Six Days in October: The Collected Correspondence of Marshal Davout

[James Sterrett]

Marshals of the combined Central Thrust, on the roads from Weimar (generally) to Naumbourg:

I have been following your reports of this day's (and evening's) activity with great interest as I receive them, and I am loath to interfere with your preliminaries as you maneuver into Naumbourg. Indeed, simple chatter on the road, from where I wait nearby, has reached me of some stunning results in that city, which sound as though they are in our favor although I am not quite sure.

Be that as it may, here two hours after midnight, I am only dispatching couriers to let you know what news I have received from the efforts of our Central Thrust up to now; and that I have no specific orders in mind yet. Once I'm sure the traffic has cleared sufficiently I'll be moving up into closer communion with my cavalry division. Mainly I want to ensure I am not in the way while you are doing your business.

I have not yet received news from Bernadotte or the East Wing more generally from today, but I'll pass up whatever I hear when-if-ever I do.

Let me not distract you; on with your work!

Napoleon I

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- FROM CONTROL -- 1000, 18th October

Marshals --

In the company of Viallannes' division, Marshal Davout has ridden up to the works before Naumbourg.

He does not need good Marshal Augereau to tell him -- although he is standing there supervising the business -- that VII Corps has begun battering the town with artillery fire.

You may speak one to another directly.

Also, while you are engaged in colloquy, piquets sent out earlier by Marshal Augereau return to report they can see no sign of Prussians fleeing to the East of Naumbourg.

On the other hand, it would seem -- hard to tell for certain -- that they have done as much as is possible to prepare the town against assault.   Your best estimate is that the defenders are either a division or two in strength.

S!,


Davout:
Marshal Augereau --

I presume you are preparing to assault Naumburg directly.

If that is the case, then...

1) Do you require any direct assistance from my corps?

2) If not, would you like me to direct my corps to maneuver to the east of Naumburg in order to block the enemy's retreat, prevent their being reinforced, and secure the next river crossing?

- Davout




Davout,

I am not. I am sustaining a bombardment so that our emperor may coordinate our efforts. I do not know yet if he wants me to invest in an attack on prepared defenses in a built up area. I have informed him of the Prussian location and that i am bombarding. My divisions are currently defending should the Prussians sally forth or should reinforcements appear. We are prepared to participate as part of a coordinated attack.

I recommend you send you cavalry eastward to guard or screen any potential reinforcements. Recommend your Corps assume positions to the north and towards to east of the town. You can tie in with my eastern most flank.

Augs





Understood!

I will move to the east of town.

- Davout

[James Sterrett]

Orders from Davout to III Corps, 1000, 18 October

From: Davout
To: III Corps; and also Emperor Napoleon, Marshals Murat, Lannes, & Bernadotte
Time: 1000 18 October

Situation: Marshal Augereau's corps is facing a Prussian force of 1 or 2 divisions in Naumbourg.  They appear to have fortified the town.

III Corps will march on an arc south of Naumbourg, aiming to seize the territory east of Naumbourg and secure the river crossing east of Naumbourg.  We will make ready to, on order:  1) Assault the town; 2) Defend the river crossing to prevent reinforcement of the town; and/or 3) Prevent the enemy from retreating eastwards out of Naumbourg.

Order of march is exactly as we are currently arrayed on the road.

Scheme of maneuver:

Cavalry will reconnoiter and, if feasible, screen terrain for the infantry to hold.

1st Division will tie in with Augereau's eastern flank and complete the investment of Naumbourg eastwards to the Salle River.

2nd Division will secure the crossing to the east.

3rd Division will be in reserve between them.

Once 3rd Division is in place, the Cavalry should expect new orders - either to also enter the reserve, or to scout eastwards.

Corps pioneers: on arrival, provide an estimate of the time needed to bridge the Salle in case we decide it is necessary to do so.

I will be with the cavalry division at least until we arrive at the neck of land between Naumbourg and the bridge to its east.

[James Sterrett]

Bridges


From the Umpire:

The Saale counts as a minor river.

Two hours for a bridge of boats or pontoons.

Four hours for a wooden bridge.

All presuming that no one is firing at you or otherwise interrupting.


From Davout:

Thanks!

I'm sure the Prussian cowards would not dare interfere; they would simply wait around for a chance to surrender.  :)

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- LANNES to DAVOUT -- 1400, 18th October

SENT -- 1000, 18th October

My brother Marshal,

With the road clearing, V Corps is finally on the move from Weimar to Naumbourg. We can hear cannon fire from the north and east, presumably in the vicinity of Naumbourg itself. I am pushing my cavalry forward to maintain contact with your corps. Do you have any contact yet with the enemy?

Lannes




SENT 1000, 18th October

To: V Corps, Davout, Murat, Augereau

Gentlemen:

Now that the road has cleared we will continue our plan of march as I sent yesterday. From the sound of things, M. Augereau has found some Prussians near Naumbourg.

