Battle of Heilsberg

The Battle of Heilsberg took place on off the town of Heilsberg (now Lidzbark Warmiński), during the Napoleonic Wars. In it, Joachim Murat's French troops began the offensive on Leonty (Levin) Bennigsen's Russian force ahead of schedule. The opponents fought until nightfall, by which time the French attacks had produced no results. They concluded an operational armistice. Napoleon, French supreme commander, intended to bring up more forces and continue the encounter, but Bennigsen eluded this, heading towards Königsberg. Due to Bennigsen's illness, corps-level commander Andrei Gorchakov temporarily replaced him during the action until the very end of it. Napoleon also arrived on the battlefield, but it was Murat who initiated the battle.

Overview

On 24 May 1807, the Siege of Danzig ended when Prussian General Friedrich Adolf, Count von Kalckreuth capitulated to French Marshal François Joseph Lefebvre. This gave Napoleon the opportunity to engage the Russian forces led by Levin August von Bennigsen (then Andrei Ivanovich Gorchakov). The French commanders were Joachim Murat On 2 June, before Napoleon could act, Bennigsen ordered his columns to converge on Marshal Michel Ney's exposed VI Corps. Outnumbered by 63,000 to 17,000, Ney fought a rearguard action at the Battle of Guttstadt-Deppen on 5 and 6 June. Though he lost his baggage train, two guns, and 2,042 men, Ney managed to escape to the southwest over the Pasłęka (Passarge) River with the bulk of his soldiers.

Within two days, Napoleon had ordered his 190,000-man army to close in on the 100,000 Russians and 15,000 Prussians. Aware of their approach, Bennigsen ordered his troops to fall back on Lidzbark Warmiński in the Prussian Partition of Poland (Heilsberg in German). The Russian army took up strong defensive positions around the town, which stood on the Łyna (Alle) River. The French army, under Marshal Murat, attacked on 10 June. Then Napoleon Bonaparte and Jean Lannes' corps approached, and Napoleon took joint command. The Polish 5th Mounted Rifles Regiment under Colonel also took part in the battle on the side of Napoleon. Bennigsen repelled several attacks, resulting in huge French casualties, but had to withdraw towards Friedland the following day. Four days later, the decisive Battle of Friedland occurred, ending the War of the Fourth Coalition with the passing of the Treaty of Tilsit.

Influences on the battle

Geography

The Battle of Heilsberg was fought on the Alle river, known today as the Lyna. The Teutonic Castle being the focal point of the battle was held by Russian control.

Terrain

Aside from geographical advantages, the Russians had also spent three to four months compiling tactics on how to defend against a French invasion, regardless of where they would attack the castlegrounds. Defensively, the castle was supported by its bridges and walls, both of which were built along the perimeter of the castle. The land surrounding the Teutonic Castle acted as an obstacle for the French army due to the increase of elevation from the base of the river to the castles foundation. The Prussian 21st Fusiliers, commanded by Ludwig August von Stutterheim, was garrisoned there.

Climate

Although the terrain was punishment enough for the French, weather also took a toll on their abilities and health. During the day, on top of the weight being carried in regards to supplies and armory, temperatures reached dangerously hot and humid levels. The dampness and bitter cold of the night also played a significant role by providing little opportunity for rest.

Battle

Tactics

Benningsen had been fooled into retreat by false reports of the French numbers. The Russians, having moved back to Heilsberg, had some protection from substantial fieldworks. To storm the fortifications, Napoleon had to choose between an immediate advance or a flanking movement, threatening the Russian supply base of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad). Marshal Mortier and Marshal Davout advanced on the Königsberg side.

At first, Murat attacked Borozdin and forced him to retreat. Bennigsen, having sent 7 battalions of infantry, 1 regiment of cavalry and 2 guns to support Borozdin, ordered Bagration to cross to the left bank of the Alle River, join Borozdin's detachment and hold off the French until most of the army had been moved from the right bank to the left. Prince Bagration took up his position on the left bank, with his right flank on the Langwiese and his left on the Alle. In the afternoon, Soult's infantry came and immediately attacked; Murat's cavalry moved to the detour between Langwiese and Lawden. At this time, however, Major General Kozhin's mounted detachment (1,000 men), which formed the left-hand column of Lieutenant General Uvarov's troops (3 jaeger regiments and 25 squadrons), moved by Bennigsen in support of Bagration, came to his aid; it temporarily held back the onslaught of French cavalry, and the Guard Battery, located on the right bank of the Alle opposite the mouth of the Spuibach, stopped Soult's infantry; Bagration's vanguard was able to withdraw to the main position, where it became a reserve; Kozhin's detachment, having joined with Uvarov's right column, which had failed at Lawden in the battle with Legrand's division, withdrew to the right flank.

At 6 pm Napoleon arrived on the battlefield with part of Lannes' corps and the Fusilier guardsmen. Soult and Lannes, leading separate cavalry units, and Ney, with the infantry, moved forwards on both sides of the River Łyna.

The Battle of Heilsberg was fought four days before the decisive Battle of Friedland.

French Army losses

On both sides, disputes over the killed and wounded remain. The French claimed 1,398 killed, 10,059 wounded, 864 captured.

Russo-Prussian losses

Disputed figures as well, Clodfelter estimates 6,000 killed and wounded.

Notable officers of the French Army present were:

Commander-in-Chief: Napoléon Bonaparte (Marshall Joachim Murat led the French troops at the start of the battle);
Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier, prince de Neuchâtel;
Marshal Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult;
Marshal Jean Lannes;
Major General Nicolas Charles Oudinot;
Major General Jean-Antoine Verdier;
Colonel François-Joseph d'Offenstein (made Brigadier General further to this battle).

Notable officers of the Russian Army present were:

Commander-in-Chief: Leonty Leontyevich Bennigsen, at the end of the battle he was sick, but remained in the battlefield — he was replaced by Lieutenant General Andrey Gorchakov;
Lieutenant General Matvei Platov;
Lieutenant General Prince Gorchakov;
Lieutenant General Dmitry Dokhturov (wounded);
Lieutenant General Prince Bagration;
Major General Fabian Steinheil.

References

Works cited

External links

Spring Campaign 1807. Heilsberg — one of the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars
Battle of Heilsberg
Battlefield Anomalies: The battle of Heilsberg
French and Russian Order Of Battle of Heilsberg
Heilsberg and the battle
La bataille de Heilsberg
2007 г. Lidzbark Warminski—первая реконструкция сражения посвященная 200 летию.
Napoleans Campaign in Poland
Map Database of Heilsberg