PbeM day 2 Waterloo Campaign [4]

Noon Ath (western area of Ops):

Uxbridge sees the French I Corp approaching Ath his cav are at the far edge of town, and a long column of troops headed North East toward Enghein which are II Corps Clinton and Coleville Divisions.

There is enough distance between Uxbridges Cav and the French I Corp to avoid combat assuming they  halt and you dont turn around.

Your forces are now stretched with the 3 Corps from Ath to Enghein.

Riders report Prince of Orange is headed to Mon St Jean.

Noon Rousing Speech by Zieten Commander of the I Corps to his men at the Battle of Ligny:

Drink up men, do you know what wine you drink? It comes from
Napoleon’s personal cellar left at Leipzig. Yes Leipzig! Where
Napoleon was beaten. Here we are not facing Napoleon, only one of his
preening, overdressed Marshals.

Here at Ligny, the French again will taste defeat. Here at Ligny there
is no surrender and no retreat. To do so is to invite the French
foragers into our homes and free rein with your wives and daughters.
Here at Ligny French attacks will crumple upon our lines like arrows
upon our Shields! Here at Ligny they will learn again the tenacity of
the Prussian soldier! We fight while Wellington marches to our aid to
hit the French in the flank! Yes, Wellington’s troops are marching to
us now!

Will you stand with me, shoulder to shoulder? What say you men of
Grosse Prussia! What say you men of the Iron Kingdom!

Band plays the Leuthen Chorale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMPLDXUk_PM

History: Apparently After the Battle of Leuthen in 1757, an unknown
Prussian soldier standing near Frederick the Great began singing it
spontaneously, and the hymn was taken up by the entire assembled
Prussian army, about 25,000 men.

Noon Battle of Ligny Round 2

The air was heavy with smoke and the smell of cordite.

Gunpowder flashes hinted at where the enemy took cover in the small village of Ligny. Raucous singing was also another dead give away.

Zieten appears to have issued wine from his personal reserve train (captured at Leipzig) to bolster morale. The band plays with a passion rarely heard of in the homeland.

Bemused, Grouchy orders his forces into the village again! IICorps cavalry take canister shots and swerve away. But the men of Gerard’s Bourmont and Vichery Divisions lead the charge.

Pecheux’s men of the 12th Division make a fine showing for themselves, clearing the outskirts of town.

Only to be repulsed by Roders light cavalry and Henckels Prussian cannon.

This round inflicts an additional -7 morale points upon the French forces.

[UMPIRE]

FR inf. have a morale of 35. At the end of battle the forces use the % of morale lost to calculate forces lost per unit (each FR units has 4 effectives).

12/13/14 inf divisions have taken 15 apiece (almost 50% of morale not effectives), with 14th taking and extra 2.

The IV Corp cav is sitting at -21 lost  of 35. and IICorps Cav is : 10th HC -7 of 35, and 11th Cu are -14 of 40.

The Prussians took no losses in morale.

They are witting with two units at 22/30 morale points lost, and 0 losses for the other two divisions and cavalry.

Both sides fatigue count is rising, but not a major concern yet.

Noon Battle of Dinant Round 4

The fighting renews after a brief respite.

Cannon shot presages the attack as both side throw themselves into this increasingly deadly fight, and intense battle.

The arrival of the IV Corps adds pressure to the center. But French  IIIC seems not to care.

Lefol and Haberts divisions of the III Corp distinguish them selves under pressure from the flanks and drive hard at the Prussian 2nd Corps. Morale losses for the first time for the Prussians! -8 of 30.

Brause and Kraft are tenacious in the fighting however and the line holds! Pirch’s large light cav no doubt making the difference.

On the right flank French VI corp faces a set back of sorts. Their attack falters and Foy, Girard and Jerome all suffer morale losses of -7 of 35.Even with the support of Milhaud’s 14th Cu who lose -7 of 40 also.

The forces appear to be evenly matched, both sides are weary and fatigue levels continue to rise.

