6th April 1814 – Battle of Rougemont

Rougemont Campaign area

This map shows the location of all corps at first light

4^th and 22^nd French corps have orders to attack Rougemont

10^th French corps have orders to march south

16^th corps have orders to halt on hold

All four Bavarian corps have orders to halt on hold

French               27,200 infantry            1,900 cavalry                 60 guns

Bavarian           54,400 infantry            3,900 cavalry                 120 guns

0800 to 1200

The French come under heavy artillery fire as they advance

As soon as they realise that they are outnumbered they halt and deploy

2^nd Bavarian corps joins the battle

10^th French corps are ordered to join the battle, but will not arrive until mid afternoon

By midday it is clear to Marshal Marmont that he must retreat or face destruction

He orders 4^th and 22^nd corps to retreat towards Besancon

1200 to 1600

The French retreat is the end of the battle

The Bavarian army still have heavy casualties from the battle of Besancon two day s earlier

Although the French have been badly beaten, 10^th corps has arrived to cover the retreat

1600 to 2000

By nightfall both armies had broken contact and their deployment was similar to before the battle

Game Casualties

French lose 4,800 infantry

Bavarians lose 2,400 infantry

Game Summary

The French attack was doomed from the start

The Bavarians had lost more men at Besancon two days earlier

But they still outnumbered the French two to one

The stronger Bavarian cavalry pinned the French infantry

The stronger Bavarian artillery pounded them until they retreated

The French Army was in better shape than the Bavarian Army

Had they attacked with all four corps they should have won this battle

Total casualties, including from earlier battles,  at the end of the battle

French  8,800 casualties 4 brigades in rout

Bavarian 11,300 casualties 3 brigades in rout

Game Notes

Because the French are outnumbered two to one this battle was not fought as a wargame.   I used this chart to determine casualties.  

Total                   Bavarian                                         French                                                           

02                         400 infantry                                  400 infantry

03                         400 infantry                                  800 infantry

04                         400 infantry                                  800 infantry and 100 cavalry

05                         400 infantry                                  1200 infantry

06                         800 infantry                                  1200 infantry and 100 cavalry

07                         800 infantry                                  1600 infantry

08                         800 infantry                                  1600 infantry and 100 cavalry

09                         800 infantry                                  2000 infantry

10                         1200 infantry                               2000 infantry, 100 cavalry and 100 gunners

11                         1200 infantry                               2400 infantry

12                         1200 infantry                               2400 infantry, 100 cavalry and 100 gunners

1D6 was rolled for each French corps

Total dice roll was 11

Total French casualties were 2400 infantry

Total Bavarian casualties were 1200 infantry