After reading about half of LuckyLewis' "Liberation" epic I have been inspired to craft my own story and share it with you all. Although I have no ambition to out do Lewis, nor could I if I wanted to, I do hope that my own reports will at least be somewhat entertaining to you all. I won't have the magnificent pictures of "Liberation" as I am still rather new to writing AARs and taking screenshots/editing pictures etc., but I hope you will hear me out for the time being.
With that said I shall briefly introduce myself; I have been playing Napoleon on and off since it was released, loving virtually every minute of it. I have played all of the Total War games except the original Shogun and again, loved them all in their own way. I am no master tactician or strategist, but I can hold my own and can usually trounce the AI. I would like to write this report in the form of a pseudo-historical text with excerpts from primary sources, i.e. journals, letters, newspaper clippings etc. I will attempt to add pictures and maps as I go, but I need to learn the mechanics of those things so please give it some time.
A little background on the Campaign I will be discussing: This report will be told from the perspective of the British against Napoleon and his allies and friends. The campaign is set to hard/hard. The game will be running the Europe in Conflict mod, as well as a personalized version of the Scarlet Dawn unit pack.
Now, without further delay, The War in Europe : Setting the Stage: The year is 1806, autumn: The French Empire, under Napoleon's rule, has expanded and conquered most of central Europe. The once glorious Austrian Empire is barely even a shadow of its former self, the monarchy holding only a few eastern regions near the Russian border. Prussia's proud warrior heritage has done little to stem the tide of French forces; the capital city of Berlin itself has fallen to Napoleon just this spring. The Russians have faced serious internal problems over the past year or so, revolts, rebellions and revolution over took the Empire. Scant weeks ago the Czar capitulated to republican forces, ending centuries of hereditary rule. Although there was fear that the French would find a friend in the new Russian Republic, the Russians have not forgotten French hostility nor are they fooled by Napoleon's overtures of "republican brotherhood" and see the Emperor's true face. The Russians are however, still weak from their internal strife and will be hard pressed to resist the might of Napoleon's veteran armies.
Of the once mighty Coalition only Britain remains a viable power to oppose the French Empire. Over the past year British Fleets have waged a blood war for control of the North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately the British warships have triumphed, crushing the Batavian Navy in the North Sea and the combined French-Spanish navies of the Atlantic. British trade ships now have safe and free access to the ports and trade routs of the Americas and western Africa. Powerful fleets commanded by heroic admirals such as Lord Horatio Nelson and Thomas Cochrane patrol the west coasts of France and Spain, securing the narrow access from the Mediterranean.
Other developments over the past year have not been entirely fruitful however. British efforts to bring more European nations into the Coalition have met with mixed results; Portugal a long time friend of Britain has joined the fight against Napoleon and the Papal States have been convinced that with British support they can stand against the French in northern Italy. However the Danes and the Germanic people of Oldenburg remain staunch friends of France. Portugal’s entry into the war has resulted in a bloody conflict on the Iberian Peninsula with Spain turning on the Portuguese and capturing Gibraltar which had been entrusted to Portugal to aid holding the French in the Mediterranean Sea.
The British were slow to oppose the French and their allies on land as they lack a large, experienced army. This has changed however, with troops withdrawn from far off colonies and new regiments raised throughout the British Isles and impressive force has been amassed. The new British army, under the overall command of General Arthur Wellesley, consists of four corps of Infantry with Battalions of cavalry and artillery in support. A fifth corps consisting of a joint force of British army and Royal Marines with further cavalry and artillery support has also been assembled and placed under the command of General George Townshend Walker. Although these forces are impressive in number, most of the men in the ranks are green and have yet to experience the horrors of war.
In recent weeks the tensions between Britain and Denmark have spiraled out of control; Danish resistance to the British led embargo against France, and their continued and vocal support of Napoleon have led Britain to take drastic action. Fearing that the Danish will ally themselves with the French Empire and bring their considerable navy into the North Sea to raid British shipping lanes and hamper troop deployments to the continent, Britain has declared war on Denmark. The main British army has been split; two corps sailing to the southern shores of Norway, long a Danish territory, the other two corps made for the western coast of the Jutland Peninsular. British fleets have been tasked with blockading the Danish ports and ensuring that their navy will not hamper British troop deployments or shipping. The goal will be to quickly secure Norway, denying Denmark (and therefore Napoleon) access to the major naval ship yards found there. The other two corps will hold position in Jutland until Norway is secure; engaging the bulk of the Danish Army, then the combined army will march on Copenhagen. Although it brings the British no pleasure it has been concluded that if the Danish Monarchy will not reverse their pro-Napoleon policy, then a régime change will be needed.
