The Austrians
Following the catastrophe of Babensham-Jettenbach, the Austrian army retreated down both banks of the Inn to the next line of defence on the Salzach. Contact was successfully broken off with the French, the bridges burned at Marktl (across the Inn) and Burghausen (on the Salzach). Werneck ensconced his corps in the fortress of Brauau, while the forces of Klenau and Riesch pushed on further toward the Bavarian fortress of Passau. It had not been garrisoned, and Hessen-Homburg secured its commander's surrender on the 12th, entering the city without opposition.
A week later a small mishap occured as Klenau's corps evacuated the city in accordance with orders to form up ready to march to the west. A road and gate was left unguarded, and a patrol of French hussars slipped unchallenged into the city (one hussar uniform looks much like another, after all), and only when they were ordering drinks in the Marktplatz did it dawn on them that they were in an enemy-held city. About then they also become aware of a column of Austrian cavalry, led by Freiherr von Mesko, entering the city by the south gate, across the Salzach, and made themselves scarce via the northern gate across the Danube. Now entirely cut off from their fellows by the great river, they explored up its bank to find out what the Austrians were up to, in hopes of having something to report when they finally found their way back.
At the same time as the withdrawal down the Inn the army in the south, led by Jelačić and Kienmayer, faded away into the hills, and began the long trek back toward Salzburg. In light of the dire situation in Germany, Serbian FML Paul Davidowich had been transferred from Italy to reinforce the army to the north of the Alps. He arrived in Salzburg on 7 November, where he was joined by GM Franz Weyrother, fresh from Vienna via Braunau. Freiherr von Knezevic marched from Hiller's army of the East Tyrol, at the same time, and establishing a small base for himself at Innsbruck, began to make demonstrations across the Bavarian frontier.
For two weeks the Imperial army licked its wounds and built up supplies in preparation for push back into Bavaria. With reinforcements trickling in and battle-weary brigades being put back into good order, by the end of he month they had ranged along the Salzach:
At Passau: Riesch and Klenau, with 40,000 men between them.
At Braunau: Werneck, with 20,000.
At Salzburg, Davidowich, with 20,000.
West of Salzburg, Jelačić and Kienmayer, with almost 30,000 between them.
On November 23 the push back westward begain in earnest, with Kienmeyer's army leading an advance through Traunstein to Trostberg on the Alz, screened by cavalry before.
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| This shows what the Austrians know - that the French have disappeared from their immediate front. As you can seen on th map further down, there are in fact French troops (and quite a lot of them) on the other side of the Isar, but until then it should be plain sailing. |
The first Kutuzov knew of the fresh corps behind him was from reports of his supply convoys being eaten up by the French advancing from the north-west. With the Guard in front of him and new enemies coming up behind it was clear that his position was untenable. He fell back immediately to, and then through, his base at Freising, hoping that these new forces were weak enough that he could brush them aside to re-establish his supply lines through Ingolstadt. On the 4th, the French Imperial Guard entered Freising, capturing some Russian supplies and fortifying the town against a counter-attack. The following day Marmont's II Corps, reinforced by elements of Lannes' V as the day wore on, converged on the Russians from the north, and the Battle of Attenkirchen was fought.
Kutozov's attempt to break through succeeded only partially. Foul weather favoured the French, and although he did manage to get through their ring to keep moving north, it was carring the burden of heavy casualties, many units unfit for duty, and without supplies.
If there is one thing Russian armies do well, though, it is enduring hardship. The army marched doggedly on toward Ingolstadt, reaching the city on the 11th. The previous day GM Strik's column, as rearguard, was cut off by Marmont's men. He was able to escape destruction only by fleeing to the east, and would continue to march in that direction, behind enemy lines, for ten days before succeeding in linking up with Buxhöwden's 2nd West Army.
With Ingolstadt secured Kutuzov hoped to able to hold he line of the Danube, and arrayed his forces to watch all of the incoming roads from the south. One after another, though, his columns fell back before French challenges too strong to resist, and by the 13th the ring had been closed and the French assaulted the city itself on the tabletop. The city's walls gave some cover to the retreating Russians, but once again the vigour of the French onrush caught them by surprise, overwhelming outlying forces and smashing them back against the river crossing. The town was abandoned, its crucial bridge taken intact by the French, and the retreat of Kutuzov's army continued to the north, with Marmont's men hot on its heels.
