19th March 1814 – Battle of Cirey

Cirey Campaign Area

Both Armies have been marching towards Cirey since the start of the campaign

Both commanders are aware that the enemy is marching towards the town

Both commanders are determined to take it first

1 Austrian       move to F05 and hold           arrive F05 move 1

2 Austrian       move to F06 and hold           start in F05

3 Austrian       move to E04 on observe        arrive F04 move 1

4 Austrian       move to F04 on observe        arrive F04 move 5

5 Austrian       move to G05 on observe       arrive F05 move 5

3 French          move to E05 on attack            start in D05

9 French          move to E06 on attack            start in D06

15 Vistula        move to D05 on attack            arrive D04 move 1

27 French        move to C04 on observe         arrive D04 move 5

French                                     Austrian                     

Infantry - 52000                      infantry – 56000

cavalry - 3000                          cavalry - 4000 

guns - 120                               guns -120

Notes

8000 Austrian infantry are absent on garrison duty

4000 French infantry are absent on garrison duty

Table at start of wargame

This is a good example of the error of deploying cavalry too far from the corps.

Top right 2^nd Austrian corps cavalry are on the hill, the rest of the corps on the centre road

The cavalry can not be used until the corps commander (centre leading column) moves within 8^” to tell them what to do.   He only has sufficient command points to issue one order to each brigade each move, so they will have to wait until he can find time to move to them.

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

9 French-advance towards hill

French cinc-order 3 corps “Engage town”.   Order 9 corps “Engage hill”

Austrian cinc-order 2 corps “Engage town”

1 Austrian-arrive on table

2 Austrian-enter town and deploy artillery

3 French-advance towards town

3 Austrian-advance towards village

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

2 Austrian-artillery fire on cavalry, 10% casualties, cavalry fail morale and rout

3 French-deploy and enter town

French cinc-order 15 corps “move to village”

9 French-start to deploy

Austrian cinc-order 1 corps “move to hill”

1 Austrian-continue to advance

15 French-continue to advance

3 Austrian-continue to advance

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

3 Austrian-continue to advance

15 French-continue to advance

1 Austrian-continue to advance

9 French-start to deploy

2 Austrian-move guns forward, recall cavalry from hill

3 French-unlimber artillery and deploy corps

French cinc-order 3 corps to “Hold town”

Austrian cinc-order 3 corps to “Hold

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

2 Austrian-limber and advance artillery

3 French-artillery fire on infantry, 10% casualties, infantry pass morale

French cinc-order 9 corps to “Hold”

1 Austrian-artillery unlimber

Austrian cinc-order 2 corps to “Hold town”

3 Austrian-move cavalry out of artillery range

9 French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

15 French-occupy farm

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

1 Austrian-artillery fire on square, 10% casualties, infantry pass morale

15 French-advance and deploy

Austrian cinc-order 1 corps “Engage”, order 5 corps “support 2 corps”

3 French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties. 

3 French-Infantry skirmish garrison, no casualties

27 French-arrive on table

9 French-artillery fire on gunners, no casualties

2 Austrian-artillery unlimber, infantry garrison town

4 Austrian-arrive on table

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

3 French-redeploy guns to face town

2 Austrian-artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

2 Austrian-garrison skirmish infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale

Austrian cinc-order 3 corps “Engage”

1 Austrian-artillery fire on square, 20% casualties, pass morale

27 French-continue to advance

3 Austrian-artillery fire on cavalry, 10% casualties, fail morale Shaken

French cinc-order 15 corps “Hold village”

15 French-redeploy infantry north of village

5 Austrian-continue to advance

4 Austrian-continue to advance

9 French-artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

2 Austrian-artillery fire on garrison, no casualties

2 Austrian-cavalry charge limbered artillery, gunners lose 50% casualties and rout

27 French-change orders to “Halt” and wait further orders

3 Austrian-artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

4 Austrian-start to deploy

French cinc-orders “General Retreat”

9 French-change orders to “Halt” and start to retreat

15 French- change orders to “Halt” and start to retreat

1 Austrian-artillery fire on square, no casualties

5 Austrian-continue to advance

Austrian cinc-orders “General Advance”

3 French- change orders to “Halt” and start to retreat

Collapse of French centre

Austrian dragoons (top left) charge limbered artillery

Gunners fail morale to react, lose 50% casualties , rout and abandon guns

Nearby 6 infantry brigade test morale because of routed gunners, fail and join rout

Nearby heavy cavalry also test morale for routed gunners, fail and are shaken

Dragoons test to pursue, pass and halt disordered

The collapse of the French centre prompts Marshal Mortier (centre left) to order a general retreat before the stronger Austrian army can pin him and force him to continue to fight until nightfall.

Game Casualties

French lose 1600 infantry, 200 cavalry, 200 gunners and 30 guns

Austrian lose 400 infantry

Game Summary

The French lost 9^th cavalry brigade at the start of the battle

This allowed Schwargzenberg to slow down the French deployment

Both sides occupied half of Cirey and neither side could take the other half

By lunchtime all five Austrian corps were on the battlefield

Mortier ordered his four corps to break contact before they were pinned

Total casualties at the end of this battle

French 2000 casualties and three brigades in rout

Austrian 400 casualties