BRIENNE (1814) Battle Report
The battlefield before deployment....
Had Russian cossacks not intercepted his orders, Napoleon could have scored a decisive (perhaps campaign-altering?) victory at Brienne. But it was not to be. And without his anticipated reinforcements, any would-be Napoleon faces a tall task refighting the Battle of Brienne. The allied forces occupy and strong defensive position, and the weary French arrive piece-meal, late in the day. By this stage in the 1814 campaign, both armies are brittle and require careful handling to achieve victory...will Blucher or Napoleon be up to the task? Here's how our historical scenario unfolded:
3:00pm: Ready for the French arrival, Blucher's Russian troops garrison the town of Brienne and the imposing chateau on the nearby heights. Napoleon wastes no time ordering Victor's corps into a wide frontal attack. Along the French right flank, the Emperor makes a bold decision to send his strongest force--Milhaud's cavalry--on a sweeping flank march. This effort is clearly aimed at cutting off Blucher's line of retreat at the distant town of Dienville.
3:30pm: Victor's II Corps presses forward, making initial contact with Pahlen's advance division along the French left flank. Desultory skirmishing yields no result, and Blucher's artillery in Brienne opens up at long range, with equally little effect. But far to the rear of the allied line, major reinforcements are streaming in from the La Rothiere road. With the roads a quagmire of mud, it will take some time until these fresh troops can be brought into the action....
3:00pm: Ready for the French arrival, Blucher's Russian troops garrison the town of Brienne and the imposing chateau on the nearby heights. Napoleon wastes no time ordering Victor's corps into a wide frontal attack. Along the French right flank, the Emperor makes a bold decision to send his strongest force--Milhaud's cavalry--on a sweeping flank march. This effort is clearly aimed at cutting off Blucher's line of retreat at the distant town of Dienville.
3:30pm: Victor's II Corps presses forward, making initial contact with Pahlen's advance division along the French left flank. Desultory skirmishing yields no result, and Blucher's artillery in Brienne opens up at long range, with equally little effect. But far to the rear of the allied line, major reinforcements are streaming in from the La Rothiere road. With the roads a quagmire of mud, it will take some time until these fresh troops can be brought into the action....
4:00pm: Napoleon does not hesitate to press the attack and Victor's infantry are now brought into action all along the line. In staggered waves, the French advance into the teeth of the Russian guns. Perhaps to disrupt the enemy attack, Blucher orders Pahlen's division to launch a rash, pre-emptive attack of its own. Russian cavalry and infantry surge forward through the mud, crashing into elements of Duhesme's division and Gerard's conscript militia! The French fall back in disarray. [Right: The French advance toward Brienne--smoke belches from the Russian batteries in the town!] |
4:30pm: Battling through the mud and the tangled woods, Milhaud's cavalry division makes slow but steady progress toward the Dienville road, which would cut the allied line of communication. Napoleon's gambit to threaten this line has deprived him of his best troops for the fighting around Brienne, but the threat seems to be paying dividends. Blucher's vast reinforcements are racing to beat the French to Dienville...who wins the race has yet to be determined.
On the opposite flank, Pahlen continues to pressure the French left with mixed results. The French conscripts bend but refuse to break. In the center, the remainder of Victor's corps launches a furious assault on Brienne. Losses are high, but the French shatter the center of the allied line, sending the reeling Russians into flight! Blucher's line wavers on the edge of collapse, but what forces can Napoleon muster to exploit the gap? Ricard's division arrives from St. Leger, but they remain over a mile from the action and the roads are a muddy mess.
On the opposite flank, Pahlen continues to pressure the French left with mixed results. The French conscripts bend but refuse to break. In the center, the remainder of Victor's corps launches a furious assault on Brienne. Losses are high, but the French shatter the center of the allied line, sending the reeling Russians into flight! Blucher's line wavers on the edge of collapse, but what forces can Napoleon muster to exploit the gap? Ricard's division arrives from St. Leger, but they remain over a mile from the action and the roads are a muddy mess.
5:00pm: Without immediate support, Napoleon has no reserves to exploit his breakthrough at Brienne. Worse yet, the formidable chateau towering above the town remains firmly in Russian hands. Unwilling to order a direct assault on the bastion, Napoleon brings up three batteries to concentrate fire on the fortress.
On the flanks, the battle favors the allies. Near Dienville, the hard-driving Russians have secured the crucial road exit and won the race to secure Blucher's line of communication. Milhaud's French cavalry are just emerging from the woods, only to discover a vast Russian force between them and Dienville. On the opposite flank, Pahlen's jaegars break their French counterparts and Napoleon's left flank begins to buckle under the pressure. Will Ney ever arrive to turn the tide?
5:30pm: Like an artillery corporal of old, Napoleon directs the fire of three batteries into the chateau. The French guns manage to inflict serious damage and kill General Karnielov, the heroic division commander rallying the Russian defense. But the strength of the chateau discourages any direct assault, and Ricard's reinforcements are still plodding through the mud from St. Leger. Near Dienville, the cream of Napoleon's army, his Polish lancers, brashly charge a brigade of Russian dragoons and a heavy battery. The Russians are driven back, but the Poles cannot affect a decisive breakthrough. On the far left flank, Gerard's militia continue to stand tall and keep Pahlen from completely destroying Napoleon's left. When will Ney arrive with the Young Guard?
