Six Days in October - The Consolidated Dispatches of Marshal Lannes

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Sitrep

About how far away are my leading divisions from Weissenfels?

What is the weather?
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Jim Owczarski
Weather good. Forward division (Fouchet) passing Naumbourg as of this writing. Augereau's men are in evidence surrounding said town.

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From: Lannes

DISPATCH - Lannes to Foucher

To: General Foucher
Copy to: Marshal Davout
Time: 1100 19 October

General,

As your horsemen move past Nambourg and toward Weissenfels, dispatch patrols of hussars and attempt to capture some Prussian stragglers. Bring any captured enemy to headquarters for questioning.

Lannes

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DISPATCH -- DAVOUT to LANNES, 1130, 19th October

SENT 0830, 19th October

From: Marshal Davout
To: Emperor Napoleon, copy to Marshal Lannes and General Vialannes


Esteemed Emperor!

As I have pondered our situation and surveyed the terrain, I am increasingly convinced of the need to move quickly to block the Prussian's retreat routes north and east.  (Should the Prussians move south...  let them move deeper into encirclement!)

Please note the attached sketch made by one of my staff officers; I think you'll agree he has quite an eye for detail.  The terrain offers us excellent opportunities to defeat the Prussians at Weissenfels, especially if we can hem the enemy in from the bluffs surrounding the city from the south of the river.

As noted in my previous message, I have directed my pioneers to build a bridge so we can cross the Salle; I estimate it may be ready by noon and possibly by 1000.

If you would be willing to tie your forces at hand into my 2nd Division's right flank, then I can send General Vialannes' cavalry across the bridge, followed by my 3rd Division, and then by Marshal Lannes' corps. 

I believe you have several corps of infantry marching at your back with which the eastern exit can be secured.

General Vialannes is moving to secure my right flank and thus the gap between us at this time.

General Vialannes: On being relieved of your flank guard mission by other French forces, you are to move to the bridge currently under construction; on its completion, you are to cross it and move at best speed to ensure the Prussians cannot move north out of Weissenfels.  Seizing and securing the bridge is not required.  You should expect 3rd Division to be coming behind you.   If the Prussians are already on the road, do your best to harass and slow or stop them.

- Davout

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DISPATCH - Lannes to Napoleon

From: Marshal Lannes
To: Emperor Napoleon, copy to Marshal Davout
Sent: 1200 19 October

Your Majesty,

My corps is located just northeast of Naumbourg, moving along the road to Weissenfels. At our current rate of march we should arrive in a position to support Marshal Davout at around 4 of the clock. Leading elements of V Corps, namely the corps cavalry under Foucher, should arrive sooner and have orders to exploit north toward Halle across Marshal Davout's bridgehead.

I am riding ahead with the cavalry to make my headquarters with Marshal Davout.

Lannes

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To Dispatch

I am sending staff officers out to interrogate burghers and other respectable citizens in villages and towns along our route concerning the size and makeup of Prussians forces that recently passed this way.


Jim Owczarski to me

What follows is in reply to your earlier inquiry re: information on stragglers, &c.

(It was scheduled to arrive at 1300, but, heck.)

Your outriders find a fair number of soldiers from division Weimar desperately trying to escape the town.  They reveal that it burning fiercely and then men have despaired of succor from their commanders.

They are the only division in that town.


Doug Miller to Jim
By "the town" meaning Naumbourg, I assume?

Jim Owczarski to me
Correct.

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DISPATCH to Marshal Davout

From: Lannes
To: Marshal Davout, copies to Marshal Augerau, Marshal Murat, Emperor Napoleon
Sent: 1200 19 October

Marshal Davout,

My cavalry patrols have captured numerous stragglers in the vicinity of Naumbourg. All are from Weimar's division. The captured men indicated that they are the only division in Naumbourg. The town is burning, and the division seems to be completely cut off.

This would seem to confirm that the forces facing Marshal Augereau are the remnants of Ruchel's Corps. Ruchel would appear to be completely beaten at this point.

