Six Days' Campaign order of battle

The Six Days' Campaign saw four victories by the Imperial French army led by Napoleon over the Army of Silesia commanded by Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. Between 10 and 15 February 1814, the French inflicted losses of at least 14,034 men and 52 guns on the Army of Silesia. A second estimate listed 16,000 casualties and 60 guns. A third estimate reached as high as 20,000 casualties, but a calculation by historian George Nafziger suggested that Blücher may have lost 28,500 soldiers.[1]

Six Days Campaign order of battle
Part of the 1814 campaign in north-east France

French Old Guard infantry on the firing line. Napoleon made extensive use of the Imperial Guard during the Six Days' campaign.
Date10–15 February 1814
Location
Northeastern France
Result Tactical French victory
Belligerents
 France  Prussia
 Russia
Commanders and leaders
Emperor Napoleon Gebhard von Blücher
Strength
30,000 men 56,000 men
Casualties and losses
3,800 14,034–20,000
52–60 guns

After their victory over Napoleon in the Battle of La Rothière on 1 February 1814, the two main Allied armies separated. Austrian Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg's Army of Bohemia marched west toward Troyes while Blücher's Army of Silesia moved north to Châlons-sur Marne and turned west along the Marne River, aiming for Meaux.[2] Leaving 39,000 troops to watch the cautious Schwarzenberg, Napoleon assembled a strike force of 20,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry to deal with the more aggressive Blücher.[3] By the evening of 8 February, the Army of Silesia was spread along a line of march 44 miles (71 km) long. Fabian Gottlieb von Osten-Sacken's 20,000 Russians led the column, followed by Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg's 18,000 Prussians, Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev's 4,000 Russians, Peter Mikhailovich Kaptzevich's Russians and Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf's Prussians, the last two forces totaling 15,000 men.[4]

Organization

Russian

The Russian forces were organized into army corps with infantry corps and cavalry corps subordinated to it. The full structure can be seen in the Sacken's Russian order of battle section.[5] The Russian IX Infantry Corps, as shown in the Olsufiev's Russian order of battle section, and the Russian X Corps, as shown in the Kaptzevich's Russian order of battle section, both reported to their superior, General-Leutnant Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron.[6] Since Langeron did not appear in the theater of operations until late February, they temporarily reported directly to Blücher.[7]

In the Russian army, artillery batteries were organized with 12 pieces each. In 1805, Aleksey Arakcheyev introduced a new range of field artillery that consisted of 6- and 12-pounder cannons and 10- and 20-pounder licornes, a gun similar to a howitzer.[8] An Allied order of battle from 1 January 1814 noted that Light Batteries were armed with 6-pounders. The same list stated that of five Position Batteries in one army corps, three had 12 guns, one had 11 guns, and one had seven guns.[9] In the Russian 3rd Dragoon Division, Horse Battery Nr. 18 was armed with only 10 guns, but usually the specific number of guns in a battery was not stated.[10]

Prussian

When the Prussian army was rebuilt after the disastrous War of the Fourth Coalition, its reduced establishment did not allow for the formation of divisions. Therefore, the next tactical unit below corps level became the brigade, which included both cavalry and artillery. Batteries were formed from six 6- or 12-pounder cannons and two 7- or 10-pounder howitzers. Artillery batteries that were not assigned to the brigades were posted to the corps reserve.[11] By 1813, each corps incorporated four brigades and included a mix of regular and Landwehr units.[12]

French

A French order of battle from 6 January 1814 showed 10 Young Guard Foot Artillery and one Old Guard Foot Artillery companies each armed with six 6-pounder guns and two howitzers. There were four Old Guard Foot Artillery companies armed with six 12-pounder guns and two howitzers. Six Old Guard Horse Artillery companies were each armed with four 6-pounder guns and two howitzers.[13] Eight guns per foot artillery company and six guns per horse artillery company represented the standard French organization.[14] However, at the Battle of La Rothière on 1 February, the Allies captured 50–60 French guns. Which artillery companies lost guns was not stated.[15]

