th Ligne Reg R/E/SK2
2/138th Ligne Reg R/A/SK1
1/145th Ligne Reg R/E/SK2
2/145th Ligne Reg R/A/SK1
Artillery
2/9th Foot Artillery Foot/3 cannons/ Medium/ 1 How
11/9th Foot Artillery Foot/3 cannons/ Medium/ 1 How
23th LC Division Beurmann (-/-)
10th Hussar Reg R/E/Pu
Baden Dr Reg S/A/Pu
1/2 Horse Artillery Horse/2 cannons/Medium
Baggage Train 3 units

Russian Army Moral 42 Break point 14
12 Battalions/7 Regiments/4 batteries
C-i-C Langeron (-1/-)

Avantgarde Rudzewitsch (-/-)
Cavalry Korff (-/-)
Brigade Emmanuel (-/-)
Kargopol DragR R/E/Pu
Kiev DragR R/E/Pu
Kinburn DragReg R/E/Pu

Brigade Pahlen III (-1/¶) (Edited 23/04/2011)
Derpt MountJag R/E/Pu
Livland Mount Jag R/E/Pu

Cossacks Witt (-/-)
1st Ukrainian Cossacks S/I/Pu
3rd Ukrainian Cosacks S/I/Pu

9th Division Udom II (-1/-)
1st Brigade Poltaratzki (-1/¶)
Naschburg IR R/E/SK1
Apscheronskoi IR R/E/SK1
3rd Brigade Grimblatt (-/*)
Riaschsk IR R/E/SK1
Jager #38 R/E/SK2
Artillery
15th Heavy Foot Artillery Foot/4 cannons/ Heavy/1How
8th Horse Foot Artillery Horse/3 cannons/Medium/2How

X Corps Kapsewitsch (-/-)
8th Division Urusoff (-1/*)
1st Brigade Schenschin (-1/-)
Archangel IR R/E/SK1
Schlüsselbourg IR R/E/SK1
2nd Brigade Rehren (-/¶)
Old Ingermannland IR R/E/SK1
Jager #37 R/E/SK2
Artillery
18th Heavy Foot Artillery Foot/4 cannons/ Heavy/1How
3rd Light Foot Artillery Foot/4 cannons/Medium/1How

Reinforcements
IX Corps Olsusief (-/-)
15th Division Korniloff (+1/*)
1st Brigade Torn (-/-)
Vitebsk IR R/E/SK1
Kaslow IR R/E/SK1
3rd Brigade Tichanowski (+1/*)
Jager #12 R/E/SK2
Jager #22 R/E/SK2

Bibliography
- 1813 Leipzig. Napoleon and the Battle of the Nations. D. Smith. Geenhill Books.2001
- Mémoires de Langeron, Général d'infanterie dans l'armée russe. L.G.F. Paris. 1909
- Journal des opérations des IIIe and Ve Corps en 1813. G. Fabry. Paris. 1902
- Napoleon at Leipzig. The Battle of Nations 1813. G. Nafziger. Chicago. 1996

The forces are similar in size and capacities, so the battle promises to be a very bloody affaire.



2 comments:

  1. Fascinating scenario Rafael.

    My Napoleonic collection is being built around the order of battle for Souham's French Corps as well as the Russian IXth Corps. Now I see that there is even a use for those Polish battalions I've had hanging around!

    So this is definitely one I'd like to try myself one day. Looking forward eagerly to see how it plays out.

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  2. Hi Robert
    The Poles were an independent division, but the Souham's Corps saw a great amount of fighting during the Leipzig campaign. They were at the Katzbach and also in the Army of Berlin (Gorss-Beeren, Denenewitz) and at last in Leipizg so there are many, many combats to use them!
    Best regardars
    Rafa

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