We will be marching for ten hours along the road from Weimar to Naumbourg. Our objective is to march to the sound of the guns and support M. Augereau and M. Davout. If we continue to hear the sound of cannon at dusk, we will continue our progress until we are either in contact with the enemy or have joined with the friendly forces in the vicinity of Naumbourg.

Be prepared to march quickly in support of the troops to our front; contact with the Prussians is expected. The order of march will be our cavalry, 1st Division, 2nd, Division, 3rd Division. our cavalry is to keep contact with M. Davout's corps. I will maintain my headquarters with 1st Division.

The cavalry should dispatch vedettes 2km to the front and flanks of our column to screen for the enemy.

Lannes

[James Sterrett]

DAVOUT to many 1600, 18th October

From: Marshal Davout
To: Emperor Napoleon, Marshalls Augereau, Lannes, Murat, Bernadotte
Time: 1600, 18 October

Gentlemen:

My cavalry scouts, approaching the rover crossing east of Naumbourg, drove some of Blucher's cavalry off eastwards.

This suggests that Ruchel is holed up in Naumbourg and Blucher - and thus Brunswick's corps? - is to the east of us.

Marshal Augereau: If your corps is sufficient to invest Naumbourg and Ruchel's Remnants, then may I suggest that I continue eastwards tomorrow to maintain pressure on Brunswick?

- Davout

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- CONTROL to DAVOUT -- 1600, 18th October

Marshal,

Very curious, your forward cavalry scouts to the East of Naumbourg report nearly capturing Prussian riders near the position they have taken up guarding the river.

The curious bit is that they were certainly not of Ruchel's Corps but Blucher's.  They made good their escape back to the East.

S!


Reply to Umpire:

Between you and me - I'm increasingly seeing why you hinted that my lurch towards Weimar was a bad move, denying us the ability to deeply outflank the Prussians.

That's Kriegsspiel for you...  gotta make decisions in ignorance of all the facts.  :)   (And I still don't know if it was a mistake.  And you won't - and shouldn't! - tell me until it is all over.  :)  )

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- LANNES to DAVOUT -- 1730, 18th October

SENT 1430, 18th October

From: Lannes
To: Marshal Davout, also Emperor Napoleon, Marshals Murat, Augereau, and Bernadotte

M. Davout,

At present, V Corps is right behind you on the road to Naumbourg, with my cavalry maintaining contact with your trailing division. In light of the situation at Naumbourg, the following opportunities seem worth discussion as to the disposition of V Corps:

First, we can continue to follow III Corps as it moves south of the town, taking up a reserve position in support of III and VII Corps in the attack on Naumbourg.

Alternately, we might follow you as above, but continue our march to take and hold the crossing of the Saale to the east, freeing up your 2nd Division to assist in investing Naumbourg.

Finally, we could leave the road at Bad Kosen to the west of Naumbourg where it crosses the Saale, and move along the Saale to the north of Naumbourg, further isolating the town and blocking the withdrawal of the Prussian divisions in that direction. This is perhaps the more productive option, though it does involve the separation of V Corps from III and VIII Corps by a major river. I would suggest that I leave a division at Bad Kosen west of Naumbourg to secure the Saale crossing there, protecting the line of communication for III and VII Corps.

Please inform me as to your preference. In lieu of any communication from you I will plan to leave a division at Bad Kosen west of Naumbourg and then take up a position south of Naumbourg in reserve, this seeming to me to be the most cautious and supportive disposition for my corps.

Lannes


SENT 1400, 18th October

From: Lannes
To: III Corps, also to Marshals Davout and Murat

Generals,

I am moving my headquarters from Mattstedt to the road crossing of the Saale west of Naumbourg (town of Bad Kosen).

Lannes

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- AUGEREAU to DAVOUT -- 1730, 18th October

SENT 1700, 18th October

My friend Davout,

I heartily encourage you to pursue that goal. I have enough to keep  Naumbourg bottled up, and bottled up is all I want to do with it. I will NOT invest in a costly assault. I will bombard and await the Prussians to attempt a break-out. We also await our Emperor's arrival. I expect him then to take charge and coordinate our efforts.

Yours.
Augereau




From: Marshal Davout
To:  Marshal Augereau
Time: 1700, 18 October

Excellent - you will keep Naumbourg bottled up, I will continue eastwards. 

I suggest we conduct the relief immediately; I will pass word to my troops to await yours.

Davout

[James Sterrett]

Davout to 1st Division, 1700 18 October

1st Division: 

Prepare to be relieved in your mission of investing Naumbourg by a division from Augereau's corps.

On being relieved, move into reserve and be prepared to march east tomorrow.

- Davout

[James Sterrett]

From: Marshal Davout
To: Emperor Napoleon, Marshals Augereau, Murat, Lannes, Bernadotte
Time: 1700, 18 October

Gentlemen!

After discussion with Marshal Augereau,  he will invest Naumbourg on his own; we intend the relief of my division on the east side to take place this evening.

This will release my corps to move eastwards again tomorrow; that is my current intent.

