War of the Imperial Succession: Battle of Blenderheim

 

Shortly after sunrise, 15th May, 1740, the army of Altmark-Uberheim rolled forward, all along the line, splashing through the muddy little Schweinenbach stream.  Infantry Regiments 1 and 10, supported by a gun battery, made directly for the Blenderheim village, whilst to their right, 4th Infantry found themselves advancing under the guns of a battery placed alongside the village.  

In the centre, the lines of 2nd Infantry, nearer Blenderheim, and 15th Garde to their right, pushed forward in lines of battle.  In the interval between them, the Dragoons Kalkreuth trotted in column of squadrons, directly towards the section of howitzers that stood between the two infantry regiments that formed the Hessian line.  Behind 2nd Infantry, the columns of hussars and cuirassiers followed up in support.  The remaining Uberheim horse, 1st Cuirassiers, advanced in the interval between the centre lines, and the two regiments tasked with the storming of Histerglau.

Rather than attempt to storm the place in columns, as on the other flank, and as there seemed sufficient room so to deploy, the 18th (Prinz von Uberheim) and 25th (Ramin) Infantry, with a battery in support, advanced in line.  There being not quite enough room, however, the 18th formed a double line, whilst the 25th extended its right to envelop the north face of the town.  Even then, there remained enough frontage for but one section of the supporting artillery to deploy.

Just as they crossed the stream, the grenadier companies leading the columns against Blenderheim came in for an effective and telling musketry.  The stream crossing tended to slow the column down, a great aid to the Zeitgeist Infantry garrison.  

Set a little back from the flanking villages, the Hessian infantry were out of musketry range of the stream, which enabled the Uberheim infantry to cross under mid-range cannon fire only.  However, 'A' Battery and the howitzer tended to concentrate their fire upon the 2nd (von Kanitz).  In response, the Red Dragoons of von Kalkreuth hastened their forward push in the hope of overrunning the howitzer and the section of battalion guns alongside.  Unfortunately for the attackers in this sector, there was nowhere to deploy their guns.  They had to advance without their support.

It would probably have been better to have kept the Kanitz and Garde infantry in column of companies, which would have given the scope for the artillery to deploy, and enable the cavalry to operate more freely and effectively.  But that is hindsight talking.  I was expecting the villages to fall fairly quickly, before the centre lines closed.  

First Cuirassiers were ordered to carry the Hessian gun line deployed alongside the Histerglau village.  In the columnar formation, they took a fair bit of damage from the Hessian artillery, and more from flanking musketry from the village, but there was no stopping them. On they went into and over the guns, putting almost the entire battery to the sword. 

Thus encouraged, the centre lines surged on, shrugging off their losses - fairly inconsiderable so far.  The fighting around Blenderheim was proving rather more costly to the attackers, their grenadier companies devastated, as they struggled to reach the village walls.  The supporting gunfire from across the stream, though not without some effect, was barely noticed by the garrison, or the guns near by.

The Hessian left flank battery overrun, it was the turn of the howitzer section to receive the attentions of Uberheim cavalry. The dragoons' charge took it through the Erbprinz Grenadiers' battalion gun section as well.  Overrunning nearly half of the Hessian artillery, though dearly bought successes, served to render the Uberhein advances in the centre a deal less hazardous for the more slow-moving infantry lines.  As is was, the Garde had had to traverse a rather more difficult length of the stream (where were the bendier bits), and the delay set them echeloned rather back from the 2nd Infantry to their left.   

So matters stood as the firefight for Hinterglau developed on the Hessian left.  

A few things I ought to mention here. 

First, the built up area is defined by a 'footprint' made from card to which has been adhered cobblestone-printed paper.  The houses, walls and such are placed, but not fixed, upon the profile to give the look of a fairly substantial settlement, and may be moved aside to accommodate a garrison.

