3 PM
The Semenovsky Russian Guard Regiment attacks and destroys the 8th Ligne battalion opposing it, but does not advance into the exposed position, with Murat’s cavalry nearby. Further east, the Grenadier Guards and General Depreradovich’s elite Guard Cavalry brigade attack the 27th Legere and 54 Ligne regiments near the Post House. The 27th cannot form square, but the well-trained men shoot down a number of the Chevalier Garde’s men. The 27th remain engaged, but the Grenadiers are more successful, routing the 54th and surrounding the 27th Legere. Seeing this, Bernadotte sends his 94th Ligne, the last reserves, to counterattack the Grenadier Guard Regiment #2. Meanwhile, the 27th Legere continues to extract casualties, this time on the Grenadiers. This breakout attempt becomes the largest fight of the battle, well over 5000 men involved. The Grenadiers hold, but take heavy casualties. Murat moves further east to support these men at the Post House, especially considering Bagration’s cavalry could become a nuisance. Bagration mulls over attacking Nansouty’s heavy cavalry, but a counter-charge with Russian hussars would yield a +3 DRM. As such, Bagration’s cavalry heads to the road east of the Goldbach Heights.
Soult continues to cannonade the Austrian lines. Vandamme attacks the southern portion of Kolowrat’s line while St. Hilaire’s 36th and 14th Ligne attack the center. Prebyshevsky still remains a force in existence and causes casualties to the French, as the 4th and 75th Ligne both suffer losses. St. Hilaire’s attacks cause heavy loss of life, but the IR49, under the personal direction of Kolowrat, hold the line. The French dragoons crush the Austrian Erzherzog Johann #1 screen. Vandamme finally finishes the destruction of the Coalition Third Column.
Dokhturov launches the remnants of 3 regiments at Sokolnitz and elements of the 108th Ligne demolish them, repelling the Kiev grenadiers and the Vladimir musketeers. This leaves First Column with barely 2000 infantry. However, Dokhturov has plenty of artillery and moves it closer to bombard Sokolnitz.
Commentary:
The Russian Guard simply does not have enough men to fend off Bernadotte and Murat, plus the occasional Lannes harassment. The Guard does foil the French’s plan to get to the exit hex on the east edge, that was the French plan. I had thought about being more aggressive with Bagration’s cavalry, but if the move was not successful vs Lannes’ large formed stack, the follow up infantry would have spelled disaster for them, as they could have worked to surround the fatigued cavalry (if there were not successful in mauling the big stack). As I explained earlier, I usually didn’t advance after combat when Russian cavalry was nearby. The battle around the Post House was epic, with the 27th Legere getting surrounded and then being rescued, somewhat. Given the brittleness of the 4th Austrian Column units, it would have been better to start St. Hilaire an hour earlier. Further south along the Goldbach, the Austrians just can’t get a break.
