Campaign Battle of Berlin

In preparation for an assault on Berlin the French army threw two pontoon bridges across the Spree, one by I Corps a mile or so west of the city and one by V Corps a couple of miles to the east.

The upstream bridge was immediately detected and thrown down by the Prussians, but the other remained in place when the attack on the city began at midday on 17 November.  With only five hours of daylight to achieve their objective the French knew that they would have to go hard.  Outnumbered by more than two to one, and recognising that the French must pass through two choke-points, the Coalition for their part determined to defend both of them to the death.  Eight French divisions faced one Prussian and two Swedish - one side had the advantage of numbers and the other of position.

Berlin from the south - Drouet preparing to assault across the pontoon bridge in the background, Dupont (centre) about to cross into Cölln on the way to attack the Swedes (top right)

Generalmajor von Rüchel's main body guarded the pontoon, with the Sobbe Fusiliers on the bank backed by six battalions of regular infantry and flanked by twenty-four guns.  Another ten battalions and ten squadrons of cavalry were in reserve, confident that they could prevent the French from getting a foothold on the right bank.

In the city the situation was more fragile.  The only troops in the city were those of Field Mashal Klingspor's reserve - a battalion of Jägers and a few squadrons of heavy dragoons, but with twenty guns - these would bear the brunt of the defence.  His second Division was posted north of Berlin, but he set up a headquarters at the Rathaus in the southern part of the city, allowing him to personally direct the most crucial point of defence.  Abandoning the Spree island to the French, the Swedish resistance was built around the eastern end of the Mühlendamm causeway, leading from the island (the former city of Cölln) to the right bank and the heart of Berlin.  Behind them again was the remainder of the old defensive moat, and beyond that the eastern and northern suburbs of the city.

The assault across the pontoon bridge downstream of Berlin goes in.

GdD Drouet took the lead across the pontoon bridge, starting with a counter-battery cannonade which succeeded in driving the Prussian guns back to a more respectful distance.  Werle's infantry brigade led the assault across the bridge, but were driven back by Prussian volleys.  Before they could attack a second time the Prussian artillery returned to action.  Not only did they drive Werle back from the river bank, but a lucky shot smashed the fragile bridge.  The engineers reported that there was no chance of repairing it in a useful time, so not two hours into the battle the French left flank was defeated, with no serious losses.

The attacking French are hurt, and worse, their bridge is gone.

Meantime, GdD Dupont advanced through Cölln to assault the Mühlendamm.  The first wave was driven back by roundshot as they emerged from the confined streets of Cölln onto the causeway, and the second met with cannister as they crossed the stream.  The assault failed, but the injured battalions were quickly led to the rear and fresh ones thrown forward. 

The work at the causeway was a job for infantry, but French artillery deployed between the southern suburbs and the marshy banks of the Spree east of the town.  They commenced bombarding the town hall and its surrounds on the northern bank with carcasses, and before long the buildings were on fire, forcing the defending Swedes to evacuate them.

Klingspor for the next hour directed the defence from a nearby hotel until more Swedish reinforcements could arrive.  The Jägers moved further north, and exchanged desultory shots with French infantry in the cathedral grounds for the remainder of the day.  The dragoons hovered behind the guns, knowing that if the artillerists were driven back from their pieces there would not be much that cavalry could do in the city streets.

Looking north-west.  Town hall on fire in the foreground, with Swedes behind defending the crossing

By mid-afternoon the numerical imbalance shifted even further in favour of the French with the arrival of another three divisions of infantry, one of cavalry (not much use) and the IV Corps reserve artillery.  Klingspor's 2nd division marched into the north end of the city, and were able to filter south and support the defence of the causeway, allowing Klingspor personally to drop back to a place of less danger.

Although the critical point was the struggle at the Mühlendamm, the battle elsewhere was turning into one of artillery.  The French massed troops south of the city, queuing for their turn at the assault, and guns along the raised Cöpnick road to the south-east, a vantage point from which they could bombard the town in the hope of burning the defenders out.  

Rüchel's Avant-Garde, under Generalleutnant von Winning, arrived from the east along the riverside road toward three o'clock.  Winning immediately turned the tide by sending his artillery to his left flank to engage with enfilade fire the French guns threatening the city from their positions along the river bank.  So effective was this bombardment that many of the French gunners fell back into the marsh behind them to escape its effects, abandoning their guns.  Winning's infantry and cavalry, meanwhile, marched on to the city.

With the light fading the hope of the Coalition troops that they might hold on until nightfall began to rise, and the Emperor gazed through his telescope with increasing anxiety to the east.  GdD Morand had been posted at Cöpnick, and had been given orders to cross the river and attack from the east, or at least prevent Prussian reinforcements from arriving.  There was no sign of Morand, though, and it would turn out later  that he had hardly crossed the bridge before he encountered a screen of  Prussian hussars.  He attacked and was able to drive them away, but the engagement delayed him fatally, and he would not appear at Berlin that day.

At 3:00 pm Marshal Mortier rode up to direct the Mühlendamm assault in person.  Exposing himself to the Swedish cannon-fire he massed and organised the troops for two more attacks before darkness fell.  Emulating the exploit of his master almost exactly ten years earlier, he took an eagle in his hands and led the French infantry into the teeth of the Swedish fire - to no avail.  He did avoid falling in the river, though.  Driven back twice more from the causeway, and with the pontoon bridge lost, the French abandoned the attempt on the city.  

But already, the Emperor was forming new plans...