In other developments, the Portuguese having recently lost control of Gibraltar and facing a massive Spanish force have called for the British to aid them. The British 5th corps commanded by General Walker has been deployed to Corunna; the strategy being a holding action to try and draw off Spanish forces from Lisbon giving the Portuguese time to assemble their forces. Although the 5th Corps is eager to join the fight against Napoleon and his allies they are relatively inexperienced and will face potentially overwhelming forces in Spain.
So the Stage is set for the opening act of what will undoubtedly be one of the most massive, devastating and important wars in European history.
Last edited by SCCOJake; December 30, 2010 at 09:25 PM.
Reason: the name of a general and the time of year were wrong.
Sorry about a double post without any significant updates, but I thought you might find this of some interest; a short list of some of the primary sources I intend to use when writing this AAR.
Pvt. D McGregor of the 92nd Highland Foot
Lt. J Howard of the 1st Battalion Royal Marines
Lt. J Flanerty of the H.M.S. Victory under Lord Horatio Nelson
Capt. A Wiess of the 2nd Battalion King's German Legion Light Dragoons
Maj. A Smith of the 3rd Regiment of Foot
Mr. Abraham Cooper an American newspaper reporter
Mr. David Davidson (DD for short) a British newspaper reporter
There may be others as well, but I intend to draw from these men mostly as I expect they will be in some of the thickest fighting and so have the best stories. I tried to split up where they will be seeing the action (the marines are in Spain, I think the highlanders are in Norway and the 3rd foot should be in Jutland) but I'm going off memory so I will adjust as needed. Let your imagination run wild and hopefully I can write a real update tonight or tomorrow.
Last edited by SCCOJake; January 09, 2011 at 05:48 PM.
In late September of 1806 the British army, under the command of Arthur Wellesley deployed to Denmark with two corps detached to capture Norway and the valuable naval facilities there. The two forces made land fall unopposed by the Danes and, after establishing good lines of communication and supply, marched towards their objectives: the cities of Christiania in Norway and Copenhagen on the Zealand Island. To the north the 3rd and 4th Corps under command of the 3rd Corps general, John Moore, closed in on the city of Christiania eager for a fight.
On September 3rd General Moore and his 3rd Corps would get their wish, being the first British land troops to engage in combat. Douglass McGregor, a young private of the 92nd Highland Regiment of Foot describes the scene as the British forces come face to face with their first Danish opponents in a letter home:
…As we approached the city we could see a cloud of dust or smoke rising to the west of the buildings. At first we thought that the city may have been set on fire perhaps in a panic or better a riot that would cause confusion and allow us an easy victory. As we drew closer we saw that the dust was following a large body of men moving out of the city. We heard the officers shouting and a number of men on horse road back and forth undoubtedly carrying dispatches and reports on the enemy situation. The light troops were called up and we saw those battalions rush forward of the column and shortly we were called to deploy into a battle line as well. Our officers and sergeants dressed us perfectly and shortly there was a long line of men in red uniforms stretched for near a mile just south of the city.
With battle lines drawn, the Danish garrison marched forward to engage the British army. The defense of Norway had been left to only two professional line battalions supported by a single battery of light artillery and one regiment of light dragoons. This was augmented by three militia battalions and five battalions of emergency conscripts. The British 3rd Light Foot Battalion, deployed forward of the main force and positioned along a low stone wall for protection, were the first to fire upon the Danish troops.
At first the Danes intended to drive off the scattered British soldiers with drilled musket fire, but the redcoats were well protected by the wall and their dispersed formation made the tight volley fire from the Norwegian militia units ineffective.
On the far left of the British position lay a wooded area, this covered the advance of the 68th Light Infantry and the 2nd Battalion of the King’s German Legion Light Foot. These two units moved along the flank of the Danish army, hoping to enfilade the conscripts there. One battalion of emergency conscripts was caught in the fire from the light troops, but the other units had already started to move towards the fighting at the stone wall where the 3rd Light Foot as engaged.
