HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Following the battle of Eylau, Napoleon ordered the French and Allied X Corps to besiege the port of Danzig. Danzig's large garrison of about 16,000 men comprised the greatest remaining concentration of Prussians surviving the previous year's debacle at Jena-Auerstadt. The French, under Marshal Lefebvre, invested the fortress on March 18, 1807 and by April 18 had advanced to within close range of the walls. The final assault was delayed by the intervention of the Royal Navy carrying a task force under the Russian General Kamenskoi.
Polish H.A. fires as Dornbroski observes his brigade begin the advance.
Baden cavalry cross the road to the front.
The Russians landed at the mouth of the Vistula on May 10 with a force of about 8,000. They were delayed by local Fench troops at the island of Nehrung until French reinforcements arrived and drove off the relief column. Among other episodes of gallantry, the actions around Danzig featured prominently the Paris National Guard who captured the British corvette Dauntless as it was trying to bring supplies to the beleagered garrison! (Figure painter note, PNG uniform information available from author). The following simulation of the relief of Danzig recreated these events. At various points, some parenthetical comments about the rules, GENERALSHIP NAPOLEONICS are provided.
ORDER Of BATTLE
Prussians
Guard Brigade
- 1 Foot Guards, Guard Fusilier Battalion, Guard Jager Btn., Converged Grenadiers, 6 lb foot battery
- 2 Infantry Regiment 7 Inf. Reg. 10 Inf. Reg., Schutzen Coy., 6 lb battery, 1/2 Hussar Reg.,
- Guard du Corps Cavalry Regiment
Russians
Amphibious Group
- 1 Marine Reg., Russo-German Legion, 4 coys, British Marines, 6 lb. battery
- Reserve Grenadier Btn., Riga Dragoons, Dorpat Chasseurs, Don & Zaporozhian Cossacks, 6
lb. battery
(Note: Russian seperation into sea and land columns was at player's choice)
French and Allied
French Brigade:
- 17 Legere Reg, Tirailleurs de Po, Paris Natonal Guard, Dutch 8 lb. battery
- 1 Polish Line, Vistula Legion, Polish 3lb battery, Baden cavalry squadron
- Prince Anton Inf Reg. (Saxon), 1 & 2 Bavarian Inf. Reg. Wurtemberg, 8lb battery
- 17 Dragons, 6 & 13 Chasseurs a Cheval, 4lb horse battery
COMMAND BACKGROUND
Information provided to players see Map A for reference points
Prussians: Marshal Kalkreuth "You, the aged Prussian commander of the fortress of Danzig have been besieged and your troops are nearing the end of their tether. The French capture of Nehrung has severed your last contacts with the outside world. Therefore, you have decided to launch a sortie. As you plan, your outposts pick up news of a possible Russian relief effort."
Russians: General Kamenskoi "You are to try to relieve the fortress of Danzig via land or water. If you choose the water route, you will be transported by the Royal Navy who will support you as best as possible. Landings are possible along the beaches or at the port town, however disembarkation is an uncertain process. If you choose the land route you will start behind the Vistula River. The island of Nehrung is a key position, if you can recapture it, Danzig will again have access to the sea. A Royal Navy officer is prepared to take a message to the Prussians announcing your plans."
French H.A. fires at Prussians as chasseurs and dragoons endure return fire.
French: Marshal Lefebvre "You have taken the last outpost of the fortress of
Danzig, namely the island of Nehrung. The fortress will fall if you hold this
position. The Emperor has promised you a dukedom if you take Danzig. British
crusiers have been seen off the mouth of the Vistula while Russian cavalry has
been active across the river."
PLANS AND INITIAL DISPOSITIONS
Marshall Kalkreuth (played by Wally Simon whose articles frequently appear in these pages) decided to warily sortie from Danzig's fortifications and observe events.
The Russians (Jim Butters) supported the cavalry along the Vistula with the Reserve Grenadiers and ordered the land column to hurry to the landing beaches to provide the amphibious force with protection during their initial vulnerability. The amphibious force would land at the port and on the beaches in order to secure Nehrung and then advance inland. A message explaining all of this was sent to the Prussians. (A chance table was used here: 1-4 message arrives, 5 messenger fails to arrive, 6 messenger captured!)
The French (played by another frequent contributor to this pages, Pat Condray) experienced some indecision with their initial dispositions. Eying the British ships off the coast with concern, Marshall Lefebrve garrisoned various key points, sent out pickets to watch the beaches and ford, and awaited the Allied advance. The author commanded the Polish Brigade It should be emphasized the French did not have certain knowledge of the amphibious column since the British messenger entered Danzig undetected. Also, there was a secret ford available to the Russians about which the French has no knowledge.
LANDINGS IN THE GULF OF DANZIG
As the captain of voltigeurs, garrisoning the small port of Hof on the Gulf of Danzig, gazed out his window in the misty half light of dawn, he was surprised to see numerous oared barges driving through the surf. The British! Royal Marines began disembarking, supported by jagers of the Russo- German Legion. The voltigeurs ran to their alarm stations and opened a hasty fire.
