More on Ebelsberg… Since first writing on this little known but ferocious encounter in the 1809 Campaign I have come across another publication that gives more detail on actual troops strengths during the campaign, particularly on the French side: “Armies On The Danube 1809” by Scotty Bowden and Charlie Tarbox. It also gives an accurate listing of the units in the Austrian V & VI Corps, most of which were present at Ebelsberg. The Austrian Corps strengths as of March 20 were stated at: V Corps - 28 battalions, 16 squadrons & 68 guns @ 25,766 not including artillery crews/pioneers VI Corps - 31 battalions, 24 squadrons & 96 guns @ 30,539 not including artillery crews/pioneers Actually present at Ebelsberg under Hiller’s command were significant elements of the V Corps and most if not all of the VI making a total of about 40,000 men. The VI Corps had been covering Charles’ southern flank with the V Corps (minus Lindenau’s division) deployed along the Abens river covering Charles approach to Ratisbon. Neither Corps was heavily embroiled in the battles around Eckmuhl and both withdrew to form an army group covering the southern approaches to Vienna along the Danube following Charles withdrawal into Bohemia. Some units did suffer serious losses in the fighting and retreat for example, prior to Ebelsberg, a battalion square of I R#59 ‘Jordis’ was broken by a charge of the Baden Chevauleger on the Linz-Neumarkt road resulting in the loss of the entire battalion with some 700 men taken prisoner. The breakdown of the various units in the V & VI Corps is as follows with the numbers of battalions/squadrons given in brackets followed by strengths by 19 May stated in italics (this date being just prior to the battle of Aspern-Essling). AUSTRIAN V Corps: Archduke Louis, FM Reus Division FML Lindenau Brigade GM Mayer: IR#3 ‘Erzherzog Karl’ (3) - 3112, IR#50 ‘Stain’ (3) - 1062 (2 bttns), 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns) Brigade GM Berenburg: IR#2 ‘Hiller’ (3) - 2281, IR#33 ‘Sztarrai’ (3) - 2198, 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns), 6 pdr Position Battery (6 guns) Division FML Reuss-Plauen Brigade GM Bianchi: IR#39 ‘Duke’ (3) - 1065, IR#60 ‘Gyulai’ (3) - 1717, 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns) Brigade GM Rothacker: IR#58 ‘Beaulieu’ (3) - 1022 (2 bttn), Vienna Volunteers: - 1 - 544, 2 - 610, 3 - 547, 6 pdr Position Battery (6 guns) Division FML Schustekh Brigade GM Felso-Kubinyi: 7 Broder Grenz (2) - 178 (1/3 bttn), 8 ‘Kienmayer’ Hussars (8) - 434 (6 squadrons), 3 pdr Grenz Brigade battery (8 guns) Brigade Radetzky: 3 ‘Erzherzog Karl’ Uhlans (8) - 702, 8 Gradiskaner Grenz (2) - ?* 6 pdr Cavalry Battery (6 guns) *The Gradiskaner Grenz were heavily involved in the confused fighting during the withdrawal across the Traun and it is likely that most of them were destroyed before they could cross. We know that at least one company (totaling 107 officers and men) escaped capture in the famous incident where they clung to the horses of a squadron of ‘Erzherzog Karl’ uhlans who swam the river. In any event they only appear in the Austrian Army Order of Battle for the 20 March and not thereafter. V Corps Reserve Artillery 2 x 12 pdr Position Batteries (12 guns) 1 x 6 pdr Cavalry Battery (6 guns) 5 Pioneer Division (2 companies) VI Corps: FML Johann HILLER Brigade GM Nordman <>6 Warasdin-St. George Grenz (2) - 544 (1 bttn), 3 pdr Grenz Brigade Battery (8guns) 7 ‘Liechtenstein’ Hussars (7) - 712, 6 ‘Rosenberg’ Chevaulegers (8) - 720, 6 pdr Cavalry Battery (6 guns) Division FML Kottulinsky Brigade GM Hohenfeld: IR#14 ‘Klebek’ (3) - 973 (2 bttns), IR#59 ‘Jordis’ (3) - 824 (2 bttns), 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns) Brigade GM Weissenwolff: IR#4 ‘Deutschmeister’ (3) - 1064 (2 bttns) IR#49 ‘Kerpen’ (3) - 1633, 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns), 6 pdr Position Battery (6 guns) Division FML Jellacic Brigade GM Hoffeneck: IR#31 ‘Benjowsky’ (3) 1130 (2 bttns) IR#51 ‘Spleny’ (3) - 938, 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns) Brigade Ettingshausen: IR#32 ‘Esterhazy’ (3) - 2980, IR#45 ‘de Vaux’ (3) - 2160, 6 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns), 6 pdr Position Battery (6 guns) Division FML Vincent Brigade GM Provencheres: Vienna Volunteers: 4 - 269 5 - 508, 6 - 325, 5 Warasdin-Kreuzer Grenz (2) - 2160 3 ‘O’Reilly’ Chevaulegers (8) - 670 (5 squadrons) 3 pdr Brigade Battery (8 guns), 6 pdr Cavalry Battery (6 guns) VI Corps Reserve Artiller y 3 x 12 pdr Positional Batteries (18 guns), 1 x 6 pdr Positional Battery (6 guns) 6 Pioneer Division (2 companies) As can be seen some units in both Corps had been reduced considerably by Aspern (May 20 ) with the V Corps mustering some 15,522 effectives (minus artillery/pioneers) and the VI Corps 17,610 (minus artillery/pioneers); in both cases this represented losses of more than 40% since the start of the campaign. Some units that were heavily engaged at Ebelsberg such as the 4 , 5 & 6 Vienna Volunteers