As these additional troops moved around the ruins of an old medieval church, the Danish commander decided to run the harassing British force off once and for all; ordering a bayonet charge. The British major in command of the 3rd Light Foot did not realize his danger to such tactics and failed to order the timely retreat of his battalion. The Danish conscripts and militia rushed across the open ground and vaulted the low wall to get into hand-to-hand combat with the spread out Brits. The skirmish formation that the 3rd was deployed in was excellent for harassing fire on the tight columns of Danish soldiers, but meant that every man of the battalion had to fight alone against a hoard of angry Norwegian soldiers. Panic gripped the British major and he attempted to withdraw his men, but by this point it was too late, some of his companies were already struggling to fight off conscripts and militia with bayonet and musket butts. In a matter of moments the 3rd Light Foot transformed from a well trained military unit into a panicked mob of young men. Private McGregor writes about the routing of the 3rd:
We had just moved forward of our original position and come out of a small wood when we saw men running towards us. At first we all feared that these were the Danes, their barbarian Viking heritage leading them into a berserker charge but then we noticed that they were Englishmen from the 3rd Lights. Suddenly our fear become much the greater as we saw the faces of these men, drained of all colour and eyes so wide as to seem unnatural. Whatever had happened to these men we wished no part of it. And yet not one among us turned to run, perhaps it was due to the sudden shouts of our sergeants, voices we had grown to fear more than death itself. We halted our march and were ordered to load our weapons, and it was a good thing too, for no sooner had we finished ramming home the lead ball then we saw such a mass of men bearing down on us that without order the entire battalion fired their weapons!
Although the 3rd Light Foot was completely shattered, the impetuous advance of Danish infantry led them directly into sight of the main British regiments. After an over excited first volley the right flank of the British line was advanced another fifty meters into better range and the 92nd which had been the extreme right was joined by the another battalion and a battalion of Guards took up the far end of the line just outside of outermost buildings of the city. Elsewhere the battle was also going in favor of the British; two brigades of infantry had flanked more of the conscripts and were driving them back towards the main Danish force, a regiment of light dragoons had moved around to the north and driven off the only Danish artillery on the field, and British horse artillery had set up positions on a low hill to the west and were firing into the rear of the clustered mass of Danish troops.
As the British infantry battalions began to close a tight ring around the Danish soldiers who had foolishly rushed forward against the 3rd Light Foot, the lone light dragoon regiment in the Christiania garrison attempted to drive back a British Battalion on the left flank. The colonel of that battalion saw the danger and immediately formed his men into a square formation. The hedge of bayonets caused the horses to veer off and as they did so the British opened fire, driving the horsemen back towards the city. The 2nd KGL Light Foot and 68th Light Infantry joined the fight killing off almost all of the remaining dragoons.
Across the field the British troops were unleashing a wicked torrent of musket fire into the disorganized mass of Danish infantry. Many of the Danes, being only conscripts or part time militia, broke and 92nd Highlanders along with other British units punished them for the loss of friends in the 3rd Light Foot. A lone regiment of militia formed up along the edge of the city and attempted to outflank the British Foot Guards, but like the rest of the battle, this would not go in favor for the defenders of Christiania. The Fourth Horse Guards, a regiment of the Royal Life Guards rode down on the flank of the Danish militia bringing death in the form of their long straight sabers.
With the last of the organized Danish forces scattered by the 4th Horse Guards the battle drew to a close. British cavalry units would continue to hunt down the fleeing soldiers, capturing those that would surrender and killing those that would not. General Moore and his second in command General Alexander Abercromby rode into the city of Christiania to meet with the local governing body.
After a week of negotiations the General presented the assembled representatives of Norway with an opportunity for independence from both Denmark and Great Briton: so long as the Norwegians remained allies of Britain and offered no support to Napoleon and his armies, they could govern themselves. The Norwegians gratefully accepted, bringing what all assembled hoped would be a long and lasting peace.
