Articles of Interest
The Battle of Friedland 14 June 1807
The
battle of Friedland had its origins in the German campaign of the previous year,
when Napoleon destroyed the Prussian army at the dual battles of Jena &
Auerstadt. Berlin fell to the French on 24 October 1806, and Napoleon pursued
the last survivors of the Prussian army into Poland.
At
the time the Poland did not exist as an independent nation; the last Polish
territory had been partitioned between Prussia, Austria and Russia in the
1790’s, prior to the Napoleonic Wars, Concerned that the Russian
Operations resumed in March,
with the French siege and capture of the fortress of Danzig. Benningsen then
resumed the offensive; Napoleon was quick to react. Maneuvering la Grande Armee,
he placed himself in the central position between Benningsen and his Prussian
allies. Napoleon sent Marshal Jean Lannes ahead with the Reserve Corps and some
other units to pin down Benningsen while he concentrated the French army for the
final blow.
VIEW
STRATEGIC MAP OF POLAND
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistorymaps/NapoleonPages/nap33large.htm
On 13 June Lannes cavalry
occupied the town of Friedland, but were driven out by the Russian advance
guard. By now Benningsen had brought up the majority of his army to Friedland.
Deciding to advance further, he quickly crossed his army and baggage to the west
side of the Alle River over several specially constructed pontoon bridges. He
was actually in a position to crush Lannes’ force when he halted. Benningsen
still wasn’t sure just what enemy forfces he faced. He had some indications that
Napoleons entire army was present. And consequently he wanted to bring his
entire force across the Alle before launching his attack.
Lannes exploited Benningsen’s
delay to give Napoleon the time he neede to reach the battlefield. He made good
use of the terrain. The convolutions of the Alle River course made it difficult
for the Russians to deploy effectively. The “S” turn below the town of Friedland
and an east-west stream, divided the battlefield along the center and made
lateral communications extremely difficult for the Russians. To the south of the
town were the Sortlach woods and
here Lannes deployed his infantry as skirmishers in tree to tree fighting
Lannes’ skirmishers pushed the Russian Jaegers back. Lannes deployed Oudinot’s
division of Grenadiers to hold the Russian center in place, while in nthe north
French cavalry under General Grouchy kept the Russians at bay,
The
battle quickly developed inta a mutual cannonade which suited Lannes as this
would give Napoleon the time he needed to bring up the rest of the Grande
Armee.
Around noon of the 145 Napoleon arrived on the scene. Quickly evaluating the situation he realize that Benningsen was in a trap. The Russians had the river behind their back with limited escape routes. Napoleon’s plan was simple: his left would hold the Russian right north of the town while he concentrated the right for the decisive blow. There was some consideration of waiting another day to allow more reinforcements to catch up but decided that any delay might allow Benningsen to escape. Napoleon quickly deployed arriving units to join the fray. Ney’s VI Corps and Victors I Corps would be on the right. Lannes would redeploy to the center where along with Mortier’s VIII Corps he would hold the Russians in place. The Imperial Guard would remain in reserve and the Reserve Cavalry would cover the extreme left flank. The signal for attack was given at 1700
View a more in depth article on this battle
Marshal
Ney quickly attacked with his corps in echelon. He had one division cut up by
cavalry but the rest pushed on after a spirited counterattack. General Senarmont
commanding the artillery of I Corps brought up his guns in a mass battery
eventually moving within 120 yards and even closer. Concentrating his fire on
Bagration’s infantry he inflicted 4,000 casualties in 25 minutes. The surviving
Russians fell back into Friedland. Benningsen seeing his situation deteriorating
threw in his last reserve the Russian Imperial Guard. These were also blown
apart in turn by Senarmont’s massed guns. I Corps attacked and in fierce
hand-to-hand combat the Russian Guards broke. With Ney’s men closing in the rout was complete and
Friedland became a deathtrap as thousands of Russians crowded into the town. The
bridges having been set afire by French artillery the Russians were unable to
escape. On the Russian right with
General Sacken in operational control renewed their attack. These were
quickly beaten off by Lannes, Mortier and Grouchy. Adding two regiments from the
Guard, Napoleon continued the attack taking the Russian right wing in it’s left
flank. At this point the rest of the Russian army disintegrated fleeing across
the Alle River as best they could. Firing continued until 1030 pm. The Russians
had lost some 11,000 dead and 7,000 wounded as well as 80 cannon; French losses
were 1,400 killed and 9.000 wounded. The Russian army was completely demoralized
and totally lost its cohesion. The Prussians abandoned their last stronghold at
Koenigsberg. Russia’s influence was removed from Central Europe for several
years by the Peace of Tilsit.
Back to other battles
The Battle of Vittoria 21 June 1813
Vittoria was the culminating battle of Wellington’s Peninsular campaign. This campaign, which had begun in 1809 saw a succession of marches and countermarches by the French and British/Allied Armies. The French generally held the strategic ascendancy, but the Anglo-Allies held their own on the battlefield. Several of Napoleon’s marshals had attempted to outmaneuver Wellington, but when it came to battle the British tactics came out ahead.
