7 AM Pursuit of VI Korps

7 AM -  The weather continues to be fine. Visibility on the table increases to 60”.

Austrian Headquarters - a messenger arrives with the news that the French are advancing along the main road with a force of approximately one infantry division and one cavalry division. Klenau assumes that the infantry will assault the village, but he is unsure of the cavalry intent. For now, he is content with his dispositions and can but wait for the French assault to further develop and reveal its intent.

French headquarters - the attack is developing as intended. Advance elements have been told to press on with urgency and aggression.

Klenau is wrong about the lead French infantry brigades. They are not heading directly for the village. Rather they have moved towards the vineyards below the village.

Above - three Austrian infantry battalions from Gyulai’s 60th Infantry Regiment (IR60) are waiting in line abreast amongst the vineyards. On their immediate right, on higher ground, they have a battery of foot artillery.

Rather than wait for the rest of the brigade to catch up and form up for a prepared assault, French 2nd Line Regiment (3 battalions) press on alone and are raked by Austrian fire. II Battalion are immediately repulsed. I and III battalions make it into contact with the Austrian line, but are roughly handled. All of 2nd Line Regiment reel back and retire with heavy losses (150 men).

It is a similar story over on the slopes in front of the village. Marulez ruthlessly pursues the Austrian hussars with his 3rd and 4th Chasseurs á Cheval and horse artillery, but they run into Schwazenberg’s 2nd Cavalry Division posted on the hill and the Austrian Hussars turn and charge.

The French cavalry rapidly retire. Losses have been fairly even in this small affair (roughly 30 men per side) but both this and the action at the vineyard have signalled to the French that the Austrians are ready and prepared to fight.

Their tactic of rushing the enemy for early gains has come unstuck. Their next attacks will need more preparation.

Above - The French cavalry (green flags) have pushed on alone and are isolated. The single yellow flag is the hussar regiment. The other yellow flags are the rest of 2nd Cav (dragoons and chevauxleger), with their horse artillery. The map graphic is copyright of Henry Hyde. After this action the French cavalry have fallen back around 1” on the pinboard, back into area 7.

Summary - The French attempted to do too much straight off the march. They have had to retire and will now need to organise some prepared assaults. French 2nd Line regiment have taken quite a beating, enough that they will not be able to lead the next assault. 

Resources - 

The campaign started at 6 AM - LINK to previous post.

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-pursuit-of-vi-korps-6am.html

My other bit of webspace is COMMANDERS if you have time for a coffee and a browse. LINK

https://commanders.simdif.com/dear_diary.html