Marshal Lannes is now to the west of Naumbourg.  I suggest he follow me eastwards, but if our emperor prefers it, he could instead move north across the Saale.

- Davout




From: Marshal Davout
To: Emperor Napoleon, Marshals Augereau, Murat, Lannes, Bernadotte
Time: 1700, 18 October

Gentlemen, do you have a favorite punishment for aides who run off with a message before it is done, because you have stopped talking in order to think?


Tomorrow's major maneuver decision comes at the small town east of Naumbourg; a local claims it is called "Weissenfels".  From that town, we can turn north across the Saale towards Haale, or continue eastwards towards Leipzig.

I believe Lannes and I should move north towards Halle with an eye towards cutting off the Prussians through Magdebourg and Vittenberg.

* The rest of our army is to the east and/or south, and presumably advancing in the direction of Leipzig.  If we move eastwards, we will get in their way.  (They are likely to either be funneled through Altenbourg, or to be moving north towards Weissenfels in order to move west again.)

* If we move north, we gain the opportunity to cut Prussians at Leipzig away from Magdebourg; and, if we need to march on Leipzig after all, the approaches from the northwest are much easier terrain for us than the braided rivers we face from the southwest.


My current intent: I will march tomorrow towards Weissenfels and then towards Mersebourg.


- Davout

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- MURAT to DAVOUT -- 2100, 18th October

SENT 0900, 18th October

From: Marshal Murat (at the crossroads between Nordhausen and Eisleben)
To: Marshal Davout (presumed to be on the road leading west from Weimar, possibly near Apolda)
Copy to: Marshal Lannes ( presumed to be on the road leading west from Weimar, possibly near Apolda)

Gentlemen,
My corps has reached the T-junction crossroads, approximately 20km west of Eisleben. Thus far I have had no significant contact with Prussian forces.

I will be pausing here at the crossroads briefly in order to re-organize my corps before advancing to Eisleben, and thence on towards Halle.

Please advise your preference, if any, for my direction of movement past that point. lacking any input from you I will likely hold at Halle and rest, possibly sending a detachment south to Meresebourg as a blocking force.

I request that you pass this information to the Emperor in your next periodic report to him.

Your comrade-in-arms,
- Murat




To: Emperor Napoleon, and Marshals Lannes, Augereau, and Bernadotte
From: Marshal Davout
Time: 2100 18 October

Gentlemen, please find attached a note from our comrade, Marshal Murat.

I intend to suggest to him that he plan on striking deep, as the Prussians seem intent on falling back; though, clearly, he is as a remove such that he much listen primarily to his own counsel on the situation.

[James Sterrett]

DISPATCH -- AUGEREAU to DAVOUT -- 2230, 18th October

SENT 2200, 18th October

Message from Augereau to all my fellow Marshals.

Have any of you seen or heard from Napoleon? He was just here not too long ago. Now, when his Army is assembled, he is strangely absent? He hasn't fallen to the Prussians has he? What is his last known Location?

Concerned,
Augs.




To: Marshal Augereau
Time: 2230, 18 October
From: Davout

I'm not certain where our Emperor might be.  My impression was that he was going to be behind us at Weimar until the column passed, and might possibly follow the corps headed to Jena.

[James Sterrett]

FROM CONTROL -- 0100, 19th October

Marshals,

Naumbourg is burning.

S!




Davout to Augereau and Umpire:

We may have Roast Prussian tomorrow morning!

Unless it is a means of covering a retreat north of the river.

[James Sterrett]

Orders from Davout to III Corps, 0200, 19 October

From: Davout
To:  III Corps; and also Emperor Napoleon, Marshals Murat, Lannes, & Bernadotte
Time: 0200, 19 October

Situation:  Marshal Augereau's corps is facing a Prussian force of 1 or 2 divisions in Naumbourg.  They appear to have fortified the town, and the town is now (as of 0200) on fire.  III Corps is situated east of Naumbourg.  1st division is holding the eastern flank of the town and in the process of being relived by one of Marshal Augereau's divisions. 

Enemy: We have had fleeting contact with enemy forces eastwards, and elements of Ruchel's corps are in Naumbourg.

Mission:  III Corps will advance eastwards to Weissenfels.  Order of march will be:  Cavalry, 2nd division, 3rd division, 1st division.   I will be with the cavalry HQ.

There is a decision point tomorrow at Weissenfels between moving north towards Halle or continuing eastwards towards Leipzig.
   * Unless otherwise ordered, III Corps will turn northwards towards Halle
   * If there is evidence suggesting a lasting impact from attacking enemies in the direction of Leipzig, then we will do that instead.

   My expectation is that Halle will prove the better choice in order to continue our pursuit and/or to create a superior flanking opportunity against enemy forces operating in the area of Leipzig.

    We will be seeking indications regarding marching towards Magdebourg or Dessau on arrival at Halle.


Marshal Lannes:  Please follow in my trace.  You will also face a decision point on your arrival at Weissenfels; please advise me of your decision once you have made it.

Marshal Bernadotte:  Please advise us of your intentions to aid on coordination.


- Davout