Action at Kolozab
24 December 1806
The Opponents and Orders of Battle
by Robert Goetz, USA
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Supporting these forces were the Efro-mov-V Cossacks (probably distributed in patrols along the river up and down-stream) and the three battalions of the Tenguinsk Musketeer regiment which was positioned in the woods between Kolozab and Sochocin on the left bank of the Wkra in order to support either position. Forces at Kolozab proper amounted to approximately 900-1,100 infantry, 4-500 hussars and 4-500 Cossacks. The forces positioned in the woods to the north amounted to an additional 1,600 infantry. [2] Marshal Pierre Francois Charles Augereau commanded the French forces opposing Barclay. Augereau’s VII Corps was composed of two divisions of infantry and General Durosnel’s brigade of light cavalry. In addition, the two light cavalry brigades of Generals Milhaud and Watier from the Cavalry Reserve were attached to VII Corps. On the evening of the 23rd, Augereau’s 1st Division was positioned on the Zakro-cym-Plonsk road between Plonsk and Poszernin along with the Corps artillery park, which was at Siedlin. Desjardin’s division had marched from the bridgehead at Zakrocym on the 19th and 20th of December, and had reached the vicinity of Plonsk by the 21st. Durosnel’s cavalry brigade and 2nd Division were on a parallel route approaching Plonsk 4-5 km to the west, the cavalry at Skarzyn and the infantry at Radzymin. Milhaud’s cavalry brigade screened Augereau’s force to the east, covering the routes to Kolozab and Sochocin while Watier’s brigade provided a screen to the north, between the routes to Sochocin and Raciaz. Augereau directed his 1st division, commanded by Général de Division Jacques Desjardin, and the light cavalry brigade of Général de Brigade Edouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud against Kolozab. Desjardin’s division consisted of two brigades and an artillery battery, approximately 6,300 men. The first brigade, under the command of Général de Brigade Pierre Bellon Lapisse, was composed of 16th légère (3 battalions) and 14th ligne (2 battalions). The second brigade, under the command of Général de Brigade Jacques Lefranc, consisted of 44th ligne and 105th ligne. Milhaud’s brigade included 1st hussars and 13th chasseurs, about 900 men. A battery of horse artillery appears also to have been attached to this force. Lapisse’s brigade, with the horse artillery battery, received orders to seize the crossing while Lefranc’s brigade and Milhaud’s cavalry remained in reserve. French Order of Battle
1st Division Général de Division Desjardin 1st Brigade - Général de Brigade Pierre Bellon Lapisse
14th ligne (2 battalions) Col. Savary 1314 men 2nd Brigade Général de Brigade Jacques Lefranc
105th ligne (2 battalions) Col. Habert 1545 men Attached Artillery
2nd Co. 6th Horse Artillery Total 6675 Light Cavalry Brigade Général de Brigade Milhaud
13th Chasseurs Col. Domangeot 459 troopers Russian Order of Battle
Forces at Kolozab
Isoum Hussars (2 Squadrons) 2nd Division 250 men Efromov-V Cossacks 2nd Division 400 men 1/2 Battery Horse Artillery Advance Guard 50 men Total 1800 Reserve between Kolozab and Sochocin Col. Petr Ivanovich Ershov:
Total 1600 (Russian forces are estimated) Action at Kolozab 24 December 1806 Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #68 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |
Barclay’s command included detachments at both Kolozab and Sochocin, the forces being drawn from the Advance Guard (Part of 4th division) and 2nd Division. The forces at Kolozab included two battalions of 3rd Jäger, three squadrons of Isoum hussars, and a half battery of horse artillery (6 guns). [1]