5th March 1814 - Second Battle of St Jean

Bayonne Campaign Area

This battle will be fought at the same time as the battle of Cambo

7^th French corps have orders retreat to Bayonne and avoid the enemy

19^th French corps have orders to attack St Jean

25^th French corps have orders to attack St Jean

1^st British corps have orders to attack 25^th French

4^th British corps have orders to move to E03 on attack

French                                     British

46000 infantry                        30800 infantry                       

1800 cavalry                          2000 cavalry              

90 guns                                   60 guns

1^st British corps have 1200 casualties and one brigade in rout

7^th French corps have 2200 casualties and three brigades in rout

Table at start of wargame

Top left 25^th French corps arrive

Top Centre 7^th French corps in rout

Centre right 19^th French corps will arrive

Centre 1^st British advance to attack 25^th corps

Bottom right 4^th British corps will arrive

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Top left – British hussars have routed French dragoons through 25^th corps column.

Top centre – 7^th French corps have rallied three of their five routing brigades

Centre right – 19^th French corps start to arrive

Centre – 1^st British corps orders changed from attack to hold

Bottom centre- 4^th British corps start to arrive

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Top left -25^th French corps start to sort themselves out

Top centre – 7^th French corps has lost two brigades in rout, but remainder are deploying

Centre right – 19^th French corps advance from pass, cavalry are repulsed by squares

Centre – 1^st British corps withdraw cavalry and deploy to left of town

Bottom right – 4^th British corps halt and form square to meet French cavalry

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Top left -25^th French corps start to deploy south of farm

Top centre – 7^th French corps start to deploy, artillery open fire on town

Centre right – 19^th French corps deploy ready to advance

Centre – 1^st British corps deploy to face 7^th and 25^th French corps

Bottom right – 4^th British corps deploy between town and farm

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Top left -25^th French corps artillery open fire on British to left of town

Top centre – 7^th French corps receive orders to attack the town

Centre right – 19^th French corps rally cavalry and advance between town and farm

Centre – 1^st British corps garrison town 6pdr guns out of range of enemy

Bottom right – 4^th British corps garrison farm and extend towards town

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Top left -25^th French corps artillery rout two infantry brigades

Top centre – 7^th French corps approach town and exchange skirmish fire

Centre right – 19^th French corps artillery open fire on infantry near farm

Centre – 1^st British corps lose two infantry brigades and cavalry shaken

Bottom right – 4^th British corps send rifle brigade to reinforce town

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Top left -25^th French corps advance against broken British left flank

Top centre – 7^th French corps continue to skirmish with garrison

Centre right – 19^th French corps skirmish with town and farm

Centre – 1^st British corps retreat, town garrison shaken

Bottom right – 4^th British corps unable to advance into gap between town and farm

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

Top left -25^th French corps advance against broken British left flank

Top centre – 7^th French corps storm town and rout garrison

Centre right – 19^th French corps advance between town and farm

Centre – 1^st British corps ordered to halt and hold, Portuguese rout from town

Bottom right – 4^th British corps ordered to halt and hold, rifle brigade sent to hold town

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

Top left -25^th French corps cavalry routed but infantry continue to advance

Top centre – 7^th French corps fight for the town and infantry rout

Centre right – 19^th French corps lost fight for the farm and infantry rout

Centre – 1^st British corps ordered to retreat

Bottom right – 4^th British corps order rifles to abandon St Jean 

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Top left -25^th French corps ordered to advance on engage orders

Top centre – 7^th French corps all in rout except for shaken cavalry

Centre right – 19^th French corps second attack on farm routed garrison

Centre – 1^st British corps start to retreat

Bottom right – 4^th British corps ordered to retreat 

Cavalry melee

During the very first move of the game the British hussars charged the French dragoons at the head of 25^th French corps.   The hussars roll 2xD6.  The dragoons lose 10% and rout back through the long column, causing huge problems for the French.   We were tempted to roll the dice again, but being a campaign game we felt that would not be right.   The only way fair way to fight campaign games is to accept the extremes of good, and bad, dice.

Game Casualties

French suffer 5600 infantry and 400 cavalry casualties

They also have one cavalry and seven infantry brigades in rout

British suffer 5200 infantry and 100 cavalry casualties

They also have one cavalry and three infantry brigades in rout

Game Summary

This was the hardest fought battle of the campaign so far, and with the highest number of casualties on both sides.

Although the French have suffered more casualties they have 25^th corps intact, except for their cavalry brigade, who is advancing against the British broken left wing.

7^th French corps, who started the battle in retreat, have suffered heavy casualties and have ceased to exist as a fighting force.   All of their infantry and gunners are in rout, and their cavalry shaken.

19^th French corps have suffered moderate casualties, but half of their infantry and all their cavalry are in rout.

Each of the British corps have two infantry brigades in rout.

However they have managed to break contact and retreat behind a strong cavalry screen

They have managed to take all of their artillery with them.