We have, in several past issues, already covered the subject of formations (columns, lines etc.) and tactics in several articles. With all, the questions that constantly come up in the articles on the very same subjects; it is rather obvious that we need to cover that very broad subject more extensively, hence the following series. We have already a few articles on hand but, according to our policy, we request the participation of our readers, especially if they don't agree with what we publish. Once more, we are trying to bring up the truth and not to prove the superiority of one nation over the other! -- Jean Lochet
Extract of J. Colin. La tactique et la disclipline dans les armees de la Revolution Chapelot, Paris, 1902.
(Tactics at Jena, pp. LXXXV-LXXXVII, taken by Colin from Foucart's Iena by John E. Koontz
At the battle ef Jena, the marechal Lannes disposed his army (corps JEK) partly in line, partly in columns, with the artillery in the intervals. By a change of front (changement de direction, a technical maneuver JEK) to the right, he prepared his force's to conduct an attack on the village (Closewitz JEK). Later, to put an end to a hard, bloody struggle, he took advantage of a moment in which the enemy was giving up some ground to have them charged, by the 100e and 103e in close column (en masse -- note that he did not have them charged in this fashion while they were standing firm. JEK)
"At the break of day," wrote Suchet in his report (Suchet commanded Lannes' first division. JEK), "I formed the brigade Claparede in line (en bataille JEK) with 2 pieces of artillery attached, in order to seize the little village of Closewitz, located on our right. I put the brigade Reille in two lines, the artillery in the intervals and the 40e (of the brigade JEK) in column with orders to deploy as soon as there was enough space. Finally, the brigade Vedel was in close column (en masse JEK), placed in reserve at a distance of 100 toises (French fathoms, i.e. 600 French feet to the rear. Note that putting "the brigade in line -- with the battalions side by side -- does not mean putting the battalions in line, witness the formation of the 40e. JEK)
Arriving at the head of the wood (i.e., even with far end of a grove that had been constricting his front JEK), the division, very constricted (presque serree en mass, JEK), although (still) with two brigades deployed (spread out in lines JEK), saw before it on the plateau a large force of cavalry.
The 17e legere lacked cartridges, and was singularly weakened. I ordered Reille to replace it wtth the 34e. The passage of lines was executed by battalions, perfectly. I ordered the 2e/34e and 3e/34e, which were advancing in good order, to, charge (three enemy battalions JEK) with a fire conducted during the advance, (avec..un feu en avancant JEK), and, by a change of front which would throw their right. flank forward (changement de front l'aile droite en avant), to overthrow the enemy grenadiers and seize the pieces...The enemy continued to fire while retreating. I had chef de bataillon Rosey, of the 88e, achieve this result (a later maneuver JEK). He did it with vigor. A battalion of the 21e in close column (en masse JEK) supported his movement."
Lannes, then, at Jena as at Austerlitz, employed in both formations (line and various columns JEK) but more often lines (L'ordre mince JEK). Soult, however, still formed his battalions in column (as he had at Austerlitz JEK)
"The regiments being in column of two, the cavalry being on the right, the pas de charge was beaten," says the report of the IVe Corps. (Note that the formation referred to is one in which there are two lines of battalions, one behind the other, with each battalion in a battalion column of some unspecified sort JEK)
The first division of the corps of Augereau "last formed on two lines, which were then merged. "Soon after, the first brigade made an oblique change of front, the right wing thrown-forward (l'aile droite en avant JEK); the second brigade conformed with this maneuver, extending beyond the first on the left by the width of two battalions." This remark shows us in passing that the dispositions of the ordonance (Reglement concernant l'infanterie...de 1791 JEK) were being followed. (Colin says this because the Reglement prescribed a method of turning a two line formation which resulted in the rear line extending beyond the first line. Note that at this point the division is still evidently on a two line formation, with each line being one of the brigades JEK).
