A winter in Smolensk, a sixth coalition TL
- Thread starter Parmenion
- Start date
I'm sorry but unfortunately I can't understand what you wanted to tell me 😅, English is not really my mother tongue nor the second language I studied at school (well technically it was the first foreign language, but having relatives in Ajaccio I knew how to speak French quite well as a child compared to the language of Albion ) what does it mean ?
Part 33- Eve of Battle
By mid July, Napoleon had advanced into Saxony, and with the Russians at his heels, turned North. His new plan was to rapidly move to join Massèna with the bulk of his forces, clearing a path to Berlin. Putting Ney in command of a 50,000 strong rearguard, the Marshal was ordered to delay Barclay, but avoid a general engagement with the much larger Russian force. Ney disregarded this order on the 16th at Radeburg, launching a surprise attack on the Russians, that rapidly bogged down as they moved up reserves. Ney lost 8,000 men, 30 guns, and four standards, doing little to slow the Russians.
Barclay chose to bypass Dresden, defended by Saint Cyr's I Corps and another 10,000 Saxon militia. As MacDonald's XV Corps joined Ney, Napoleon and the main body of the army raced North. Massèna meanwhile, was being driven Southwest by Blucher, and fell back towards the Saale to avoid being cut off. While Napoleon didn't know it yet, the Coalition was preparing a plan of their own...
_____
Trachenberg July 15th, 1813
An unusal and officially nonexistant meeting had been convened at the quiet German palace. The Tsar had been joined by his Prussian counterpart, and a certain ex-Frenchman Bernadotte, who'd joined their ranks in all but name in Sweden. There was a reason for their excluding Britian, and if there were any treatcherous motives they were secondary at best. The three sovereigns here had a task to deal with, one the British had been spared, they needed to defeat Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Tsar had invited an unual guest to join the monarchs, General Moreau, a former ally and competitor of Napoleon. It was he and Bernadotte who'd laid down the solution. "It's quite simple, if a bit cowardly." Moreau said "Every campaign, every war, he's the central factor in his own plans. The Emperor is always present at the pivotal moments." Bernadotte nodded "He doesn't much concern himself with secondary battles, not unless he can make them decisive."
Frederick William nodded "So we make every battle where Bonaparte isn't as destructive as possible." Moreau nodded "Expect a defeat whenever the Emperor attacks in person, attack and defeat his lieutenants wherever you can." The Prussian king gave a tired chuckle "Blucher certainly won't take joy in hearing that, are we not planning to converge on Napoleon himself at Leipzig." Moreau's expression darkened "And you should expect a defeat, and prepare as such. Bloody him even in defeat, and be ready to respond immediatly. He can't face all of Europe, not forever."
The men in the room looked at eachother, none of them had a better idea...
_______
As the coalition armies converged on Napoleon, some of his marshals urged him to pull
back to the Rhine, a more defensible position closer to his logistic hubs. But the Emperor refused to concede Germany without a fight. He decided that he'd stake the war on one decisive battle, one that may well decide the fate of his empire...
Barclay chose to bypass Dresden, defended by Saint Cyr's I Corps and another 10,000 Saxon militia. As MacDonald's XV Corps joined Ney, Napoleon and the main body of the army raced North. Massèna meanwhile, was being driven Southwest by Blucher, and fell back towards the Saale to avoid being cut off. While Napoleon didn't know it yet, the Coalition was preparing a plan of their own...
_____
Trachenberg July 15th, 1813
An unusal and officially nonexistant meeting had been convened at the quiet German palace. The Tsar had been joined by his Prussian counterpart, and a certain ex-Frenchman Bernadotte, who'd joined their ranks in all but name in Sweden. There was a reason for their excluding Britian, and if there were any treatcherous motives they were secondary at best. The three sovereigns here had a task to deal with, one the British had been spared, they needed to defeat Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Tsar had invited an unual guest to join the monarchs, General Moreau, a former ally and competitor of Napoleon. It was he and Bernadotte who'd laid down the solution. "It's quite simple, if a bit cowardly." Moreau said "Every campaign, every war, he's the central factor in his own plans. The Emperor is always present at the pivotal moments." Bernadotte nodded "He doesn't much concern himself with secondary battles, not unless he can make them decisive."