There are somewhere in the neighborhood of 110,000 more Prussians out there. Marshal Davout, do you have any identification of who you are facing at Weissenfels, and how many of them there are? Have the Prussians concentrated there, is this a rearguard, or might we need be concerned about a large force falling on our flank from the direction of Leipzig?

In addition to cavalry patrols rounding up stragglers, which I will continue, I have my staff officers interrogating locals along my route concerning Prussian forces that have passed through recently.

Lannes

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DISPATCH -- DAVOUT to LANNES -- 1500, 19th October

To:  Marshal Lannes, Augereau, Bernadotte, Murat; Emperor Napoleon
From: Marshal Davout
Time: 1400 19 October

Marshal Lannes believes that the remnants of Ruchel's corps are bottled up by Marshal Augereau; though in that regard the capture of a messenger from Ruchel to those bottled forces is interesting.  (It claims there are Prussian forces to the south.  I rather doubt this is true since we have come through those routes.  Possibly it is an error for forces moving south, which is possible.)

From my vantage point, at the front lines along the western side of Weissenfels, I have just learned that my cannonade has sent the enemy "scurrying into their fascine-lined ditches".  This suggests that the Prussians have prepared this position, and thus that they have had the time to do so, and may be inclined to make a stand.

Second, I am informed that there are two corps in the town.  Potentially, this means that Ruchel's forces are split between the two towns, and we face part of Ruchel plus another corps.  This is a worst-case assumption as it would place another Prussian corps operating out of contact.


I believe that the Prussians appear have learned that they cannot face us in the open field, and therefore have decided to dig in and force a siege.  If they have stopped running, then one way or another we can defeat them.

If they seek to delay us, then I do not know why.  Perhaps our Emperor has a better understanding of the strategic picture - are the Russians moving far faster than anticipated, such that a delay of a few weeks might enable their arrival?

I do not know how well we will perform assaulting their breastworks, but as Bernadotte is preparing to attack from the south I will do likewise once I have two divisions on line, with the aim of taking the rim of the bluffs overlooking the town.

Meanwhile, my bridge is complete and my cavalry will soon begin moving across it.  Given the timing of Lannes' expected arrival at 4pm, I will plan to keep my 3rd division on the south side of the river as a reserve for my attack.  My cavalry will continue as planned to scout forward for Lannes' advance to cut the Prussians off from the north. 

I suggest we also cut them off from retreat to the east.

- Davout

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DISPATCH -- DAVOUT to LANNES -- 1500, 19th October

To:  III Corps, Marshal Lannes
From: Davout
Time: 1400 19 October

Gentlemen:

This is not a skirmish, but one of the decisive battles of this campaign. The Prussians have chosen their ground; we shall make them die on it.

When 2nd Division is on line, we will attack in order to seize the bluffs overlooking Weissenfels.  Local initiative to exploit further success is encouraged.  The enemy is dug in and will probably require some convincing to force his departure.  Extensive bombardment is authorized if it appears it will be effective against their positions.  I welcome tactical suggestions from the division and brigade commanders on ways to make the attack succeed. [Jim: The point there is that I'm trying to attack intelligently without micromanaging and/or forcing you to go into fractal levels of detail.]

3rd Division is now the attack reserve; do not cross the bridge.

Marshal Lannes is expected to arrive at around 4pm and is expected to cross the bridge in order to cut the enemy's northern retreat route.

II Corps Cavalry will continue their current orders - across the bridge and towards the road - in order to prepare the way for Marshal Lannes' rapid advance.  Assist his forces as required until he has secured the northern route.  Expect to return to III Corps' area south of the river once this is complete.

- Davout

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FROM CONTROL

At the head of General Fouchet's division, Marshal Lannes has arrived near enough to Marshal Davout's position near Weissenfels to permit direct communication between the two of you.

Both men would surely see what Marshal Davout already knows, viz.: the III Corps is hotly engaged in a full assault on Weissenfels.

There will be a significant decision point attending the 1600 orders phase.

S!

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From Davout

Marshal Lannes!

We have more than just a whiff of grapeshot this afternoon.

