Turn and Fight! the Battle at Gilly

It was late afternoon, just north of Charleroi, artillerymen shouted and swore as they positioned their 9pdr guns on the high ground. The crunch and clatter of marching infantry also added to the air of grim preparation. The army had been falling back since the night before, now it was time to turn and fight.

General von Pirch from the Prussian 1st Corps, looked again though his  spyglass at the hills just beyond the creek and town that lay in the valley. There, on the high ground, he could see the dust from many columns of infantry and over on the right were several large bodies of horsemen.  Napoleon had arrived.

On 15th June the Hundred Days campaign opened with Napoleon’s Armee du Nord advancing across at the Belgium frontier, and crossing the Sambre at Marchienne-au-Pont, Charleroi and Chatelet; brushing aside opposing allied outposts. The initial surprise forced the Prussians to fall back and regroup in the face of this advance; including the Prussian 1st Corps which was ordered to retire on Fluerus.

The Armée du Nord initially attacked in two directions, first on the Brussels road towards Gosselies and eventually Brussels itself, while the secondly arm advanced towards Gilly, heading in the direction of Fleurus. On this second front the Prussian 2nd Brigade from Zeithen’s 1st Corps, under the command of Pirch II, regrouped at Gilly. Pirch’s orders were to delay the French advance for as long as possible and gain much need time in order to permit the bulk of the Prussian army to fall back and concentrate at Fleurus. Pirch’s infantry Brigade now drew up on high ground near Gilly, presenting a solid front against the French advance.

The French attack was lead by Vandamme’s Division and as the French approached the Gilly position they deployed off the route of march into battle positions. On receipt of this news Napoleon personally rode to Gilly escorted by Empress Dragoon cavalry of his Imperial Guard. On arrival Napoleon conferred with Vandamme and observed the Prussian positions from an observation point at the windmill near Gilly. Realising the limited Prussian force before them Napoleon immediately ordered the forward elements of Vandamme’s infantry corps to attack and drive in the lone Prussian Brigade. At about 6pm French batteries opened fire on the Prussian lines and so opened one of the first significant engagements of the Waterloo campaign. 

The Game

This month I had organised to run a game of Napoleonic's using the excellent general d'Armee 2 rules and the Warlord Epic Scale miniatures. Dale had previously sent me the '1815, 100 Days' scenario book. Looking thorough this we decided that the battle at Gilly was a good option as we largely had all the units required and setting up the table would be reasonably easy.
The French were to be commanded by Dale and Ryan and I was to command  the Prussians with the able assistance of Reed. 

The French had 14 battalions of trained line infantry to the Prussian 9, with around half of this being reservists and Landwehr. The French also had twice the amount of guns and cavalry, including a detachment of the Old Guard cavalry,  the Empress Dragoons. 

The French victory conditions were to disperse  two  Prussian brigades with in ten turns. All the Prussians had to do was to  survive and hold on.

Opening Moves

Looking at the battlefield from above the Prussian positions.

From left  to right. The Prussian infantry are forward with their skirmish screen on  the banks of the creek, behind them  on the hight ground is a battery of 9pdr guns.  A small brigade of line infantry and grenadiers a positioned in and around the village. On the right you can see the ranks of Landwehr infantry in line. behind them is the Prussian cavalry and horse artillery. the C-I-C Pirch is  on the road, surrounded  by his ADCs and the artillery caissons.

On the far side the French are drawn up. Also from left to right. Two brigades of infantry and guns, Napoleon has also chosen the road  to become his HQ. the French 12 pdr battery has setup  under the tree next to more massed infantry. On the far right you can see the cavalry.

Avant!

On the first turn, the French rolled forward, across most of the line, although there was one hesitant Brigade in the centre trying to sort themselves out. At this early stage, there was some exchange of fire from the cannon on the high ground. 

The French on the left prepare for the battle.  

Very soon the leading  French units came under fire from the Prussian Grenadiers holding the village. The French heavy guns ranged  in on  the village, setting some of the buildings on fire. 

