By Matt Love
Preussisch-Eylau (now Bagrationovsk), 7 and 8 February 1807 A town in East Prussia (now the Russian enclave around Kaliningrad - once Konigsberg); about 33km south of Konigsberg. Both the Russo-Prussians and French claimed a victory, but the Russo-Prussians withdrew. (Last action - Hof, 6 February; next action Ostrolenka, 16 February.) French ForcesEmperor Napoleon I commanding: Imperial Guard InfantryM Lefebvre GdB Hulin: 1er Grenadiers a Pied (2 bns)
CavalryM Bessieres GdD Walther: GrenaCh (4 sqns); Artillery a Cheval. Imperial Guard totals 6 bns, 9 sqns, 12 guns. III CorpsM Davout*1st Division GdD Morand
2nd Division GdD Friant
3rd Division GdD Gudin
Light Cavalry GdB Viallarres 1
Artillery Reserve
III Corps totals 29 bns, 6 sqns, 46 guns.
IV CorpsM Soult 1st Division GdD Saint-Hilaire
2nd Division GdD Leval
3rd Division GdD Legrand
Artillery Reserve
IV Corps totals 26 bns, 36 guns. VI CorpsM Ney** 1st Division GdD Marchand
2nd Division GdD Gardanne
Light Cavalry GdB Colbert:
Artillery
VI Corps totals 16 bns, 6 sqns, 24 guns. **= Ney's corps did not arrive on the battlefield until 1915 hrs. VII CorpsM Augereau 1st Division GdD Desjardins
2nd Division GdD de Bierre:
Light Cavalry GdB Durosnel
Artillery Reserve
VII Corps totals 19 bns, 3 sqns, 36 guns The Reserve CavalryM Prince Murat 1st Cuirassier Division GdD Nansouty
2nd Cuirassier Division GdD d'Hautpoul:
1st Dragoon Division 2nd Dragoon Division GdD Grouchy
3rd Dragoon Division GdD Beaumont
4th Dragoon Division GdD Sahuc
Light Cavalry Division GdD Lasalle
Artillery Reserve Cavalry Corps total 98 sqns, 26 guns. French totals 96 bns, 123 sqns, 200 guns, ca 75,000 men. French losses According to their bulletins there were 1,900 killed and 5,700 wounded. Other French sources say 2,000 killed and 15-16,000 wounded. Eleven days after the battle Lestocq's Prussians reported French officers as killed and wounded with about 21,000 other ranks killed and wounded. The following French generals were killed QdDs Desjardins and Hautpoul-Salette; GdBs Binot, d'Hommieres, Corbineau (see note at end of list), Dahlmann, Lochet and Vare. In view of the very fierce nature of the combat, it is highly likely that the real French losses were heavier than officially reported. They also lost 6 eagles or colours and standards (1st Bn l0e Legere (eagle), 1st Bn, 18e de Ligne (eagle and colour); 2nd Bn 24e de Ligne (eagle and colour); 1st Bn 44e de Ligne (eagle); 51e de Ligne (eagle); and one other. Prussian and Russian ForcesGdC Baron von Bennigsen 2nd DivisionGL Count Ostermarm (Russians)GM Koschin; Leffi-KurR; Kargopol DragR (5 sqns each); Isum HusR (10 sqns); Cossack R Ilowalski IX, Cossack R Jefremov III. GM Mazovskoi: Favlovski GrenR, Rostov MuskR (6 bns); GM Sukin II, Petersburg GrenR; Jeletz MuskR (6 bns); GM Count Lieven: 1st and 20th Jagers (6 bns). Artillery: 2 x 12 pdr, 2 x 6 pdr and 1x HAB (60 guns). 