[Below: Desnouettes and his elite Polish lancers sound the charge, colliding with heavy Russian dragoons outside Dienville!]
On the flanks, the battle favors the allies. Near Dienville, the hard-driving Russians have secured the crucial road exit and won the race to secure Blucher's line of communication. Milhaud's French cavalry are just emerging from the woods, only to discover a vast Russian force between them and Dienville. On the opposite flank, Pahlen's jaegars break their French counterparts and Napoleon's left flank begins to buckle under the pressure. Will Ney ever arrive to turn the tide?
5:30pm: Like an artillery corporal of old, Napoleon directs the fire of three batteries into the chateau. The French guns manage to inflict serious damage and kill General Karnielov, the heroic division commander rallying the Russian defense. But the strength of the chateau discourages any direct assault, and Ricard's reinforcements are still plodding through the mud from St. Leger. Near Dienville, the cream of Napoleon's army, his Polish lancers, brashly charge a brigade of Russian dragoons and a heavy battery. The Russians are driven back, but the Poles cannot affect a decisive breakthrough. On the far left flank, Gerard's militia continue to stand tall and keep Pahlen from completely destroying Napoleon's left. When will Ney arrive with the Young Guard?
[Below: Desnouettes and his elite Polish lancers sound the charge, colliding with heavy Russian dragoons outside Dienville!]
6:00pm: Ney! Ney has arrived! Through the dim light of settling dusk, Ney's much-needed reinforcements come streaming onto the field. But much to Napoleon's dismay, Ney does not arrive from the desired road. Instead of falling on Pahlen's rear, Ney's corps arrives from the St. Leger road, which is two miles from the action. It will be total darkness before he can reach Brienne. The imminent arrival of night [otherwise known as the local store closing] forces Napoleon and Blucher to call off the engagement. |
Victory Objectives:The battle ended prematurely in a tactical draw. Although the French suffered higher overall casualties, about 3,500 men, they had a slight edge in victory points. Blucher's Russian force lost 2,000 men but remained in firm control of the field when darkness settled. This tactical draw is a strategic allied victory, since Napoleon did not drive Blucher from the field.
|
Emperor Napoleon's Report
As I approached Brienne with the initial advantage in numbers, and encountered Blucher's troops concentrated at the center in Brienne and on the left side of the battlefield, I resolved to carry the fight to the enemy before his reinforcements were able to join him while also sending a cavalry force around to the right to cut off any potential escape. While this three-pronged assault would require me to commit all of my initial forces and hold back no reserves, I too expected reinforcement s that would be able to fill that crucial role.
Almost immediately the assault on the left bogged down. Command and control issues saw only a single brigade able to quickly engage Blucher's Jaegers, while two additional brigades lagged behind. This would not have been much of a problem had Pahlen not spurred his Hussars into an agressive charge that ended up occupying my reticent forces for the remainder of the engagement.
My assault on Brienne itself went much more according to plan as I was able to soften the defensive lines with telling battery fire and then break through the center of the Russian defensive line. Alas, my reinforcements had not arrived in time to provide the added punch needed to fully exploit this victory, but they were not far away, and even if reorganized, the Russian defenders would remain weak.
On the right flank, the weight of my cavalry was unopposed by nothing but trees, yet terrain can oft-times be the most implacable foe. The delays my passage through the forests caused was enough to allow Blucher's reinforcements to gain position at Dienville with advantageous numbers.
As the sun set, the battle was still close and it was clear no decisive outcome was in the offing. In particular, the left and right flanks saw little chance of a meaningful resolution. In the center, however, the imminent arrival of two fresh brigades in Brienne might have been sufficient to allow me a single assault on the chateau overlooking Brienne and a shot at forcing the Russian's out of the town. But it was not to be. C'est la guerre.
What could I have done differently to improve the situation? Not much. I believe my biggest error was moving two batteries up too aggressively without infantry support to bombard Brienne as I believed the Russian's would remain within the town. They didn't and I lost the guns during a brief Russian foray into the field. I also continue to struggle with the most effective use of cavalry in these scenarios.
Almost immediately the assault on the left bogged down. Command and control issues saw only a single brigade able to quickly engage Blucher's Jaegers, while two additional brigades lagged behind. This would not have been much of a problem had Pahlen not spurred his Hussars into an agressive charge that ended up occupying my reticent forces for the remainder of the engagement.
My assault on Brienne itself went much more according to plan as I was able to soften the defensive lines with telling battery fire and then break through the center of the Russian defensive line. Alas, my reinforcements had not arrived in time to provide the added punch needed to fully exploit this victory, but they were not far away, and even if reorganized, the Russian defenders would remain weak.
