Battle Narrative:
The Battle of Schierling
by Général Drew Stone de Biscayne
Comte de Garonne
Aide-de-Camp, II Corps d'Armée, l'Armée du Nord
1ère Division d'Infanterie de la Jeune Garde
HQ IIIème Corps d'Armée
8:45am
Lowering his telescope, Marshal Davout waves forward General Gérard, his
Chief of Staff: "Send orders to the Bavarian division that they should
barricade themselves in the village of Schierling, and hold the Austrians to
the southern side of the Gross Laber River for as long as possible. We need
possession of the high road if we are to hold the Corps intact until the
Emperor arrives." Gérard furrows his brow, and replies, "Maréchal, the Austrians seem intent on
holding their positions: They have deployed at least 50 guns along their
lines, and they seem to outnumber us greatly!" "You are right, Gérard, but
we have an opportunity to seriously damage the Austrian units holding that
village, as they are divided in two by the swampy terrain of the river. I
am sure we can out-march them to the crucial positions on this field, just
as we have since we left Rastibon."
"General Friant, you are to move
your division through the ravines there and seize the heights to your
front, and then change your facing to the south and deploy to the north
of Unter Laichling. Montbrun and his chasseurs will support your left, and
you, my cousin, will cover his right."
"Your mission is to seize the village
itself," he says to his brother-in-law, General Morand. "Come, Gérard, now
let us ride to General St. Hilaire's positions; he will have the hardest
job this day, and I would like to give him his orders in person." Riding
into the coolness of the Bavarian woods the Marshal thinks back over the
last few hectic days, the mix-up in orders that started the campaign and
the confusing marches and countermarches since then, evading greatly
superior Austrian forces attempting to crush his lone corps before the
French Emperor could arrive with reinforcements from the direction of
Augsburg. Finally, his plan is complete in his mind, and he shares it with
Gérard as they ride south.
Finally arriving at the headquarters of the 4th
Division, he greets its commander and explains his plan as they review the
regiments of this most capable commander. "You must apply the most
pressure possible on the Austrians on the ridge to the east of the
village, until Friant and Morand have maneuvered them away from the high
road. You will be outnumbered 2 to 1, but with the Terrible 57th and its
fine sister regiments I have faith that you can do it, as you did at Teugen. The
Bavarian light horse will cover the river road but the rest of the terrain
from the village south will be your responsibility." "Good Luck, General"
he calls as he rides back to the north to oversee the main attack of the
day.
10:00am
After an hour, General St. Hilaire continues to move his division forward,
though now forced to hide out in the ravines and shoot it out with a
determined enemy that has deployed 4 batteries against him, which he can
oppose only with a single battery of horse artillery. He deploys his
division in one long line holding only his 3rd Brigade of 3 battalions as
a reserve.
St Hilaire's division emerges from the woods and is taken under fire by
the Austrian batteries.
Meanwhile, to the north, General Friant continues his movement against
the ridge east of Unter Laichling, though he is also forced to deploy his
units in line to reduce artillery losses from the 6 batteries deployed
there on the heights; and his movements have consequently been slowed considerably.
General Montbrun and his cavalry are now available on his left after
threading their way through the woods to arrive on the north flank of the
village. He is hoping this will force the enemy to divide his artillery
fire in multiple directions, reducing some of the pressure against Morand's
infantry which has arrived opposite the town of Unter Laichling.
Friant, Morand and Montbrun approach the village and heights of Unter
Laichling.
With the size of the Austrian units holding it, the attacks to seize the
village will have to chosen carefully. At a quarter after the hour General
Montbrun notices that the Austrian guns continue to pound Morand's forces,
ignoring Gen. Friant and his own brigade of chasseurs. Seeing a fleeting
chance to inflict serious damage on the Austrians and possibly break open
the entire enemy line, he launches the chasseurs in a column of regiments.
The first pushes back two battalions, but they retreat in reasonable order.
Before he can halt them the second regiment charges, flowing through the
gap created by the first regiment, and overruns two batteries before they are
brought to a halt. Musket fire from a 1000 man Austrian unit wounds
General Montbrun, and unhorses Gen. Jacquinot who is quickly captured.
Montbrun's cavalry charge is brought to a halt behind the Austrian lines.
