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Six Days Campaign order of battle | |||||||
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Part of the 1814 campaign in north-east France | |||||||
![]() French Old Guard infantry on the firing line. Napoleon made extensive use of the Imperial Guard during the Six Days' campaign. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
30,000 men | 56,000 men | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
3,800 |
14,034–28,500 52–60 guns |
The Six Days' Campaign saw four victories by the Imperial French army led by Napoleon over the Army of Silesia commanded by Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. Between 10 and 15 February 1814, the French inflicted losses of at least 14,034 men and 52 guns on the Army of Silesia. A second estimate listed 16,000 casualties and 60 guns. A third estimate reached as high as 20,000 casualties, but a calculation by historian George Nafziger suggested that Blücher may have lost 28,500 soldiers.[1]
After their victory over Napoleon in the Battle of La Rothière on 1 February 1814, the two main Allied armies separated. Austrian Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg's Army of Bohemia marched west toward Troyes while Blücher's Army of Silesia moved north to Châlons-sur Marne and turned west along the Marne River, aiming for Meaux.[2] Leaving 39,000 troops to watch the cautious Schwarzenberg, Napoleon assembled a strike force of 20,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry to deal with the more aggressive Blücher.[3] By the evening of 8 February, the Army of Silesia was spread along a line of march 44 miles (71 km) long. Fabian Gottlieb von Osten-Sacken's 20,000 Russians led the column, followed by Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg's 18,000 Prussians, Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev's 4,000 Russians, Peter Mikhailovich Kaptzevich's Russians and Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf's Prussians, the last two forces totaling 15,000 men.[4]
Organization
Russian
The Russian forces were organized into army corps with infantry corps and cavalry corps subordinated to it. The full structure can be seen in the Sacken's Russian order of battle section.[5] The Russian IX Infantry Corps, as shown in the Olsufiev's Russian order of battle section, and the Russian X Corps, as shown in the Kaptzevich's Russian order of battle section, both reported to their superior, General-Leutnant Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron.[6] Since Langeron did not appear in the theater of operations until late February, they temporarily reported directly to Blücher.[7]
In the Russian army, artillery batteries were organized with 12 pieces each. In 1805, Aleksey Arakcheyev introduced a new range of field artillery that consisted of 6- and 12-pounder cannons and 10- and 20-pounder licornes, a gun similar to a howitzer.[8] An Allied order of battle from 1 January 1814 noted that Light Batteries were armed with 6-pounders. The same list stated that of five Position Batteries in one army corps, three had 12 guns, one had 11 guns, and one had seven guns.[9] In the Russian 3rd Dragoon Division, Horse Battery Nr. 18 was armed with only 10 guns, but usually the specific number of guns in a battery was not stated.[10]
Prussian
When the Prussian army was rebuilt after the disastrous War of the Fourth Coalition, its reduced establishment did not allow for the formation of divisions. Therefore, the next tactical unit below corps level became the brigade, which included both cavalry and artillery. Batteries were formed from six 6- or 12-pounder cannons and two 7- or 10-pounder howitzers. Artillery batteries that were not assigned to the brigades were posted to the corps reserve.[11] By 1813, each corps incorporated four brigades and included a mix of regular and Landwehr units.[12]
French
A French order of battle from 6 January 1814 showed 10 Young Guard Foot Artillery and one Old Guard Foot Artillery companies each armed with six 6-pounder guns and two howitzers. There were four Old Guard Foot Artillery companies armed with six 12-pounder guns and two howitzers. Six Old Guard Horse Artillery companies were each armed with four 6-pounder guns and two howitzers.[13] Eight guns per foot artillery company and six guns per horse artillery company represented the standard French organization.[14] However, at the Battle of La Rothière on 1 February, the Allies captured 50–60 French guns. Which artillery companies lost guns was not stated.[15]
Napoleon with 30,000 men and 120 guns surprised Olsufiev south of Champaubert on the morning of 10 February. Unwisely, Olsufiev decided to fight it out, hoping for help from Blücher. By 3:00 pm the Russians were forced back through Champaubert. Too late, Olsufiev tried to retreat east to Étoges, but found both flanks enveloped by French cavalry. Olsufiev lost as many as 4,000 men out of 5,000 troops,[16] or as few as 2,400 and nine guns out of a total of 3,700 men and 24 guns. Olsufiev and Prince Konstantin Poltoratsky ended the day as French prisoners. French losses were about 600.[17]
