Busaco

   Wellington's army is set up to defend the high ridge line at Busaco but the French are confident they can                                                                break them - we shall see !

                                       Graham had the French attackers, I the British defenders.

The daunting Busaco ridge is on the right. San Antonio village sits in the plain 

       In San Antonio, a new tavern keeper, El Murrio is cleaning tables as his daughter pours the wine.

The dust stirring in the distance shows the French army arriving - Wellington has arrayed his army across        the ridge with light infantry on the lower slopes and half batteries of artillery spread along the line

                 Masses of French infantry march on in attack columns with skirmishers thrown ahead

                                                  A brigade of cavalry makes for the village

The French Marshal sends out his orders to the brigades

                                          Tirailleur battalions are sent ahead to harass the British 

                                             They exchange fire with the Rifles and Cacadores

The accurate British and Portuguese light troop fire causes havoc and disrupts the French attack

The brigade commander recalls the disordered skirmishers

But they are just a side show - here come the columns !

On the British left, the skirmishers are still active, screening the approaching attack columns

They march confidently across the corn fields

And field artillery has been placed in front of the village to provide supporting fire

En avant !

French baggage column enters the village - perhaps El Murrio can sell them a drink ?

As well as field artillery, the cavalry have brought a horse battery which has also deployed in front of the village

The skirmish lines are losing the fire fight with the Rifles and casualties mount

French cavalry prepare to charge

This should at the very least force the British into square

Ignoring this, the right hand French brigade gets to the foot of the ridge line

Its steep and slows the columns down to a third of the normal pace

The British skirmish line continues to cause problems

However, these columns have pushed back the Portuguese skirmishers

The left hand brigade has had a slower approach as their skirmish screen retired through them

As the columns ascend to the ridge, the Rifles are ordered to retire

A cavalry charge has forced the KGL into square

and one unit which received the full force of the French artillery has gone

but the laborious climb under continuous fire is taxing the French columns

This is the high water mark for the French attack - the whole line is engaged

but the steady line holds and the French are unable to get to grips with the enemy above them

Whenever British or Portuguese light troops get disordered, they are withdrawn to recover

The French cavalry find the ascent hard going too and are on the receiving end of KGL fire

Another determined push up the slopes fails and the casualties on the columns have now exceeded their limits - the brigades falter and break

The French commander sees no alternative but to order a total recall of his forces and abandon the attempts on Busaco ridge - much as happened in real life.

With the French leaving, El Murrio hopes that at least some of the British will come down to the village for a drink in the evening (remembering its 10pm closing time of course).

The Battle of Craonne

                  1814 - Napoleon is desperate to keep his communications back to Paris                                              open and Blucher's movements have endangered this - he has to strike !

  The French approach from this end with the Chemin de Dames road heading straight down the valley. Nansouty's Guard cavalry are on the left, Ney's Young Guard have arrived on the right and Victor's Corps marches down the road towards the Heurtebise farm at a "pinch point" on the route which is occupied by Russian Jagers - they also occupy the village of Ailles up on the high ground to the right.

                The French artillery waste no time and hurl howitzer shells against the farm buildings.

           Victor sends Charpentier's infantry through the Boise de Quatre Heures, Ney's men are attacking                               Ailles and Mortier's Guard infantry march on ready to press home any advantage.                                                                            Heurtebise farm is now burning. 

                       The Russians have guns facing down the road, backed up by infantry brigades

                          Russian cavalry repeatedly charge in support of the infantry to try and stem the                                                                             advances of Charpentier's men

Ney's men have taken two thirds of the village but the Jagers cling on still

                               Charpentier's pressure is too much and the Russian line has buckled

But the Guard cavalry have suffered in the fight against the enemy lance armed cavalry and they have                                                                  pulled back, close to breaking point

                              The French infantry are charging infantry columns into the left hand valley 

    Repeatedly, the Russian cavalry venture forward to bolster the line then return to the hills to regroup

More of the Imperial Guard cavalry - Horse Grenadiers - are thrown forward to tackle the enemy cavalry.                                                              They are unable to break through  

                                            The Russians are pushed back against their gun line

                             

                              Next on, French Dragoons but the Russians have reinforced the fight too

                                               Blucher orders his infantry to hold Ailles village

 Russian cavalry continues to frustrate the French Guard cavalry

                    And Charpentier's infantry are having a tough time of it too - some battalions have broken !

                                                              But weight of numbers tells

                          Still the main deterrent are the Russian guns in the centre of their position

                    Speaking of guns, the French Guard artillery has been pounding the Russian lines

                                           Until such a time as the Guard infantry are called for

                                     The farm continues to burn in front of the Russian positions

             Ney's grip on Ailles is still firm and an assault has been made on the one remaining part of the                                village still in Russian hands - two Jager battalions have been ejected so far.

                            The Russian cavalry continues to best the Imperial Guard cavalry in melee

At last, the Emperor orders the Guard infantry to charge

  and they smash the Russian centre, guns and infantry flee the field

                              Blucher has seen enough and orders the remnants of his army to fall back