Thursday, June 6, 2013

Battle of Vockabruck : Day 2 - 7th September 1813


Tactical Map at start of battle

Left – 9th French corps have orders to hold their position
Right – 3rd Austrian corps have orders to move to Vockabruck
Far Left – 4th French division has orders to retreat to Frankenburg and regroup


Table at start of battle

Top Centre is an unnamed village
Centre is the town of Vockabruck
Bottom Right is an unnamed farm
The road north leads to Raab
The road west leads to Frankenburg
The road east leads to Wels

3rd Austrian Corps                  9th French Corps         French Reserve
6240 infantry                          6160 infantry              1440 infantry
760 cavalry                             800 cavalry                 400 cavalry
800 gunners                            800 gunners

Special Rule
During the previous night Marshal Oudinot replaced 4th division with 2nd (Young Guard) division.   4th division is now the army reserve and is retreating to Frankenburg to rally and regroup.   It is accompanied by the CinC and has orders to “march to the sound of the guns” However two infantry brigades and the gunners are in rout, not yet rallied, and not available to join the battle.   The remainder will arrive on the Frankenburg road, led by Marshal Oudinot, at the start of Move 5.

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Left – French
Austrians are out of range
Both divisions are on Hold orders and cannot move forward

Right – Austrian
Both divisions advance
Artillery unlimbers just out of range of French guns

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Left – French
Both divisions now on Engage orders
Artillery opens fire on enemy gunners, no hits
Infantry advance towards both the town and the village

Right – Austrian
Cavalry advance within charge range of French cavalry
Gunners manhandle guns into long range of enemy gunners
Grenadiers enter unnamed town, jager brigade enters Vockabruck

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Left – French
Guard cavalry charge and rout Austrian hussars
Guard infantry advance to south of town, light brigade moves into town

Right – Austrian
Grenadier brigade (top) have entered village and skirmish with Baden infantry
Jager brigade (bottom) are winning the skirmish with Young Guard for Vockabruck
Austrian hussars (bottom) rout from melee with Grenadiers of the Guard
Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Left – French
Baden division (top) send two brigades to skirmish town
Baden gunners have received 10% casualties but passed morale test
Guard division (bottom) infantry and artillery move to south of Vockabruck
Guard brigade in Vockabruck have lost melee and rout from town

Right – Austrian
6th division (top) have occupied town
Artillery manhandle to short range despite 10% casualties
5th division jager brigade (bottom) has taken Vockabruck
Hussar brigade fail morale test and continue to rout
Infantry deploy to meet French infantry, left hand brigade forms square

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Left - French
Baden division (top) continue to skirmish the town and counter battery fire
4th division (centre) cavalry and one infantry brigade arrive on Frankenburg road
Guard division (bottom) advance to engage enemy south of town

Right - Austrian
6th division (top) hold town and return counter battery fire
5th division (bottom) Jagers occupy Vockabruck and artillery move to support right flank

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Left – French
Baden division (top) withdraw from town skirmish
4th division (centre) cavalry form line and prepare to attack centre
Guard division (bottom) artillery rout jagers from Vockabruck
Infantry rout square in firefight

Right – Austrian
With the loss of the centre and half of 6th division in rout General Lederer orders 3rd corps to break contact and retreat

Summary
Despite taking both of the towns, 3rd Austrian corps are unable to hold the centre and left.
The Young Guard attack to the south forces them to abandon the centre to support the left
The arrival of 4th division in the centre is the final straw

Austrians have lost 400 infantry, 40 cavalry and 40 gunners
They also have two infantry and one cavalry brigades in rout
French have lost 320 infantry and 40 gunners

Casualties on both sides were light

The Austrians have lost their southern flank and suffered a major setback.


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