16th October
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From SOULT: Orders to IV Corps 0400
My brave soldiers of the 4th Corps,
Today is the day of Battle!
We will attack at 7am sharp and destroy the enemy.
We will attack with Laval's and Legrand's divisions in column at the centre of the enemy's line. Hillaire's division will be in reserve behind them with Guyot's Cavalry formed in two wings on either flank of him. Marshal Ney's Corps will attack the enemy's right flank.
If the attacks are successful, Hillaire is to punch a hole in the enemy's line and send the cavalry through the hole with each wing going left and right. There they will carve the enemy up from their rear.
If the attacks are struggling, Hillaire will attack to force the enemy to hold his positions there and maybe draw in his reserves so Marshal Ney can press his attack.
Hit them hard Mon ami!! Make France and the Emperor proud of you!
Bon Chance and Vive La France! Vive La Emperor!
Soult
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DISPATCH --SOULT to NEY 0400
Esteemed Marshal,
I will attack at 7am sharp. I intend to attack with two divisions in column in the centre of the enemy's line. This will be Laval and Legrand. Hillaire's division will be in reserve behind them with the Cavalry formed in two wings on either flank of him. If the two attacks are successful I will send Hillaire in to punch a hole in the enemy's line and send the cavalry through the hole and cause havoc. Hopefully our troops will meet in the middle!
However, I feel the enemy will probably be too entrenched so I am not too hopeful. If this is the case, I will send in Hillaire anyway to force the enemy to hold his positions there and maybe draw in his reserves while you attack from the flank.
Hit them hard! I am sure will you smash them to pieces!
Bon Chance and Vive La France!
Soult
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DISPATCH --NEY to SOULT 0400
Sir:
I will move with the 1st Division with the Guard following in reserve, to support your left, and attempt to get into the Prussians right-rear.
My cavalry will move to the left, looking for the other divisions, and trying to cut the enemy's line of communication to Leipzig.
The 2nd Division should be in supporting distance by this evening, ready to support us tomorrow.
Bon Chance!
Ney
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DISPATCH --NEY to SOULT 0400
Esteemed Marshal Soult...
My orders to the troops....
My friends.
The hour of trial is upon us. Marshal Soult is engaging the enemy at 7:00 am in front (south) of Altenbourg. We will move aggressively on the enemy’s flank, and attempt to get into his rear to cut off his line of communication to Leipzig.
1st DIVISION & IMPERIAL GUARD
Be prepared to advance on the enemy’s position at 700 am, Oct. 16.
The 1st Division. shall be in front, in standard attack formation, preceded by skirmishers. The right the Division will be directed at the right flank of the Prussian line, so as to advance perpendicular to the Prussian main line. Upon reaching the Prussian line, the Division will push vigorously on the flank to roll it up towards the center, where Soult’s troops shall be attacking.
The Guard will follow in the trace of the 1st Division, in support, prepared to throw into the front line if ordered, and to cover the left of the Corps.
CAVALRY
At 700am, the Cavalry (minus the squadron at Gera) shall move to the left of the 1st Division to cover the flank against the enemy cavalry.
If the enemy’s horse is not found, the Cavalry will move further to left to get to find the enemy’s reserve, and get astride the road from Altenbourg to Leipzig, break up their trains, etc.
Send reports to me as upon meeting the enemy and if/when you cut the road to Leipzig.
-NEY
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DISPATCH -- FROM CONTROL -- 0800
My Lord Marshal,
Your men have begun mounting an assault on the Prussian forces before them.
These men clearly had prepared defenses overnight and are defending a built up area. That said, between your own forces and those of Marshal Ney, you appear to have numerical superiority that could prove significant.
In addition, the advance of the Guard has, unsurprisingly, made a difference.
Your own forces appear to have won the lost round, but not significantly.
The battle will continue.
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DISPATCH -- FROM CONTROL -- 1000
My Lord Marshal,
The battle at Altenbourg has entered a savage stage.
Your men are working prodigies of valour, but are struggling now against the defenses and the apparent intention of your foe to remain on the battlefield. Your commanders implore you to release St. Hilaire's division from the reserve.
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DISPATCH -- FROM Soult to St. Hilaire-- 1000
General,
It is time to attack.
Hit them hard!
Soult.
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DISPATCH -- FROM CONTROL -- 1200
My Lord Marshal,
The arrival of the men of St. Hilaire's division has steadied your lines in the assault. The Prussians you confront, however, have proven most resilient and their entrenchments are better than you thought.
The last two hours were desultory, but your men do seem to be wavering in the attack. Not St. Hilaire, of course, but the others who have been committed are casting an occasional eye rearward.
