Probsthain. The next Lasalle project

While most of the Army of Silesia, i.e. the Prussian contingent and part of the Langeron's Corps, retreated northwards in haste after being catch by Napoleon at Duben on the Mulde River, part of the Langeron's rearguard cavalry and the whole of the Osten-Sacken's Russian Corps, that were located between the Elbe and the Mulde rivers, were taken by surprise by the rapid advance of Sebastiani's II Cavalry Corps and the advanced elements of the Bertrand's IV Corps.
The General Yuzefovich, commanding the Langeron's rearguard cavalry, fought a defensive action in order to protect the retreat of the Osten-Sacken's Corps. A small combat took place at Probsthain, along the route leading to north, against elements of the Sebastiani's II Cavalry Corps and the Bertrand's IV Corps. Yuzefovich achieved his goal, and the Russians escaped northwards, reaching the main body of the Army of Silesia after a long and risky detour.

http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/geogreif/search?sft=schilde&map=suchen

Table-map (Note that North is down!!!)

Sources
- L.G. Fabry, «Mémoires de Langeron, général d'infanterie dans l'armée russe, campagnes de 1812, 1813, 1814 publiés, d'après le manuscrit original» Paris 1902.
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k112152r
- M. V. Leggiere, « Napoleon and the Struggle for Germany. The Franco-Prussian War of 1813. Volume 2. The Defeat of Napoleon ». Cambridge Military History, 2015.
http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/military-history/napoleon-and-struggle-germany-franco-prussian-war-1813-volume-2
- F. Nafziger “Napoleon at Leipzig: The Battle of Nations 1813”. The Emperor Press, Chicago, 1996
http://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-Leipzig-Battle-Nations-1813/dp/1883476100
- Duben Lasalle Scenario Duben
- Raguhn Lasalle Scenario Raguhn
MAPS: GeoGREIF http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/geogreif/search?sft=schilde&map=suchen

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Probsthain. A retreat in haste

This small rearguard affair took place during the mini-campaign of Duben, some days before the battle of Leipzig (October 1813), when Napoléon advanced northwards to face the Allied forces in the area: the Bernadotte's Army of the North and the Bluecher's Army of Silesia, with the goal to crush the last. The combats around Duben have been adapted to table-game in the Lasalle Scenarios Duben and Raguhn (See also the full Scenarios of Duben and Raguhn at the main web site).
I found information of this small affaire in the book "Mémoires de Langeron, général d'infanterie dans l'armée russe, campagnes de 1812, 1813, 1814 publiés, d'après le manuscrit original, pour la Société d'histoire contemporaine, par L.G.F. [Fabry]. 1902" that can bee downloaded free from the Gallica site.
Below you can see part of the pages 299 and 300, where this combat is described.

Watch this space!

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Prelude to Dessau (and III)

The combat is finished

A French fantassin knocks down the last Cossack ...

... while the Prussian is dismounted by a French shot ...

... but he re-mounts and leads his Fusiliers towards the safety

... running from the French...

.. which remain in the field

The Allied patrol has been defeated and the French take the buildings, finishing a very hard affaire: Too many losses for so little result!





The next thing will be a Lasalle Scenario: Probsthain. A retreat in haste


Watch this space!

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Prelude to Dessau (II)

A cavalry melee is formed when the French hussars pursue the Cossacks towards the houses.

The French hussars catch the cossacks defending the houses

The two cossacks make recoil the lone hussar

Two more hussards join the melee knocking-down one cossack, but the remaining cossack finishes one hussar.

... whereas the other cossack stands up again while facing the French

The confused melee continues and a cossack is knocked-down from his horse...

...and, finally, both cossacks are dismounted...

... while the approaching French infantrymen fire into the mele, wounding one cossack

... although he buys the time necessary to allow the last cossack to mount and reject the hussars.

A lucky Fusilier shot woundes the French officer, forcing the retreat of the last hussar

The Allied have stopped the French attack

The first French attack has come to an end and the cavalry in both sides is now out of the fight. However, the French are still menacing the Allied position.

Watch this space!

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Albuera for NB-4

Taken from the web site

Javi Gámez, the owner of the publishing rights and the soul behind the 4th Edition of Napoleon's Battles (NB-4) continues to add material to the Napoleon's Battles web site. The latest addition is Albuera, a scenario of the Peninsular War.
Albuera was a bloody battle fought in May 6th, 1811 by Beresford against Soult and, if the memory does not fail to me, it was included in one of the previous editions of Napoleon's Battles. Myself, I designed another version that is available in my web site (Battle of La Albuera)
According to Javi, the new scenario is no longer a military promenade for the French player, who now faces a serious dilemma because of his/her disadvantage in points, 367 vs. 442 of the Allies. For the design and the OOB's, Javi has used classical sources (Oman, Napier) as well as the more modern books written by Michael Oliver, Juan Jose Sañudo and Mark Thompson.

And the best thing: the new scenario is free and available to all NB fans in Albuera!

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My Voyage to Sagittarius A*

After one month, 1074 jumps and 25,882 light-years, I have arrived to the center of the Milky Way: Sagittarius A*, a massive black hole (see the Elite Dangerous Fórum thread).

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Prelude to Dessau (I)

The French Chasseurs advance along the road to the cemetery, shooting and driving back the Cossacks

A volley kills a Cossack...

... and a second kills another...

...with a third  fininshing the third one!

Meanwhile in the other road, a confused cavalry melee ends with the withdrawal of the rest of the Cossacks towards the house

The enemy riders face off in several individual combats ...

... favoring one side...

..or another...

.... but the fighting quality of the regular French Hussars..

... forces the retreat of the Cossacks

The Prusso-Russian patrol is forced towards the house with heavy losses

Watch this space!

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Prelude to Dessau. The deployment

The battlefield and troops for this Song of Drums and Shakos Scenario are ready.
At the first lights of October 11, 1813, three Cossacks are watching the western (cemetery) road, whereas other three are in the south approach. The Russian NCO at command of the Cossack contingent remains in the cabin log (under the effects of the vodka!!). On the other hand,the Prussians have placed only two sentinels and all the contingent is still in the house.

Meanwhile, the French are approaching fast
Watch this space!!!!

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Je suis Bruxelles

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