were severely reduced, starting the campaign with a paper strength of about 900 men each by Aspern they could muster only 1102 men combined. Austrian ‘German’ regiments had a paper strength of over 5,000 men each with one battalion being a training or depot formation, most started the campaign with about 3000-3500 effectives in 3 battalions. One regiment, considered among the better formations in the army was IR#59 ‘Jordis’, after the battle for Ebelsberg it lost virtually two entire battalions and by May could only muster one under strength formation of 824 men. The story for IR#4 ‘Deutschmeister’, considered perhaps the elite infantry regiment in the army (all its officers and many of its men were members of the Teutonic Order) was similar, by Aspern it could only muster 1064 effectives - the equivalent of about one full strength battalion! The French under Massena were heavily outnumbered and also suffered severe losses at Ebelsberg, particularly the 2 Division under Claparede. The following gives the unit detail with numbers of battalions/squadrons in brackets, with strengths given at the start of the campaign (as of the 16 April) and in brackets after, by the 16 May, just prior to the engagement at Aspern. FRENCH: II & IV CORPS: Marshal Andre MASSENA II Corps 2 Div. (GD Claparede) Brig. Coehorn: Legere (1 battalion each); 17 - 522, 21 - 471, 26 - 506, 28 - 506; total of 2008 (1,300) Tirailleurs du Po (1) 1118, Tirailleurs Corses (1) 899; total of 2017 (450 each battalion) Brig. Lesuire: Ligne (1 battalion each); 27 - 460, 39 - 515, 59 - 479, 69 - 482, 76 - 443; total of 2379 (1,700) Brig. Ficatier: Ligne (1 battalion each); 40 - 500, 88 - 498, 64 - 522, 100 - 383, 103 - 395; total of 2298 (1550) IV Corps 1 Div. (GD Legrand) Brig. Ledru: 26 Legere (3) - 1993, 18 Ligne (3) - 2312; total of 4305 (4268) Baden Brig. 3 Infantry Regt. (2), 1 Infantry Regt. (1), Jager Battalion Lingg; total of 5494 IV Corps Cavalry (GD Marulaz) Chasseurs-a-cheval: 3 (2) - 438, 14 (3) - 391, 19 (3) - 599 23 (3) - 594; total of 2022 (1520) Baden Light Dragoons (4 ) - 405, (290) Hesse Darmstadt Guard Chevau Legers (3) - 335 (by 16 May - 150) As can be seen the French units at Ebelsberg were effectively reduced to half strength by Aspern and these figures were after stragglers and lightly wounded returning to their units were added (there being considerable ‘fall-out’ en route during the campaign). The worse affected were naturally the Tirailleur battalions who were in the thick of it. By 16 May their combined strength was about 900 effectives - a loss of over 50%. At Aspern they were again involved in heavy fighting so that by Wagram (5-6 July) they could only muster 561 men; a little under 300 survived the battle and some sources report that afterwards the Tirailleurs were disbanded, an ignominious fate for such a vaunted veteran formation. Interestingly, Col. John Elting in his authoritative “Swords around The Throne” states that the Tirailleurs together with a few other well-known (but seriously depleted) light infantry formations were amalgamated to form the veteran 14 Legere Regiment in 1811. The French allies also suffered heavily from attrition during the campaign for example; the Baden Chevauleger had a strength of 405 men as of 16 April. By the 19 May they were reduced to 290 mounted effectives; by Wagram they had been further reduced to 147 men & horses. During the battle they were again heavily engaged near Alderklaa, loosing a further 48 men and 90 horses. Although perhaps one of the more severe examples, the brave Chevaulegers were by no means unique, Gill in his book ‘With The Eagles To Glory: Napoleon & His German Allies In The 1809 Campaign’ quotes original sources that state Baden losses for the campaign at nearly 1000 killed, 1,800 wounded and (to their great credit) only 54 taken prisoner which, for a small principality that contributed under 6000 men to the Armee d’Allemagne is a casualty rate of nearly 50%. The losses for this small state in the 1812 campaign were to be even more catastrophic with only a few hundred from a similar sized contingent surviving. It is worth remembering too that most of the French and allied troops involved at Ebelsberg were raw recruits and not even volunteers but conscripts. In spite of this they all fought with the ardour of veterans; the young boys in Claparede’s division were ably lead by experienced officers and NCO’s, their efforts at Ebelsberg were nothing less than heroic. Nor was this extreme effort and heroism one-sided; the equally inexperienced Vienna Freiwillinger battalions also covered themselves with glory at Ebelsberg, their achievment all the more laudable as they were up against the only truly veteran formations in Claparede’s division, the Piedmontese and Corsican Tirailleurs. I hope that the above figures give those who may wish to wargame the 1809 campaign and the battle of Ebelsberg in particular (called the ‘premier defensive position in Europe’ by one contemporary source) some measure to gauge