La Bataille de Bautzen 1813

La Bataille de Bautzen 1813© Scenarios

newly found pressure on the Russian center allowed Oudinot some respite from the pounding he was getting from the Russian offensive.

Ney was finally starting to move forward from Gleina on the French left; but he stalled again at Preititz, where Souham’s massive division had been manhandled by Barclay de Tolly. Ney felt compelled to use three other divisions (Delmas; Albert and Rickard) to assault the town. By that time, the Prussians, under Kleist, were assisting the Russians, and Preititz switched hands several times in a three hour battle. Kleist finally gave up the time, but Ney’s schedule had been completely done in by the tough battle. In the meantime, Soult had been getting ready for his attack on the Prussians with Bertrand’s IV Corp. Soult had set Bertrand to go on the offensive supported by a grand battery of the Guard artillery of 60 guns. Soult’s extensive preparations paid dividends and Blucher’s Prussians started to wear down by 3 pm. Blucher started to retreat. By 4 pm, Alexander had determined the Coalition had lost the battle and had started to pull back the many heavy guns. The Coalition was successful in pulling back all of those guns from the French vice just before Ney was able to catch the escaping Russians and Prussians. There were many opportunities for the French to stop the Russians and Prussians, but none were realized. Maps I through VI. Recommended for multiply players and will take several days to finish, even with timed moves. Once Ney reaches his objectives, Napoleon orders the general attack. Play Scenarios Two and Seven first, or use the starting points listed in this scenrio.

Scenario Two – Ney’s Advance

Ney commands the key maneuver of the battle. Stop or delay Ney’s large “corps” and the battle’s outcome will no longer be decisive. If Ney does succeeds, it may end the war. Maps V and VI with 25,000 to 50,000 troops on a side.

Scenario Three – Preliminary Activity of May 19, 1813

There was considerable activity and movement going on for several days between the French and Coalition armies before the Battle of Bautzen occurred. Right before the battle on May 19, there were two separate actions which would have ramifications for both sides. While jockeying for position, Barclay de Tolly thought he had run into a detached part of Lauriston’s V Corps at Konigswartha, however it was part of Peyri’s Italian Division in Bertrand’s IV Corps, part of Napoleon’s main body. The Russian’s defeated the Italian’s easily, but they almost got trapped themselves fighting Napoleon. In the same day, Lauriston’s V Corp ran across the Prussians at Weissig, and almost defeated them before the Russian Grenadiers came to the Prussians’ defense. It was a close call for both sides.

The larger battle would start the next day, and the French would storm and take Bautzen on May 20.

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