VIEW STRATEGIC MAP OF SPAIN
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistorymaps/NapoleonPages/nap44large.htm
The French army was commanded by Marshal Jourdan an average but able
veteran commander since the beginnings of the revolutionary wars. His strategy
for the battle was to wait for the British attack from the west. This was not
entirely unreasonable as, given the geography Of the region, The Allied army
would have to emerge from a narrow pass. The French assumed that by so doing
they could force the British into making a frontal assault. The main French
position was held by the Army of the South backed up by artillery. To their rear
was the Army of the Center as the reserve.
Wellington’s plan was in fact to conduct an outflanking maneuver and to
conduct it on far grander scale than he had attempted in the past. Rather than
making the turning maneuver on the battlefield, he would divide his army into
four separate columns and march around the French position. This would take
precise coordination as if they did not arrive at the same time they could be
defeated in detail.
British dispositions were as follows;
General Hill commander of the 2nd
Division would approach from the south and attack the extreme left flank of the
French. His force also included Silveria’s Portuguese Division, Morillo’s
Spanish Division plus vonAlten and Fane’s light dragoon regiments.
The 4th and Light Divisions plus
R. Hill's, Grant's and Ponsonby’s cavalry brigade and D’Urbans Portuguese
cavalry would attack the French center through the village of Nanclares.
Lord Dalhousie commanding the 3rd
and 7th Divisions was to move to the north and attack the extreme
right through Mendoza.
Finally,
Graham would command Longa’s Spanish Division the 1st and
5th British Divisions, Pack’s and Bradford’s Portuguese brigades and
Bock’s heavy dragoons. These were to move to the north and descend upon the rear
of the French position Wellington gave his subordinate commanders
great leeway in their orders. They were to fulfill their part of the plan but
watch for an opportunity to attack the French center in support of the overall
plan. He spent the 20th rehearsing the attack and making a personal reconnaissance of
the attack routes.
Wellington’s attack began on schedule at 8’o
clock in the morning of the 21st, with Hill’s force attacking the
French left. Hill’s division cleared the Puebla Heights after withstanding a
furious French counterattack the British cleared the ridgeline. Wellington
established himself on a hill overlooking the center of the French position
which gave him a fairly good view where he could control the action as it
developed. The 4th and Light Divisions probed toward the French
center using the cover provided by woods and hills to close to the French
positions. Meanwhile the 5th Division coming up on the extreme rear
of the French stormed the village of Gamarra Mayor. Attacking in columns of
battalions they fought through barricades only to brought up short of the bridge
by artillery fire. Three of the four British columns were now engaged but
Dalhousie’s divisions had not appeared yet. Wellington now changed his plan and
sent Kempt brigade to cross the Tres Puentes bridge as intelligence indicated it
was unguarded. Concealed by an embankment they ran into a French column but it
had no time for them as 3rd and 7th appeared on the
battlefield. Dalhousie had been delayed moving his guns along some difficult
roads. By 3pm the decisive phase of the battle had arrived. Both Joseph and
Jourdan could see they would have to re-deploy or be annihilated. They were able
to disengage and redeploys despite intense pressure from the
British. General Villate commanding a division on the French left was unaware of
the withdrawal order determined to deliver one last blow against the Allied
force on La Puebla but were forced back by British volleys. The French situation
was rapidly deteriorating with their troops mostly engaged and lacking reserves
were unable to respond to British moves. And now the British artillery began to
come into action forming a massed battery in their center. General Picton with
the 3rd Division attacked and broke a regiment opening a breach in
the French center. Wellington’s advance was now only held up by the French artillery sweeping
the slopes but French morale was beginning to crumble . After being pushed out
of two positions the infantry was no linger steady. Then General Gazan commander
of the Army of the South took it upon himself to pull his troops out if action.
Finally the King gave the order
for a withdrawal along the Pamplona road. This withdrawal quickly turned into a
rout as troops. government officials, camp followers and civilians crowded the narrow escape route. The
French were forced to abandon years of loot which at least held up the pursuit. The
French managed to hold the bridge at Gamarra Mayor where they escaped back to
France and Marshal Soult assumed command.
 |
 |
Though a victory it was not the decisive one Wellington hoped for as the French were defeated not destroyed and the campaign would continue through the Pyrenees and Southern France. The French were driven out of Spain and Napoleon would comment on the battle “ I had a king to many and a marshal too few”.
Return to view other articles
The Battle of the Moskwa September 7, 1812
The cuirassiers storm the Great Redoubt
Napoleon and his staff
Return to view other articles
Copyright © 2001 [II Corps]. All rights reserved.
Revised:
October 06, 2001 Lt D Stone 18eme Regiment Infanterie d'Legere.