Second, I allow all troops that can be accommodated in a line of 2 ranks without overlap to defend a given face of the town.  The assumption is that if 'in real life' the buildings and assorted 'urban clutter' prevented half or more of the garrison from presenting a firearm, those that could not would be employed in reloading , with hardly a reduction in the garrison's available rate of fire. 

It so happened that the east face of Histerglau could accommodate the garrison, though the battalion gun was turned to face the Ramin Infantry companies that were overlapping and wrapping around the north face.   Although the Weltschmerz Infantry were handing out a considerable punishment to their assailants, the incoming was no less damaging.  For one thing, the battalion gun crew did not last long in their unequal fight against two whole companies of assailants. 

The grim struggle for Blenderheim was continuing without the attackers being able quickly to close. The open column of companies had the effect of the attack coming in waves, the leading grenadiers being caught up and carried on by the successive musketeer companies.  The attackers were only gradually edging closer, as losses mounted.

Meanwhile, on the right, the 1st Cuirassiers having succeeded in wiping out A Battery, rallied back and reformed close by the stream.  It was a much reduced regiment that once more faced the enemy there.  The Garde Regiment was still under fire from the Ewige-Blumenkraft battalion guns, but was able to continue its advance.

Such was the picture perhaps an hour into the battle.  Then at last the assault upon Blenderheim reached its climax as the two Uberheim regiments closed upon the place, and a close combat developed in the village outskirts.  

At the same time, 4th Infantry were finding advancing under the Hessian guns too formidable a task. Safe, then, in the security of their right flank, and impatient for action, Erbprinz Grenadiers advanced a  few paces to face off against the 2nd (von Kanitz) Infantry.  With the mass of cavalry following up the Uberheim line, the Grenadiers hoped by this move to hold up the whole enemy advance in this sector.

It was to be a harrowing experience for 2nd Infantry. The firefight was brief, and to the point. The superior training of the grenadiers shredded the Uberheim infantry, dropping its colonel as well as more than half the regiment, whereat the remainder broke, and routed across the stream.  

That success was to come at the cost of releasing two Uberheim cavalry regiments for the charge....

The pressure was also mounting against the Histerglau garrison on the Hessian left. The attackers' firing lined pressed ever closer to the village outskirts. Prinz von Uberheim's regiment was able, too, to extend their line to the left, across the whole eastern edge of the place. As yet, though, the defenders remained disinclined to abandon the place they had been ordered to hold.

The 2nd Infantry having disappeared into a rout of fugitives, there was nothing to impede the Prittwitz Cuirassiers on the right and the Black Hussars on the left to charge home upon the Grenadiers. There was no question of forming square - there was no time.  

The foot's musketry emptied many a saddle before the horse could close, but then the latter were in amongst the grenadiers' line with sword, sabre and pistol.  The close quarter scrum, short but desperate, ended with the grenadiers breaking. Like their former adversaries of von Kanitz, they fled to the rear.  The Uberheimers had at last broken through the Hessian line. 

 But it was only the first line. Behind it awaited the second. The Uberheim horse disdained to pursue,  The job but half-done, they rallied and reformed for a combat that must soon be resumed.

The close combat at Blenderheim had by this time yet to be resolved. But as the the columns closed up, the added numbers could not but prevail over the rapidly thinning ranks of the garrison. Somewhat surprisingly, though, the latter's battalion gun section was still in action. The columns had masked their supporting battery, but no detachment had been detailed to eliminate it.  

In the left centre, the victorious Uberheim cavalry, cuirassiers and dragoons, the latter somewhat depleted after the fight over the howitzers, reformed in line to face what lay to their front.  Behind the fleeing grenadiers was a rise, and upon that rise was the hitherto unengaged Reichswacht zu Pferde, Hessen-Rohr's elite cavalry.  

What had happened to the Black Hussars, meanwhile?  Having driven back the grenadiers, they had come under devastating canister fire from the nearby Hessian gun battery. The surviving hussars had hastily departed the scene for the far bank of the Schweinenbach. 

