Battle of Rothenburg Day 2, 21st August 1813 (part 3)

Have you seen Part 1 and Part 2 of this report?

If not, CLICK HERE FOR PART 1, or HERE FOR PART 2

If so, read on...

We have now returned to Board 2, where Oudinot and Sébastiani with Excelmans 4th Light Cavalry Division are caught between Borosdin's dragoons to the west and Tschaplitz's hussars, Berdejev's dragoons and Kaisarov's mounted jägers to the east.

The trap closes.

In the distance, the 6e chevau-légers lanciers and 20e chasseurs à cheval have retreated after being defeated in mêlée by Borosdin's dragoons. The 4e/7e Chasseurs à cheval face off Borosdin's 3rd Black Sea Cossacks.

The 6e chevau-légers lanciers and 20e/24e chasseurs à cheval failed to rally. This is gonna get ugly...

Overview of the situation.

The kill.

Tschaplitz's hussars charge and break the 6e chevau-légers lanciers and 20e chasseurs à cheval. The Moscow dragoons charge and break the weakened 23e/24e chasseurs à cheval. As the division breaks and streams to the west, the 4e/7e chasseurs à cheval (bottom of picture) was the only regiment to escape unscathed

At 19:30 on 21st Aug, Oudinot's corps finish up about 1200 mm or 2.4 km east of the western bridge with the three infantry divisions together. Sebastiani's two cavalry divisions, defeated and broken separately around the top half of Table 2, i.e. 3 000-3 600 mm or 6-7.2 km west of Rothenburg. Marshal Oudinot was with them, but escaped with the remnants as they fled towards the western bridge (presumably he may have rallied some of them?). Blücher reorganised the cavalry and followed at a distance, not wishing to engage the infantry and supporting guns. The Russian units that failed to rally off-board gradully re-joined their parent formations.

Playing the game over the four tables (actually using two and a half of them), added beautifully to the fog of war. I could see as we came to the conclusion how a series of bad decisions and outcomes came together to produce the best possible situation for Mark and the worst for me!