La Bataille d' Heilsberg 1807

While not as well-known militarily as other aides such as Mouton or Rapp; Savary would have one of his best military moments at the Battle of Heilsberg on June 10, 1807.

Prince Murat, leading the several divisions of the French Reserve cavalry, had initiated what was to be a 14-hour battle, when he aggressively attempted to seize the villages of Bewerwick and Langweisse, which lie due west of Heilsberg. His efforts to grab these outlying defensive positions from the Russians were done without the benefit of any infantry, and with only a few horse guns. By the early afternoon, the Russians, after a series of furious charges by both sides, were starting to gain ascendancy over Murat’s cavalry. In fact, Murat had been surrounded at one point, only to be rescued by the personal intervention of General LaSalle, but not before Murat lost his boot. Bennigsen’s attacks, led by Prince Bagration, were pushing the French towards collapse.

Savary Sent to Rescue Murat

Napoleon, noting Murat’s distressed position, passively sent his aide, General Savary, with orders to gather up the Fusilier Brigade of the Imperial Guard and rescue the beleaguered Cavalry general. Savary and his command moved quickly forward. Upon reaching the battlefield, Savary had a confrontation with Murat, who wanted the Guard to press the attack with bayonet. Savary was reputed to have said, “It would be better for us if he (Murat) was less brave and had a little more common sense.”

Then, Savary and Guard generals Roussel and Curial, marched-up with the four guard battalions, which in later years would be called the Middle Guard, and 12 horse guns, and calmly got ready to fire at the Russian horsemen. The Guard was almost carried away by fleeing French Cuirassiers. However, the Guard held their ground. Savary had his Fusiliers and horse guns unleash a well-aimed volley at close range which killed the Russian Curaissier General Kozhin and quickly disrupted the remaining Russians and Prussians. However, Russian artillery would fire into the Guard brigade and General Roussel would be

killed and General Curial would be seriously wounded as the Fusilier Brigade supported Saint-Hilaire’s division for the rest of that portion of the battle; most importantly, Murat and his Reserve Cavalry would survive. The Fusilier Brigade of the Guard was a relatively new formation. It had only been formed in the fall of 1806. There was one regiment of Grenadiers and one regiment of Chasseurs—about 3000 men t0tal. Heilsberg would be its first engagement. However, its steadfast performance in that battle would lead them to be used again and again, probably more so than the Old Guard Grenadiers and Chasseurs would be during the course of the Napoleonic Wars. Although not described so at Heilsberg, the Fusiliers would be considered the core of what would be considered the Middle Guard.

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