Battle of Champaubert

Napoleon with 30,000 men and 120 guns surprised Olsufiev south of Champaubert on the morning of 10 February. Unwisely, Olsufiev decided to fight it out, hoping for help from Blücher. By 3:00 pm the Russians were forced back through Champaubert. Too late, Olsufiev tried to retreat east to Étoges, but found both flanks enveloped by French cavalry. Olsufiev lost as many as 4,000 men out of 5,000 troops,[16] or as few as 2,400 and nine guns out of a total of 3,700 men and 24 guns. Olsufiev and Prince Konstantin Poltoratsky ended the day as French prisoners. French losses were about 600.[17]

Olsufiev's Russian order of battle

Olsufiev's command at Champaubert[18]
Corps Division Brigade Regiment Strength
IX Infantry Corps
Lieutenant General
Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev (POW)
IX Corps Artillery Not Brigaded Position Battery Nr. 15 not present12 guns
Light Battery Nr. 1312 guns
Light Battery Nr. 2412 guns
9th Infantry Division
General-major
Evstafi Evstafievich Udom II
General-major Konstantin Poltoratsky (POW) Apsheron Infantry Regiment486
Nacheburg Infantry Regiment563
General-major Juschkov II Riazsk Infantry Regiment620
Yakutsk Infantry Regiment533
Major Melnik 10th Jäger Regiment335
38th Jäger Regiment472
15th Infantry Division
General-major
Peter Yakovlevich Kornilov
Lieutenant Colonel Anensur Vitebsk Infantry Regiment372
Kozlov Infantry Regiment504
General-major Mussin-Pushkin Kolyvan Infantry Regiment417
Kourin Infantry Regiment417
Colonel Tuchanowski 12th Jäger Regiment447
22nd Jäger Regimentunknown

French Army order of battle

Commander-in-chief: Emperor Napoleon
Chief of Staff: Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier

The units available to fight at Champaubert were the 1st Old Guard Division, the Guard artillery, the 1st and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, the 1st and 2nd Young Guard Divisions, both divisions of the VI Corps, both divisions of the I Cavalry Corps, and Cyrille-Simon Picquet's cavalry brigade.[19]

After General of Division Pierre Decouz was killed at the Battle of Brienne, General of Brigade Jean-Jacques Germain Pelet-Clozeau temporarily commanded the 2nd Young Guard Division through the battles of 10–11 February. Then he was reassigned to lead a brigade in the 1st Old Guard Division.[20]

Napoleon's Army in the Six Days' Campaign[21]
Corps Division Strength Brigade Regiment Strength
Old Guard
Marshal
Édouard Mortier
1st Old Guard Division
General of Division
Louis Friant
4,796 1st Brigade
General of Brigade
Pierre Cambronne
1st Guard Foot Chasseur Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions1,265
2nd Guard Foot Chasseur Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions898
2nd Brigade
General of Brigade
Jean Martin Petit
1st Guard Foot Grenadier Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions1,393
2nd Guard Foot Grenadier Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions1,044
Attached units Guard Sapper Battalion, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Companies105
Guard Marine Battalion, 3rd Company-
Guard Engineering Train-
2nd Old Guard Division
General of Division
Claude-Étienne Michel (WIA)

followed by:
Charles-Joseph Christiani
3,878
6 guns
General of Brigade
Jean Louis Gros
Fusilier-Chasseur Regiment1,366
Fusilier-Grenadier Regiment688
General of Brigade
Charles-Joseph Christiani
Flanqueuer-Chasseur Regiment1,042
Flanqueuer-Grenadier Regiment285
Velites of Turin333
Velites of Florence164
Artillery
Captain Eggerlé
1st Young Guard Company
4 6-pounder guns & 2 24-pound howitzers
73, 6 guns
Guard Train Detachment81
Artillery 1,464 Not Brigaded Guard Foot Artillery, 7 companies459
Horse Artillery, 4 companies319
Train and pontooneers686
Young Guard
Marshal
Michel Ney
1st Young Guard Division
General of Division
Claude Marie Meunier
4,133 1st Brigade
General of Brigade
Jean Étienne Clément-Lacoste
1st Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions657
2nd Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions940
2nd Brigade
General of Brigade
Guillaume-Charles Rousseau
3rd Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions1,263
4th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions1,144
2nd Young Guard Division
General of Division
Philibert Jean-Baptiste Curial
2,840 1st Brigade
General of Brigade
Jean-Jacques Pelet
5th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions680
6th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions633
2nd Brigade
General of Brigade
Auguste Julien Bigarré
7th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions717
8th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions670
Guard Cavalry
General of Division
Étienne de Nansouty
1st Guard Cavalry Division
General of Division
Pierre de Colbert
2,582 Brigades unknown 2nd Éclaireur Regiment-
2nd Chevau-léger Lancer Regiment-
Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment-
Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment-
Guard Dragoon Regiment-
2nd Guard Cavalry Division
General of Division
Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes
3,535 Brigades unknown 1st Guard Lancer Regiment680
Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment667
Guard Dragoon Regiment800
Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment954
Gendarmes d'Elite Regiment434
3rd Guard Cavalry Division
General of Division
Louis Laferrière-Levêque
2,164 1st Brigade
General of Brigade
Jean Dieudonné Lion
Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment542
Guard Dragoon Regiment735
2nd Brigade
General of Brigade
Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville
Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment887
I Cavalry Corps
General of Division
Jean-Pierre Doumerc