"The first brigade then wheeled by platoons (companies, more or less, wheeling all simultaneously) to the left (rompit ensuite par pelotons a gauche JEK), and marched in this order to repulse the enemy which had seized the wood...As soon as the 7e legere began to debouch (from some defile JEK), a number of wounded men were seen to be coming out of the woods on its left, so a left wheel into line (un a gauche en bataille JEK) was ordered." (I cannot construct a coherent picture of the movement of this division from the description, though the movements described are individually reasonable. JEK)
Report of the 16e legere (of Augereau's other division JEK).
The regiment advanced (in a column) left in front (laqauche en tete JEK) towards the woods: the third battalion advanced into the woods in skirmishing order (en tirailleurs JEK); the two first, marching still in column, went past the right of the woods and deployed in the plain (probably meadow would be better JEK) at musketry range from the enemy artillery...This line formed, they commenced an active and well-aimed fire; marching then toward the enemy line, they approached to pistol range; they threw themselves into skirmishing order (se precipitant de la en tirailleurs JEK) and seized directly (pied a pied JEK) and energetically 11 pieces of artillery." (A more frank appraisal might be that the regiment lost all cohesion when it arrived at pistol range, but that it fortunately continued to advance, even if out of the control of the officers. JEK)
Report of the 14e de liqne.
The 16e (legere) having pushed back a part of the enemy on the right, the 14e placed itself in line (en bataille JEK) in the position that the prussians had abandoned... Upon the arrival of the troops of the Vie Corps, the regiment marched toward its left (marcha par la gauche JEK)...It was obliged to execute various changes of front under the fire of the enemy in order to pursue its course..."
"The regiment was sustained by the 44e; it received the order to climb the hill (montagne JEK), which it did; the 2e battalion was formed in line (en bataille JEK), the 14er in closed column (colonne serree JEK), an arrangement which it had taken up near the wood...The regiment was formed in closed column (column serree JEK) in order to follow the cavalry..." (It appears that the regiment marched left to clear the front of the the Corps, once it discovered that it had wandered into it. It isn't clear if the left march was carried out with a left march of the line, a difficult maneuver, or in a column formed by a left wheel of the platoons of the regiment, or by a change of front toward the left. JEK)
Report of the 44e de ligne
The 44e, forming the right of the second brigade of the first division of the VIIe Corps (Augereau's JEK), found itself in line to the right rear of the burning village About 10:30 am, the Emperor passed...and ordered it to wheel by platoons to the right (rompre par peloton a droite...Note that this would place it in open column of platoons, right in front JEK) I detached a company of voltigeurs to observe the movements of the enemy..."
"I took the steps proper for debouching into the plain, for this reason forming the regiment as follows: the first battalion in line (en bataille JEK) and the second in closed in column (colonne serree JEK) behind the 8th (leftmost JEK) platoon of the first battalion."
Report of the 105e de ligne
The regiment found itself leading, in column on its left (en ordre profond par sa gauche JEK). Having arrived in the plain, level with the woods, it deployed promptly and marched in line (en bataille JEK) out beyond the border of the wood..."
"The enemy retired in disorder; the regiment formed in column, having nothing to fear from artillery, and crossed the plain in front of the wood in order to gain quickly (au pas de charge JEK) the heights which dominated the route which the enemy had taken in flight. On these heights, the regiment deployed...and conducted a fire of two ranks (feu de deux rangs) which was very continuous and regular (extremement roulant JEK) and which lasted a quarter of an hour..."
The enemy infantry was put in full rout, but their cavalry advanced upon the left of the regiment to outflank it. The colonel therefore conducted a retreat by alternate battalions (retraite en echiquier par bataillon JEK) of 50 paces, reformed the line (raccorda la ligne JEK), and ordered the second battalion (on the left JEK) to perform an oblique change of front to the rear upon the grenadiers (forming its right JEK) and execute a fire of two ranks to repulse the cavalry."
"...The left flank of the regiment being in the air, and still fearing the cavalry, which had made an about-face at this point, the colonel ordered the second battalion to put itself in column (to facilitate forming square JEK), and had the first battalion continue to stand in line."
