Cavalry vs. Infantry Squares, Part 1 In part I of this article, I introduced snippets that, in general, gave examples of cavalry against infantry squares both successful and unsuccessful. In this article I shall concentrate in the main on charges that succeeded and then sum up to finish. I will lead off with Hanau where on the 26 May 1813 the East Prussian Cuirassiers are said to have broken a French infantry square. The example is from Battle magazine quoting 'Die Deutsche Befreiungs Kriege' but is not born out by Petre who states the French were on the point of bivouacking and in no state of defence. It is possible that the French were in the process of forming square when they were attacked. Montmirail. 11 February 1814. Houssaye in his Napoleon & the Campaign of 1814, page 56, gives the following account. '(A)t 8 o'clock he (Napoleon) was at Montmirail, and ordered Marmont, who was continuing his retreat, to attack the enemy as he emerged from Vauchamps. Behind Marmont's troops Blucher saw the whole guard advancing, and the dreaded cry of 'Vive l'Empereur!' rising from 10,000 throats fell like thunder on his ears. He decided to retreat, and for two hours his troops, formed in squares placed chequerwise, steadily endured the fire of Drouot's artillery and the furious charges of the cavalry of the Guard. However, by a magnificent turning movement Grouchy with the cavalry of the line got behind the enemy to the far side of Fromentiere. He ordered the charge, and his 3,500 horsemen burst their way into the middle of the mass of 20,000 Prussians, throwing them into disorder and panic. They met with practically no resistance and carved bloody furrows through the German squares....Blucher lost 6,000 men'. Note this may be a duplicate account of a report in the first part of this article as the authors are most unclear as to which dates the events actually took place. Parquin claims that the Chasseurs a Cheval of the Guard and Letort's Dragoons broke a Russian square here. Lachouque and Brown in Anatomy of Glory page 354 write as follows: 'Dautancourt formed Letort's dragoons in column on the road and took off at a brisk trot. They galloped up to the enemy lines and knocked out Russian squares'. Also in the May 1977 issue of Battle, J.J. Tramson shows that on 12 February 1814 Letort and the French Guard Dragoons broke 8 Russian battalions in 3 squares. His source is F. Massons Cavaliers de Napoleon. I found confirmation of this in Lachouque and Brown's Anatomy of Glory page 356 which states '......the Emperor watched through his spyglass for the cavalry of the Guard which he had summoned to attack the enemy's right flank. The squadrons loomed out of the mist at the jog trot, led by Letort's Young Guard Dragoons. The Prussians quickly formed squares. Note this version says Prussians, not Russians. The likelihood was that they were Russians as Petre in his Napoleon at Bay 1814 page 67 gives the losses for this engagement as Prussians 1250 men, 6 guns and part of their baggage. Sacken (Russians) lost 1500 men, 3 guns, and nearly all his wheeled transport. (The loss of 3 squares each of 500 men sounds about right for this assumption.) Breaking into a gallop under ever increasing fire, they headed straight for the enemy. The troopers dashed upon the first square and sent it flying; they then charged the second and third, knocking the soldiers down and running over them. They ended by cutting off the enemy's retreat to Epernay. 'It was one of the handsomest feats I ever saw performed by cavalry', wrote General Griois. Letort would seem to be the acme of cavalrymen when it comes to breaking squares. 16 June 1815. Lachouque and Brown again, page 477. 'It was now 6 p.m. and the 3rd Corps had finally arrived. The Emperor sent them to attack the Prussians and push them back to Fleurus. Soon overpowered, Zieten retired and took refuge in the woods. Napoleon was furious to see the Prussians escape from his clutches for the second time that day, and ordered Letort to charge them with the duty squadrons. 'He alone is capable of sweeping up this canaille', he said. Two squares of the 'canaille' were promptly 'swept up' with cries of 'Vive L'Empereur!' between Sart Allet and Farcienne, but Letort received a mortal wound...and died during the night of the 17 June. Parquin in his Souvenirs de gloire et d'amour confirms this action, but claims three squares broken. Next: Three from Oman My next three examples are from Oman's History of the Peninsular War. Volume VI page 263. 