Images of the Battle for Christiania:
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Pvt. Douglass McGregor
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The ill-fated advance of the 3rd Light Foot
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The Danish infantry moves into place
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The 3rd Light Foot engages at long range
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A view from above the cathedral
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The 3rd Light Foot is overwhelmed
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The 92nd Highlanders advance
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The 3rd Light Foot breaks
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"...we saw the faces of these men, drained of all colour and eyes so wide as to seem unnatural."
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A hasty volley is fired
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The Danes press forward...
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...into the fire of the British
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The Battle for Christiania develops
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The British take the field, victorious
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Last edited by SCCOJake; January 09, 2011 at 05:37 PM.
Use only him
Good AAR by the way, but could use some more screenshots
P.S - Send 79th Cameron Highlanders to Egypt so it's historically accurate.
"In stone halls they burn their great fires,
in stone halls they forge their sharp spears.
Whilst I walk alone in the mountains,
with no true companion but tears.
They hunt me with dogs in the daylight,
they hunt me with torches by night."
I added pictures to the first battle, I hope you enjoy them. I had a lot of fun running through the playback of the battle and taking the screen shots, editing them and then adding them in. Hopefully this will spur me on to do some more posts as there have been some suitably epic battles: a three day fight for Denmark, betrayal, the Iberian Campaign, the invasion of Greece, the invasion of Italy... the list goes on and on. I'll try and get the motivation to go back through the replays and give you something tomorrow or the next day.
And King, I made a mistake and Pvt McGregor is actually in the 92nd (edited now for continuity)... I followed a different unit in the battle. Also, I couldn't send either unit to Egypt as much as I would want to (dang campaign map not being editable...), but they will see some very heroic action in the near future, as for now... enjoy the pictures!
Last edited by SCCOJake; January 09, 2011 at 09:27 PM.
Thanks Lewis, I'm really glad you enjoyed it. That means a lot to me because, as I said, your own AAR was a heavy insperation.
I have a huge pile of screen shots for the next update, and its about half written, so hopefuly ill get it up tonight or tomorrow morning. This next one will be very different but I hope just as entertaining.
Word of the victory in Norway reached Sir Arthur Wellesley swiftly and filled with the confidence that gave him, the I and II Corps marched east to the crossing from Jutland to Zealand, hoping to swiftly capture Copenhagen. However, the Danish army was not about to grant the British total freedom of movement towards the Capital of Denmark. A large force of some of the most experienced and well trained soldiers in all of Europe slipped across the water and positioned itself to intercept Wellesley.
Faced with the options to either retreat or face the Danish army under the capable command of General Malte Kaustrop, Wellesley chose to put his untested army into the field. The British had choice of ground, but on the east cost of Jutland it made little difference, the ground was intolerably flat and densely vegetated. The poor positioning of the British defense may have been a contributing factor in their atrocious losses, but many historians agree that it was only a minor issue and the real drawback for Wellesley was the inexperience of his army. In his memoirs Colonel James Hardgrove looked back on the Battle of the Jutland Wild and expressed how terribly unprepared for the fight the men of his regiment were:
I can see their fresh and bright young faces now, the men of the 50th foot! On that horrible day in October, 1806, I lost more than half the men under my command, but those lads lost more; they lost their lives, and the ones who survived, they lost something more I think. I do not begrudge Sir Arthur for taking us into those blighted woods, but I fear that any man who walked into them never returned.
We had drilled the men for weeks, practiced the manual of arms, fired countless rounds of live ammunition, and run them through bayonet practice until they could hardly raise their own hands let alone their firelocks. None of this seemed to make the slightest bit of difference in the end. I am proud of the men of the First corps, the men of the second Brigade and especially the men of the 50th Foot, my Dirty Half Hundred, they were all brave and true, and they stood their ground and weathered Danish fire time and again. But as the casualties mounted and the Danes closed in with the bayonet, we could see their number, we could do the arithmetic, and I fear the lord found us wanting for enough courage that day.
I noticed the men inching backwards, then stepping back and finally turning and running. And I among them ran too; fear like nothing we had ever faced gripped us all and we fled from it. No training, no drill from the manual can prepare one’s soul for such horrors as war.
