Salzwedel Campaign – Day 9

Campaign Map on 30 September 1813 

Both armies are battered and weary after seven battles in eight days

Both have suffered heavy battle casualties, but the French less than the Prussians

The Prussian victory at Dahre has given Blucher some hope

But Napoleon is determined to increase the pressure and finish the campaign

On his left 3^rd corps is in retreat after their defeat at Dahre

On his right 13^th corps has laid siege to Kalden, but in not strong enough to attack

That leaves his Old Guard and Reserve.

They have already suffered heavy casualties trying to take Salzwedel

The city is held by 2^nd Prussian corps and parts of 4^th corps

They have suffered more casualties than the French

Most brigades have at least 10% casualties, and many 20% or even 30%

They urgently need a couple of days to rest, resupply and reinforce

But they do have sufficient troops to fully garrison the fortified city

Napoleon is aware that an attack on the walls of Salzwedel means risking his guard

Despite this he orders them to attack

Battle of Salzwedel – Move 5

To supply the city Blucher must also hold the adjoining map squares

To do so he must deploy most of his army outside the city walls

He creates three commands

On the left one infantry brigade, and 1^st corps artillery

In the city three infantry brigades

On the right one infantry brigade, one cavalry and 4^th corps artillery

Napoleon also creates three commands

On the left guard cavalry, artillery and one infantry brigade

In the centre three guard infantry brigades

On the right 4^th corps cavalry and artillery

The French artillery have less casualties than the Prussian

Despite this they fail to inflict any casualties during the early part of the battle

Napoleon orders 4^th corps to attack on the right

Their cuirassier brigade win the cavalry melee, but fail to rally

They charge the nearby artillery and are routed in their turn

Napoleon orders his three reserve infantry brigades to support the right

As they move past the town they come under musket fire from the garrison

One brigade received 10% casualties and has to be replaced by the reserve brigade

Napoleon did not want to commit his left flank

This consists of his guard cavalry and 1^st grenadier brigade

However his artillery has failed to weaken the defenders

So he orders his cavalry to charge the weak gunners (20% casualties)

The gunners run to the nearby square

1^st grenadier brigade charge and break the square and gunners

By nightfall 6 of the 8 Prussian brigades are in rout

Two brigades still hold the city, but this is insufficient to withstand an attack

Blucher orders them to abandon the city and join the retreat

Campaign Notes

Napoleon has managed to take the walled city of Salzwedel

By attacking the enemy outside the city, but not the city itself

It has cost him 500 casualties and one brigade in rout

Blucher has lost 2300 casualties and six brigades in rout

This was achieved by a weakened Old Guard and even weaker Reserve

The Prussians started with more battle casualties than the French

But worse still they included heavy cavalry and artillery casualties

One brigade has 40% casualties, the other 20% casualties

2^nd corps artillery had 20% casualties, reserve artillery was full strength

This meant that they could not hold their own against the French cavalry

Nor could they hope to inflict many artillery casualties on the French infantry

However Napoleon was very lucky to win with such light casualties