After getting themselves organised, all the French had to do was roll down the hill and take the town...

On the left, the Prussians shake out their lines to met the on coming tide.  

The French advance develops.

French battalions swing wide in an attempt to flank the defending Prussians.

Over on the right the Prussian Landwehr (militia) dressed their lines and watched the French advance.

Ryan, commanding the French cavalry, eyed of the ford, the only point in this part of the field that he could get his horses across the water.

Guarding the ford, one of the Landwehr battalions forms into square as the French cavalry approach (ok,  this would have been a 'battalion mass' rather then a neat  formation).

The Landwehr prepare  to defend the creek line.

The Landwehr form square, but will it be enough?

Charge!

Suddenly, with trumpets blaring, the French horsemen surge forward! Charging headlong though the shallow waters of the ford they smash into the hapless Prussian militia, who, poorly trained and  unsupported break and flee, many getting run down by the charging cavalry. 
Seeing the square of their comrades break, the whole battalion now takes step back and then turn and retreat to the imaginary safety of the high ground behind them. In one short and terrible charge, the Prussian right is now wide  open.

The Landwehr withdraw in panic, leaving only one battalion to stop the on  coming cavalry, but it to is doomed. The Prussian right is on the verge of collapse.

With nothing and none to stop them, the French pour through

Aufstehen und Kampfen!

With the village now aflame, and the position certain to be totally outflanked, the troops in the centre decided it was time to pull back. 
Over on the Prussian left, the French tide rolled in, first smashing into the steady line of Prussian infantry, firing volley after volley of musketry, driving  off the initial French assault.   

The Prussians abandon the village.

The French charge in with three battalions in the assault, only to be driven back by disciplined musketry. (photo by Ian Haidon)

The French are momentarily held, but they bring in a fresh battalion and renew the assault! the Prussians can only take so much and their lines are forced back. Then at the other end  of their line another French assault crashes in and is again driven back. But again the French have more units to feed into the grinder and force their way over the creek. With the Prussian right collapsing and  now the left being pushed back, the Prussians fall back the high ground to see if they can make a stand.

The French press the attack up and down the line against a desperate and tenacious Prussian defence.
 

The Prussians are forced back and prepare to meet yet another French assault.

The Prussian centre pulls back and readies to stand and fight.

Eagles Forwards! 

Turning back now to the right. The Landwehr have manged to get their lines under control but are forced to form squares as the French cavalry look for easy targets. The Prussian cavalry becomes that target and  after a quick and vicious fight are driven from the field. The French infantry storm up the rise to attack the Landwehr formations. 

Marauding French cavalry force the remaining Landwehr into squares.

The Prussian  Dragoons can do nothing the prevent the collapse of the right.

Games End

After eight turns we had to finish up due to time. The French had achieved a part of their victory conditions with the rout  of the Prussian cavalry. it was certain that the remaining Landwehr would not have held  against the massed French assault that was heading their way. So a victory to the French!

This was mostly a  game to try out the General d'Armee 2 (GDA2)rules. I am sure we made  mistakes, but the game bopped along at a good rate. Had we been a bit more familiar with the rules, I think we  would have been able to finish the allotted turns. GDA2 is a great set of rules that manages to give a level of historical complexity while being reasonably paced. While I would use something like valour and Fortitude for the mega games, GDA2 is now my go-to for this period. 

Finally, a big thanks to Dale for suppling the scenario and  the bulk of the French army. To Ryan for the rest of the French and in commanding that cavalry charge across the ford that lead to the collapse of the Prussian right. And finally to Reed, valiantly leading the Landwehr.

Now to start planning the next game.

Smoke and dust  now turned the setting sun into a red omen. General von Pirch sat on his horse watching the shattered remains of his forces trudge up the road to Fleurus. He was losing men to the running delaying actions to  stop the victorious French from overtaking  his retreat. A messenger had just arrived from Field Martial Blucher's HQ. He  was to pull his troops back beyond Fleurus, the entire Prussian Army will stand at Ligny...