1813 reads 'Having reached Lodosa on March 30th, Barbot sent out two battalions to raise requisitions in the neighbouring town of Lerin. The place was being sacked, when the French were suddenly attacked by two of Mina's battalions, while two more and 200 Navarrese lancers cut in between the enemy and Lodosa. The French, thoroughly surprised, lost heavily in the first shock, but rallied and started to cut their way back to their division, only eight miles away. In a running fight they were much mauled, and finally had to form square to receive the cavalry. In this inconvenient formation they were forced to a long musketry fight with the Navarrese, which so shook the square that it finally broke when Mina's lancers charged. The two battalions were annihilated: 28 officers and 635 men were taken prisoners, the rest were cut down. Gaudin, the colonel commanding the detachment, escaped with a few mounted officers. The extraordinary part of the affair was that its last crisis took place only two miles from Lodosa, where Barbot was lying with his remaining six battalions. The French general never stirred,' Yecla. April 1813. Vol.VI. page 285. 'The Marshal (Suchet) tried another scheme. He secretly passed all his available troops to Fuente la Higuera, on his extreme right flank, leaving only a trifling screen in front of Murray's army. On 10 April he marched in two columns against the allied left. One consisting of Harispe's division and two cavalry regiments aimed at the isolated Murcian division at Yecla, the other and larger column four battalions of Habert's division, and seven of Musnier's,(under Robert)...with his cuirassier regiment, marched by Caudette on Vilena, to cut between the Spaniards and Murray, and intercept any aid which the latter might send from Castalla towards the Spaniards. The blow was unexpected and delivered with great vigour: Harispe surprised General Mijares' Murcians at Yecla at dawn; they were hopelessly outnumbered, only four battalions being present...And there was but a single squadron with them... Mijares, on finding himself assailed by superior numbers, tried to march off towards Jumilla and the mountains. Harispe pursued, and seeing the Spaniards likely to get away, for the retreat was rapid and in good order, flung his hussars (4th) and dragoons (24th) at them. The Spaniards turned up onto a hillside, and tried a running fight. The two leading battalions of the column made their escape the two rear battalions were cut off: they formed square, beat back two charges with resolution, but were broken by the third and absolutely exterminated: 400 were cut down, about a 1000 captured. Of these two unlucky regiments, 1st of Burgos and Cadiz, hardly a man got away the other two, Jaen and Cuenca, took little harm. The French lost only 18 killed and 61 wounded, mostly in the two cavalry regiments. for Harispe's infantry were but slightly engaged. Villafranca. 14 September 1814. Volume VII. Page 105. 'He (Lord Bentinck) spent the morning in two formal movements of retreat in fighting order division retiring behind division in turn, covered by his cavalry and horse artillery. Suchet in his despatch allows that the operation was carried out in a precise and orderly fashion. The French infantry being far behind, the Marshal tried the experiment of throwing his cavalry (4th Hussars and 13th Cuirassiers in Delort's brigade, 24th Dragoons and Westphalian Chevaux legers in Meyer's brigade) in mass against the Anglo Sicilians... he had a superiority of three to two in this arm... This was what Bentinck had been expecting, and when the French charged, they were promptly met by four squadrons of the Brunswick Hussars and the 20th Light Dragoons...The (French) attack was checked with loss; the flank battalion of the British infantry (the 1/10th) formed square and threw in a useful volley. Bentinck then drew back to his second position... While he was forming up anew, Suchet threw in all his cavalry again on the western flank of his opponent's line Bentinck did the same, putting in even his two Sicilian squadrons and his miscellaneous 'troop of foreign Hussars'. There was very fierce fighting, in which the Allied horse, much outnumbered, suffered severely. But it achieved its purpose the enemy never got a chance of breaking in upon the infantry, and finally drew off. This was a most creditable achievement on the part of Lord Bentinck and his miscellaneous following. How completely they gained their end is shown by the fact that the Anglo Sicilian infantry only lost 21 men in its long retreat across open country, and these