To the right of the reforming heavy horse, at last the Garde were engaging the Ewige-Blumenkraft Infantry in a firefight that promised to be as unequal as that between the Erbprinz Grenadiers and von Kanitz Infantry.

That musketry duel was just beginning as the Reichswacht zu Pferde descended from their ridge, and drove into the Uberheim heavies.  The latter, somewhat reduced by their earlier exertions, staunchly met the assault.  The unengaged dragoons might have been drawn into the fight, but before they could intervene, their heavier comrades had broken and were in flight.  

Themselves outnumbered by the enemy horse, the Dragoons gave as good as they got in the ensuing melee. Within moments the clash of sword and popping of pistols petered out as both sides drew back, both still under command, to recuperate.   

To their right, the duel between the Garde and Ewige-Blumenkraft had been settled in favour of the former.  But not so one-sided.  Still in hand, the Ewige-Blumenkraft Infantry drew back, their faces to the enemy, only as far as the Blenderheim-Histerglau road.  But, somewhat ominously, the Uberheimers had at last brought up some artillery.  On the other hand, the Hessians still had the unengaged Leibgarde regiment in hand...

The battle was settled on the flanks.  The pressure upon Histerglau continuing unabated for a couple of hours, it was perhaps inevitable that the garrison's grip would eventually be loosened and yield. Abruptly abandoning the eastern face of the village, Weltschmerz Infantry fell back, still in good order, into the southwest quarter. Their assailants took the time to form into columns to enter the place. It was clear that Histerglau could no longer be held, let alone be recaptured.

No more could Blenderheim. True, before giving up their line, Zeitgeist Infantry had broken the columns of 10th Infantry. The effort had been too much. Falling back to the west end of the village, Zeitgeist held there for a time, but, the 1st Infantry following up in greater strength, would soon see the whole village in their hands.

Both villages lost, the line in between could have been untenable. Not for long. Marshal-General Graf Schwerin und Cussin at once ordered the army's withdrawal.  The battle was over.

There was no pursuit: the action could scarcely be called a victory for all that Altmark-Uberheim were left in possession of the field of battle.  The cavalry were exhausted, the infantry in scarce better shape.  In having unengaged his elite infantry and the Uhlans, the Marshal-General felt that his Hessians were in some respects better shape. 

In fact, the victory was something of a disaster for King Draco II.  The butcher's bill reported to him was appalling.  Even counting prisoners,  the Uberheim cost had been greater than that incurred by the enemy: about 1340 as against 1200 of which 300 had to be accommodated as wounded and unwounded POWs*.  Against that loss, though, his army could claim the capture of 9 field and 4 battalion pieces of ordnance (5 models altogether) - something at least to show for the battle.

The fact remained, however, that his schemes had suffered a serious setback, and he now had a hostile power in his rear should he wish to carry on his projects against the Empire.

* A word on losses.  For campaign purposes, battlefield losses refers to men not under command and for the moment unaccounted for.  Many of these might well be stragglers or lightly injured who return to the colours overnight.  Some might be picked up by an enemy left in possession of the field.  The army of Hessen-Rohr had 91 figures lost by the end of the day, and 3 field and 2 battalion pieces overrun or abandoned.  Out of 250 figures, that's quite a lot.  

Having been driven from the field, one half of these (rounded) count as dead and wounded (permanently lost), and a further sixth captured (45 + 15 = 60 => 1200).

The Army of Altmark-Uberheim lost 134(!) figures.  Half of these count as killed or wounded, the other half return to the colours overnight.  Sixty-seven figures lost from an army of 363 was not to be sneezed at.

Hearing the news in his palace just outside Schloss-Brandenburg, King Draco II at once put on hold his project to carve up the Empire, and set in motion a vigorous recruitment programme.  For his part, the Markgraf in Eggsburg also began to look to recruiting his army's strength.

To be continued... maybe?