Col. Hardgrove and the 'Dirty Half Hundred'
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Wellesley had under his command around three thousand men, Kaustrop had only about two or three hundred more, but among the regiments of his army he had the 1st, 3rd and 4th Danish Life Guards as well as a battalion of crack shot Jägers. These elite infantry units would prove to be a significant advantage for the Danes, their experience and training making them some of the most efficient killers in the battle. The Danes lacked any significant cavalry units however, a fact that the Arthur Wellesley intended to make the most of.
Opposing Generals: Wellesley and Kaustrop
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Wellesley commanded the British I Corps with only one Foot Guards regiment, the Coldstream Guards. However he did have in his command pair of squadrons of horse troopers, one from the 1st Life Guards of Horse and one from the 1st Horse Guards, both elite cavalry units. The II Corps was bogged down in the dense woods to the west and would not be able to arrive on the field for some hours, leaving Wellesley without reinforcement for the duration of the day.
Wellesley drew his army up into a long battle line and deployed his light infantry in advance of the main line, prepared for the Danish attack. Kaustrop advanced his infantry under cover of his artillery, the twelve pounder cannons that the Danish possessed outranged the British nine pound guns and six pound horse artillery. Seeing that his foe had the upper hand General Wellesley dispatched his cavalry to the flanks, hoping to move them around the main body of the Danish army and remove the devastating artillery threat.
The British Line
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The threat of Danish cannon
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As the Cavalry moved out the British battle line was moved forward, the light infantry taking up positions in a wooded area and the artillery moving up as well, hoping to get into better range. Kaustrop, not aware of the threat to his artillery continued to move forward keeping his men at a quick pace, hoping to close the distance and smash the British force. The Danes formed a straight battle line, but it was not parallel to the British, more off set so that their right flank would hit the British center first. Historians would latter argue that Kaustrop had been misinformed about the exact whereabouts of Wellesley and was merely trying to sweep him out of the woods; it seems more likely however, that he was simply moving based off of what he could see: British light infantry to his left moving from the open into a wood.
The British light infantry moves into position in the woods
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The Danish Life Guards of Foot move out
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Wellesley saw the Danes moving toward his right and ordered hat the two brigades on that flank to swing towards the oncoming enemy trying to turn the straight battle line into an L shape. These two brigades consisted of the Coldsteam Guards, the 7th Royal Fusiliers, and a two battalion brigade of Highlanders including the 79th ‘Cameron’ Highlanders. Among the men of the 79th there was a young corporal, Malcolm McGregor, cousin to Douglass McGregor of the 92nd Highlanders. These two brigades would virtually save the day in the latter part of the battle, but for the early stages they would have front row seats to the horrific carnage unfolding in Jutland. Cpl McGregor wrote to his cousin after the battle:
The fighting that took place in the woods must have been the most horrific sight I ever witnessed, I know you will see your own share of horrors in this war, but this day will hunt me until the good lord sees fit that they should not. Our own regiment took a fair number of losses, and as a file closer I had to bear witness to friends struck down by those most hated Danes, still I can not express how much worse those poor souls in the wood must have had it.
Indeed as the battle would unfold those units in the center of the British line would receive the brunt of the Danish attack suffer losses approaching fifty percent or more in some cases. The first exchange of musket fire was between the 1st Battalion of the King’s German Legion Light Foot and a number of Danish regiments as they approached through the woods. As the Danish advance was halted by the skirmishers, Wellesley ordered the center and left flank of his line forward. The British general saw that Kaustrop’s offset formation had exposed his right flank, and he intended to capitalize on this error.
The skirmish in the woods
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The 42nd Highland Foot (know as the Black Watch) and the 2nd Regiment of Foot (The Queen’s Royal Regiment) moved into position, in perfect enfilade of the Danish 1st Life Guards of Foot, who, caught in the open, were overly focused on routing out the light infantry in the woods. As this was going on the main body of Danish troops were pressing onward in the woods, determined to simply overpower the British skirmishers with numbers. The battalion commanders recognized the danger and, unlike at Christiania, were able to make an effective retreat from the superior numbers. Now the middle of Wellesley’s I Corps could move up, through the woods and engage the tangled mass of Danish regiments before they had the chance to form coherent battle lines.
