Campaign Move 24

1600 to 2000 14 August 1813

Marshal Suchet called a meeting of his three corps commanders to decide how to proceed with the campaign.

7th corps had now received their fourth brigade and are at full strength.    General Munsier recommends continue to attack

16th corps are starting to arrive at Cambrils.   They have suffered heavy casualties and will require some days rest and reinforcement to become operational   General Severoli recommends a retreat to Reus or even Tarragona.   He reports that 4th Spanish corps are in hot pursuit, but have battle casualties

17th corps are one brigade short.   General Halbert recommends continue to attack   He reports that he has lost contact with 1st Spanish corps


Suchet is aware that if he moves west to engage 2^nd Spanish and 5^th British corps he will have to leave Cambrils undefended and at the mercy of 4^th Spanish corps.

He is confident that he can defeat two allied corps and probably hold Cambrils against 2^nd and 4^th Spanish corps plus 5^th British corps.  But if 1^st Spanish corps moves north from Tortosa he is likely to face destruction and the loss of northeast Spain to the allies.

Just before 2000 a report is received from 7^th cavalry brigade to confirm that 1^st Spanish corps has entered Tortosa and is moving north towards Cambrils.

Suchet orders an immediate retreat towards Reus.   16^th corps will lead, followed by 7^th corps.   17^th corps will form the rearguard

Campaign Move 23

1200 to 1600 14 August 1813

Marshal Suchet met with General Severoli as the Italian corps approached Cambrils.   It was all too apparent that the Italians would require two or three days rest and reinforcement before they could become operational again.

Worse still, Severoli confirmed that 4^th Spanish corps was close behind in hot pursuit.

Suchet was aware that Cambrils was now in immediate danger.   7^th corps could hold 2^nd Spanish corps at bay, but only until 4^th Spanish corps arrived on the Mora road.

In the circumstances it would be madness to press home his attack on 5^th British corps well to the west of Cambrils.

He ordered 16^th corps to continue their retreat through Cambrils and on to Reus through the night.

7^th corps would hold their position until the Italians were clear of Cambrils.  They would then fall back on the town and hold it until nightfall.

17^th corps would immediately break contact with 5^th British corps and retreat to Cambrils.   They would send one of their cavalry brigades south to determine whether 1^st Spanish corps were moving north from Tortosa.

He would hold Cambrils until nightfall and wait to receive his cavalry reports before deciding whether to abandon Cambrils and retreat to Reus.

Campaign Move 22

0800 to 1200 14 August 1813

When Captain-General Copons agreed with General Murray that 2nd Spanish corps would attack Cambrils with 5^th British corps they both believed that they would be faced with only 7^th French corps.

He had ordered 1^st Spanish corps to pin 17^th French corps at Tortosa, and if the French should move north they were to follow and attack them on the march.

He was not aware that 17^th corps had broke contact with 1^st corps and was already approaching Cambrils on the Tortosa road.

As 5^th British corps approached Cambrils they were confronted by 7^th corps in front of the town, and also by 17^th corps approaching them from the south.   The latter was marching directly towards the British.

2^nd Spanish corps were screened from view by the hills north of the hills north of the Miravat road.   It was last morning before the French brigade holding this high ground spotted them.

Marshal Suchet was now faced with a difficult decision.    16^th Italian corps were approaching Cambrils on the Mora road.  They were in rout from the battle of the previous day, and if they were to be saved 7th corps would have to redeploy to halt 2^nd Spanish corps and hold the road.

17^th corps were well positioned to attack the British.   But to do so they would have to move further west, leaving Cambrils open to attack from the south.   Suchet had no intelligence to indicate what 1^st Spanish corps were doing.   They might well be marching towards Cambrils from Tortosa.

If he ordered 17^th corps to attack the British, and they failed, they would be in a very dangerous position.   If 1^st Spanish then arrived at Cambrils at first light on 14 August 1813 it was likely that the entire French army would have to surrender of be destroyed.

