The Battle of Fuentes De Onoro - May 1811

Fuentes de Onoro is a relatively short drive from Ciudad Rodrigo, about 24 Km due west on the main road (A-62) to Portugal. The village is very sleepy, and appears quite empty. As I said before the area really reminded me of the West of Ireland on a sunny day (a rarity in itself).  I had an easy drive on a sunny morning out of Ciudad Rodrigo and stopped at the village on my way to Portugal.

Dry stone walls lined the roads, villages and countryside all around, and the landscape looked fairly green for Spain. The village itself is a warren of small lanes and mostly low dry stone buildings.

The village was fairly bleak, and had a very isolated atmosphere; essentially a poor farming borderland.

This was one of the two main routes between Spain and Portugal that I mentioned in my Badajoz blog. Control both routes and you have the key to both countries, depending on which direction you're either attacking or defending from. In 1811 it was the French turn to attack, almost simultaneously in the North and South (the Battle of Albuera took place 10 days later). Both battles were actually attempts to relive the sieges, in this case of Massena trying to help the garrison at Almeida, and prevent Wellington from gaining control of the northern gates to Spain.

I've included a map of the battle below raided from Wikipedia (and source referenced), as it's hard to get a feel for the battle by just looking at the fields.

 

Map Source: Gregory Fremont-Barnes (main editor) - The Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, page 395. Adapted from Paget 1997, 126.

The notable thing about this battle, as with Albuera, is how in both the French very nearly outflanked the Allied armies. The lie of the land in Fuentes De Onoro, and the presence of Wellington, meant that the British were not caught so unawares as Beresford was in Albuera. Both battles were "Close run things" , which nearly ended in British defeat.

Wellington never considered the battle a victory, though it witnessed the best performance of Craufurd's Light Division in any engagement during the Peninsular War (the Light division’s finest hour), who saved the isolated 7th division on Wellington's right flank from destruction and enabled him to reposition his right wing after being effectively outflanked by the French army. (This was a big change from the near debacle at the battle of the Coa the previous year when the Light division came close to being cut off on the wrong side of the river, in front of Almeida, avoiding annihilation.)

An oft quoted remark attributed to Wellington about Fuentes de Onoro is that had Napoleon been there, the British Army would surely have been lost.

Looking east from the village towards the line of the main French advance. The flanking move would have begun in the distance and proceeded to the right of the picture.

What of course is apparent as you go through the images is that it is perfect light infantry country. Though the route back for the exposed 7th Division from Poco Velho covered by the Light infantry was over mostly open-fields swarming with French cavalry, which underlines the scale of their achievement.

Below you can see a view out over the right flank from the ridge behind the village. This is the ground over which the British right flank retreated.

Looking up to the position of the new defensive line on the ridge taken by Wellington from the south side of the village.

The beginning of the more open farmland to the south of the village - the "exposed" right flank.

Up on the ridge again looking south from behind the village. The village is to the left of the picture.

Again on the ridge looking south-east. the village is in the middle distance.

What is apparent is that the slopes of the slope up to the ridge are criss-crossed with low stone walls and trees/hedging. behind this was the village itself full of narrow lanes and packed with one story farm buildings. This made for a very difficult obstacle for the French, and witnessed the bloodiest fighting of the day.

The Church in the distance in the centre of the village viewed from the position of Wellington's new right flank.

The old main road runs through the centre of the village, past the old church and up the hill, travelling west to the nearby border post with Portugal.

by most accounts the church is mostly as it appeared at the time of the battle. There is a small stone memorial to the battle there.

There is also a memorial to the fallen Nationalist heroes of the Spanish Civil war. Someone seems to have tried to pull the plaque off or damaged it. As in Ciudad Rodrigo, one can speculate that not everyone locally is happy with these monuments to Franco's men.

The main road coming up the hill. Even now you can see how narrow the way is. This was the line of the first attack by Ferrey's Division in trying to take the village, and then by Drouet, only to be thrown out again by the 88th Connaught Rangers Foot.

Just back from the top of the village on the ridge is where Wellington and his officers had their HQ. looking north along the line of his other regiments' positions (centre and left flanks).

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Looking south from Wellington's position above the village.

Looking North along the ridge where the rest of Wellington's army was positioned facing east towards the French (centre and left flank). In the distance you can see the beginning of Vilar Formoso.

The onward journey to Almeida is short as well, so making the area a good destination for any battlefield tour. Basing yourself in Ciudad Rodrigo you can take in Almeida, the Coa, and Sabugal, and in the other direction you are about 80 km from Salamanca, which is easily accomplished as a day trip. Anyway highly recommended.