followed by:
Étienne de Bordesoulle
1st Light Cavalry Division
General of Division
Christophe Antoine Merlin
704 1st Brigade
General of Brigade
François Isidore Wathiez
6th, 7th & 8th Hussar Regiments
1st, 3rd, 5th & 8th Chevau-léger Lancier Regiments
16th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment
272
2nd Brigade
General of Brigade
Claude Raymond Guyon
1st, 2nd & 3rd Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments
6th & 8th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments
9th & 25th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments
432
2nd Heavy Cavalry Division
General of Division
Étienne de Bordesoulle
1,196 1st Brigade
General of Brigade
Nicolas Marin Thiry
2nd & 3rd Cuirassier Regiments
6th & 9th Cuirassier Regiments
11th & 12th Cuirassier Regiments
614
2nd Brigade
General of Brigade
Joseph Alexandre Félix de Laville
4th, 7th & 14th Cuirassier Regiments
7th & 23rd Dragoon Regiments
28th and 30th Dragoon Regiments
582
Attached Artillery 170
6 guns
Not Brigaded 1st Horse Artillery Regiment, 3rd Company77, 6 guns
1st (bis) Train Battalion, 2nd Company
8th (bis) Train Battalion
93
II Cavalry Corps
General of Division
Antoine de Saint-Germain
2nd Light Cavalry Division
General of Division
Sigismond Frédéric de Berckheim
977 3rd Brigade
General of Brigade
Jean-Baptiste Dommanget
5th & 9th Hussar Regiments
11th & 12th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments
2nd & 4th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiments
117
4th Brigade
General of Brigade
Jean-Baptiste Jamin de Bermuy
6th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiment
4th, 7th & 20th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments
23rd & 24th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments
860
2nd Heavy Cavalry Division
General of Division
Antoine de Saint-Germain
665 3rd Brigade
General of Brigade
Amable Guy Blanchard
1st Carabinier Regiment
2nd Carabinier Regiments
1st Cuirassier Regiment
390
4th Brigade
General of Brigade
Louis Charles Sopransi
5th & 8th Cuirassier Regiments
10th & 13th Cuirassier Regiments
275
Corps Artillery
Lieutenant Colonel Graillat
270
4 guns
Not Brigaded 1st Horse Artillery, 1st Company
5th Horse Artillery, 5th Company
1st (bis) Train Battalion
270, 4 guns
Independent Cavalry Cavalry Division
General of Division
Jean-Marie Defrance
896 General of Brigade
Cyrille-Simon Picquet
10th Hussar Regiment-
1st Gardes d'Honneur Regiment-
General of Brigade
Philippe Paul, comte de Ségur
2nd Gardes d'Honneur Regiment-
3rd Gardes d'Honneur Regiment-
4th Gardes d'Honneur Regiment-
VI Corps
Marshal
Auguste de Marmont
3rd Infantry Division
General of Division
Joseph Lagrange
4,868 General of Brigade
Joseph Antoine René Joubert
1st & 15th Line Infantry Regiments-
16th & 62nd Line Infantry Regiments-
70th & 121th Line Infantry Regiments-
1st Marine Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions-
General of Brigade
Pierre Pelleport
2nd Marine Regiment, 1st–4th Battalions-
3rd Marine Regiment, 1st–3rd Battalions-
4th Marine Regiment, 1st–3rd Battalions-
23rd Line Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion-
37th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 3rd Battalions-
8th Infantry Division
General of Division
Étienne Pierre Ricard
2,917 General of Brigade
Jean-Louis Fournier
2nd & 6th Light Infantry Regiments, 2nd Battalions-
4th Light Infantry Regiment, 7th Battalion-
9th & 16th Light Infantry Regiments-
40th Line Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion-
50th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion-
General of Brigade
François-Louis Boudin de Roville (WIA)
22nd & 69th Line Infantry Regiments-
136th & 138th Line Infantry Regiments, 1st Battalions-
142nd Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalions-
144th & 145th Line Infantry Regiments, 1st Battalions-
Corps Artillery 775
30 guns
Not Brigaded 3rd Foot Artillery, 6th, 23rd & 25th Companies
4th Foot Artillery, 2nd & 11th Companies
5th Foot Artillery, 13th–16th & 27th Companies
8 12-pound cannons
13 6-pound cannons & howitzers
266, 21 guns
1st Horse Artillery, 2nd Company
3rd Horse Artillery, 7th Company
5th Horse Artillery, 8th Company
9 6-pound cannons & howitzers
156, 9 guns
3rd, 8th (bis), & 12th Train Battalions, 1 company each
4th Train Battalion, 1st & 4th Companies
9th (bis) Train Battalion, 1st & 5th Companies
353
VII Corps
Marshal Nicolas Oudinot
not present
7th Division
General of Division
Jean François Leval
4,500 General of Brigade
Pierre Armand Pinoteau
10th Light Infantry Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions-
3rd Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion-
5th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion-
130th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 4th Battalions-
General of Brigade
Jacques Montfort
17th Light Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion-
101st Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion-
105th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions-
Divisional Artillery 2 Foot Artillery Companies-
1 Horse Artillery Company-

