Post by mark1 on Sept 30, 2015 12:34:29 GMT
The battle of Issy was the last field battle in the 1815 campaign. Details are hard to come by. I would welcome any corrections or feedback.
Battle of Issy 1815
Paris 1815.Napoleon abdicated in favour of his son on the 22nd June in last bid attempt to secure his legacy. Blucher meanwhile was racing to Paris in order to act out revenge against Napoleon and France. By the 29th June Napoleon realised the game was up and fled Paris before the advancing troops arrived. After initially probing the fortifications of Paris on the right bank of the Seine where the Allies had attacked in 1814, the Prussians swung around to attack the relatively unprotected left bank.
French forces under Davout were a mix of national guard and seasoned regulars but remained a serious threat to the Prussian and British Allied forces. Wellington’s forces were stationed towards the north of Paris and racing to catch up with Blucher. In the Meantime the Provisional Government of France had opened up dialogue with the intention of negotiating a ceasefire with the Allied force. Blucher however was not about to give up the opportunity to sack Paris even though Napoleon was no longer a threat.
The French army in Paris was still a capable force despite, low morale and the realisation that victory was virtually impossible. Exelmans heavily defeated a Prussian Cavalry force at Villacoubly on the 1st of July.
On the 2nd of July Ziethen’s corps pushed Vandammes 3rd Corps’ forces based at Sevres and Meudon back though Issy until they reached Vaugirard. The fighting here ended at 22:00 and cost the French 3000 casualties. On the same day the Provisional Government decided that they would capitulate to Allies demands of removing the army out of Paris, accept the return of Louis XVIII and surrender Paris to the Allies.
Davout was intent on one last attack on the Prussians before the ceasefire could be agreed. Perhaps to try and negotiate from a position of strength, or to maintain order and command in the regular army. The rumour of royalist sympathies amongst the officers and generals which plagued the army during the campaign were still rife. The breakdown in the army would lead to chaos and potential greater loss of life, not least his own as a signatory of the capitulation.
Vandamme was reinforced and the battle began at 3:00am with an artillery bombardment of the Prussian advance guard( von Steinmatz) in Issy. Vichery was then ordered to attack the Village in 2 columns. The Prussian forces at Issy the 24th, 12th and 2nd (?)*Westaphalian Landweher with ½ a battery of 12pdrs had barricaded the village and beat of the first attack. A second attack was launched and again beaten off.
Both sides were reinforced, the Prussians by Pirch , the French Hulot. Further assaults were launched but again proved unsuccessful. By 7:00am Davout discovered that pontoon bridges had been built on the Seine that would allow the link up of the Allied forces. He sent his chief of staff General Revest to Ziethen’s corps to inform them of a unilateral ceasefire. The battle had been intense. Some Prussian units had lost more men fighting in the last two days than they had lost in Belgium.
The terms of Paris’ ceasefire were negotiated at the Palace of St. Cloud. Apart from localised resistance in a few fortifications the campaign was over.
*From Siborne’s account but not part of 1st Brigade perhaps a mistake?.
MISSION
French. Capture Issy and Hold the Village
Prussians Defend the Issy.
ORDERS OF BATTLE:
DIVISION: Cin C Ziethen
Brigade: Unit Strength Grade
Von Steinmetz 12th Infantry 2x 24 Line
12th Fusiliers 1x24 Line
24th Infantry 2x32 Line
24th Fusiliers 1x32 Line
1st Westaphalian Landwehr 3x 24 Line
Attached Artillery 12pdrs 2 models Line
Pirch 6th Infantry 2x24 Line
6th Fusilier 1x24 Line
2nd Westaphalian Landwehr 2x24 2ndLine
Roeder$ West Prussian Dragoons 1x18 Line
Bradenberg Uhlans 1x18 Line
Von Henkel$$ 19th Infantry 2x32 Line
19th fusiliers 1x32 Line
4th Westaphalian Landwehr 3x24 2nd Line
Brigade Artillery$ 8pdrs 4 models Line
$ Hold orders throughput game.
$$ Can be released if French units capture Issy.
DIVISION: Vandamme
Brigade: Unit Strength Grade
Vichery 59the Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
76th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
48th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
69th Ligne 2x24 Line
Grande Battery$ 8pdrs+howitzers 10 models Line
Hulot 9th Light 2x24 Line
111th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
44th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
50th Ligne 2x24 Line
Milhaud$ Cuirassiers 2x18 Line*
Artillery at Auteuil$ 12pder 4 models Line
(Berthezene)$ 12th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
56th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
$ Hold orders throughout the game.
*poor mounts
Note units are undersized and French moral is poor overall.
Barricades and stone walls provide cover for the Prussian defenders, the Grande Battery is set up within cannister shot range of Issy.
Game turns 16. First 8 are in darkness.(see below).
Night fighting factors:
Firing has to short range, -1 effect.
All terrain classed as difficult.
All movement use d6. Score of 1 results in unit being unformed.
