Battle of Gué-à-Tresmes
Battle of Gué-à-Tresmes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Campaign of France of the Sixth Coalition | |||||||
Kleist's Prussians may have witnessed a scene like this as the 2nd Old Guard Division advanced toward them. Photo is from a reenactment of the Battle of Waterloo. | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
France |
Prussia Russia | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Édouard Mortier |
Friedrich von Kleist Peter Kaptzevich | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
10,000–14,000 | 12,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
250 killed, wounded, or captured |
Prussia: 945–1,035 killed, wounded, or captured Russia: 400 killed, wounded, or captured Total casualties: 1,345–1,435 killed, wounded, or captured | ||||||
The Battle of Gué-à-Tresmes (28 February–1 March 1814) was fought between 14,500 French troops led by
In late February,
Background
Schwarzenberg retreats
On 18 February 1814,
At Troyes, Schwarzenberg had 90,000 troops and Blücher had 50,000 soldiers to pit against 75,000 men under Napoleon. Schwarzenberg's intelligence services habitually overrated French strength so he remained unaware of his nearly two-to-one superiority. The Allied soldiers had worn-out uniforms and not enough food in a region that had been stripped of supplies by both sides. On 22 February the French launched probing attacks on the Allied positions from Méry to Troyes. That day, Marshal
Disappointed that his Austrian colleague was determined to retreat, Blücher requested permission to operate independently and it was granted him. He hoped to join forces with two corps under Ferdinand von Wintzingerode and Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow and advance toward Paris by a northerly route. Meanwhile, on 23 February Schwarzenberg's army withdrew to the east. The Coalition leaders sent an envoy to Napoleon to propose a truce, but the emperor's unreasonable conditions nixed the plan.[4]
Blücher's offensive
With 53,000 troops,
On 27 February the two French marshals burned the bridge at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre before crossing the river
Earlier, Mortier detached a force of 300 cavalry and 500 infantry led by Henri Baltazard Vincent.
Marmont and Mortier informed
Battle
28 February action
Kleist's Prussians rebuilt the bridge over the river Ourcq at Lizy and crossed to the west bank. They swung left and moved southwest to the Thérouanne stream. Since Sacken had pulled back from Meaux, Marmont and Mortier deduced that Blücher intended to envelop their left flank near Lizy. Therefore, on 28 February the two marshals moved northeast toward Lizy where they knew Kleist spent the previous night.[17] Leading Mortier's advanced guard, Vincent[12] bumped into Kleist's forward positions at Gué-à-Tresmes at 4:00 pm. Farther west near Étrépilly, Vincent cavalry charged and threw back Katzeler's outpost line. The 2nd Old Guard Division under Charles-Joseph Christiani appeared in front of Gué-à-Tresmes and took the Prussian positions under fire with 24 artillery pieces. Katzeler had the Haase Combined Fusilier Battalion, the Fusilier Battalion of the 2nd West Prussian Regiment and the Hüllesheim Combined Musketeer Battalion in line to oppose the French. Kleist sent the Brandenburg Uhlans to guard Katzeler's left flank while ordering Colonel Blücher's cavalry brigade to support the right flank.[18]
An artillery duel between French and Prussian cannons followed, during which Kleist formed his 9th and 10th Brigades on both sides of the main highway. Christiani sent his 1st Brigade to attack Gué-à-Tresmes in front while the Fusilier-Chasseur Regiment hit the village on the right side. The assault was successful in forcing the Linsingen Combined Battalion, the 2nd Silesian Combined Battalion and two more battalions to withdraw from Gué-à-Tresmes. As Kleist's corps withdrew to the northeast, the Prussians dismantled the bridge at Lizy. Mortier's corps swung to the right to face Lizy while Marmont's corps aggressively plunged after Kleist's men. The Prussian 9th Brigade made a stand at Le Plessis-Placy and a charge by one squadron of the Silesian Uhlans managed to stop two pursuing French battalions.[18]
By midnight Kleist's corps was pushed behind the Gergogne stream. Back at Lizy, Mortier repulsed an assault by two regiments from Peter Mikhailovich Kaptzevich's Russian corps. Kleist believed that he faced Napoleon because the French soldiers yelled "Vive l'Empereur" (Long live the emperor).[17] The French pursuit ended at 1:00 am on 1 March at May-en-Multien. By this hour the Prussian 9th Brigade was at Neufchelles and 10th Brigade farther north at Mareuil-sur-Ourcq. The Prussians lost 11 officers and 934 rank and file in the battle.[18] A long artillery bombardment lasted until the next morning, punctuated by bursts of musketry. In this phase of the battle, Russian casualties numbered 400 men, the Prussians lost 150–200 and the French 80 soldiers.[18] Historian Digby Smith estimated French losses as 250 and Prussian losses as 1,035 killed, wounded and missing.[19]