From Here I drove on to Almeida, Sabugal, and then down into Portugal to Bussaco which I reached in the evening. More on these battlefields in the next posts.

Dux Bellorum: More Gripping Beast Early Saxons - WIP

So the Saxons are coming! (or nearly here if I can get over my painting mojo and finish them). All from Gripping Beast, and very nice too. I'm still thinking about how I will do banners, but will likely go with Paper banners for the Nobles and Companions, and Dracos for the Ordinary warriors/warbands. I suspect that these warbands carried nothing into battle, and just the warlord/chieftain and his household had a banner. The eye-candy Department of History will win this academic debate though, so Dracos it is...

I've set myself a deadline of next week to get them done, backed up by agreeing to field them for one game then (so they have to be done!)

 

Shield transfers are by LBM, and look very natural. Obviously they need a lick of Matt varnish to take the shine off, and blending in some colours from the shields edge. Otherwise very quick and easy to apply. The trick is to have a clean white undercoat on the shield.

 

 

All the figures are on 12cm x 6cm bases (Impetus standard)

Here are the next wave of figures, a few  highlights and shield transfers before completion. In total this will give me a Dux Bellorum 32 point army consisting of 1 base of Companions, 2 bases of Nobles, 5 bases of Ordinary Warriors and 2 bases of Skirmishers (bow).

 

As always, Gripping beast produce some wonderfully animated figures. These ones from their gruesome Early Saxon casualty set.

 

I'll post up more shots once the basing is complete, and then some games.

Decree by Eugène Napoleon (de Beauharnais) in the Kingdom of Italy - 1806

I was picking up an antique chest of drawers that Mrs.Goose had found in an old antique shop on the outskirts of Prague. Whilst I was waiting for the chest to be covered for moving I noticed the old print above hanging in the corner. I asked the owner how he came by it and if it was for sale. He said his partner picks up curios in Northern Italy and this was something he's brought back. It had been hanging there for a few years and little interest shown. So I took it off his hands for 40 Euros, and now it's hanging above the desk.

I'm sure I got a good bargain as it is what I suspected it to be, an Official Imperial Decree from 1806, issued by Eugène de Beauharnais in Milan, as Viceroy of the kingdom of Italy. 

 

Perhaps there were thousands of these things nailed to notice boards in Northern Italy, and are still sitting in drawers all over the place. Needless to say, I'm happy with my little piece of Napoleonic History, and particulalry as Eugène de Beauharnais was a fairly decent chap (notwithstanding the punishments he listed in the decree).

I managed to read through and write down all the content of the decree, which I've been told is in slightly dated Italian. The subject of the Decree is the demand of the draft of troops from the years 1803, 1804, 1805, and 1806. The decree was issued in August 1806.

Napoleon was obviously anticipating (or planning...) that war would break out and was rapidly mobilising the draft for four years in Italy. Two months later Prussia declared war on France, and thus began the war of the Fourth Coalition. 

If you look at the translation you'll see what must have been fairly hefty financial sanctions for the families of draftees who failed to turn up  at barracks. It can be easily summed up: "by the grace of god and the constituion, give me your sons our give me your money..."

The decree certainly gives you a taste of just how our Corsican friend managed to raise all those armies, and how he was probably little grieved-after in many countries following his fall. 

So the text in English below,  followed by the original in Italian:

The translation of the text into (what I hope is correct) English is as follows:

NAPOLEON I

By the grace of God and the Constitutions of the French Emperor and King of Italy:

EUGENE NAPOLEON of France, Vice-King of Italy, Prince of Venice, archchancellor French Empire State, to all those who see the present health.

We, by virtue of 'which has been delegated authority from' Almighty and most August Emperor and King Napoleon I, Our Father honored and gracious Sovereign, we have decreed and ordained as follows:

Article 1. The old departments of Regua will make in the space of sixty days, counting from the publication of this decree, the draft must for the years 1803, 1804, 1805, and 1806.

2. The prefects are responsible for any fees and full compliance with the Whole previous article.

3. The fathers of the conscripts who were to be "refrattarj" (deserters?) to this decree, and in the absence of their fathers, their guardians will be required to pay in the public Treasury, and in the hands of the receiver of contributions of their Municipality or County, a fine of six hundred lire.

4. The fine will be paid in the month following after the sixty days granted by this Decree. Payment of the fine will not be able to deduct the "refrattarj" (deserter?), if they are later arrested for any of the penalties handed down against them under the old Act.

5. The receiver will require contributions of those fines with the same rights and duties allocated to them for the collection of regular contributions.

6. Gl 'conscription of individuals belonging to the year 1803, 1804.1805, and 1806 which have already been exempted for any cause whatever, will be subject to reconsideration.