The Black Watch moves forward and the Queen's Royal fire on the Danish flank
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Meanwhile across the battle field, the British cavalry squadrons had reached their objectives, taking the Danish artillery crews by complete surprise. One by one the Horse Guards and Life Guards trampled over Danish artillerists and smashed or spiked Kaustrop’s valued cannon. Unfortunately due their distance from the main fight, and thus the army’s commander both regiments were left without further orders. The cavalry, secure in the knowledge that they had done their duty, thus took time to recuperate and water their horses, unaware that they were leaving the infantry dangerously exposed.
British cavalry runs down Danish artillery
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Back across the flat woodlands the Danish infantry clashed with British forces in a narrow patch of woods that would soon be stained with death. The center battalions; the 50th Foot, 3rd Foot and the 1st Battalion of the King’s German Legion Regiment of Foot, had marched into the area just west of where the light infantry had started the battle. Col Hardgrove reports:
We had been ordered forward to where we could hear the light troops engaged, and as we drew closer could smell the sulfur from their discharged muskets. The Dirty Half Hundred formed up and I could just make out the battle flags of two Danish regiments (the 8th and 9th Foot)and they appeared to be facing perpendicular to the battalion. Without any lack of haste I gave the order to present and fire upon the enemy to our front.
The battalions of the 'Bloody Center'
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The 50th Foot face their fate:
The 3rd Foot stand against the Danish Guards:
The 1st Battalion of The King's German Legion engage:
With the Danish force seemingly contained in the woods Wellesley ordered the brigades on his right flank to move forward (now facing his center) to put more fire on them and close them off from retreat. On the left the Black Watch and Queen’s Royal Regt. And dispersed a Danish regiment and were focusing on breaking the 1st Life Guards, making slow progress. This delay inevitably cost the British much as the center began to feel extra pressure from the bulk of Kaustrop’s army.
The center of the line
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The Danes had not been content to tarry and allow the British to fire on them from the center, instead they pressed forward, through the musket fire, in an attempt to overwhelm the thin British line. Much like at Christiania, a numerically superior force rushed the smaller group, getting into close, hand-to-hand combat where the British musketry could have little effect. At first the men of the center battalions held their ground, but as casualties mounted the will to fight was out weighed by the will to survive. Lieutenant Archibald Smith of the 3rd Foot, or ‘The Buffs,’ writes about the routing of his battalion at the height of the battle in a report to the General Staff:
I regret to inform you gentlemen of the dis-honourable conduct of my battalion, the 3rd Regiment of Foot on Tuesday last. As you well know the Danish force had advanced to our front and we had fired upon them inflicting great loss of life. In response to this the Danish soldiers charged their bayonets and made to rush our position. Although the Battalion did hold for a span of an hour and a half; the loss of our Colonel, Major and two Captains, in addition to a large number of our Sergeants and many of the Enlisted, gave the men a sense of confusion and dread. I am afraid to report that, while I was able to hold some companies in an orderly retreat for a time, the pursuit of our adversaries gave the men mind to flight and the situation lost all sense of bearing and dignity. I accept full responsibility for my own actions and those of my men, and am willing to accept whatever punishment may be deemed necessary for the good order of the Army. May this black mark on the name of His Majesties’ 3rd Regiment of Foot be wiped away by my most humble acceptance of responsibility. I only ask of you that you see fit that the 3rd Foot is not stricken from the order of battle and is given a chance to redeem this misfortune.
Lieutenant, Archibald Smith, His Majesties’ 3rd Foot
Lt. Smith would be punished in a way that was most unusual for an army of that time, especially the British Army; he was promoted and tasked with rebuilding, retraining and leading ‘The Buffs’ for the remainder of the Danish Campaign. Though this was not the norm, Sir Arthur Wellesley prided himself on recognizing talented young officers, and found that Smith, given the chance, could redeem the 3rd Foot. He would not be mistaken.
The 3rd Foot was not the first to break however, that ignoble title went to the KGL battalion, fighting at the very center of the British battle line. As these hardened Germans fled the field, the other regiments soon followed suit, both the 3rd and then the 50th Foot were divided and flanked by a torrent of Danish soldiers and guardsmen. Wellesley’s center had broken, and much seemed in doubt. Fortunately however many of the retreating soldiers were saved; the light infantry battalions had reformed behind the main line and now unleashed devastating fire on the massed Danes as they struggled to exploit the hole in the British line.