Battle of Montmirail

On 11 February, Napoleon marched west through Montmirail with 10,500 men, consisting of the Old Guard, Étienne Pierre Sylvestre Ricard's division, and 36 guns. The French faced Fabian Wilhelm von Osten-Sacken's 18,000 Russians[22] (with 80[23] or 90 guns[24])[note 1] and Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg's 18,000 Prussians. Sacken tried to force his way to the west, but Yorck's troops were delayed. By 4:00 pm, Napoleon's strength rose to 20,000. The French defeated Sacken's corps while Marshal Édouard Mortier repelled Yorck's belated attack.[22] Sacken lost 2,000 killed and wounded plus 800 men, 13 guns, and six colors captured. The Prussians sustained 900 casualties while the French lost 2,000.[25] French Generals Claude-Étienne Michel and François-Louis Boudin de Roville and Prussian General Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch were wounded.[26]

Sacken's Russian order of battle

General-Leutnant Fabian Wilhelm von Osten-Sacken

Sacken's Army Corps at Montmirail and Château-Thierry[5]
Corps Division Brigade Regiment
Reserve Artillery General-major Alexey Petrovich Nikitin
Not Brigaded Position Battery Nr. 10
Position Battery Nr. 13
Position Battery Nr. 18
Light Battery Nr. 28
VI Infantry Corps
General-Leutnant
Alexei Grigorievich Scherbatov (sick)
General-major
Alexander Ivanovich Tallisin II
7th Division
General-major
Nikolay Gregoryevich Scherbatov II
Colonel Kritschinikov Moscow Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Pskov Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Colonel Augustov Libau Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Sophia Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Colonel Dietrich 11th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
36th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
18th Division
General-major
Bernodessov
Lieutenant Colonel Blagovenzenko Dnieper Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Vladimir Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
General-major Heidenreich (POW) Kostroma Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Tambov Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
General-major Metcherinov 28th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
32nd Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
VI Corps Artillery Not Brigaded Light Battery Nr. 19
Light Battery Nr. 24
XI Infantry Corps
General-major
Ivan Andreievich Lieven III
10th Division
General-major
Andrey Andreevich Zass I
General-major
Josif Karlovich Sokolovsky
Yaroslavl Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Kursk Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Bieloserk Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
Colonel Achlestischev 8th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
39th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
Lieutenant Colonel Selivanov
Attached from 16th Division
Kamchatka Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Okhotsk Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
27th Division
General-Leutnant
Maxim Fyodorovich Stavitsky
Colonel Lewandowsky Odessa Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Vilna Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Colonel Alexejev Simbirsk Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Tarnopol Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Colonel Kalogruivoff 49th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
50th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
XI Corps Artillery Not Brigaded Light Battery Nr. 34
Light Battery Nr. 35
Cavalry Corps
General-Leutnant
Ilarion Vasilievich Vasilshikov
2nd Hussar Division
General-major
Sergei Nicholaevich Lanskoi
General-major
Ivan Mikhailovich Vadbolsky
Akhtyrsk Hussar Regiment, 6 squadrons
Marioupol Hussar Regiment, 5 squadrons
Colonel
Dmitri Vasilievich Vasilshikov II
White Russia Hussar Regiment, 4 squadrons