accurately the size of the forces involved. Most importantly for those ‘campaigning’ it should give an accurate idea of the appalling rate of attrition suffered by all formations but in particular those few veteran units that tended to be heavily ‘relied’ upon in armies that were, by this stage, largely composed of inexperienced conscripts. Wargaming Ebelsberg Ebelsberg (or Ebersberg) presents a considerable challenge as a wargame scenario; up there with being the French at Eylau (minus the blizzard!). After solo gaming it twice I’ve come to the conclusion that it is best played in two parts: Part 1 being the conflict on the western side of the Traun river and Part 2 the assault on Ebelsberg itself. As neither general covered themselves in glory in this battle it gives you tabletop generals an opportunity to see if you can do any better (not a big ask in itself). At first glance it would appear that the French have the distinct advantage on the other side of the river and that the Austrians an even greater advantage in defending Ebelsberg. However, if the game is set up correctly the relative advantages/disadvantages for either side for Part 1 tend to even out. The same effect can also be achieved in Part 2 by sticking more or less to what actually occurred historically when setting up. Part 1: The Fighting Retreat Austrians Objective: You must a) engage French forces in pursuit of your retreating comrades and as the rearguard you must hold them off long enough for the brigade to cross the bridge (which will take a minimum of six moves). b) Prevent your (so far) orderly retreat from becoming a rout by forming a unified defensive perimeter anchored on Klein Munchen which will require you detaching up to half of the retreating units (dice to change their orders) to cover the approaches to the bridge. If you can stop the French from seizing the bridge & hold them off so at least half of the brigade on the road can cross, can you will have won this part of the battle. Of course, if you manage all this then playing Part 2 becomes optional. If the Austrians had managed an orderly withdrawal then they would have had time to set their defences, making an assault across the bridge by the French virtually impossible. Forces available: you have the two brigades of infantr y, one regiment of light cavalry and two brigade gun batteries (2 x 8 pounders, 1 howitzer each). One brigade in column is in retreat along the main road and all units in column on the road must be considered unsteady. The head of the column is within one move of the bridge. You can either proceed to move it over the bridge (as it is very narrow movement is halved) or you can halt it where it is, you can attempt to use any or all of the units in this brigade for your defence but you must roll a 5 or 6 to stop them withdrawing. Of the covering brigade you must set up one battalion in line across the defile north of Scharlinz. You may have cavalry (Austrian regiments were large and can be divided into two separate units) or artillery within one move distance behind this battalion. You may place the other units wherever you think best. Word of warning: don’t put them too close to the bridge! Morale for the battalions in the rearguard is +1 for the 1 move, evens for the 2 - 4 moves and -1 thereafter. Veile gluck Mein Herr! French Objective: You and your horde of ravenous garlic-munchers must engage any Austrians as quickly as possible. Your principle objective is to seize the bridge approaches, cutting off as many as possible before they can effectively cross the river. Your principle difficulty is that you start with only one regiment of light cav within contact distance of the enemy and you must enter along the Linz-Ebelsberg road. You may have one battalion of infantr y and one other regiment of cav. in support, however, your forces will only arrive on table one at a time eg., Move 1 - 1 batt. Inf. & 1 regt. Cav., Move 2 - 1 batt. Inf. & 1 regt. Cav., Move 3 - 1 batt. Inf. & 1 arty. Battery & so on. Forces available French forces should total no more than 1 & 1/2 brigades of infantry (6 battalions). Four may be Legere but only two veteran (Tirailleurs Corse & Tiraileurs du Po), accompanied by one foot artillery battery (3 x guns, 1 howitzer) that can come on in turn 3. You can have three cavalry regiments but only one is veteran. Your second cav. Regt. may also be accompanied by a horse artillery unit which can come on in turn 2. Bon chance Mon Ami! Part 2: Assault on Ebelsberg If you’re the Austrians you have found yourself in a natural defensive position but for the purposes of gaming this scenario those horrible garlic-munchers have pulled a fast one on you and have managed to get one unit over the bridge, even as you gaze horrified at this unwelcome event yet another battalion is sprinting across the bridge to joint them. Oh dear - what to do? th 8 ‘Kienmayar’ Hussars, Schustekh’s Division Austrian Objective: To cut off the French already over the bridge and annihilate them. Stop more