Over the next 45 minutes, the marines and jagers cleared the streets of Hof pushing the French back against a nearby hill. Although they lost 50 men killed and wounded (Fire Table: 1- 5 figures firing; possible results 0-2 enemy figures hit, actual roll of 4 produced 1 figure hit or 50 real men) the major peered through his telescope to the east looking for the promised horsemen...
Hetman Butters led a patrol of Don Cossacks onto the bridge over the Vistula. Surely at any moment a devastating volley would strike out from the far bank. But the only sound the Hetman heard was the pounding of horses' hooves as he crossed the bridge. It was done. The critical command decision to advance at all hazards directly on the bridge rather than waste time looking for a ford some Polish peasant had claimed was in the area had paid off handsomely. The cavalry column turned heading for the landing beaches.
THE MAIN LANDING
Leaping over the gunwales of the barges, the Russian marines advanced through the shallows. The troops hooted in derision at the clumsy efforts of the RussoGerman legionnaires to follow their lead. (each disembarking unit rolled a 4-sided die with the result indicating the number of figures lost in the landing; the Marine's die was favorably modified while there was an extra chance that a battery would sink. Had cavalry tried to land they would have taken double losses.)
The marines were quickly silenced by the flat ends of their officers' swords and hastily formed up in column. Advancing southward, the column covered about 400 meters when a heavy volley burst upon their right flank. The French have awakened! Calmly General Kamenskoi ordered "Advance your intervals, right oblique ... bring up the guns, begin platoon volleys". Having faced to the flank, the Russians drove the French back into the woods.
For the remainder of the day, the French 17 Legere would engage in an inconsequential skirmish with the Prussian Guard Fusiliers. The grim Russian columns reformed and again advanced.
THE PRUSSIANS SORTIE
Baron Reinertsen, major in the Prussian Guards, led his troops out of the fortifications and towards a small village to his left front. The Fusiliers and Jagers spread out over the terrain, advancing in small groups with supports always at hand. "Damn these new tactics" thought the Prussian grandee, "We should advance in the old style, troops well closed up, bands playing, flags flying." However, the first skirmishes seemed to have reached the village undetected.
Like their Russian compatriots at the Vistula, the Guardsmen were surprised not to meet any opposition. Scratching his chin in bewilderment, the Baron rode off to report to Marshall Kalkreuth. The remainder of the Prussian forces began to deploy ponderously along the main road as Marshal Kalkreuth sat down to his second breakfast. The venerable Marshal did find the energy to send a return message to the Russian commander. The gist of the message was''I will hold my position and wait to see if your landing is successful'. Content with this ungallant gesture, the Marshal ordered his artillery to deploy and begin a leisurely artillery duel with the French force that had begun to appear to his front.
THE FRENCH REACT
Marshal Lefebvre, responded to the multiple threats with a flurry of messages: Poles to advance toward the Russian beaches; two cavalry regiments to deploy against the Prussians supported by the Paris National Guard in the woods; one cavalry regiment, led by the Marshal himself, to support the Tirailleurs de Po were to deploy in skirmish order to oppose the Russian advance. The gaudily clad couriers departed. Unbeknowst to the Marshal, two of them never arrived. The failure of the courier to the 17 Legere meant this unit would defend in place throughout the day. (chance of any order not arriving due to messenger killed, delayed, etc., one-sixth) Another messenger, sent to offboard troops stationed to the south, also failed to reach his destination. Surprisingly, no messages were sent to the allied troops to the east. Thus, the Saxons and Bavarians would also defend in place.
THE RUSSIAN CAVALRY LINK UP
Rifleman Mangano, of the Tirailleurs de Po, reloaded his comrade's musket. Operating in dispersed pairs, each team of skirmishers had one man to fire and one to load. Now every shot became more important because Russian cavalry began to deploy. Terribly vulnerable to sudden charges of light cavalry when in open order, Mangano looked around for supports.
Ah, the Marshal himself leading foward the 13 Chasseurs a Cheval. "En avant, vive l'empereur" screamed the enboldened rifleman. The chasseurs easily bested the Don Cossacks. The skirmish line advanced to strip the corpses of the fallen cossacks. Wait! the French cavalry were falling back, hotly pursued by the Riga Dragoons. When the Marshal had committed his cavalry to the charge he had failed to notice that regular cavalry was deploying in the cossack's rear.
This oversight proved costly, for the dragoon's success against the tired French permitted the Russian infantry to advance unmolested on this sector, while conversely, all subsequent French maneuvers would have to consider the potential intervention of the Russian cavalry, thus, the tirailleurs retired to the woods. However, the Polish General Dombrowski, liberally interpreting his orders, continued the advance toward the Nehrung. In his mind's eye he envisaged a truely Napoleonic counterstroke . . . the Russians would be driven back to their boats and the vital island recaptured! But alas, events on other portions of the battlefield would have a vital bearning on this conception.