1 March action
Blücher received a report from
While Napoleon was stalled by having to cross the Marne, Blücher planned to launch Yorck and Kaptzevich across the Ourcq at Crouy. Yorck found the Crouy bridge destroyed so he marched north to cross at Fulaines. Sacken was drawn into a noisy skirmish at Lizy and unable to lend support. Finding that his plans were not being carried out, at 6:00 pm Blücher ordered Kaptzevich to force a crossing at Gesvres. Despite being opposed by Doumerc's cavalry, the Russian corps commander pushed his leading elements onto the west bank. Marmont swiftly brought up his infantry and, after a stiff fight, overran Kaptzevich's small bridgehead, capturing 280–300 Russians.[21] Kleist's attack also failed, leaving both sides in the same position as before.[22] That night Poret de Morvan's division marched into the French camp accompanied by the rumble of 48 guns and loud cheers. Despite their great numerical advantage, the morale of the Allied soldiers sank.[21]
Result
On 2 March, Blücher began retreating north in the direction of Soissons. While Yorck withdrew through Château-Thierry, Kaptzevich pulled back to La Ferté-Milon and Sacken fell back to Ancienville. Bringing up the rear was Kleist, who was directed to send a probe south toward May-en-Multien. Led by Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten, the Silesian Hussars, Neumark Dragoons, Silesian Uhlans and two horse artillery batteries set out, supported by five battalions from the 9th Brigade. As the Prussian reconnaissance force emerged from Neufchelles, Christophe Antoine Merlin's 1st Light Cavalry Division charged them. Merlin was driven back but Ricard's 8th Division and Joseph Lagrange's 3rd Division soon appeared with 12 heavy caliber cannons. In the artillery duel that followed, six Prussian guns were knocked out of action and Zieten decided to retreat at 5:00 pm. Kleist fell back to Mareuil-sur-Ourcq but was unable to cross the river because the other corps had not passed.[23] Not realizing the situation, Marmont did not press the Allies hard. Instead he simply bombarded Mareuil and Kleist got away.[24]
Napoleon had no pontoon train, which slowed him down considerably.
Forces
French order of battle
Corps | Division | Brigade | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Guard Corps: Marshal Édouard Mortier |
2nd Old Guard Division: General of Division Charles-Joseph Christiani |
Unknown commander | Fusilier Chasseur Regiment |
Fusilier Grenadier Regiment | |||
Vélites of Turin | |||
General of Brigade Jean-Louis Gros |
Flanqueur Chasseur Regiment | ||
Flanqueur Grenadier Regiment | |||
Vélites of Florence | |||
2nd Young Guard Division: General of Division Philibert Jean-Baptiste Curial[note 1] |
General of Brigade Lagrange |
5th Voltiguer Regiment | |
6th Voltiguer Regiment | |||
General of Brigade Jacques Le Capitaine |
7th Voltiguer Regiment | ||
8th Voltiguer Regiment | |||
VI Corps: Marshal Auguste de Marmont |
3rd Division: General of Division Joseph Lagrange |
General of Brigade Joseph Antoine de Joubert |
23rd and 37th Light Infantry Regiments |
15th and 16th Line Infantry Regiments | |||
70th and 121st Line Infantry Regiments | |||
General of Brigade Jean-Louis Fournier |
1st and 62nd Line Infantry Regiments | ||
132nd Line Infantry Regiment | |||
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Marine Regiments | |||
8th Division: General of Division Étienne Pierre Sylvestre Ricard |
General of Brigade Pierre Pelleport |
6th Light Infantry Regiment | |
4th and 6th Line Infantry Regiments | |||
136th Line Infantry Regiment | |||
General of Brigade Pierre Clavel |
6th and 19th Light Infantry Regiments | ||
138th and 144th Line Infantry Regiments | |||
1st Cavalry Division: General of Division Jean-Pierre Doumerc[19][note 2] |
General of Brigade Cyrille Simon Picquet[29] |
1st Gardes d'Honneur Regiment | |
10th Hussar Regiment | |||
Unknown | 1st Provisional Hussar Regiment | ||
2nd, 3rd and 4th Provisional Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments | |||
I Cavalry Corps: General of Division Étienne Tardif de Bordesoulle |
1st Light Cavalry Division: General of Division Christophe Antoine Merlin |
General of Brigade Pierre François Antoine Huber |
6th, 7th and 8th Hussar Regiments |
1st, 3rd and 5th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiments | |||