Olsufiev's Russian order of battle
Corps | Division | Brigade | Regiment | Strength |
---|---|---|---|---|
IX Infantry Corps Lieutenant General Zakhar Dmitrievich Olsufiev (POW) ![]() |
IX Corps Artillery | Not Brigaded | Position Battery Nr. 15 not present | 12 guns |
Light Battery Nr. 13 | 12 guns | |||
Light Battery Nr. 24 | 12 guns | |||
9th Infantry Division General-major Evstafi Evstafievich Udom II ![]() |
General-major Konstantin Poltoratsky (POW) | Apsheron Infantry Regiment | 486 | |
Nacheburg Infantry Regiment | 563 | |||
General-major Juschkov II | Riazsk Infantry Regiment | 620 | ||
Yakutsk Infantry Regiment | 533 | |||
Major Melnik | 10th Jäger Regiment | 335 | ||
38th Jäger Regiment | 472 | |||
15th Infantry Division General-major Peter Yakovlevich Kornilov ![]() |
Lieutenant Colonel Anensur | Vitebsk Infantry Regiment | 372 | |
Kozlov Infantry Regiment | 504 | |||
General-major Mussin-Pushkin | Kolyvan Infantry Regiment | 417 | ||
Kourin Infantry Regiment | 417 | |||
Colonel Tuchanowski | 12th Jäger Regiment | 447 | ||
22nd Jäger Regiment | unknown |
French Army order of battle
Commander-in-chief: Emperor Napoleon
Chief of Staff: Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier
The units available to fight at Champaubert were the 1st Old Guard Division, the Guard artillery, the 1st and 3rd Guard Cavalry Divisions, the 1st and 2nd Young Guard Divisions, both divisions of the VI Corps, both divisions of the I Cavalry Corps, and Cyrille-Simon Picquet's cavalry brigade.[19]
After General of Division Pierre Decouz was killed at the Battle of Brienne, General of Brigade Jean-Jacques Germain Pelet-Clozeau temporarily commanded the 2nd Young Guard Division through the battles of 10–11 February. Then he was reassigned to lead a brigade in the 1st Old Guard Division.[20]
Corps | Division | Strength | Brigade | Regiment | Strength |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Old Guard Marshal Édouard Mortier ![]() |
1st Old Guard Division General of Division Louis Friant ![]() |
4,796 | 1st Brigade General of Brigade Pierre Cambronne |
1st Guard Foot Chasseur Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 1,265 |
2nd Guard Foot Chasseur Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 898 | ||||
2nd Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Martin Petit |
1st Guard Foot Grenadier Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 1,393 | |||
2nd Guard Foot Grenadier Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 1,044 | ||||
Attached units | Guard Sapper Battalion, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Companies | 105 | |||
Guard Marine Battalion, 3rd Company | - | ||||
Guard Engineering Train | - | ||||
2nd Old Guard Division General of Division Claude-Étienne Michel (WIA) ![]() followed by: Charles-Joseph Christiani |
3,878 6 guns |
General of Brigade Jean Louis Gros |
Fusilier-Chasseur Regiment | 1,366 | |
Fusilier-Grenadier Regiment | 688 | ||||
General of Brigade Charles-Joseph Christiani |
Flanqueuer-Chasseur Regiment | 1,042 | |||
Flanqueuer-Grenadier Regiment | 285 | ||||
Velites of Turin | 333 | ||||
Velites of Florence | 164 | ||||
Artillery Captain Eggerlé |
1st Young Guard Company 4 6-pounder guns & 2 24-pound howitzers |
73, 6 guns | |||
Guard Train Detachment | 81 | ||||
Artillery | 1,464 | Not Brigaded | Guard Foot Artillery, 7 companies | 459 | |
Horse Artillery, 4 companies | 319 | ||||
Train and pontooneers | 686 | ||||
Young Guard Marshal Michel Ney ![]() |
1st Young Guard Division General of Division Claude Marie Meunier ![]() |
4,133 | 1st Brigade General of Brigade Jean Étienne Clément-Lacoste |
1st Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 657 |
2nd Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 940 | ||||
2nd Brigade General of Brigade Guillaume-Charles Rousseau |
3rd Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 1,263 | |||
4th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 1,144 | ||||
2nd Young Guard Division General of Division Philibert Jean-Baptiste Curial ![]() |
2,840 | 1st Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Jacques Pelet |
5th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 680 | |
6th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 633 | ||||
2nd Brigade General of Brigade Auguste Julien Bigarré |
7th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 717 | |||
8th Voltiguer Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | 670 | ||||
Guard Cavalry General of Division Étienne de Nansouty ![]() |
1st Guard Cavalry Division General of Division Pierre de Colbert ![]() |
2,582 | Brigades unknown | 2nd Éclaireur Regiment | - |
2nd Chevau-léger Lancer Regiment | - | ||||
Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment | - | ||||
Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment | - | ||||
Guard Dragoon Regiment | - | ||||
2nd Guard Cavalry Division General of Division Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes ![]() |
3,535 | Brigades unknown | 1st Guard Lancer Regiment | 680 | |
Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment | 667 | ||||
Guard Dragoon Regiment | 800 | ||||
Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment | 954 | ||||
Gendarmes d'Elite Regiment | 434 | ||||
3rd Guard Cavalry Division General of Division Louis Laferrière-Levêque ![]() |
2,164 | 1st Brigade General of Brigade Jean Dieudonné Lion |
Guard Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment | 542 | |
Guard Dragoon Regiment | 735 | ||||
2nd Brigade General of Brigade Louis-Michel Letort de Lorville |
Guard Horse Grenadier Regiment | 887 | |||
I Cavalry Corps General of Division Jean-Pierre Doumerc ![]() followed by: Étienne de Bordesoulle |
1st Light Cavalry Division General of Division Christophe Antoine Merlin ![]() |
704 | 1st Brigade General of Brigade François Isidore Wathiez |
6th, 7th & 8th Hussar Regiments 1st, 3rd, 5th & 8th Chevau-léger Lancier Regiments 16th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment |
272 |
2nd Brigade General of Brigade Claude Raymond Guyon |
1st, 2nd & 3rd Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 6th & 8th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 9th & 25th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments |
432 | |||
2nd Heavy Cavalry Division General of Division Étienne de Bordesoulle ![]() |
1,196 | 1st Brigade General of Brigade Nicolas Marin Thiry |
2nd & 3rd Cuirassier Regiments 6th & 9th Cuirassier Regiments 11th & 12th Cuirassier Regiments |
614 | |
2nd Brigade General of Brigade Joseph Alexandre Félix de Laville |
4th, 7th & 14th Cuirassier Regiments 7th & 23rd Dragoon Regiments 28th and 30th Dragoon Regiments |
582 | |||
Attached Artillery | 170 6 guns |
Not Brigaded | 1st Horse Artillery Regiment, 3rd Company | 77, 6 guns | |
1st (bis) Train Battalion, 2nd Company 8th (bis) Train Battalion |
93 | ||||
II Cavalry Corps General of Division Antoine de Saint-Germain |
2nd Light Cavalry Division General of Division Sigismond Frédéric de Berckheim ![]() |
977 | 3rd Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Baptiste Dommanget |
5th & 9th Hussar Regiments 11th & 12th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 2nd & 4th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiments |
117 |
4th Brigade General of Brigade Jean-Baptiste Jamin de Bermuy |
6th Chevau-léger Lancer Regiment 4th, 7th & 20th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments 23rd & 24th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments |
860 | |||
2nd Heavy Cavalry Division General of Division Antoine de Saint-Germain |
665 | 3rd Brigade General of Brigade Amable Guy Blancard |
1st Carabinier Regiment 2nd Carabinier Regiments 1st Cuirassier Regiment |
390 | |
4th Brigade General of Brigade Louis Charles Sopransi |
5th & 8th Cuirassier Regiments 10th & 13th Cuirassier Regiments |
275 | |||
Corps Artillery Lieutenant Colonel Graillat |
270 4 guns |
Not Brigaded | 1st Horse Artillery, 1st Company 5th Horse Artillery, 5th Company 1st (bis) Train Battalion |
270, 4 guns | |
Independent Cavalry | Cavalry Division General of Division Jean-Marie Defrance ![]() |
896 | General of Brigade Cyrille-Simon Picquet |
10th Hussar Regiment | - |
1st Gardes d'Honneur Regiment | - | ||||
General of Brigade Philippe Paul, comte de Ségur |
2nd Gardes d'Honneur Regiment | - | |||
3rd Gardes d'Honneur Regiment | - | ||||
4th Gardes d'Honneur Regiment | - | ||||
VI Corps Marshal Auguste de Marmont ![]() |
3rd Infantry Division General of Division Joseph Lagrange ![]() |
4,868 | General of Brigade Joseph Antoine René Joubert |
1st & 15th Line Infantry Regiments | - |
16th & 62nd Line Infantry Regiments | - | ||||
70th & 121th Line Infantry Regiments | - | ||||
1st Marine Regiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions | - | ||||
General of Brigade Pierre Pelleport |
2nd Marine Regiment, 1st–4th Battalions | - | |||
3rd Marine Regiment, 1st–3rd Battalions | - | ||||
4th Marine Regiment, 1st–3rd Battalions | - | ||||
23rd Line Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion | - | ||||
37th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st & 3rd Battalions | - | ||||
8th Infantry Division General of Division Étienne Pierre Ricard ![]() |
2,917 | General of Brigade Jean-Louis Fournier |
2nd & 6th Light Infantry Regiments, 2nd Battalions | - | |
4th Light Infantry Regiment, 7th Battalion | - | ||||
9th & 16th Light Infantry Regiments | - | ||||
40th Line Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion | - | ||||
50th Line Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion | - | ||||
General of Brigade François-Louis Boudin de Roville (WIA) |
22nd & 69th Line Infantry Regiments | - |