As previously indicated my chosen scenario for Les Grognards, Mohrungen, will be adapted for 1812. I was however unaware that the scenario itself is something of a "what if". This fostered interest in understanding a little of the historical engagement. The battle occurred 25 January 1807, the same year as Eylau. Possibly the notoriety of that bloodbath served to capture attention away from minor precursors, as I have to confess I was unaware of the engagement. Far more likely it is my own ignorance!
T.E.Crowdy at https://www.napoleon-series.org/military-info/battles/1807/c_Mohrungen.html provided the following:
"Eclipsed by the bloodbath of Eylau, the battle of Mohrungen on 25 January 1807 has become something of a footnote in the history of Napoleon’s winter campaign in East Prussia and Poland. Here Marshal Bernadotte, (the Prince of Ponte-Corvo, to give him his Imperial title) clashed with the advanced guard of the Russians under Bennigsen. The ensuing battle was a typical example of a contact action between two probing forces as yet unaware of the other’s intentions. However, this battle has a special interest for one French regiment; a regiment of great celebrity which ended the day narrowly having avoided utter humiliation and disgrace."
The article mainly focuses on the myth that the Incomparable 9th Light bravely fought to recapture its lost eagle, Crowdy noting that after that battle the Emperor ordered on 26 March 1807 "His Majesty orders that the regiments of light infantry will have no Eagles with the army, and that all Eagles of these regiments will be sent to depots. This arm must not have an Eagle in front of the enemy." This order will probably be ignored by me...
But on to the historical OOB. Nafziger does not appear to have much on 1807 Eastern Europe: https://www.napoleon-series.org/resources/the-nafziger-collection-of-napoleonic-orders-of-battle/#1600853045705-03d8a0f9-7ac3 . Digby Smith's Napoleonic Wars Data Book cites three sources* and gives the OOB as:
French Forces
Part of Bernadotte's I Corps; 1st Division General de Division Dupont:
9th Light Infantry Regiment; 32nd and 96th Line Regiments (7 bttns);
3rd Division General de Division Drouet:
27th Light Infantry Regiment; 94th and 95th Line Regiments (7 bttns);
2nd Division General de Division Rivaud, General de Brigade Pacthod:
9th Light Infantry Regiment (3 bttns); 8th Line Regiment (3 bttns);
Light Cavalry General de Division Tilley:
2nd and 4th Hussar Regiments, 5th Chasseurs a Cheval Regiment (12 squadrons)
4th Dragoon Division of Murat's Cavalry Reserve General de Division Sahuc:
17th, 27th, 18th and 19th Dragoon Regiments (16 squadrons)
4 Foot artillery batteries; 2 horse artillery batteries.
Living up to its name, the Incomparable 9th appears to be given twice. Presumably one entry is a typo, but I have not looked at this further.
Russian Forces
General Markov: Jekaterinoslav
Grenadier Regiment; Pskov Musketeer Regiment; 5th, 7th and 25th Jaeger Regiments (3 bttns each)
Elisabethgrad Hussar Regiment (6 Squadrons)
4 Foot artillery batteries; 1 horse artillery battery.
*Hoepfner, Lettow-Vorbeck and Martinien. Might check them to see if I can resolve the double 9th riddle.
The Les Grognards what if Scenario gives the OOB as:
French Forces:
1st Division General de Division Dupont:
2 Light units [elite]
4 Line units [regular]
1 Light foot artillery unit [elite]
2 Hussar units [1 elite, 1 regular].
Russian Forces:
General Ostermann-Tolstoi (Commander in Chief):
6 Line units [regular]
6 Jaeger units [regular]
2 Grenadier units [elite]
2 Light Foot artillery units [regular]
1 Light Horse artillery unit [regular]
1 Dragoon unit [regular]
1 Hussar unit [regular]
3 Cossack units [native]
French Reinforcements:
Marshall Bernadotte (Commander in Chief):
3rd Division, General Drouet:
2 Light units [elite]
4 Line units [2 elite, 2 regular]
1 Light Foot artillery unit [elite]
So near complete overlap, as might be expected. I will be replicating the scenario forces (in terms of unit types, with an eye to the combatants of 1812). That means amassing the following:
French: 12 units Infantry, 2 units cavalry, 2 units artillery, one commander and I think 2 sub-commanders
Russian: 14 units infantry, 5 units cavalry, 3 units artillery, one commander.
Decisions will need to be made as to the identity of those units! Numbers and base sizes to be concluded.
My Legere proudly carry their flags into battle as well, and obviously the edict postdates the battles of Mohrungen and Eylau in any event. Doubtless many of the Legere units ignored the edict as well, at least for as long as they could.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting note for those that hold that there was little difference between the Legere and Ligne units.
The reason for using the Mohrungen Scenario as an intro to Piquet: Les Grognards is the way it highlights the impact of command structure on the battle. And yes, the French should have 2 subcommanders (Command Group leaders); Dupont and Drouet. Drouet, aka Jean-Baptiste Drouet, would be named Comte d'Erlon after the Battle of Friedland later in 1807, and of course is perhaps regrettably most famous for marching back and forth between the battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny in 1815.
Good to see the edict has had limited impact!
DeleteThanks for the post Peter. I did not know Drouet was d'Erlon of aimless marching fame. It seems the reputations of both divisional commanders suffered in the later period of the empire, given the stick Dupont came in for after Bailen. Was there a Mohrungen curse on subcommanders?