Age of Eagles - Game Report 8

The Second Battle of Landshut 21 April 1809

Background

This is the seventh battle of the campaign, and if not the largest, certainly one of the more significant. And yet again it revisits a battlefield that has already been fought over, LANDSHUT. This is hardly surprising as it provides the bridges and lines of communications over the River ISAR.

Situation

Over the last few days the Austrian 6th Armee Korps had been screening the movement of the French 2nd Corps D’Armee 7km North of LANDSHUT. It became increasingly important that 6th Armee Korps maintained its position given the result of the Battle of ECKMUHL-HEINSPACH. The river crossing at LANDSHUT would be the only way that 3rd Armee Korps and 4th Armee Korps could retire to the East bank of the ISAR. For two days both Korps had been moving South West down the West bank of the ISAR to LANDSHUT. Fortunately, they had broken contact clean and were not being pursued.

On the 20th April 2nd Corps D’Armee, reinforced by two divisions from the 4th Corps D’Armee started a flanking movement to the move on LANDSHUT from the West and seize it. However, this movement was detected by Archduke Charles at HQ Hauptarmee which was co-located with 6th Armee Korps. He immediately started the Korps moving to the South and was able to reassert control over LANDSHUT before 2nd Corps D’Armee were able to arrive. 4th Armee Korps messengers reported to HQ Hauptarmee that both Korps were on route and would be at LANDSHUT by midmorning – 4th Armee Korps were in the lead.

Battlefield Map and Terrain

As described previously the ground around LANDSHUT was relatively flat with small woods on the flood plain. The stream was a tributary to the ISAR and because of the recent rains was an obstacle. It was only passable by troops upstream beyond MESSING. The stream split the defensive battlefield in two, further complicating decisions for the Archduke Charles.

Battle Report

6th Armee Korps Commander was ordered to hold LANDSHUT and to establish a secure right flank North of LANDSHUT to allow 4th Armee Korps to arrive unmolested. With those orders he placed his 1st Division in the Front line South of the stream facing West. The Advance Guard Division would be in reserve behind them. 2nd Division were formed North of the stream and were given the mission of securing the woods North West of LANDSHUT as a firm base to protect the arrival of 4th Armee Korps.

With reinforcements from 4th Corps D’Armee the 2nd Corps D’Armee Commander had 4 divisions under command and a Bavarian Light Cavalry Brigade. He split his forces 2 and 2 astride the stream.

The battle opened at 0600hrs with the French making a rapid advance. 1st Division under General Tharreau moved forward with incredible elan, with the intent of using shock and awe to rapidly bounce the Austrians out of position. Brigade Conroux was the first into contact, only for IR4 to throw them back with disdain. The French would now need a more deliberate approach.

IR49, the Austrian right forward regiment suffered 75% casualties by fire by 0700hrs and were withdrawn. Consequently, the Austrian Line started to give ground. Meanwhile GIR6 was send forward to support the 1st Division.

By 0730hrs the French attack is fully committed. If it beaks through then LANDSHUT may fall to the French. However, the Austrians fall back grudgingly giving ground at a price.

On the Austrian right the 2nd Division by 0730hrs has moved forward to secure its objective. Unfortunately, the command and communications arrangements for the divisions from 4th Corps D’Armee were not in place and the left-hand division was far too slow in advancing and therefore unable to support the division to its right as they contacted the Austrians in the wood.

By 1000hrs the French were about to break through onto the Austrian gunline. The 1st Division has been forced back and the Advance Guard has been thrown forward to stabilise the line. This precarious situation was caused by the failure of an Austrian counterattack by IR4 and 14. They were soundly beaten and thrown back with losses by a much weaker French brigade – Brigade Jarry.

This French brigade performed above and beyond what would have been expected of any French line infantry brigade. By the end of the day they would have driven two elite Austrian regiments out of the wood, repulsed the charge of the same opponents when they counterattacked, overran and captured a gun battery and repulsed a cavalry charge – all for no losses to themselves. Nonetheless this proved to be the high-water mark of the French attack.

On the right by 1000hrs the 4th Armee Korps had arrived. Some confusion down the line of march delayed their arrival and their deployment. Throughout this lengthy deployment the French kept a respectable and reasonable distance between them and this new enemy formation, and in doing so endeavoured to extend their line to prevent being out-flanked.

The arrival of the 4th Armee Korps allowed the 6th Armee Korps to recover two regiments from the 2nd Division to reinforce the 1st Division.

By 1030hrs the Austrians were able to start pushing forward West of LANDSHUT. The French had decided that their best chance of securing the town had gone, and were now falling back in good order having inflicted significant damage on the 6th Armee Korps.

North West of LANDSHUT 4th Armee Korps are now almost fully deployed for battle, but the enemy is continuing to give ground and protect its flanks.

By 1100hrs the French were breaking contact and withdrawing West. HQ Hauptarmee called a halt to the battle and started to reorganise its forces to start the withdrawal to the east bank of the ISAR river.

Outcome and Casualties

The French 2nd Corps D’Armee came very close to seizing LANDSHUT. However, it is questionable whether they would have managed to hold it for any length of time with the arrival of the Austrian reinforcements that would have been able in turn to cut of the 2nd Corps D’Armee’s lines of communications.

What the French achieved was in large part due to Brigade Jarry, who would receive a citation and a mention in the Army News of the day.