Battle of Cambrils - Move 5

1200-1300 14 August 1813

  table at start of move 5

 Top – French are deployed to hold the Mora road

Bottom – British have halted to await reinforcements

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Engage British

Artillery fire on gunners (total 7 – no casualties)

Gunners manhandle guns 2” towards enemy

22^nd and 24^th brigades advance 6”

Commander moves to command range of 23^rd brigade

23^rd brigade advance 6” towards hill

  16^th Italian corps

General Severoli

6 Command Points

Orders – Avoid contact with the enemy

Arrive on table and move towards Cambrils.

All brigades have heavy casualties and must avoid the enemy until nightfall

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to right of hill

Artillery fire on 5^th Spanish (total 6 – no casualties)

26^th brigade advanced 8” and form column of attack

25^th brigade retire 2” facing enemy (back from edge of hill)

Commander changes orders to “Halt”

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

8 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Commander changes orders to “Halt”

6^th brigade advance 6” and form square

5^th brigade retreat 3” facing enemy

Artillery limber and move 4” to right flank

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

8 Command Points

Move to join 7^thcorps

Change corps orders to “Hold”

Move to join 17^thcorps

Change corps orders to “Withdraw to Cambrils

  5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

10 Command Points

Orders – Hold

Artillery fire on 22^nd French (total 5 – no casualties)

Spanish cavalry about turn to face enemy

British cavalry retreat 6” facing enemy

8^th brigade turn right and move towards hill

6^th brigade form column of attack and move towards hill

Game Notes

Both the Spanish and British corps have halted and taken up a defensive position to support each other and await reinforcements.

Suchet has decided that it would be too dangerous to advance further west to attack the British, and thus leave Cambrils undefended.

He has ordered 7^th corps to cover 16^th corps retreat to Cambrils, and 17^th corps to withdraw to Cambrils.

All three of his corps commanders are now at Cambrils, and he has called a meeting to decide whether to make a last stand at Cambrils or to abandon Tortosa and retreat to Reus

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

table at end of game

The British and Spanish corps have withdrawn to the left side of table

16th Italian corps approach Cambrils

7^th French corps hold Mora road

17^th French corps are about to retreat towards Cambrils

Game Result

Spanish and British halted as soon as they realised they were facing two French corps  to await reinforcements

French are expecting Spanish reinforcements from Mora and Tortosa and are not prepared to move any further west to attack British corps.

Only artillery fire exchanged and no casualties

Result – a  draw

Battle of Cambrils – Move 4

1100-1200 14 August 1813

  table at start of move 4

 

Top – French move to right to stop Spanish and defend Mora road

Bottom – French move towards British behind reinforced cavalry screen

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

6 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Artillery advance 4” and unlimber

6^th, 7^th and 8^th brigades advance 6”

Commander moves to centre of corps

  5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

10 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Change orders to “Hold”

Artillery advance 2”

Spanish lancers about turn and retire 14”

5^th and 7^th brigades form square

British dragoons retire 6” facing enemy

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

3 Command Points

Move to join 2^nd corps

(not enough CP to change their orders)

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

6 Command Points

Move to 17^th corps

Change orders to “Engage British”

Move to join 7^th corps

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

10 Command Points

Orders – Engage British

Artillery advance 2”

12^th chasseurs advance 14”

7^th dragoons advance 12”

23^rd and 24^th brigades form column of attack and advance 3”

22^nd brigade advance 6”

Commander moves to centre of corps

7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

7 Command Points

Orders – Move to right of hill

Commander moves to centre of corps

Artillery advance 4” and unlimber

27^th brigade advance 4” and form column of attack

26^th brigade advance 6”

Commander moves to centre of corps

Game Notes

Suchet has decided to hold his right flank and attach with his left.

7^th corps are taking position to stop the Spanish advance, hold the Mora road and cover the retreat of 16^th Italian corps.

 

 

17^th corps have been given orders to engage the British.  The combined cavalry brigades  have been moved to the right flank, to prevent the Spanish moving to assist the British.  The remainder of the corps are advancing on the British

 

 

The Spanish CinC has twice failed to gain sufficient CP to change the orders of 2^nd Spanish corps to halt!   Meanwhile the Spanish continue to advance towards the Mora road, and the waiting French.

 

 

Murray has reacted to the advance of 17^th French corps by halting his corps and withdrawing his cavalry behind the infantry squares.  He is not  prepared to risk his horsemen against equal numbers of French cavalry.