7. This examination will be done in any place of Chief Prefecture by a commission composed by the Prefect of the Department, Captain of the Gendarmerie, a line officer in activity, by a physician and a surgeon appointed by the Prefect.

8. The Prefect will not be able to neglect in any case to preside over the operations of the Commission instituted colleagues' previous article.

9. The Ministers of Interior and the War are responsible, in ciascunno what it is concerned, the implementation of this Decree will be published and inserted in the Bulletin of the laws.

Since August 4, 1806 in Monza them.

Eugene Napoleon.
For the Vice-King;
The Board Secretary of State
L. Vaccari

Milan, the Royal Printing House [price money 2]

In the Italian original:

NAPOLEONE  I

Per la grazia di Dio e per le Costituzioni, Imperatore de'Francesi e Re d'Italia:

EUGENIO NAPOLEONE di Francia, Vice-Re d'Italia, Principe di Venezia, Arcicancelliere di Stato dell'Impero Francese, a tutti quelli che vedranno le presenti, salute.

Noi, in virtu dell' autorita che Ci e stata delegata dall' Altissimo ed Augustissimo Imperatore e Re NAPOLEONE I, Nostro onoratissimo Padre e grazioso Sovrano, abbiamo decretato ed ordinato quanto segue:

Art. 1. Gli antichi dipartimenti del regua compiranno nello spazio di sessanta giorni, a contare dalla pubblicazione del presente decreto, quanto debbono per coscrizione degli anni 1803, 1804, 1805, e 1806.

2. I prefetti sono risponsabili dell intiera  e piena esecuzione dell articolo precedente.

3. I padri dei coscritti che fossero per essere refrattarj al presente decreto, ed in mancanza de loro padri, i loro tutori o curatori saranno tenuti a versare nel Tesoro publico, e nelle mani del Ricevitore delle contribuzioni del loro Comune o Cantone, una multa di seicento lire.

4. La multa sara pagata nel mese succesivo dopo i sessanta giorni concessi dal presente Decreto. Il pagamento della multa non potra sottrarre i refrattarj, se sono posteriormente arrestati, ad alcuna delle pene contro di loro pronunciate dalle Leggi precedenti.

5. I I Ricevitori delle contribuzioni esigeranno le dette multe coi medesimi diritti e doveri che sono loro attribuiti per l'esazione delle contribuzioni ordinarie.

6. Gl' individui appartenenti alle coscrizioni degli anni 1803, 1804,1805, e 1806 che ne siano gia stati esentati per qualunque siasi causa, saranno sottoposti ad un nuovo esame.

7. Questo esame sara fatto in ogni Capo-luogo di Prefettura da una Commissione composta dal Prefetto del Dipartimento, dal Capitano della Gendarmeria, da un Ufficiale di linea in attivita, , da un Medico e da un Chirurgo nominati dal Prefetto.

8. Il Prefetto non potra dispensarsi in nessun caso dal presiedere alle operazioni della Commissione instituita coll' articolo precedente.

9. I Ministri dell'Interno e della Guerra sono incaricati, ciascunno in cio che lo concerne, dell'esecuzione del presente Decreto che sara pubblicato ed inserito nel Bollettino del Leggi.

Dato in Monza li 4 agosto 1806.

Eugenio Napoleone.

Per il Vice-Re;

I Consigliere Segretario di Stato,

L. Vaccari

Milano, della Reale Stamperia [ prezzo soldi 2 ]

Dux Bellorum - Early Saxons

So as one of my new year resolutions I got the ball rolling with my Early Saxons. These fine chaps are intended to be part of a Dark Age army that I’m building for use with the new Dux Bellorum rules. 

I’ll base them to be compatible with Impetus as well. It’s not my intention to play Impetus, it’s just I like the effect of the large bases which give a better visual representation of a formed body. I was of course influenced by the lovely units that you can see over on the Saxon Dog blog.

http://saxondog.blogspot.cz/search/label/Arthurians

 

Now these are all from the Gripping Beast range, and are just excellent: very animated and natural looking, with good features and crisp detail. They paint up well, and the well-cast surfaces are easy on the brushes

 

The casualties and killers set is particularly gory; I think a bit of artistic license was at play here, though they will certainly “liven up” any unit of charging warriors…

This is also my first attempt at more professional figures photos. As you can see I still have some way to go to get the lighting and exposure right, though I think they convey the quality of the figures.

 Once completed the army should consist of 5 bases of ordinary warriors, 2 bases of noble warrior, 1 base of companions and 2 bases of skirmishers with Bows. That’s about 100 figures to paint up, so I’m a third of the way through (2 bases of warriors and 2 of bows almost finished, and 1 base of nobles primed for painting).