To the best of my knowledge (despite the pricking of my thumbs), the current plan still makes the most sense.  If my current attack utterly fails, my third division should hold the line, and we need to cut the Prussian's line of retreat.  If the Prussians hold my attack, but not catastrophically, then my 3rd division remains in reserve and we need to block the Prussian's line of retreat.  If the Prussians break in front of me, then I shall commit the 3rd division to help harry them - and we will still need to block their line of retreat. 

If you have an alternate line of reasoning, please explain it!

As far as I am aware, Bernadotte is attacking Weissenfels from the south, and I believe further French forces are following him.  I am presuming that they will cut off the enemy's route to Leipzig.

- Davout

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From Lannes

I quite agree, Marshal. I see no cause to change from our current course. I will lead V Corps across at your bridge and move to blockade the town from the north. Let us put a cork in this bottle and seal up the Prussians inside!

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DISPATCH - Lannes to V Corps

To: V Corps, Marshal Davout
From: Lannes
Time: 1500 19 October
Soldiers of V Corps!

It seems that the Prussians have stopped running at last. Marshal Davout has engaged a large force of Prussians in front of Weissenfels, where the Prussians appear to have dug in. Marshal Bernadotte is attacking the town from the south.

Our mission is to seal off the trap by crossing the Saale via the bridge constructed by III Corps and then to blockade the town from the north. We will cross the river to the west of the town, and then move around the town to the north to cut the Weissenfels-Mersebourg road.

General Foucher's cavalry will move immediately to cross the river and make contact with III Corps cavalry already holding the bridgehead. General Foucher, you are directed to cooperate with III Corps cavalry to clear the area of enemy and secure a route for the following infantry to the objective. Clear the immediate area of the bridgehead as quickly as possible to make way for the following infantry.

First Division will follow the corps cavalry, and then Second Division. Both Divisions will take up positions to either side of the Weissenfels-Mersebourg road, First Division to the east. The corps cavalry will screen north of the objective, toward Mersebourg, to detect any approaching Prussian forces and to intercept any Prussians that manage to break out past the infantry.

We must move as rapidly as possible to cut the road. Generals, act with dispatch!

After our long march into Germany, we have finally engaged the enemy. Show the Prussian dogs French courage!

Lannes

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The Battle of Weissenfels -- 1600-1800, 19th October

Sire and Marshals:

Please note that you are all not proximate enough to one another to communicate, but you would have all been able to see what I now describe.

On your right, the Emperor chose to commit the artillery reserve of the Imperial Guard and it has shattered the division of cavalry that stood holding that sector.  These horse have begun to flee the town in disorder.

In your center, matters are very grim, the Prussians -- against all expectation -- rose up from their trenches and attacked.  The men of Viallannes' division are profoundly shaken and cannot take much more, but the Prussian numbers in the center continue to outnumber your own men by some 2:1.  It was only the direct intervention of the Emperor that steadied your lines and held the center...for now.

On your left, the fight was a complete stalemate (OOC:  My very first TIE.  Hard to do with the modifiers and everything.)

There is one more battle turn of two hours to be resolved before night.

S!

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Orders for III Corps -- 1800, 19th October

The corps will transition to the defense, effective immediately.

Vialannes' cavalry will pull back into reserve and reorganize.  More will doubtless be asked of you....  you will move to shore up threatened sectors.

Impress upon the men that this is the decisive battle of the campaign, and we fight under the Emperor's watchful eye.  This circumstance gives the brave an opportunity to discover a marshal's baton in their knapsack.

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FROM CONTROL -- 1800, 19th October

This is to inform you that the men of Fouchet's division have paid their "crossing penalty" for the pontoon bridge and are now on the other side of the Saale.

Marshal Lannes -- You have a decision:  This bridge is built, necessarily, outside the "fight box" of 5km(2) around Weissenfels.  You may order the men of this division to cut the corner of this box and be seen by the Prussians as part of a flank march.  Or, you could "skirt" around the box to better avoid detection.  The former is obvious more rapid than the latter.

I await your patience.

S!