THE PRUSSIANS STIR
Marshall Kalkreuth, seing the sucessful disembarkation of the Russian infantry, permitted one of his regiments to advance against the French positions occupied by the Paris National Guard and the recently arrived Tirailleurs de Po. The remainder of the Prussian force contented itself with a long range artillery duel. The Prussian infantry advanced in line against the woods. At about 75 yards range they halted and began platoon volleys.
The National Guard, benefitting from the cover offered by the woods, returned the fire gamely. The Prussians attempted to close the range but faltered and were forced to retreat and reorganize. (the attempt to enter close range combat requires a morale check; failure to pass morale forces a roll on the panic table: 1-3 is shaken; 4 is retreat one move; 5 is to retreat to reserve, 6 is rout; the Prussians rolled a 5.) This timid attack was the single aggressive action undertaken by the Prussian commander during the battle. For the remainder of the day he allowed the Russians to carry the brunt of the action.
THE ZAPOROZHIAN COSSACKS AMAZE THE BAVARIANS
After the regulars had crossed the Vistula bridge, the hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossacks received oders to support the Reserve Grenadiers. As a nearby battery pounded the village, he saw the grenadiers form column and assault the village. "fools", thought the hetman. "They should send us in first to scout. Yes, now they realize their error". From the loopholed walls of the village the Bavarians shot the Russian infantry probe apart.
An orderly galloped up to the hetman. The orders were as bold as they were unlikely to succeed. "Form column by squardron ordered the cossack commander, "Ignore your flanks and through the village at the gallop." Spurring his horse, the hetman led the way. Apparently this maneuver surprised the Bavarians who had failed to blockade the street. Furthermore, their musketry was scattered and hastily aimed. None-the-less, they emptied many saddles, reducing the original 800 cossacks to 650. Such losses did not concern the Zaporozhians. To their front they spied a rare opportunity.
On the far hill a Polish horse battery was unlimbered and firing in support of the Polish counterattack. All attention was focused on that counterattack. The cossacks trotted forward to attack the Polish rear!
DOMBROWSKI'S COUNTERATTACK
With the defeat of the French chasseurs, the Poles were forced to maneuver in the face of an unopposed Rusian cavalry bridgade. On the Polish left, the Russian infantry advanced against the woods. Dombrowski planned with care: the horse gun to provide support from the hill; the well trained Baden cavalry to seek a flank position to charge the Russian cavalry; the infantry to advance, wheel to the left, and take the Russians in the flank with musketry. If the Russian cavalry chose this moment to charge ... disaster. (since movement is simultaneous, this plan was devised while the Russian cavalry planned their move.
Neither side knew what the other was about to do. The horse gun unlimbered and fired; the infantry, advancing at the quick step, deployed as if on a parade ground from column to line, faced the flank, advanced 50 meters and fired; they then formed square. The Vistula Legion advanced in concert while the Baden cavalry charged the Russian flank. It was the high water mark of the Polish counterattack!
Although Dombrowski correctly guessed the Russian cavalry would not charge, he failed to anticipate the courage of the Russo-German Legion, the intervention of the Royal Marines, and the charge of the Zaporozhian Cossacks. In spite of the deadly enfilade fire, the Legionaires continued to advance upon the woods. The Baden cavalry were virtually destroyed by the fire from the marines and jagers still holed up in the port village. Finally, the cossacks charged home and captured the horse gun putting the crew to the saber and lance (basic chance of the cossacks charging 65%; minus 15% for casualties; morale die rolled and charge is successful)
The next turn the Russian regular cavalry charged and overran the Vistula Legion who were unable to form square. However, the Tirailleurs de Po justified their high reputation and repulsed the weakened Russian infantry in their attack upon the woods. As the Russians streamed to the rear, and French reinforcements finally appeared, the sun set and the battle ended.
ANALYSIS
With roughly even casualties, the Russians could claim they had relieved Danzig by their capture of Nehrung. Certainly they could not thank the Prussians for any assistance.
To this prejudiced participant, it was striking that the battle was almost won using only 50% of the French and allied infantry, the 17 Legere, the Bavarians, and the Saxon played very minor roles in the battery and only tied down enemy strength equal to one-half their numbers. From the Marshal's viewpoint, the Polish counterattack was foolish and unnecessary. If they had merely defended the hill, they would have been positioned to retake Nehrung the following day. Instead, their misguided efforts cost over 50% of their strength plus their supporting cavalry and artillery. The debate rages on.
All participants agreed the scenario, involving multiple command options and other variables unknown to one another, proved quite enjoyable. It was noteworthy that the entire action involved only 25 maneuver pieces on the Allied side and is on the French, representing about 20,000 men altogether and played in less than three hours real time. For the author, every die roll was exciting and each unit had an identifiable role. Instead of the frequently tedious and lengthly resolution time required by giant battles where individual units are caught up in the blur of battle, this small action seemed very fine.
Thus, I am beginning to think that tactics and pleasure are both enhanced by smaller, less cluttered miniature battles.
Any inquiries about the battle, the rules, or Napoleonic things in general, please write or visit with me at this summer's Origins, where the Relief of Danzig will be offered by HMCS as a participatory demonstration game.
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