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DISPATCH --SOULT to NEY 1200
Esteemed Marshal,
I have committed my reserves to the attack but the enemy is holding fast and a breakthrough seems unlikely. I still have my Cavalry but they can not do much against entrenchments.
How goes your attack? I will keep pushing and tie them to their defences but Laval's and Legrand's men are showing some signs of wavering.
Regards
Soult
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SOULT: Orders to IV Corps 1200
General's Laval and Legrand, You must keep pressing the attack! Exhort your men! We must keep the enemy tied to their defences so Marshal Ney can effect a breakthrough on their left flank.
General Guyot, send a detachment east and find the enemy's flank. Report back to me immediately when you do so.
Soult
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DISPATCH --NEY to SOULT 1200
My dear Marshal,
I have driven the division before me, and am now marching to your aid.
Look for my troops to be ready by 2pm.
I hope to get on the enemy's right flank.
Your servant,
Ney
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DISPATCH --SOULT to NEY 1200
Esteemed Marshal,
Excellent! I shall keep pressing the attack!
Regards,
Soult
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DISPATCH --NEY to SOULT 1200
My dear Marshal,
I received this message from the emperor at 1130 am this morning.
This missive, along with a dispatch from my 2nd Division, confirms that my 2nd Div. as been detached from me, and will be marching from Neustadt to Jena, or wherever directed.
This leaves you and I with 5 infantry divisions and 2 cavalry divisions, all present (minus a cavalry squadron detached at Gera.)
The balance of my cavalry has been ordered to move from the west to get into the enemy's rear at Altenbourg.
My men have driven the enemy from them and will be in close support to you ready to recommence action at 2 pm.
May I suggest you move your cavalry to probe/get around the enemy's left flank and come down on them from the rear?
I will order my cavalry squadron at Gera to scout towards Zeitz and Jena.
Ney
SENT 0300, 16th October
To my East Wing Marshals via Ney:
The last I heard, you were both approaching Altenbourg along your roads, having flushed out and identified at least half of Hohen’s corps, although I got the impression that the Flanc and ArmyGruppe forces had not been detected yet. However, if you have somehow bypassed them, they will be cut off from supplies and left out of command, so that might be ideal.
Ney reported that he left either his 2nd division or his seconded division (i.e. my infantry guard, seconded to him) at Neustadt to secure the LoC and as reserve deployment for either Jena or Altenbourg. Since this node is now secure, and the bulk of the enemy seems to be in Weimar’s area, I shall send orders for this division to detach from Ney and move up the road to Bernadotte, who as of this evening has discovered Jena empty of the enemy. His orders shall be to leave an infantry division (perhaps that one) guarding Jena as a backstop in case Hohen tries to make his way back to the Weimar group by this route; and meanwhile probe west toward Weimar.
I am a little concerned that if you continue toward Leipniz, with evidence of Hohen having turned toward Jena, that we shall have problems. So if you see this evidence, you should alter your plans to follow him toward Jena. If however he seems clearly moving north again, keep following behind. Do not rush to force him to stand and fight. As long as he is maneuvering, he isn’t helping Weimar, and is causing you no casualties, so that your strength may be preserved for the Berlin road. However, if we can catch him between us, then we should try to eliminate him while we can.
I am moving my HQ to the halfway point of the road between Jena and the T-fork south of Weimar, where I can get and pass along reports from Aug and Bern more easily. Once my cavalry and artillery units catch up, however, I may well attempt a march northward off road aiming for the Jena-Weimar road along which Bernadotte shall eventually be probing. Augereau has already evidently stifled a sally attempt south from Weimar, and shall be probing north to that city from an area north of the T-fork.
West Wing has decisively crushed Ruchel’s corp, eliminating it from combat operations. Davout, per the original plan, shall be taking command, and Murat once his cavalary are rested, shall be moving up and around behind Weimar in a broad encirclement. The main West group shall also be probing toward Weimar from Erfurt. We expect to catch any defenders there in a three-way pincer, with Murat positioned to slice them from behind eventually, whether the Prussians flee or not (though they would have been well advised to shorten their defensive line closer to the Berlin road exit point).
I hope to hear updates soon on whether your advance on Altenbourg from two directions caught the redoubtable Hohenlohe. Good hunting so far, and may you continue making this October miserable for our Prussian foes.
Napoleon
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DISPATCH -- FROM CONTROL -- 1400
My Lord Marshal,
The men of LaGrande's division could take no more. They have begun withdrawing from the fight. In their wake, the men of both Laval and Guyot's division, though their generals belted them with the flats of their swords, have also taken to flight. And all this despite inflicting grievous wounds on the enemy during the last two hours. Were it not for their defensive positions, they would surely have fled by now.