by the fire of the French horse battery...An officer of the 1/10th has left an interesting personal impression of the exciting, but rather exhilarating, sensation of retreating in square across open ground with enterprising hostile cavalry hovering about, and occasionally asking for, and getting, a volley from the rear face.' (Author's note. There were 12 battalions and 2 rifle companies in the retreating force; one assumes all the battalions moved in square perhaps closed ones). Elchigen Moving now a long way from Spain we go to Elchingen. On 14 October 1805 according to Claude Manceron in 'Austerlitz' page 106 the French 'unleashed some charges by the 18th Dragoons against the Austrian squares, each of 2000 to 3000 men. They broke them up, they sabred them, they harried them with swords towards Haslach..' That same year, 1805, on 2 December we have an unusual tactical ploy described by Manceron in Austerlitz page 274. See map. 'Two regiments of cavalry concentrated their assault on the first battalion of the 4th of the Line, to take advantage of their isolation. (Major) Bigarre had flung himself from his horse into the middle of the scarcely formed square, to stand or die with them. 'Courage, men! keep calm! Above all don't fire without orders! Wait till you have them on the muzzles of your muskets!' Indeed, the first Russian charge was sharply broken by the accuracy of a formidable volley of musketry at point blank range, executed as if on manoeuvre. But a third regiment arrived before the French had time to reload their guns. 'On your bellies! Look out!' The deadly tornado crossed the square, going and coming pitilessly. More than 200 men were sabred. It was a butchery from which there rose a chorus of cries and groans. The engagement is described in different words and a less emotional style in Austerlitz 1805 by Christopher Duffy. Page 135. 'At the edge of the plateau Bigarre could see a mass of glittering cavalry (the Guard Cuirassiers!) advancing towards him at a smart trot. He galloped back to the first battalion of the 4th and ordered it to form square to meet the shock. However, the Russians cunningly deployed at long musket range and unmasked six light pieces, which lashed the compact formation of the 4th with canister. Vandamme sent the 24th Light to lend assistance, but he was anticipated by Constantine, who launched two of his regiments against the isolated battalion. 'This first charge failed to penetrate the square, being received by a discharge of musketry at point blank range. Before we managed to reload, however, a third Russian regiment carried out a fresh charge, sweeping over the square and back again, and cutting down more than 200 men of the regiment. It was in this melee that a Russian officer seized the battalion eagle from the hands of Sergeant Major Saint Cyr, who relinquished this trophy only after he had received a dozen wounds on his head and arms. Two of his comrades had carried the eagle before him, and both had been killed one by Russian canister, and one by a pistol shot'. This latter account is from the Memoires du General Bigarre. Paris undated. (Note the different points brought out in the two different accounts.) As you will want your mapmaker to draw one in house style I merely include a photocopy from Duffy's book. Studianka. 28 November 1812. Dr. Hourtoulle, the well-known French publisher of Napoleona in his Soldats & Uniformes du 1er Empire states that the Baden Hussars broke the square of the Russian 34th Jaegers during this engagement. Nafziger in his 'Napoleon's Invasion of Russia' states on page 323 'These brave men threw themselves against the flank of the advancing Russian column and, after a short fight, broke it. They captured 500 men of the 34th Jager Regiment and drove the other two regiments back.' It is possible that the 34th had formed a close square on the appearance of the cavalry. On the same day and on the West side of the Beresina Dr. Hourtoulle claims in 'Davout, le Terrible' that Doumeac with the 7th Cuirassiers broke the squares of 7000 Russian infantry. Page 320 of Nafziger's book reads as follows: 'the Russian 18th Division of Prince Tchervatov was posted. It was formed in deep columns and did not expect attack because of the heavy forest cover. General Doumerc and his 3rd Cuirassier Division struck the 18th Division. The 4th, 7th & 14th Cuirassier Regiments, totalling 400 men, struck them suddenly and successfully. They had passed through the brush and woods, quickly reformed, and fallen on the Russian columns. They sabered more than 600 men, by Russian reports, and took 2,000 prisoners as well as a few guns'. Landshut. April 1809. 