Disorder rapidly spreads through the ranks and the charge is brought to a
halt. The command devolves to the Colonel of the 2nd Chasseurs, but the
brigade is now trapped behind enemy lines. Marshal Davout, observing the
charge being brought to a halt, rides to the front and orders an immediate
attack by all the infantry he can reach to attempt to free the cavalry. A
vicious firefight now breaks out all around the village as the French
units try to free their mounted comrades.
11:00 am
Unable to stand the fire from the Austrian batteries any longer, Gen.
St. Hilaire launches his 1st and 2nd Brigades in a charge against the
ridge. Riding to the front of the 72ème Ligne, he waves his sword toward
the enemy and cries "A la baionette!" Forward the division goes,
sweeping the opposition before them. The enemy is soon forced into a vicious
crossfire; some light troops from Morand's division, seeing the
eagles crossing the ridge, spontaneously launch their own attack and seize
the village of Unter Laichling. Two Austrian battalions are trapped and forced to surrender,
three or four more fall to pieces and rout to the rear.
The 4th Division launches their bayonet attack against the ridge.
Friant & Morand attack Unter Laichling, the eastern ridge and woods.
The gap in the Austrian lines is rapidly filled.
These fresh battalions from the Austrian second line launch a powerful counterattack,
cutting off the 3/3 and 3/72 Ligne,
forcing them to surrender, and killing General St. Hilaire.
The Austrian counterattack overruns the Bavarian battery and kills Gen St.
Hilaire.
To the south the Austrian light horse lurches forward and overruns a
battery, routing a Bavarian battalion detailed with guarding them.
General Destanbreath assumes command of the 4th Division, and sends for
assistance from the rest of the Bavarian division in Scheirling. General
Deroi force-marches his troops to support the now struggling 4th
Division.
The Bavarians on the march, leaving behind a token force to delay the Austrians,
who never attacked during the whole fight.
Marshal Davout, unaware of the happenings to the south is busy rallying
troops from Friant's division, whom he leads forward to finally force the
Austrians out of the woods east of Unter Laichling.
12:45 am
General Friant has managed to destroy two Austrian battalions and rout
several more.
Thinking himself in the clear on the heights south of
Unter Laichling, he resumed his advance. To his front appeared another line of formed
battalions: He was forced to start again. Marshal Davout orders all the
Corps heavy guns toward the front, and sends some infantry through the woods
to support the 1er Chasseurs, which have seized the crossroads leading to
Eckmühl and the causeway across the swamp.
Friant & Morand gain the clear ground south of the village.
Deroi's Bavarian division has saved the day, as they have halted the
enemy's attempt to outflank the 4th Division from the south.
Through continuing attacks, they have finally forced the Austrians to pull
their guns out, though it cost the 4th a high rate of casualties. The
Austrian cavalry, which outnumbers the Bavarian horse greatly, is still the
biggest problem as they are preventing any possibility of pursuing the
retreating Austrian infantry.
The 4th Division and the Bavarians press the Austrians lines back.
Epilogue
Positions at the end of the battle
As his victorious divisions finally unite, Marshal Davout calls for
General Gérard and gives orders for him to send a courier to the west to
meet the approaching forces of the Emperor, and taking him the following
note:
Quartier-Général Armée d'Allemagne,
Maréchal Berthier , Prince de Neuchâtel etc.
Sir,
Inform the Emperor that we now hold the high road and the high ground
overlooking it in the area of Eckmühl. In a costly victory, Sir, we have
again defeated the Austrian forces and hold the field. My losses are 8870
infantry and 1150 cavalry and 6 guns, and of course I must mention the
tragic losses of General St. Hiliare of the 4th Division killed at the
head of his troops, General Montbrun wounded and General Jacquinot captured
charging with the Light Cavalry Division. The enemy losses are 3 FM's, 3
Generals, 4 Colonels and around 11,000 infantry, 1000 cavalry and 46 guns.
My forces have achieved all their objectives and we have gained a sure
major victory but exhaustion has brought any thoughts of further offensive
moves to an end. Now we will try to form a continuous line, await events,
and try to hold what we have until the arrival of His Majesty. The enemy
is hurt badly, but not destroyed, so is still dangerous, with numerous
artillery batteries in support and clear lines of fire. I will try to
decide where I should form my defensive front. I will establish my
headquarters in the castle of Eckmühl and can be reached by your couriers
there. At your command,
Maréchal Davout
Duc d'Auerstadt
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