3rd DivisionGL Baron Sacken I (Russians)GM Count Pahlen Little Russian KfirR, Kurland DragR (5 sqns each); Sum HusR (10 sqns); Cossack R Ilowaiski X, Cossack R Papuzin. GM Uschakov: Tauride Grenadier R; Lithuanian MuskR (6 bns); GM Titov II: Kaporski and Muromsk MuskR (6 bns); GM Netting: Tschernigov and Dnieprov MuskR (6 bns). Artillery: 2 x 12 pdr, 3 x 6 pdr and 1x HAB (72 guns). 4th DivisionGL Somov (Russians)GM Baron Korff: KurK St George, Pskov DragR (5 sqns each); Polish CavR (10 sqns); Cossack R Grekov IX, Cossack R Grekov XVIII; GM Somov: Tula and Tengisk MuskRs (3 bns each); GM Arseniev: Tobolsk MuskR (3 bns). GM Barclay de Tolly: Polotzk and Kostroma MuskRs (3 bns each); 3rd Jagers (3 bns). Artillery: 2 x 12 pdr, 3 x 6 pdr and 1x HAB (72 guns). 5th DivisionGL Tutschkov I (Russians)GM Sacken: Riga DragR; Kasan DragR, Elisabethgrad HusR (20 sqns); Lithuanian CavR (5 sqns); Cossack R Gordejov. Sievsk, Kaluga, Perm and Mohilev MuskRs (12 bns); 24th and 25th Jagers (6 bns). Artillery: 2 x 12 pdr, 2 x 6 pdr and 1x HAB (60 guns). 7th DivisionGL Dochtorov (Russians)GM Tschaplitz: Moscow DragR, Ingermanniand Dragr (10 sqns); Favlograd HusR (10 sqns); Cossack Rs Malachov and Andronov. Ekaterinoslav GrenR (3 bns); Moscow, Vladimir, Voronesch, Pskov and Azov Musk Rs (15 bns); 5th Jagers (3 bns). Artillery: 2 x 12 pdr, 3 x 6 pdr FAB and 1x HAB (72 guns). 8th DivisionGL Essen III Obst Count Pahlen (Russians)Petersburg DragR; Livland DragR (10 sqns); Olviopol HusR (10 sqns); Cossack Rs Kieselev and Sysojev, Moscow GrenK (3 bns); Schlfisselburg, AltIngermarmland, Podolsk and Archangelgorod Musk Rs (12 bns); 7th Jagers (3 bns). Artillery: 4 x 12 pdr and 1x HAB (60 guns). Russian totals 126 Ims, 145 sqns, 15 Cossack sotnias 336 guns, ca 58,000 men. The following Russian generals were wounded: GL Dochtorov, GMs Barclay de Tolly, Count Lieven III, Sukin II, Korff, Mitzki, Arseniev, Gersdorf and Titov II. Russian losses 18,000 killed and wounded, 3,000 captured , 24 guns and 16 colours. Prussian CorpsGen L'Estocq commanding (arrived on the battlefield at 1320 hrs). AvantgardeAuer DragR Nr 6 (10 sqns); Towarczys (1/2 sqn); 1x HAB. 1st DivisionGen DierickeGrenBn Fabecky (1 bn); IR Rfichel Nr 2 (2 bns); DragR Baczko Nr 7 (3 sqns); KOrR Wagenfeld Nr 4 (4 sqns); 1/2 HAB. 2nd DivisionGen RembowIR vac Schorring Nr 11 (2 bns); GrenBn vac. Schlieffen (I bn). 3rd DivisionGen AuerTowarczys (9 1/2 sqns); Russian IR Wyburg (3 bns); 1/2 HAB, 2 Fus coys; 21st Russian Jagers (3 bns). Prussian totals: 12 1/2 bns, 29 sqns, 2 x HAB (9 guns), ca 5,584 men. Prussian losses: Not exactly known; ca 800 killed, wounded and missing. Comment Hopfner (Vol III, page 289) states that 'Napoleon was displeased with M Augereau's conduct this day' (his corps suffered very heavy casualties). M Augereau left the army and his VII Corps was broken up and distributed among the others'. Bennigsen evacuated Eylau at 1830 hrs that night - against the advice of most of his staff - and the 4th French Division later occupied the town without a fight. SourcesHopfner, Lettow-Vorbeck, Martinien.
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