Alexandria Hussar Regiment, 5 squadrons
3rd Dragoon Division
General-major
Semyon Davydovich Pandschulishev
General-major
Pavel Nicolaevich Ushakov II
Smolensk Dragoon Regiment
Kurland Dragoon Regiment
General-major
Andrey Semyonovich Umanets
Tver Dragoon Regiment
Kinburn Dragoon Regiment
Not Brigaded Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 18, 10 guns[10]
Cossacks
General-major
Akim Akimovich Karpov II
Not Brigaded Karpov II Don Cossack Regiment
Semintschikov IV Don Cossack Regiment
Lukovken II Don Cossack Regiment
Kuteinikov IV Don Cossack Regiment
Grekov I Don Cossack Regiment
St Petersburg Opolchenie Cossack Regiment
4th Ukrainian Cossack Regiment
2nd Kalmuck Regiment
Cavalry Corps Artillery Not Brigaded Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 6
Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 7

Yorck's Prussian order of battle

The 1st Brigade under General-major Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch and the 7th Brigade under General-major Heinrich Wilhelm von Horn were engaged.[27] The only Prussian artillery present were the two batteries attached to the 1st and 7th Brigades. The remainder of the artillery was unable to get forward because of poor condition of the roads. The 8th Brigade was sent back to hold Château-Thierry in case of an attack by Marshal Jacques MacDonald.[28]

Yorck's Corps at Montmirail and Château-Thierry[29]
Corps Brigade Strength Regiment
I Corps
General of the Infantry
Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg
1st Brigade
General-major
Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch
3,505 1st East Prussian Grenadier Battalion
Silesian Grenadier Battalion
Leib Grenadier Battalion
West Prussian Grenadier Battalion
339 Foot Jägers
4,826 13th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 4 battalions
728 East Prussian National Cavalry Regiment, 4 squadrons (+148 Jägers)
96 6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 2
2nd Brigade
Oberst
Friedrich Wilhelm von Warburg
4,777 1st East Prussian Regiment, 3 battalions
2nd East Prussian Regiment, 3 battalions
197 Foot Jägers
469 Mecklinburg-Strelitz Hussar Regiment, 4 squadrons (+46 Jägers)
94 6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 1
7th Brigade
General-major
Heinrich Wilhelm von Horn
2,688 Leib Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions
278 Foot Jägers
4,589 5th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 2 battalions
15th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 2 battalions
492 Brandenburg Hussar Regiment (+200 Jägers)
114 6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 3
8th Brigade
General-major
Prince Wilhelm of Prussia
4,726 Brandenburg Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions
12th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
2,102 12th Silesian Landwehr Regiment, 2 battalions
382 2nd Leib Hussar Regiment (+84 Jägers)
97 6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 15
Reserve Cavalry
Oberst
Georg Ludwig von Wahlen-Jürgass
2,031 Line
318 Jägers
Henkel's Brigade: Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment
Henkel's Brigade: 1st West Prussian Dragoon Regiment
Katzler's Brigade: Brandenburg Uhlan Regiment
1,341 Katzler's Brigade: 1st Neumark Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
Bieberstein's Brigade: 5th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
Bieberstein's Brigade: 10th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
327 6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 1
6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 2
Reserve Artillery
Oberst
von Schmidt
522 12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 1
12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 2
6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 3
6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 12
Park Column Nr. 15
133 Pioneers