from coming over, destroy the bridge and resume your withdrawal. You will need to have an element actually on the bridge for 2 moves to have destroyed it enough to prevent the French from crossing. Six direct artillery hits with at least two howitzers (1 dice ‘6’ for a hit) will achieve the same effect. Four or more hits and the bridge will be so damaged that only infantry moving at 1/3 reduced movement will be able to cross. Once the French in the town are dead or surrendered you will have won. For example - if you retake the chateau (well you were silly to have lost it in the first place - weren’t you?) and cut the bridge all remaining French in the town will surrender and you will have won. Austrian forces You have a horde of unsteady infantry who have just crossed the bridge blocking the streets directly in front. The unit closest to the French is in rout, all the others are unsteady & disordered (a total of 4 battalions). In your favour is the fact that you have garrisoned the stone chateau with 3/4 of a battalion (12 figs) one move distant to the right of the bridge and have one battery of guns (3 x 6 pounders & 1 howitzer) trained on the bridge & exit . You also have one battalion of grenzer armed with 1/2 muskets & 1/2 rifles in the houses opposite the bridge (maximum of 4 figs per house). In addition to all this you have 3 battalions of raw militia (the Vienna Volunteers) in the cemetery & park next to the chateau. These mixed bunch are the only troops you have within striking distance of the bold Froggies. On the hills above in an arc around and behind the town you have 3 brigades of infantr y, one of which is veteran. You also have two regiments of light cavalry; one each of uhlans and hussars (one of which is veteran). Your trump card is the 4 positional batteries (3 x guns & 1 howitzer each) positioned on the terrace above the town. The trouble you have will be using them to effect on the French at the same time as your men are trying to stop them from taking over the town - in the real battle indiscriminate artillery fire was the big killer and you will also run the risk of burning the town down around your own ears as well as those of the French! French Objective: Get as many men over the bridge as fast as possible and storm the town! To force the Austrians to withdraw you must take the chateau on your right at the same time as protecting the bridge in order to win. You cannot win if the bridge is cut, although you may force a stalemate if there are enough of you in the town to hold out for more than two moves, provided you can hold the chateau (you never know your luck; Coehorn’s Corsicans managed it!). Note #1: Sprinting in open order will enable you to get a battalion across in one move but you will have to take one move to form up on the other side. Note #2: The chateau is only approachable by the (narrow) street(s) in front or by an equally narrow path running along the river bank - the bank itself is too steep to climb until after it passes the rise the chateau is on. Forces available You have four brigades consisting of 1 brigade of Legere & 3 of infantry. One brigade is veteran & one is experienced, the rest are conscripts. You have one regt. of cav. (veteran) in close support (whether or when you bring ‘em across the bridge is up to you) and one battery of foot artillery available to cross the bridge (if you’re still in the town!) on move #3. Thereafter you will have one more battery of artillery (including one of horse artillery) on the opposite bank for each subsequent move (up to a maximum of four batteries). Hint: effective counterbattery fire will help keep the bridge intact! This is a very difficult scenario to game and the above is only a suggestion. I had enough buildings left over from the CANCON H&M comp to create a sizeable town - in my solo recreation the French did managed to win but it was still touch and go. The poor old Austrians suffered from some appallingly bad dice rolls for their artillery fire otherwise it could have been very nasty for the Frogs. Ca’ l’guerre! Bibliography ‘Armies on the Danube 1809’ by Scotty Bowden & Charlie Tarbox Empire Games Press 1980 ‘Napoleon Conquers Austria: The 1809 Campaign for Vienna’ by James R. Arnold Arms & Armour 1995 Osprey Campaign Series: Aspern & Wagram 1809 by Ian Castle (David Chandler, Editor) Osprey Publishing 1994 ‘The Campaigns of Napoleon’ by David Chandler Macmillan Publishing 1966 Osprey Men-At-Arms: Austrian Auxiliary Troops 1792-1816 by Dave Collins (Lee Johnson, Editor) Osprey Publishing 1992 ‘Napoleon’s Last Victory & The Emergence of Modern War’ by Robert M. Epstein University Press of Kansas 1994 ‘With the Eagles To Glory: Napoleon & his German Allies in the 1809 Campaign’ by John H. Gill Greenhill Books 1992 More Ebelsburg Part 1: Battle of Ebelsburg Back to Table of Contents -- Kriegspieler #10 To Kriegspieler List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Kriegspieler Publications. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com