The IIIe Corps, fighting at Auerstaedt, appears to have adopted more uniformly the maneuver of battalions in columns of divisions at platoon intervals (colonnes de division a distance de peloton JEK) or in closed column (colonne serree JEK). Attacked by large forces of cavalry, attacking and defending villages, fighting also in the open against Prussian infantry, the corps maneuvered a great deal and took very diverse formations, but the movements behind the line of battle appears, were made in closed column or in (columns with JEK) platoon intervals.
Report of the 12e
The regiment advancing in column toward the right of the village of Hassenhausen, it formed square (bataillon carre JEK) in order to resist a cavalry charge; ...it then went back into column and advanced on the left of the same village..."
Report of Friant
Arriving on the plateau, I formed myself into closed battalion columns (je me formai en colonne serree par bataillon JEK). We marched in this order until we arrived even with the right of the division Gudin... The 48e, having maneuvered the whole morning with the division, was detached at this point to keep the left of the enemy occupied and prevent them from turning us. I detached the first battalion in skirmishing order (en tirailleurs JEK); the second battalion followed in closed column (colonne serree JEK) to support it...The other regiments marched forward in closed column (colonne serree JEK)..."
Report of the 111e (Friant's Division)
Coming up to the enemy, I received the order to place the 111e in square by battalions (en carre par bataillon JEK). We advanced thus for a bit. I then formed columns of attack (colonnes d'attaque JEK), continuing the march until we were even with the 3rd division...Shot and canister causing us heavy casualties, it was necessary to deploy." (Line formation is not as deep as column formation, so while it forms a wider target, it suffers fewer casual ties from each discharge that succeeds in hitting it. Note that a column of attack is a specific formation, fairly useful for a battalion maneuvering independently, since it speeds deployment somewhat. It is a column by divisions on the middle, at platoon intervals. JEK)
Journal of the IIIe Corps
The Morand division marched in divisional columns at platoon intervals (en colonne par division a distance de peloton JEK). The 13e legere, with two four pounders, was at the head of the columns. It had orders to march with one of its battalions closed up in column (serre en colonne JEK) and the other deployed." (Division advancing en echelon? JEK)
End of Quotation
The division of Friant employed as one of its brigadiers general de brigade Pierre-Charles Lochet. Lochet assumed his command on the 29th of August 1805 and held it until the 8th of February 1807, when he was killed at Eylau by a bullet which took him in the fore head. (Source: Georges Six. Dictionnaire biographique des eneraux et amiraux francais de la Revolution et de l'Empire 1792-1814). Saffroy, Paris, 1934. P. 128)
Concluding Comments
It is my hope that the preceeding extract, unfortunately somewhat lengthy, will help to support Peter Hofschroer's article in EEL Nr. 55, PP. 5-6. "Infantry Tactics at Jena and Auerstadt."
I would have to add only two points.
First, the Army of Frederick the Great sometimes said to have been defeated at Jena, was not defeated there, in any meaningful sense. Frederick, during his reign (1740-1786), continually changed the nature of his army, with a view toward improving it and suiting it better to the circumstances in which it found itself, whether war or peace.
Since the Seven Years War ended in 1763, it should be obvious that Frederick had over 20 years in which to alter the character of his army, years in which, I beheve,he was not engaged in any major conflict. A further 20 years passed before Jena. It would be beyond behef, even in the absence of evidence to the contrary, cited by Peter, for any army to preserve for over 40 years the exact tactics and quahty of manpower it had had at the end of its last major test.
Finally, it is striking to me from what (little) I know of the infantry drill of the various European armies of the Napoleonic Wars, how similar they are. It does not seem hkely to me that any meaningful results are to be obtained from any attempt to explain the relative performance of the various armies in terms of one or more "crucial formations" that some of them lacked, particularly so if the catalog of formations is to be the crude one of "line, column, square, and skirmishing order" used by popular writers.
There were many columns and many squares, each with particular uses of their own. Skirmishing was a complex activity which I do not think we understand as well as we have sometimes been inclined to beheve. Certainly a good deal of the information on the subject which has been appearing in issues of EEL since Nr. 39 has been in many cases eye-opening!
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