French order of battle

At Montmirail, Napoleon had the 1st and 2nd Old Guard Divisions, the 1st and 2nd Young Guard Divisions, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, Defrance's Cavalry Division, and Ricard's division.[30] Marshal Marmont took position at Étoges with Lagrange's division and the I Cavalry Corps with orders to observe Blücher.[31] Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes led either the 2nd Guard Cavalry Division or the 3rd Young Guard Division; it is unclear.[30]

Battle of Château-Thierry

After being beaten by Napoleon's army at Montmirail, the corps of Sacken and Yorck withdrew toward Château-Thierry. When the Allied rearguard tried to hold off the French pursuit, Marshal Ney scattered the cavalry protecting the Allied left flank. The Prussian infantry escaped across the Marne River, but the French trapped a Russian brigade on the right flank and forced it to surrender. For the loss of 600 killed and wounded, the French inflicted 1,250 casualties on the Prussians and 1,500 casualties on the Russians. The French captured nine guns and many wagons. The Allies retreated to Fismes while the French repaired the broken bridge.[32] The next day, Marshal Mortier led the pursuit with the divisions of Christiani, Colbert, and Defrance. The French captured 300–400 stragglers while as many as 2,000 more were turned in by groups of French farmers, who were infuriated by Allied plundering during the previous week.[33]

French order of battle

On the morning of the battle, Saint-Germain reinforced Napoleon with 2,400 horsemen belonging to the II Cavalry Corps. Marshal MacDonald had destroyed the Trilport bridge over the Marne, which was on the direct route from Meaux to Montmirail. Therefore, the marshal sent Saint-Germain on a detour through Coulommiers to reach the main army.[25] As on the previous day, Marmont's 4,000 soldiers continued to watch Blücher.[34]

Battle of Vauchamps

Napoleon found that Blücher drove Marmont's force from Étoges and decided to move against the Prussian field marshal. The French emperor left Château-Thierry at 3:00 am on 14 February for a rendezvous with Marmont. That morning, Blücher advanced west to Vauchamps where he ran into stiff resistance. Blücher decided to retreat after seeing the French cavalry defeat the Allied cavalry and discovering that he was facing Napoleon in person. The 25,000 French enjoyed a numerical advantage over the 20,000 Allied soldiers. By the end of the day, the French inflicted 7,000 casualties on their enemies and captured 16 guns; French losses were only 600.[35] The losses include the remnant of Olsufiev's corps which lost 600 men and all its remaining artillery.[36]

Kaptzevich's Russian order of battle

Kaptzevich's Corps at Vauchamps[37]
Corps Division Brigade Regiment
X Infantry Corps
General-Leutnant
Peter Mikhailovich Kaptzevich
X Corps Artillery Not Brigaded Position Battery Nr. 39
Light Battery Nr. 3
Light Battery Nr. 56
8th Infantry Division
General-major
Alexander Petrovich Urusov II
Colonel Schenschen Archangel Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
Schusselburg Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
Old Ingremannland Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
Colonel Suthof 7th Jäger Regiment, 2 battalions
37th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
22nd Infantry Division
General-major
Pavel Petrovich Turchaninov I
General-major Schapskoy Olonetz Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
Viatka Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions
Staroskol Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion
General-major Vassilshikov 29th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
45th Jäger Regiment, 1 battalion
IX Infantry Corps
1,500 reorganized survivors
General-major
Evstafi Evstafievich Udom II
Brigades unknown Temporary battalion 1
Temporary battalion 2
Temporary battalion 3
Light Batteries Nrs. 13 & 24