On the right flank, the weight of my cavalry was unopposed by nothing but trees, yet terrain can oft-times be the most implacable foe. The delays my passage through the forests caused was enough to allow Blucher's reinforcements to gain position at Dienville with advantageous numbers.
As the sun set, the battle was still close and it was clear no decisive outcome was in the offing. In particular, the left and right flanks saw little chance of a meaningful resolution. In the center, however, the imminent arrival of two fresh brigades in Brienne might have been sufficient to allow me a single assault on the chateau overlooking Brienne and a shot at forcing the Russian's out of the town. But it was not to be. C'est la guerre.
What could I have done differently to improve the situation? Not much. I believe my biggest error was moving two batteries up too aggressively without infantry support to bombard Brienne as I believed the Russian's would remain within the town. They didn't and I lost the guns during a brief Russian foray into the field. I also continue to struggle with the most effective use of cavalry in these scenarios.
Marshal Blucher's Report
My clash with Napoleon at Brienne sprang from a strange set of circumstances, wherein we both believed ourselves to have surprised the other. The bulk of the armies at our command were hampered by distance and muddy terrain, so we fought with the meager forces nearest at hand. I would fight him if I had but a single Corps...
I realized quickly that it would be up to my reinforcements to secure the avenue of escape and prepare for the arrival of more French troops. In Brienne itself, I arrayed my troops in a tight area, central to the French direction of advance. The tight grouping allowed me to retain strong control over these troops with multiple layers of command--and I would need that! The majority of these Russians had been pushed too hard already, but there is no time to rest, we must fight!
I was unable to hinder the French cavalry slipping through the woods on my left flank, once again relying on my reinforcements to contain them. On my right flank, I aggressively pushed with Pahlen's division, throwing the Egers and the Hussars again and again at the French to their front, driving them back (one French regiment completely out of the battle). In the center, the French managed to flay away my defenses. My artillery (after inflicting heavy casualties) was driven out...but this inspired me to propel one Russian brigade from their town positions to catch two unprepared French batteries. Still, the power of three enemy batteries drove the brigade holding the Chateau to the breaking point, and killed its division commander.
My follow-on forces managed to secure the "rear door" as it were, and were engaging the lead French cavalry regiments as night fell. Ney approached, but too late, too late....
In conclusion, my holding pattern in the center was the right thing to do. Napoleon could not ignore these forces, and have them drive at his flanks or rear. He was forced to engage them. My aggressive tactics on the right were risky, but..."Ran wie Blucher." One major mistake was not using the weaker of Pahlen's cavalry brigades (the Cossacks) to race to Dienville from the very beginning. Or to have used them to support the Hussars. As it was, they did nothing the entire game.
Napoleon advanced more or less in the way he had to. He could have put his cavalry in weight on his left flank and bulled through Pahlen, but the distance was greater than through the slower (but unoccupied) wood on his right. In the end, a very near thing, hotly contested battle...and the Allied advantage at nightfall was very thin.
Hopefully this will convince the block-head Allied leaders that the only way to end this war is to attack everywhere, wherever the possibility of any victory exists! Napoleon has not lost all of his talent, but his men can not, will not, fight forever.
I realized quickly that it would be up to my reinforcements to secure the avenue of escape and prepare for the arrival of more French troops. In Brienne itself, I arrayed my troops in a tight area, central to the French direction of advance. The tight grouping allowed me to retain strong control over these troops with multiple layers of command--and I would need that! The majority of these Russians had been pushed too hard already, but there is no time to rest, we must fight!
I was unable to hinder the French cavalry slipping through the woods on my left flank, once again relying on my reinforcements to contain them. On my right flank, I aggressively pushed with Pahlen's division, throwing the Egers and the Hussars again and again at the French to their front, driving them back (one French regiment completely out of the battle). In the center, the French managed to flay away my defenses. My artillery (after inflicting heavy casualties) was driven out...but this inspired me to propel one Russian brigade from their town positions to catch two unprepared French batteries. Still, the power of three enemy batteries drove the brigade holding the Chateau to the breaking point, and killed its division commander.
My follow-on forces managed to secure the "rear door" as it were, and were engaging the lead French cavalry regiments as night fell. Ney approached, but too late, too late....
In conclusion, my holding pattern in the center was the right thing to do. Napoleon could not ignore these forces, and have them drive at his flanks or rear. He was forced to engage them. My aggressive tactics on the right were risky, but..."Ran wie Blucher." One major mistake was not using the weaker of Pahlen's cavalry brigades (the Cossacks) to race to Dienville from the very beginning. Or to have used them to support the Hussars. As it was, they did nothing the entire game.
Napoleon advanced more or less in the way he had to. He could have put his cavalry in weight on his left flank and bulled through Pahlen, but the distance was greater than through the slower (but unoccupied) wood on his right. In the end, a very near thing, hotly contested battle...and the Allied advantage at nightfall was very thin.
Hopefully this will convince the block-head Allied leaders that the only way to end this war is to attack everywhere, wherever the possibility of any victory exists! Napoleon has not lost all of his talent, but his men can not, will not, fight forever.