Frederick William nodded "So we make every battle where Bonaparte isn't as destructive as possible." Moreau nodded "Expect a defeat whenever the Emperor attacks in person, attack and defeat his lieutenants wherever you can." The Prussian king gave a tired chuckle "Blucher certainly won't take joy in hearing that, are we not planning to converge on Napoleon himself at Leipzig." Moreau's expression darkened "And you should expect a defeat, and prepare as such. Bloody him even in defeat, and be ready to respond immediatly. He can't face all of Europe, not forever."
The men in the room looked at eachother, none of them had a better idea...
_______
As the coalition armies converged on Napoleon, some of his marshals urged him to pull
back to the Rhine, a more defensible position closer to his logistic hubs. But the Emperor refused to concede Germany without a fight. He decided that he'd stake the war on one decisive battle, one that may well decide the fate of his empire...
For some reason I had it in my head that he came back to Europe to reconcile with Napoleon. Either way, someone eventually needs to write the timeline in which Moreau accepts Madison's offer to prepare and command U.S. forces in the War of 1812.
Nope. He hated Nappy by the obvious reason. IIRC, he also did not went along with Bernadotte, with whom he was friendly in the republican times and his alleged last sentence was “I, Moreau, is dying surrounded by the enemies of France!”. So it is rather hard to tell for sure what was his real motive for the return. He hardly could expect to restore the Republic and seemingly did not have any personal political ambitions so was it just a hate for Napoleon or something more complicated?
This may be quite unpleasant for the Brits. 😉
Wish granted, sort of. It's a discussion, not a timeline, but still ...
WI: Moreau accepts command of US Army in War of 1812
Moreau was one of Napoleon's top generals pre-Empire, but was banished to the US in 1805. When the War of 1812 broke out, he was offered command, and was willing to accept, but news of Napoleon's Defeat in Russia happens. What if Nappy's invasion gets delayed to 1813 for some reason, or he...
www.alternatehistory.com
Order of Battle at Leipzig
Order of battle
French and allies, Northern sector:
Masséna in overall command in the NorthII Corps: Marmont
IV Corps: Soult
VI Corps: Bertrand
VII Corps: Lauriston
IX Corps: Wrede
XII Corps: Reynier
In reserve:
Imperial Guard: Mortier
XI Corps: Augereau
I Cav Corps: Nansouty
Southern sector:
Ney in overall command in the South
X Corps: Maison
III Corps: Davout
XIII Corps: Poniatowski
XV Corps: MacDonald
~195,000 men and 460 guns (Sorbier) overall
Coalition forces, Army of Silesia: Blucher in command
Prussian I Corps: YorckSwedish Army Corps: Bernadotte
Corps-Group Bennigsen:
X Corps: Langeron
I Corps:Kapzevich
XII Corps: Yermolov
95,000 men and 400 guns (Yachvill)
Army of Poland: Barclay in command
Cossacks: Platov
III Cav Corps: Korff
II Corps: Tolstoy
III Corps: Baggovout
VI Corps: Tuchkov
VII Corps: Saint-Priest
VIII Corps: Dohturov
IX Corps: Osten-Sacken
XI Corps: Wintzingerode
V Cav Corps: Uvarov
In reserve: Russian Imperial Guard, GD Constantine
658 guns: Loevernstern
(Map of the OTL battle of Leipzig, for reference purposes only)
Not quite as intense as OTL Leipzig... How many men does the coalition have altogether?
Besides the ones here there's about 100,000 others besieging the forts in Poland and Germany, not to mention a few times that many mobilizing.
Seems Austria is still neutral. Quite the advantage for Napoleon it seems.
