The Prussian attack on the Lobosch now included four battalions of grenadiers, with a Frei korps battalion in support, plus a light gun. The Austrian defenders were three units of Grenzer with a light gun. I had ten battalions of line infantry to hold the position between the Lobosch and Lobositz with a light gun. Lobositz itself had a garrison of three battalions and it was flanked by artillery. To the rear of Lobositz was my sole cavalry unit.
Between Lobositz and the Model Bach Alasdair had four battalions of grenadiers and three units of heavy cavalry, supported by two units of dragoons and a unit of converged dragoon grenadiers. Further to the left were a further 12 battalions of infantry with a light gun and howitzer. The village of Sullowitz had a garrison of light troops.
Most of the Prussian infantry were arriving opposite Lobositz, 16 battalions of line infantry plus, leading the way, three guards battalions. The cavalry arrived to the right of the Homolka Hill which had the main Prussian battery on it.
The battle began with the Austrian heavy cavalry advancing to threaten the flank of Prussian infantry marching on Lobositz. In doing so they came under fire from the guns on the Homolka. Steve also advanced the infantry brigade supporting the guns and with their double action (courtesy of Koenig Kreig) the infantry fired a volley into the cavalry. This diverted the Austrians attention from the Guards battalions and they charged the line infantry. The right hand regiment of cavalry (Portugal) ignored the casualties inflicted by the volley as they closed on the infantry (2nd battalion Von Pannwitz) and drove them back with heavy loss. However, their colleagues suffered more heavily from the infantry fire and stalled before the unbroken rank of bayonets presented by the 1st battalion of Von Pannwitz. The supporting regiment was unable to move forward to exploit the gap opened by Portugal because the Buddenbrock Cuirassier regiment had by now appeared to their left. The Austrian cavalry had no choice but to fall back and they helped on their way by further volleys from the Prussian infantry. This further disorganised them and they were destroyed as a fighting force by a devastating charge by Buddenbrock.
Meanwhile, Bevern's attack on the Lobosch was making progress. Although his lead battalions had suffered casualties, the grenzers had been pushed back up the slopes and the Frei Korps troops were also moving forward, occupying the attention of one of the grenzer units. Seeing the Prussian progress I had ordered two battalions from the reserve to support the grenzers on the Lobosch. However my main preoccupation was the seemingly unstoppable progress of the Prussian guards. Ignoring casualties from my artillery they were advancing on the battalions closest to Lobositz, seemingly with the intention of breaking the line and covering the flank of the main attack on the town. They had a howitzer battery in support and its fire caused one battalion to fall back and then a second was forced back as it failed to stand when charged by a guard battalion. This exposed the flank of my artillery and the crews ran just before the guns were overun.
My cavalry reserve, the Wurttemburg Guard Cavalry, came forward to challenge the Prussians, who had by now lost almost half their men. Undaunted, the Prussians fired a volley as my cavalry moved forward and this must have knocked the fight out of them, because they failed the morale test to charge home. A second volley by the Guards caused my cavalry to rout. However, this debacle had given time for me to get a Hungarian infantry battalion into position to oppose any further progress by the Prussian guard infantry.
Meanwhile on the Austrian left, Von Browne had been busy moving as many troops as he dared towards the centre to counter the the threat of the Prussian cavalry. Opposite Lobositz, the main Prussian attack was forming up..
to be continued
No comments:
Post a Comment