Mssrs.,
What follows is a report from an on-going, multi-player engagement. The scenario is a custom Campaign Eckmuhl scenario, entitled Clash of Titans, developed by ___________________, positing a hypothetical, meeting engagement North and West of Eckmuhl. As the scenario begins, Massena & Davout’s Corps are in contact with 3 Austrian corps with more en route. Meanwhile, the corps of Lannes, Oudinot and Lefebvre, marching to the fight from the West, encounter additional Austrian forces in and around the Saal Defile, Hausen and Langquaid.
Maréchal John Mitchell commands the French Left Wing and is the French CiC while your correspondent has the honor of commanding the French Right Wing. General-lieutenant Juan Pablo da Cruz commands the Austrian Right Wing while Polkovnik Gilbert O’Campo commands their Left.
What follows touches solely upon the actions on the French Right and is, perforce, drawn entirely from a French viewpoint. My hope is that my colleagues will prepare similar reports for the engagements in their sectors.
Enjoy!
Paco
Your Highness,
As of 8:15 AM (6/200) I believe that we have positively identified the forces arrayed against us on the right.
The forces attacking from North & East of Eckmuhl are drawn from the Austrian 3rd Armeekorps. Bgs. Kayser & Thierry (Dv Lusignan) are advancing along the road North of Eckmuhl. West of Rocking, Bgs. Bieber & A.Lchtnstn (Dv. St. Julien) and Bgs. M. Lchtnstn & Pfanzelter (Dv Vukassovich) have now deployed for battle. The bulk of the korps’ artillery is deployed in support of the advance from Rocking. A regiment of Austrian Hussars was spotted early on covering the gap between the two wings of the 3rd AK, but withdrew when faced with the fire of Molitor’s infantry formed in square.
Rocking
West of Eckmuhl, the 2nd Armeekorps was deployed on a line running from the approaches to Unter Laichling South to the Grosse Laber. Its left flank is held by the jägers of Brigade Crenneville/FM Klenau's Dv reinforced by Bg. von Vecsay of the 1st Res. Armeekorps. Deployed in their center is Brig. Weid- Runkel/FM Treunenfels' Dv. Finally, FM von Brady's Dv (Bgs. Wenzel & Folseis) held the right of their line, anchored on the Grosse Laber.
2 Armee Korps
Schierling and its immediate environs are defended by the 1st Armeekorps. The town itself was garrisoned by the light troops of Bgs. Nostitz & Wintzingerode (Dv Fresnel). East of Schierling, Bgs. Henneberg & Am Ende (Dv. Vogelsang) were deployed along the South Bank of the Grosse Laber. West of Schierling the Austrians have deployed Bg. Wacquant (Dv Ulm), linking up to the 2nd Res. Armeekorps which, in turn, extended their line further West, South of the Acht Berg.
Schierling
An unknown, detached Bg. of jägers was originally garrisoning Nieder Leiemdorf, but they have retreated to the heights of the Wein Berg. There was initially a yawning gap between the 2nd Res. Korps and the Nieder Leiemdorf garrison. During the last ½ hour, however, a fresh division has arrived (2 Bgs with 6 bns each) and deployed so as to cover the foothills of the Stein Berg and Acht Berg. For now its identity remains unknown since we have not yet engaged this new force.¹
From East to West, we have engaged the Austrians as follows. Most of Saint-Cyr's 2nd Dv and Molitor's 3rd Dv have engaged Dv. Lusignan, with the former conducting an enveloping movement around the Austrians’ right flank, and I trust that we shall be able to deal it a punishing blow. Meanwhile, although hard pressed, GdB Nagel's Hesse-Darmstadt Bg, mixed elements of Molitor's 3rd Dv and the 1st & 3rd Bg/IVC Cav have stopped the advance from Rocking by the rest of the 3rd AK and inflicted serious damage on Bg. Pfanzelter (1 bn destroyed, the other routed). One concern is that the regiment of Hussars previously spotted is now probably being re-deployed to support the forces advancing from Rocking.
St-Cyr's Division
While GdBg Ledru's 1st Bg/1st Dv/IVC conducts a pinning action against the center of the 2nd AK (Bgs. Weid-Runkel & Folseis), GBg Harrant's Baden Bg/2nd Dv/IVC, supported by 2nd Bg/IVC, has been steadily driving back the 2nd AK’s left flank (Bgs. Crenneville and von Vecsay). Several batteries were destroyed in a stirring charge by the 14th Chasseurs/2nd Bg/IVC shortly before 8 AM, albeit at a high price from the subsequent c-charge by the Aus cav. That said, the real focus of attack has been the right of the 2nd AK’s line and its juncture with the 1st AK. Boudet's 4th Dv/IVC, supported by Piré's 2nd Lt Bg/Lt Cav Dv succeeded in dislodging their hold on the Grosse Laber and driving them back, albeit in good order, during the last half-hour. An angle has now been formed as von Brady’s Dv wheels its right to effectuate a junction with Dv. Vogelsang of the 1st AK. Faced with the massing of the Lt Cav Dv, GBg Guiton’s heavies and the advance of Gudin’s 3rd Dv., Dv. Vogelsang withdrew across the Grosse Laber at 8:00 AM so as to shorten its lines and link up with Dv. von Brady. During the last quarter hour, Gudin’s men have advanced to contact against the Southern and Western faces of this angle in the Austrian line, supporting the continuing advance of Boudet’s Dv from the East. While the 2nd Lt Cav/Lt Cav Dv reforms, the 3rd Lt Cav/Lt Cav Dv has deployed across the Grosse Laber, ready to support a determined assault on this angle, and the 1st Lt Bg/Lt Cav Dv is en route to the crossing point over the Grosse Laber. Guiton’s cuirassiers, in march column behind the 1st Lt Bg., will either further reinforce this attack or be detached to support St. Cyr & Molitor’s Dvs.
The Angle
Spearheaded by GB. Barbanègre’s 2nd Bg., Friant’s Division drove the Austrians out of the Southern edge of Schierling. As St. Hilaire’s Dv. arrived, his brigades relieved the 2nd Dv. and completed the process of capturing all of Schierling South of the Grosse Laber. In its turn, the 2nd Dv. extended our line across the Grosse Laber West of Schierling, linking up with the IIIC’s Reserve Dv. which has been advancing against the right flank of the 2nd Res. AK across the Grosse and Alte Laber. Finally, while GB l’Hullier’s 2nd Bg/1st Dv./IIIC advanced against the left flank of the 2nd Res. AK, GB Lacour’s 1st Bg/ 1st Dv./IIIC conducted a broad turning movement towards Nieder Leiemdorf and the Stein Berg and Acht Berg. At 8:15 AM, the leading elements of Lacour’s Bg reached Nieder Leiemdorf, but the balance of the brigade has now deployed to meet the Austrian reinforcements.
Nieder Leiemdorf
As I write this, the battle has proceeded apace, but I shall furnish further details with my next report.
Yours, etc.,
Maréchal Paco
¹ One Bg has now been positively identified as Bg. Hohenfeld/Div. Kottulinsky/6th AK.