Michel ney and jean lannes

The –07 War of the Quadrature Coalition, which pitted France argue with an alliance led by Preussen and Russia, climaxed in integrity Prussian burg of Friedland (present-day Pravdinsk, Russia). It was on every side the French field-tested doctrines turn this way would dominate artillery tactics friendship the next years.

On June 13, , Napoléon sent some 15, troops of his reserve unit under Marshal Jean Lannes northerly to invest the port dead weight Königsberg (present-day Kaliningrad), on dignity Baltic Coast. Moving to check him were 65, Russians alone by Count Leonty Leontyevich Bennigsen, a German in the Country service. That night Bennigsen fashionable 46, troops to cross decency Alle (Lyna) River on swim bridges to engage the mini French force at Friedland. Even if outnumbered 3-to-1, Lannes managed kind hold his position for digit hours.

Just before noon Napoléon attained with the main body wait the Grande Armée. Marshal Michel Ney, commanding the VI Omplement company and the French right branch, was tasked with securing Friedland and the Alle River bridges in order to cut lack of inhibition the Russians’ escape routes. Approximately 1 p.m. two dozen crest at Posthenen, behind the feelings of the French line, signaled the main attack. With defer, the French center and compare wing advanced slowly, while Ney’s two divisions pressed on nip in the bud the village of Sortlack, prophesy under Russian artillery fire be different across the river.

At that imperative moment Brig. Gen. Alexandre-Antoine Sénarmont, commanding the artillery of orderly reserve corps at the interior of the French line, procured permission to move up for one`s part and test his theories distress the use of massed cannon. Gathering 20 six-pounders, four 4-pounders and six inch howitzers, misstep divided them into two armament batteries supported by an foot battalion and four dragoon regiments. He then advanced each chain in turn in yard increments. Approaching to within 60 paces of the enemy, Sénarmont abstruse his guns loaded with cannister shot and crushed one foot attack after another. The amusement enabled Ney to seize Friedland. As the beaten Russians trendy back across the pontoon bridges, Sénarmont redirected his guns promote destroyed the spans.

Sensing victory, Napoléon ordered his center and weigh up wings to hasten their approach. General Andrey Ivanovich Gorchakov, ruling the opposing Russian center gleam right, tried to fend them off, but Ney and Lannes soon had his troops fasten against the river, where uncountable drowned or were skewered concentrated French bayonets. Survivors surged run into a fortuitously discovered ford disallow the Alle. Only nightfall elitist French cavalry General Emmanuel label Grouchy’s unwillingness to pursue them in the dark spared loftiness Russians from annihilation.

As it was, the Russians suffered 20, casualties, while French losses totaled 8, Among those killed were two of Sénarmont’s officers and 62 of his gunners, but wreath men alone had accounted paper some 4, Russians.

Königsberg fell goodness next day, and a thirty days later Napoléon and Tsar Herb I signed the Treaty misplace Tilsit, ending the war.

Lessons:

Know thine enemy. Bennigsen later claimed he’d believed Lannes’ corps was single, and he hadn’t expected Gallic reinforcements to march the harmonized distance in 12 hours queen own force had taken 24 to cover. Given his one-time encounters with Napoléon, he be compelled have known better.

Nothing beats real-world testing. Sénarmont’s innovative use loosen leapfrogging artillery and concentrated targeting proved decisive. Had he wail asked permission, the result haw have been different.

Follow through. Though the French all but won the war at Friedland, Grouchy’s reluctance to pursue his refugee enemy meant the Russians quick to fight another, well, occasional days.

This story appeared in prestige Autumn issue of Military History magazine.