Hopefully I’ll have enough figures for a small trial game down at the club in Prague in the next two weeks, and of course more photos to follow.

White Mountain / Bílá Hora

 

During the week I had to take a quick trip to the hardware store in Prague, which is right next to the Battlefield of White Mountain. I had been promising myself to go out and take a few snaps for months now, so once I was there and had finished the shopping I gritted my teeth and got on with the job at hand (considering it was about -14 centigrade, and snowed in). Rather fitting for the last stand of "The Winter King".

For the uninitiated, a potted history. The Battle of White Mountain was the main engagement at the start of the 30 Year's War, which began when a few catholic councillors, and the representatives of the Catholic claimant to the Bohemian Crown (Ferdinand of the House Hapsburg) were turfed out of a window at Prague castle, and Frederick Falkenberg of the Palatinate (a protestant) was declared King of Bohemia, thus ousting the Hapsburg claimant. This upset the balance of power at the time as the King of Bohemia was one of the seven electors who elected the Holy Roman Emperor (the nominal ruler of all the German states, plus a few "extras"). With Frederick sitting on the Bohemian throne, it raised the possibility of the next Emperor  neither being a Catholic or a Hapsburg. The Pope, the Spanish, The Austrians, The Bavarians and even the Lutheran Saxons were not willing to wear this, so their armies marched and eventually pitched up in front of Prague. A largely untried, unpaid and so unmotivated army was what Frederick fielded to oppose them, and apart from a number of Moravian regiments on the right wing who stood for most of the battle, the rest of the army was fairly quickly swept from the Field, by the catholic league regiments made up of many veterans from the battlefields of Flanders.

Rumour has it that René Descartes was present at the battle, or as one old friend put it, maybe he just thought he was there...

 Now the store I visited actually sits atop the position of the right wing of the Imperial/catholic league troops  during the Battle of White Mountain. This part of the battlefield is mostly built over and consists of the suburb of Repy.

The road above marks roughly the axis of the right wing of the Imperial Army, where it attacked the Bohemian left flank.

And running west from the main road, the route up the spur of the hill that the Imperials took (it's hard to see but there is a slope).

The best guide to the battle and battlefield is the book "Černý Den na Bílé Hořé" (which translates as "Black Day at White Mountain") by Dusan Uhlir. The day is seen as one of the darkest in Czech history, hence the title, with the assumption of total Hapsburg power over Bohemia and it's throne up to the end of the First World War. The book itself is an excellent guide to the battle and disposition of the various forces.

As mentioned, the weather was pretty grim, I imagine not too dissimilar to the actual day of the battle on 8th November 1620. Easy to see how unpaid levies might decide to run. I went over to the centre/right wing of the battlefield, which is still open land, with the main monument to the battle in the middle. This is a fairly bleak field on the best of days, at the cusp of a large plateau facing west and usually buffeted by wind.

 

The field is surrounded at the edge by villas mostly built in the 1920's, the whole area being open countryside up to that point.

Above is the monument, looking from south to north along the axis of the Bohemian position

Even from here you can make out the slope to the high point, while to the west the slope drops away fairly steeply.

Looking west towards the approach of the Imperial forces (where the Catholic League terciosunder Tilly marched up the hill). You can make out the camber of the slope as it starts to drop away. The houses are only 200 metres away but you only just see their roofs which gives you an idea of the gradient. In 1620 it was probably more pronounced. (In the distance you can see Prague Airport)

The sign standing up on the ridge in the distance is the site of the hardware store, and where the Imperials began to roll up the Bohemian left flank (it's about 800 metres to the south-west from the monument in the centre of the battlefield).

Looking north from the memorial towards the Star Palace, the last stand of the Bohemian army. This building is largely as it appeared in 1620, and the walled forest around it is still intact.

Looking north along the remaining axis of the Bohemian position towards the Star Palace. The land again drops away sharply here before rising again at the Palace. For the Bohemians to maintain this position, they had to follow the curve of the Plateau, making the centre an exposed salient (that noted though, the Bohemia army collapsed from it's left flank - by the hardware store, and was rolled up to it's right flank at the Star Palace)

The monument was erected just after Czechoslovak independence, on the 300th Anniversary of the battle in 1920.

Below you can see the Church of Holy Mary Victorious which was built next the the battlefield between 1622 - 1624, and marks the beginning of the bloody Counter-Reformation.

The battlefield is easily reached from the centre of Prague, with large parts of it still open (especially the centre, and north by the Star Palace).