Battle of Champaubert

Part II
Order of Battle

The Six Days Campaign
of the 1814 Campaign in France

by Jean Lochet and Jean-Philippe Sanjet

French forces at Champaubert

Houssaye in 1814 gives the following strengths for the troops engaged at Champaubert as

    Divisions of Ricard and La Grange: 3,200 total infantry
    1st Cavalry Corps: 1,500
    Two cavalry squadrons of the Imperial Guard: 150

    Total: 4,850

Houssaye could be on the low side as he does not include some of the Young Guard infantry that took part in the battle.

In addition, as the archives at Chateau Vincennes do not hold a return for February 10, the exact composition of the French army that took part in the action at Champaubert is hard to determine with any degree of confidence. To add to the confusion, the names of some division and brigade commanders keep changing and do not match those of the official returns of February 1st.

At the beginning of the battle, the French cavalry involved appears to be initially 150 and then 2,000 horses, (i.e., the cavalry that turned the Russian right at Bannay and Fromentieres). Infantry totals appear to be about 2,900 for Ricard's Division, 2,000 for La Grange's Division, and a undetermined number of Young Guard infantry apparently from Meunier's Division.

During the day, as more units were capable of crossing over the bridge at St. Prix, additional troops slowly became available but were not necessarily engaged. It appears that some 1,500 cavalry from Grouchy's command participated in the final part of the battle.

As mentioned above, the archives at Chateau Vincennes do not hold a return for February 10, but on February 1, 1814, they indicate the following strengths for these formations:

1st Voltigeur Division (Meunier):4,133
2nd Voltigeur Division (Decouz): 2,840
1st Division, VI Corps (Ricard): 2,917
3rd Guard Cavalry Division (Laferriere):2,164
1st Guard Cavalry Division (Colbert):2,582
2nd Guard Cavalry Division (Lefebvre-Desnouettes):4,947
Gardes d'Honneur (Defrance):896
Grouchy's 1st and 3rd Cavalry Corps: 3,600?
1st Old Guard Division (Friant):4,796
2nd Old Guard Division (Michel):3,878

Note that these troops were in the vicinity of Champaubert or on their way to Champaubert on February 9.

Russian forces at Champaubert

9th Russian Infantry Corps: Lt. General Olssuliev

    9th Infantry Division: Major-General Udom
      Apcheronski Rgt. (486)
      Nachebourski Rgt. (563)
      Riajski Rgt. (620)
      Iakoutski Rgt. (533)
      10th Jaeger Rgt. (335)
      38th Jaeger Rgt. (472)
    15th Infantry Division: Major-General Komilov
      Vitebski Rgt. (372)
      Kozlovski Rgt. (504)
      Kolyvanski Rgt. (417)
      Kourinski Rgt. (417)
      12th Jaeger Rgt. (447)
      22nd Jaeger Rgt. (551)

      The 12th and 22nd Jaeger were units from the 13th Infantry Division

    Each regiment had only one battalion

More Champaubert Part II

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