Part 34- The Battle of Leipzig, Part 1
As the Grande Armèe coverged at Leipzig, the Coalition struggled to coodinate its movements across Germany. On the advice of General Moreau, it was decided that the army of Silesia should stamd and fight even if it was facing superior numbers, and the Army of Poland would "March itself into the ground." As the Tsar put it, to support Blucher as soon as possible. On the 21st Ney again attemped to hold off Barclay at Grimma, but once again was forced to retreat after a battle that cost both sides 2,000 men. Later that same day, Napoleon and the main body of his army joined Massèna at Leipzig's Northern suburbs.
Napoleon and Masséna commanded from their headquarters just outside Leipzig, the battlefield itself consisted of relatively flat ground between the Elster, and the shallow and easily forded Parthe stream. His forces were roughly arranged in an arrow, its head being centered on the village of Wiederitzsch. The imperial guard and Augereau's corps formed the shaft of the arrow, which Napoleon planned to save for the decisive assault.
To the South Ney's detachment hastily set up defenses of its own. Forming a small line between Gallows hill, and the Kolmberg ridge, Davout fortifying the village of Liebertwolkvitz in between. Despite his orders to delay Barclay, the Army of Poland was barely 18 hours march behind Ney. Blucher meanwhile, had been arguing furiously with Bennigsen, who favored a more defensive strategy. Blucher instead wanted to attack, and draw as many French soldiers onto himself as possible. In the end King Frederick William himself had to intervene, and personally ordered Blucher not to attack first. As darkness fell on the 21st, both side anxiously settled in for, what would be for many thousands of them, their last night on Earth...
______
Napoleon restless reclined in his chair, as Berthier quietly scibbled out tomarrows orders. "Ammunition?" The Emperor asked impatiently "We should be alright for a day, maybe a day and a half." Berthier replied "Damn Russians have us blocked out of Dresden." "Fuckers..." Napoleon muttered under his breath "I want you to send a letter to Vienna. Tell my father in we've won the battle- No... We won the war, we won the war." He stood and paced the room "And that if he wishes to belatedly forgo his treason, that I can promise some territorial rewards for his crown. "Yes sire, a bit premature though isn't it?" Napoleon shurgged "War isn't much besides violent deception, besides, he can't touch me, we're family now." "You funeral sire." Berthier chuckled. That darked Napoleons mood somewhat "We may beat Borodino tomarrow, win or lose." Napoleon sat again, for once, even war couldn't cheer him up...
Napoleon and Masséna commanded from their headquarters just outside Leipzig, the battlefield itself consisted of relatively flat ground between the Elster, and the shallow and easily forded Parthe stream. His forces were roughly arranged in an arrow, its head being centered on the village of Wiederitzsch. The imperial guard and Augereau's corps formed the shaft of the arrow, which Napoleon planned to save for the decisive assault.
To the South Ney's detachment hastily set up defenses of its own. Forming a small line between Gallows hill, and the Kolmberg ridge, Davout fortifying the village of Liebertwolkvitz in between. Despite his orders to delay Barclay, the Army of Poland was barely 18 hours march behind Ney. Blucher meanwhile, had been arguing furiously with Bennigsen, who favored a more defensive strategy. Blucher instead wanted to attack, and draw as many French soldiers onto himself as possible. In the end King Frederick William himself had to intervene, and personally ordered Blucher not to attack first. As darkness fell on the 21st, both side anxiously settled in for, what would be for many thousands of them, their last night on Earth...
______
Napoleon restless reclined in his chair, as Berthier quietly scibbled out tomarrows orders. "Ammunition?" The Emperor asked impatiently "We should be alright for a day, maybe a day and a half." Berthier replied "Damn Russians have us blocked out of Dresden." "Fuckers..." Napoleon muttered under his breath "I want you to send a letter to Vienna. Tell my father in we've won the battle- No... We won the war, we won the war." He stood and paced the room "And that if he wishes to belatedly forgo his treason, that I can promise some territorial rewards for his crown. "Yes sire, a bit premature though isn't it?" Napoleon shurgged "War isn't much besides violent deception, besides, he can't touch me, we're family now." "You funeral sire." Berthier chuckled. That darked Napoleons mood somewhat "We may beat Borodino tomarrow, win or lose." Napoleon sat again, for once, even war couldn't cheer him up...