7th and 8th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiments | |||
General of Brigade Antoine Latour-Foissac |
1st, 2nd and 3rd Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments | ||
6th, 8th and 9th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments | |||
16th and 25th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments | |||
1st Heavy Cavalry Division: General of Division Étienne Tardif de Bordesoulle |
General of Brigade Nicolas Marin Thiry |
2nd and 3rd Cuirassier Regiments | |
6th and 9th Cuirassier Regiments | |||
11th and 12th Cuirassier Regiments | |||
General of Brigade Joseph Alexandre Félix Laville |
4th, 7th and 14th Cuirassier Regiments | ||
7th and 23rd Dragoon Regiments | |||
28th and 30th Dragoon Regiments |
Allied order of battle
Corps | Division | Brigade | Units |
---|---|---|---|
II Corps: General-Leutnant Friedrich Kleist von Nollendorf 9,800 men |
Infantry | 9th Brigade: Generalmajor Franz Friedrich von Klüx |
1st West Prussian Infantry Regiment (1st, 2nd and Fusilier Battalions) |
6th Reserve Infantry Regiment (two battalions) | |||
Silesian National Hussar Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
7th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
6-pounder Foot Battery Nr. 7 (Eight 6-pound cannons) | |||
10th Brigade: Generalmajor Georg Dubislav von Pirch
|
2nd West Prussian Infantry Regiment (1st, 2nd and Fusilier Battalions) | ||
Combined Fusilier Battalion von Haase | |||
2nd Silesian Infantry Regiment (one battalion) | |||
7th Reserve Infantry Regiment (one battalion) | |||
1st Silesian Infantry Regiment (one battalion) | |||
Schützen Battalion (two companies) | |||
2nd Silesian Hussar Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
8th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
6-pounder Foot Battery Nr. 8 (Eight 6-pound cannons) | |||
Cavalry Reserve: General-Leutnant Hans Ernst von Zieten |
Lieutenant Colonel von Blücher | Neumark Dragoon Regiment (four squadrons) | |
1st Silesian Hussar Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
Major von Wrangel | Grand Duke Constantine Cuirassier Regiment (four squadrons) | ||
Brandenburg Cuirassier Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
Lieutenant Colonel von Haacke | Silesian Cuirassier Regiment (four squadrons) | ||
Silesian Uhlan Regiment (four squadrons) | |||
Horse Artillery | Horse Batteries Nr. 7 and Nr. 8 (16 6-pound cannons) | ||
Artillery Reserve: Lieutenant Colonel von Lehmann |
Horse Batteries Nr. 9 and Nr. 10 (16 6-pound cannons) | ||
6-pounder Batteries Nr. 9 and Nr. 11 (16 6-pound cannons) | |||
7-pounder Howitzer Battery Nr. 1 | |||
I Corps: General-Leutnant Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg |
Cavalry Reserve: Generalmajor Georg von Jürgass |
Generalmajor Friedrich von Katzler | Brandenburg Hussar Regiment (four squadrons) |
Brandenburg Uhlan Regiment (four squadrons) |
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ Curial's division dramatically changed organization between 14 February and 17 March. The earlier units and the later commanders are shown. The only General Lagrange found in the sources (French Wikipedia, Broughton) was the one leading Marmont's 3rd Division.
- ^ Doumerc's division is omitted by Nafziger but its composition is listed in Smith.
- Citations
- ^ Petre 1994, pp. 86–87.
- ^ a b Petre 1994, pp. 88–89.
- ^ Smith 1998, pp. 499–500.
- ^ Petre 1994, pp. 90–91.
- ^ Nafziger 2015, p. 220.
- ^ a b Nafziger 2015, pp. 224–225.
- ^ Petre 1994, p. 94.
- ^ Petre 1994, p. 97.
- ^ Petre 1994, p. 101.
- ^ a b c d e Petre 1994, p. 102.
- ^ a b c d Nafziger 2015, p. 226.
- ^ a b c d Nafziger 2015, p. 227.
- ^ Petre 1994, pp. 97–98.
- ^ Petre 1994, pp. 98–99.
- ^ Petre 1994, pp. 100–101.
- ^ Petre 1994, p. 103.
- ^ a b Petre 1994, p. 105.
- ^ a b c d Nafziger 2015, p. 228.
- ^ a b Smith 1998, p. 505.
- ^ a b c Petre 1994, p. 106.
- ^ a b c Nafziger 2015, p. 229.
- ^ Petre 1994, p. 107.
- ^ Nafziger 2015, p. 230.
- ^ a b Nafziger 2015, p. 231.
- ^ Nafziger 2015, p. 232.
- ^ Petre 1994, p. 110.
- ^ Smith 1998, p. 507.
- ^ Nafziger 2015, pp. 604–606, 681–683.
- ^ Nafziger 2015, p. 582.
- ^ Nafziger 2015, pp. 621–623, 634.
References
- ISBN 978-1-909982-96-3.
- ISBN 1-85367-163-0.
- ISBN 1-85367-276-9.
Further reading
- Alison, Archibald (1842). History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution to the Restoration of the Bourbons. Collection of Ancient and Modern British Authors. Vol. 10. Paris: Baudry's European Library. OCLC 176873025. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- Broughton, Tony (2010). "Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815". The Napoleon Series. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
External links
- Media related to Battle of Gué-à-Tresmes at Wikimedia Commons