 

 

Suchet must now defeat the British before Spanish reinforcements can arrive.   As 17th corps moves west to do so they leave Cambrils undefended.

 

 

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Cambrils – Move 3

1000-1100 14 August 1813

 

  table at start of move 3

Top – Spanish corps advance screened from 7^th French corps by the hills

Bottom – British surprised to find 17^th Spanish corps approaching from Tortosa

  2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade advance 6”

Artillery advance 8”

6^th and 8^th brigades advance 8”

6^th, 7^th and 8^th brigades form column of attack

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

6 Command Points

Change 7^th corps orders to “Move to right of hill”

Move to join and take command of 7^th dragoons

Move with 7^th dragoons to join 17^th corps

Place 7^th dragoons under command of 17^th corps

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Move to right of hill

25^th brigade move to right edge of hill and spot 2^nd Spanish corps

Artillery limber and move 16”

26^th and 27^th brigades turn right and advance 8”

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

11 Command Points

Orders – Move towards British

Assume command of 7^th dragoons

Artillery advance 7” and unlimber

24^th brigade advance 12” and form square

22^nd brigade advance 16” and form column of attack

23^rd brigade (in square) advance 2”

5^th British corps

General Murray (Poor)

9 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade form column of attack and advance 6”

6^th brigade advance 8” and form square

7^th and 8^th brigade advance 8” and form column of attack

Commander moves to centre of corps

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

3 Command Points

Move to join 2^nd corps

(not enough CP to change their orders)

Game Notes

Both sides have again made use of multiple moves to deploy.

Multiple moves are allowed providing there is no enemy within 16”

Rule 5 covers movement

Marshal Suchet has moved 5^th dragoons from 7^th to 17^th corps

This is so that 17^th corps can match the combined Spanish and British cavalry brigades facing them

Suchet has also ordered 7^th corps to move to the right of the hill.  
This is to protect the Mora road, as 16^th corps are now approaching Cambrils

 Both the British and Spanish commanders thought that they would only have to face 7^th French corps.   They were not expecting 17^th French corps to arrive from Tortosa.

 17^th French corps arrived with campaign orders to move towards the farm, which is directly towards the British.

Suchet is aware that 1^st Spanish corps is somewhere in the area of Tortosa, but has no indication of whether they are following 17^th corps towards Cambrils.  

He must now decide whether to fight a holding battle to allow 16^th Italian corps to retreat through Cambrils, and then follow them north.  Or whether to attempt to defeat the allied army before reinforcements can arrive from Tortosa or Mora.  If he attacks the British, but fails to beat them, and Spanish reinforcements arrive his whole army could be destroyed.

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Battle of Cambrils – Move 2

0900-1000 14 August 1813

  17^th French corps

General Halbert (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Cavalry advance 14”

22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th brigades advance 8”

Artillery advance 8”

Commander moves to centre of corps

23^rd brigade advance 4” and form square

Marshal Suchet (Gifted)

6 Command Points

Move to join General Halbert

Change 17^th corps orders to “move towards British”

Move to join General Munsier

5th British corps 

General Murray (Poor)

10 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

Artillery advance 28” and unlimber

5^th brigade advance 16” and form square

6^th and 8^th brigades advance 8”

  7^th French corps

General Munsier (Average)

8 Command Points

Orders – Hold Cambrils

Waiting for new orders

2^nd Spanish corps

General Elio (Poor)

6 Command Points

Orders – Move to Cambrils

5^th brigade advance 8” and change to column of attack

Artillery advance 8”

6^th and 8^th brigades advance 8”

Commander moves to centre of corps

Captain-General Copons (Poor)

4 Command Points

No orders issued

Game Notes

Both sides have again made use of multiple moves to deploy.

Multiple moves are allowed providing there is no enemy within 16”

Rule 5 covers movement

7^th corps are on Hold orders. 

They are out of range of the enemy and  would like to advance into artillery range.

To do so the CinC must first change their orders to Move or Engage

2^nd Spanish corps are still out of sight of the French commanders, so they are not allowed to react until  the Spanish move into sight.

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/