On the 12th the Reserve Cavalry were cut off near Eichstätt, as Strik had been a few days earlier. As Strik had fled to the east, the cavalry had to flee to the west, outdistancing their infantry pursuers. Over the next few days the main army managed to shake the French pursuit, and the cavalry reunited with them at Neumarkt on the 20th. Kutuzov hesitated between a move west, to Nuremberg, to threaten the French supply lines in accordance with the original plan, or east, via Amberg, to re-unite with friendly forces. Having lost a third of his own strength over three battles he decided in the end for the more conservative course, moving east to the support of Buxhöwden.
Buxhöwden had reached Regensburg on the same day as Kutuzov's cavalry found their way home to him. They prepared the city for assault, laying in stores and digging outerworks. Their scouts came in contact with outriders of Strik's, now only a few miles away down the riverside road, and with the French closing in Buxhöwden resolved to send out a rescue party to escort the brave column to safety. Over ten days it had managed to march only thirty miles, but this had been through wooded hills with no decent roads, only what food they could glean from the hostile countryside, and with increasingly empty ammunition pouches, for they had had to fight a number of minor engagements along the way against the French hunters.
A French cavalry screen blocking the Regensburg road was brushed aside by the Russian Lifeguard Hussars, with Grand Duke Constantine at their head. The Guard was supported, perhaps imprudently, but the column of Roman von Anrep, and accompanied by Buxhöwden himself, while Langeron and the reserve artillery remained in the city. By the following morning it became apparent that the rescue mission had been a trap, for the rescuers were now surrounded by superior numbers of Frenchmen. The road to the city was again cut, but there was nothing for it but to attempt a breakout, led by the Guard.
The resulting Battle of Abbach, fought on 22 November, was the greatest disaster yet for the Russians, with the army being all but annihilated, and Strik's column lost entirely. Buxhöwden was carried greviously wounded fom the field, but the survivors managed to flee through the town, breaking the bridge behind them and marching for Bohemia, where they hoped to link up with Bennigsen's 3rd West Army.
After a long march, this army did indeed reach Taus, in Bohemia, two days later, on the 24th. Their scouts turned south toward the Danube while the main column marched to the aid of Buxhöwden as he had marched to Strik...
The French in Regensburg, meanwhile, had found the bridge easy to repair the same afternoon. The Russians in their haste had done only a partial job of disabling it, and by late afternoon on the 24rd the French were on the march again, overtaking the tail of the Russian column by the following day with elements of I, III and VI Corps. They were aided by cavalry patrols who had crossed the river further downstream, at Wörth, and hastened north to harrass the Russian flank.
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| The Russian front as at 23 November. Why, yes. That is the entire Grande Armée on a forty-mile front. (Yes, I know the borders are wrong - Nuremberg was not Prussian. Corrected on later editions) |
With all major forces now on the operational map, and just four weeks of game time remaining to play, the campaign is heading for a final showdown. The French have won five out of six battles fought to date, so are well ahead on points, but a big Coalition victory could stll change that.
Wrapup
The Austrian losses in battle have to some extent been made good by reinforcements from Italy, and a fortnight's rest has left them in good shape, on paper at least, to take on the French again, with a little help from their friends - their numbers are listed above, totalling over 110,00, with around 70 guns.
The Russians have likewise taken a series of maulings, and the 2nd West Army in particular has some work to do to get themselves in a fit state to face the enemy. With Bennigsen's arrival, though, the three armies together muster some 55,000 men - Kutuzov 20K, Buxhöwden 15K and Bennigsen another 20 - and well over 300 guns.
The French, although they have been victorious more often than not, have suffered steady losses also. From the nearly 150,000 men and 500 guns who were available ten weeks ago, they are reduced to 115,000 men and 330 guns. In addition, the Bavarians have seen no action, but sickness and desertion have, even so, reduced their 30,000 to 25,000. Their artillery has suffered particularly badly, with half of the Bavarian guns becoming unservicable since the outset of the campaign. Time will tell whether the Coalition can bring their superior numbers to bear, or whether the Allies' interior lines will preserve the victory for them.
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