Ignore casualties to skirmishing troops
-1 unit morale test.
Battle of Issy 1815
Paris 1815.Napoleon abdicated in favour of his son on the 22nd June in last bid attempt to secure his legacy. Blucher meanwhile was racing to Paris in order to act out revenge against Napoleon and France. By the 29th June Napoleon realised the game was up and fled Paris before the advancing troops arrived. After initially probing the fortifications of Paris on the right bank of the Seine where the Allies had attacked in 1814, the Prussians swung around to attack the relatively unprotected left bank.
French forces under Davout were a mix of national guard and seasoned regulars but remained a serious threat to the Prussian and British Allied forces. Wellington’s forces were stationed towards the north of Paris and racing to catch up with Blucher. In the Meantime the Provisional Government of France had opened up dialogue with the intention of negotiating a ceasefire with the Allied force. Blucher however was not about to give up the opportunity to sack Paris even though Napoleon was no longer a threat.
The French army in Paris was still a capable force despite, low morale and the realisation that victory was virtually impossible. Exelmans heavily defeated a Prussian Cavalry force at Villacoubly on the 1st of July.
On the 2nd of July Ziethen’s corps pushed Vandammes 3rd Corps’ forces based at Sevres and Meudon back though Issy until they reached Vaugirard. The fighting here ended at 22:00 and cost the French 3000 casualties. On the same day the Provisional Government decided that they would capitulate to Allies demands of removing the army out of Paris, accept the return of Louis XVIII and surrender Paris to the Allies.
Davout was intent on one last attack on the Prussians before the ceasefire could be agreed. Perhaps to try and negotiate from a position of strength, or to maintain order and command in the regular army. The rumour of royalist sympathies amongst the officers and generals which plagued the army during the campaign were still rife. The breakdown in the army would lead to chaos and potential greater loss of life, not least his own as a signatory of the capitulation.
Vandamme was reinforced and the battle began at 3:00am with an artillery bombardment of the Prussian advance guard( von Steinmatz) in Issy. Vichery was then ordered to attack the Village in 2 columns. The Prussian forces at Issy the 24th, 12th and 2nd (?)*Westaphalian Landweher with ½ a battery of 12pdrs had barricaded the village and beat of the first attack. A second attack was launched and again beaten off.
Both sides were reinforced, the Prussians by Pirch , the French Hulot. Further assaults were launched but again proved unsuccessful. By 7:00am Davout discovered that pontoon bridges had been built on the Seine that would allow the link up of the Allied forces. He sent his chief of staff General Revest to Ziethen’s corps to inform them of a unilateral ceasefire. The battle had been intense. Some Prussian units had lost more men fighting in the last two days than they had lost in Belgium.
The terms of Paris’ ceasefire were negotiated at the Palace of St. Cloud. Apart from localised resistance in a few fortifications the campaign was over.
*From Siborne’s account but not part of 1st Brigade perhaps a mistake?.
MISSION
French. Capture Issy and Hold the Village
Prussians Defend the Issy.
ORDERS OF BATTLE:
DIVISION: Cin C Ziethen
Brigade: Unit Strength Grade
Von Steinmetz 12th Infantry 2x 24 Line
12th Fusiliers 1x24 Line
24th Infantry 2x32 Line
24th Fusiliers 1x32 Line
1st Westaphalian Landwehr 3x 24 Line
Attached Artillery 12pdrs 2 models Line
Pirch 6th Infantry 2x24 Line
6th Fusilier 1x24 Line
2nd Westaphalian Landwehr 2x24 2ndLine
Roeder$ West Prussian Dragoons 1x18 Line
Bradenberg Uhlans 1x18 Line
Von Henkel$$ 19th Infantry 2x32 Line
19th fusiliers 1x32 Line
4th Westaphalian Landwehr 3x24 2nd Line
Brigade Artillery$ 8pdrs 4 models Line
$ Hold orders throughput game.
$$ Can be released if French units capture Issy.
DIVISION: Vandamme
Brigade: Unit Strength Grade
Vichery 59the Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
76th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
48th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
69th Ligne 2x24 Line
Grande Battery$ 8pdrs+howitzers 10 models Line
Hulot 9th Light 2x24 Line
111th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
44th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
50th Ligne 2x24 Line
Milhaud$ Cuirassiers 2x18 Line*
Artillery at Auteuil$ 12pder 4 models Line
(Berthezene)$ 12th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
56th Ligne 2x24 2nd Line
$ Hold orders throughout the game.
*poor mounts
Note units are undersized and French moral is poor overall.
Barricades and stone walls provide cover for the Prussian defenders, the Grande Battery is set up within cannister shot range of Issy.
Game turns 16. First 8 are in darkness.(see below).
Night fighting factors:
Firing has to short range, -1 effect.
All terrain classed as difficult.
All movement use d6. Score of 1 results in unit being unformed.
Ignore casualties to skirmishing troops
-1 unit morale test.