The center breaks
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The KGL shatter:
The 50th Foot routs:
Light infantry saves the center
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At this critical moment in the battle Wellesley’s original plan to trap Kaustrop in the woods came into effect. The 7th Royal Fusiliers, at the bend in the British L formation, took up the slack from the collapsed center, and poured fire into the exposed flank and rear of a disorganize Danish army. This gave the exhausted Danish pause and they began to reform into a new battle line, by now too tired to continue their bayonet charge. As the Danes formed lines, the other elements of the British L fell into place to aid their fellow soldiers.
The 7th Fusiliers move to flank the Danes
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The Highland Brigade extended the line from the Fusiliers and together the three battalions fired volley after volley into a tired and bloodied Danish force. The 42nd and 2nd Foot, finally having driven off the 1st Life Guards moved to the north of the woods and lent their muskets to the battle, trapping the Danes in a tunnel of musket fire. With the Danish threat to Wellesley’s artillery and baggage train through the center averted, the General rode out himself to try and rally some of the shattered battalions. The 50th Foot under Col. Hardgrove when faced with the options of battle or Wellesley chose to return to the fight.
Wellelesly rides to rally his men; the 50th Foot returns to the fight
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Back on the British left, the Fusiliers and Scotsmen were tiring, taking casualties from Danish infantry who had the advantage of woodland cover. Just at the critical moment when the moral of these units was at its lowest and their ammunition stores dwindling as well, more British troops arrived from the rear. The 1st Brunswick Regiment, known as ‘The Black Band’ stepped forward to relieve the weary Fusiliers and the Coldstream Guards took up the place of the 79th Highlanders who had also begun to waver under the strain of battle.
Finally after hours of fighting there was only one regiment of Danish troops left in the wooded area; the 2nd Life Guards of Foot. This elite battalion earned his reputation that day, standing up to the might of at least six British regiments. But, without support, surrounded and running low on ammunition, they too broke and fled through the woods. The tired British were ordered to close the gap and reform the line in the woods where the Danes had been. For a moment it seemed that the Danish were reforming, but it was only a Parthian Shot by and desperate rear guard.
A runner had eventually reached the British Cavalry with orders to ride down the Danish infantry. The horse troopers rode out from their temporary bivouac and happened upon the fleeing Danish soldiers, riding them down and killing many before the majority surrendered or hid in the woods.
British cavalry ride down the routing Danes
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As the day drew to a close and the British set about to collect the dead that could be found the body of General Kaustrop was found. It appeared that he had ridden out of the woods to gain a better view of the field, focused on discovering the British positions in relation to his own he had not noticed the 42nd Highlanders on his flank. The 42nd must have seen the General and his staff, mounted, and thought they were cavalry, thus firing upon the group of horsemen killing the Danish leader.
After this bloody day Wellesley had lost nearly 1300 men, almost half his total force. The Danes for their part, lost over 1800 men, though many more would be lost to desertion and disease as the shattered army tried to seek shelter on the Jutland Peninsula. The 50th Foot had lost 139 of their original 240 men with the 3rd Foot losing another 129 men and nearly all of their officers. Little did Wellesley know that the next morning would not bring a chance to bury the dead and reorganize his force as he hoped, but instead brought another Danish force that had crossed over from Zealand earlier that day.
Last edited by SCCOJake; January 11, 2011 at 07:51 AM.
Hey all, I should start working on the next update tomorrow, might even get it up by tomorrow night. That's the good news. The bad news is that after this battle, most of my notes are... well non-existent. I have all the good battles saved so I can replay them and such, but the time lines might get a little hinky and my remembrance of events outside of battles may wax and wain. Sorry if anyone was deeply interested in the overall story, but fear not I remember the main sequence of events and the Battle replays should spark some memories.
In other news I will undoubtedly be starting a new AAR in the near future (I'm hooked! I love Napoleon with these mods and I don't hate writing this stuff) It will be from a Russian point of view and while I'm not sure exactly what form it will take, expect something like this but with better grand picture stuff. Already had one EPIC battle that I cant wait to write about and I hope you all will enjoy reading. Again, the drawback to all this is that it will divide my time on both AARs so updates might be slow... slower... if that's possible.
[NTW AAR] The War in Europe
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