'With Eagles to Glory' by J.H.Gill. Greenhill Books. The Bavarian 1st Dragoons & 1st Chevau Legere Regiment. 'Van Zandt's troopers spurred to the attack next to Jaquinot's men, first overwhelming the (Austrian) Hessen Homburg Hussars and then destroying a hastily formed infantry square' Then Page 190. Riedau Neumarkt Road. 'Their comrades, however, four companies of III Jordis (Austrians), now opened fire on the Light (Baden) Dragoons. Hidden by a swell of the land, the formed infantry had previously escaped the Badeners notice, but Heimrodt was equal to this new danger. Hastily reorganising his men, he plunged ahead to charge the Austrian square. The infantry formation had loosened as the battalion attempted to retreat across country, and the bold Baden horsemen were soon in among the panicked foot soldiers, whirling, slashing and cursing. Their commander wounded and their banner down, the Austrians lost all discipline and surrendered to Heimrodt's triumphant men as the other two Baden squadrons pelted up to encircle the bewildered infantry. The men of the Jordis battalion had hardly fired a shot in their own defence. At a cost of one dead and two wounded, the Baden Light Dragoons had succeeded in breaking a square and capturing more than 700 Austrians'. Wagram Wagram. 6 July 1809. Parquin in his 'Souvenirs & Campagnes' states that the Chasseurs a Cheval and the 9th Hussars broke two Austrian squares that were under command of the Prince of Hohenzollern. 18 June 1815. 'Waterloo Letters' No 61. page 122. 16th Light Dragoons. Major J.Luard. 'About a mile and a half from our position, a road runs through the valley, on the opposite side of which a Column of French Infantry formed square to oppose us. We instantly wheeled into line, received their fire, and charged, taking or destroying the whole.' One of the last squares to be broken in the Napoleonic Wars must have been that of Lefol's Division under Grouchy that was attacked by Prussian cavalry near Le Bouquet on 20 June 1815. Details are given by Houssaye in 'Napoleon's Last Campaigns'. Now I thought it might interest our readers to have some analysis of what has been described in these two articles. So here we go: Type of cavalry Cuirassiers Dragoons Lancers Other Cavalry* Totals Squares Broken Doubtful Accounts Artillery/Infantry Assisted Square Successfully Resisted 8 2 1 1 7 0 1 2 4 0 1 0 13 2 1 2 32 4 4 5 * This definition includes mixed formations and accounts where the type of cavalry was not defined. Also of interest are the nations whose squares broke. These are as follows: Austrian 6 British 0 French 11 Prussian 5 Russian 6 Spanish 2 If one adds up the French opponents 19, one can see that the statistics do not show any particular French weakness. Nor do they indicate that any particular nation was liable to defeat. The low number of Spanish results I believe indicates the fact that the Spanish seldom formed square due to the inability of their non regular units to manoeuvre. This survey is a little one sided in that I have been keeping records mainly of squares that broke. I have assiduously searched through my library and through borrowed books for examples of a formed British square breaking. In spite of some French claims I am unable to find any. I would be most interested to be given any examples. It is unfortunate that histories seldom differentiate between closed and open squares. My expectation is that the open square is more effective. This is because I cannot see how the sides of a closed square exercised volley control. In the noise of battle I cannot envisage the battalion commander being able to give audible fire orders. There does not appear to be an individual commander of each side of the square given that they are made up of detachments from each platoon/company. In summary the following can reasonably be assumed from the above accounts: Squares can move! This in spite of numerous wargame rules that forbid such. However they appear to halt when actually under attack in order to firm up and to fire. Squares broke more often than many wargame rules allow. Heavy cavalry/dragoons are more likely to break squares than their lighter brethren. The mixed cavalry reports almost invariably include such heavier units. Cavalry can break squares without necessarily having artillery support. It is obvious though that such support is of considerable assistance. 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