Kleist's Prussian order of battle

Kleist's Corps at Vauchamps[37]
Corps Brigade Regiment Strength
II Corps
General-major
Friedrich von Kleist
9th Brigade no units present-
10th Brigade
General-major
Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch
2nd West Prussian Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions-
7th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions-
8th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment, 4 squadrons-
6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 88 guns
11th Brigade
General-major
Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten
1st Silesian Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions-
10th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions-
Silesian Schützen Battalion, 2 companies-
1st Silesian Hussar Regiment, 4 squadrons-
6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 98 guns
12th Brigade
General-major
Prince Augustus of Prussia
2nd Silesian Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions-
11th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions-
7th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment, 4 squadrons-
6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 218 guns
Cavalry Brigade
Oberst
Karl Georg Albrecht Ernst von Hake
Silesian Cuirassier Regiment, 4 squadrons-
Silesian Uhlan Regiment, 4 squadrons-
6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 88 guns
Cavalry Brigade
General-major
Friedrich Erhard von Röder
East Prussian Cuirassier Regiment, 4 squadrons-
Brandenburg Cuirassier Regiment, 4 squadrons-
II Corps Artillery
Oberst Braun
12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 38 guns
12-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 68 guns
6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 118 guns
6-pounder Foot Artillery Battery Nr. 138 guns
6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 98 guns
6-pounder Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 108 guns
Howitzer Battery Nr. 1-

French order of battle

Hearing about Blücher's advance to Champaubert, Napoleon ordered Ricard's division to rejoin the VI Corps. He reorganized Marshal MacDonald's infantry into the XI Corps and sent it south to face Schwarzenberg's Allied army.[38] Napoleon directed the following troops eastward to face Blücher: Friant's 1st Old Guard Division, Ney's two Young Guard divisions, Nansouty's 2nd and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, and Saint-Germain's II Cavalry Corps. Jean Francois Leval's infantry division was marching north from Sézanne.[39] The fighting ended before Leval's soldiers arrived on the field.[40]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. If Sacken had 12 guns for each of his 11 batteries, he would have had 132 guns available at Montmirail, instead of the 80–90 guns given by the sources.
Citations
  1. Nafziger 2015, pp. 168–169.
  2. Petre 1994, p. 43.
  3. Petre 1994, pp. 52–53.
  4. Petre 1994, pp. 55–57.
  5. Nafziger 2015, pp. 601–602.
  6. Nafziger 2015, p. 552.
  7. Petre 1994, p. 105.
  8. Rothenberg 1980, pp. 201–201.
  9. Nafziger 2015, p. 554.
  10. Nafziger 2015, p. 551.
  11. Rothenberg 1980, p. 193.
  12. Rothenberg 1980, p. 195.
  13. Nafziger 2015, p. 527.
  14. Rothenberg 1980, p. 143.
  15. Petre 1994, p. 37.
  16. Chandler 1979, p. 87.
  17. Smith 1998, p. 494.
  18. Nafziger 2015, p. 597.
  19. Nafziger 2015, pp. 134–135.
  20. Pelet 1973, p. 511.
  21. Nafziger 2015, pp. 526–545, 575–580, 594–596, 599–600, 604–607.
  22. Chandler 1979, pp. 286–287.
  23. Nafziger 2015, p. 144.
  24. Petre 1994, p. 64.
  25. Petre 1994, p. 66.
  26. Nafziger 2015, p. 152.
  27. Nafziger 2015, pp. 602–603.
  28. Nafziger 2015, p. 149.
  29. Nafziger 2015, pp. 549–550, 602–603.
  30. Nafziger 2015, p. 146.
  31. Petre 1994, p. 61.
  32. Chandler 1979, pp. 90–91.
  33. Nafziger 2015, p. 159.
  34. Nafziger 2015, p. 153.
  35. Chandler 1979, pp. 458–459.
  36. Nafziger & 20125, p. 608–609.
  37. Nafziger 2015, pp. 608–609.
  38. Petre 1994, p. 67.
  39. Nafziger 2015, pp. 159–160.
  40. Nafziger 2015, p. 168.

References

  • Chandler, David G. (1979). Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-523670-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Nafziger, George (2015). The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign. Solihull, UK: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-909982-96-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Pelet, Jean-Jacques (1973) [1811]. Horward, Donald D. (ed.). The French Campaign in Portugal 1810-1811. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-0658-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Petre, F. Loraine (1994) [1914]. Napoleon at Bay: 1814. London: Lionel Leventhal Ltd. ISBN 1-85367-163-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Rothenberg, Gunther (1980). The Art of War in the Age of Napoleon. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-31076-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.