Only the men of St. Hilaire are prepared to continue the attack.
A courier from your piquets has arrived, however, and indicates that Marshal Ney is advancing to your aid and will be prepared to enter the line during the next round of combat with the whole of his corps.
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Orders to IV Corps 1400
General's Laval and Legrand, rally your men as fast as you can behind St. Hillaire.
Tell them they will not have to attack again today, but they will be needed in case of an enemy counterattack.
General St. Hillaire, keep up the attack!
Soult
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DISPATCH --SOULT to NEY 1400
Esteemed Marshal,
Two of my divisions have broken against the enemy defences. I am carrying on the attack with St. Hillaire's div.
I have sent scouts out to find the enemy's left flank. No report back yet.
Regards
Soult
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NEY to SOULT 1400
My friend,
How many divisions are in your front?
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From Control -- 1600
Marshals,
You are to be congratulated. With the intervention of Marshal Ney's men, and with St. Hilaire's men cheered at the sight, the divisions of Taunzien and Zechwitz have now been put to flight -- along with the Prussian artillery reserve.
This, however, has been a victory bought in blood. Your men have sustained nearly 9,000 casualties in their day's fight, having inflicted some only a bit more than half that on their foes.
The morale of the Prussians, however, must now be judged a difficult-to-restore ruin.
You both, however, face a difficult decision, viz.: pursue the Prussians to the North wish your cavalry -- which has sustained losses of its own -- or let them flee that way under the risk that they, eventually, regroup.
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NEY to SOULT 1600
My dear friend
Well done, and well earned. I will report to the emperor.
It seems we have driven two (2) Prussian divisions and their Reserve Artillery.
I suggest we have our cavalry move forward in pursuit. We should support their advance with St. Hilaire, and my 1st Division, with the Imperial Guard as reserve.
Rest your battered divisions.
If reports are true, I imagine the enemy is retiring towards Leipzig in haste and disorder. We should continue to show force in their rear so they do not have leisure to halt and reform their broken formations short of Leipzig. Our cavalry should make a steady, but not rash pursuit, with our infantry in support.
Recall that I have a squadron of cavalry at Gera scouting northward towards Zeitz. While the enemy before us has been driven, I am not sure what to make of any push by them from Naumbourg, which would be a key node between the Prussians eastern and western wings.
NEY
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SOULT to NEY 1600
Esteemed Marshal,
Thank your troops for their outstanding efforts in breaking the enemy.
I agree we must pursue, it might be best if one of us stays here and leads the recovery and clean up of the battle field while the other leads the able troops in pursuit.
As most of the troops are yours I think it should be you to lead the pursuit. I can attach St. Hillaire and Guyot's cavalry to your command and you can attach any division that needs to recover to mine. We will follow as soon as the men are able.
What do you think?
Kindest regards,
Soult
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NEY to SOULT 1600
My dear Marshal,
Your plan sounds ... sound.
While I have not received detailed reports on my Corps' casualties, I do believe you have had the hardest time of it and do need some rest. They will recover better under your eye.
I can begin pursuit with St. Hillaire and Guyot, along with my Corps. Please inform these General's of there temporary assignment.
My thanks.
Ney.
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Orders to IV Corps 1600
Mon ami! Mon Braves!
Today was a hard day and we have lost many comrades. However with Marshal Ney's help the enemy abandoned their defences and are now running like the dogs they are.Marshal Ney is to give chase while our Corps will regroup here.
General's St. Hilaire and Guyot, you and your men are temporarily attached to Marshal Ney's Corps, effective immediately. He will give you your marching orders very soon. Go and prepare your men. Bon chance and good hunting!
General's Legrand and Laval, I require an accurate head count and state of your men. I also wish for you to police up the battlefield and recover anything of value.
Soult
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Action at Altenbourg -- The Butcher's Bill
The roll of survivors is as follows:
Colbert -- 1,420
Guyot -- 929
Imperial Guard -- 5,000
Legrand -- 6,371
Leval -- 8,000
Marchand -- 6,000
St. Hilaire -- 7,000
As Colbert pursues the shattered Prussian division, and as you begin to survey the battlefield at Altenbourg, you find literally thousands of Prussian wounded left behind as the result of their rapid retreat.
The number may go as high as three to four thousand men, guns, and horse.
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DISPATCH - Soult to Napoleon 1800
My Lord Emperor and Marshal Ney,
Please find attached my report of today's battle.
Soult
(see here:
http://grogheads.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Altenbourg-After-Action-Report.pdf