[UMPIRE]
Do you stand or retreat?

Noon @ Napoleons HQ

You riders and patrol report continuous heavy fire and battle noises since 0600 this am from the SE.

Grouchys  officers report early fighting has been only mildly successful. the Prussian First Corps holds Ligny in the NW still.

A weary courier arrives to advise that Blucher was indeed reported and sighted on the field @ Dinant.

The battle was still raging when this rider left @ 0800. As he traveled he could hear the fighting continue like thunder across a barren plain all through out his travels until he was out of ear shot.

Your map look something like this based upon the data you have:

1300

ZIETEN TO PRINCE OF ORANGE sent @1000
Via the same Courier

Sent from Ligny to The Prince of Orange, at Mont St Jean, Quatre Bras
– Bruxelles Road.

Your Grace, the most gallant Prince of Orange. The Prussian I Corps is
heavily engaged against Gerards IV Corps and French Heavy Cavalry at
1000 at Ligny and the battle is raging. Anticipating Blucher’s request
and your desire for endearing glory, I beseech you to march to the
sound of the guns and fall upon the flank of the engaged foe.

Yours respectfully,
Zieten, I Corps Commanding

1400 MESSAGE TO WELLINGTON FROM ZIETEN
Sent 1000 from Ligny

Your grace, PR I Corps came under heavy attack by IV Corps and
Excellmans Heavy Cavalry at 1000. We will make our stand here at
Ligny. Request immediate assistance. We will fight until the last man,
for if we fall, the French will be between our two armies and the
devil to pay.

Yours respectfully
Zieten PR I Corps Commanding

1400

MESSAGE TO BLUCHER FROM ZIETEN
Sent 1000 from Ligny

Dear Blucher, PR I Corps came under heavy attack by IV Corps and
Excellmans Heavy Cavalry at 1000. We will make our stand here at
Ligny. Request immediate assistance. We will fight until the last man,
for if we fall, the French will be between our two armies and the
devil to pay.

Yours respectfully
Zieten PR I Corps Commanding

1500 Napoleon:

1500 & 1700 by Ney & Napoleon

Time 1100  From D’Erlons I Corps (vicinity of Ath)

To Napoleon and Ney

We fought a battle with a mixed division of British cavalry south of Ath.  1st Res Cavalry Corps was defeated. We are preparing to enter Ath with all of I Corps against enemy opposition.
Civilians report the enemy marching from NW of Ath towards Brussels during the night last night!!

1500

To: Ney and Napoleon [received @ 1800]

From D’Erlons I Corps

Time: Sent Noon

I am preparing to seize Ath from a large British cavalry force.  I am observing large columns of the British army marching from Ath to Enghien to the northeast in the direction of Brussels.  It appears I am observing the tail of their army.  I intend to slow their progress by harrassing the rear of their march columns.

1600

ZIETEN TO BLUCHER, FROM THE PRINCE OF ORANGE 1000
Sent from Ligny to Blucher via crossroads-Namur-Dinant-Phillipeville road

Dear Blucher, the Prince of Orange is marching his Corps down the
Bruxelles road to Quatre Bras. The Prussian I Corps is heavily engaged
against Gerards IV Corps and French Heavy Cavalry at 1000 and the
battle is raging.  Anticipating your blessing, I have requested the
Prince of Orange to march to the sound of the guns and fall upon the
enemy flank as we bloodily fight the french to a standstill. We are
outnumbered and have suffered grevious losses, but the villainous
French have been ferociously thrown back.

Without your inspiring presence on the battlefield, I have resorted to
sharing out my personal wine cellar amongst the troops. It was the
several wagons I liberated from Napoleon’ personal cellar after
Leipzig, including a magnificent 1805 Claret, which I was saving for your Birthday.

However these are the sacrifices I am prepared to make for victory at Ligny. There will be no surrender and no retreat. Should I fall,
please think fondly of me when you triumph over the Corsican Ogre.

Your most faithful and loyal servant,
Zieten PR I Corps commanding