The Real Attack on Czarnowo 24th Dec 1806

1
The Real Attack on Czarnowo24th Dec 1806

• The Night Attack on the Island and the assault on
  Czarnowo itself
• French forces were a very strong division plus
  extras. Russians only had 9 bttns plus art and
  small cavalry.

2
The Situation
Napoleon Here (Stood on the roof of a house)
MORAND
Ostermann Tolstoi
3
Outflanking the Defenders at Poniechowo
French main force form up and advance on bridge.
Start collecting wet straw and setting it alight
in river bank
French attack starts 1930
French secretly build a small bridge in the dark!
Elite companies cross river by boat and by
swimming to cover bridge builders
4
Outflanking the Defenders at Poniechowo
Russian defenders occupied by main force but
vision impaired by smoke
French Elite troops pounce on Russians on island
5
Outflanking the Defenders at Poniechowo
Russian defenders on island destroyed and try to
escape. French start bridge 2 onto R. UKRA left
bank.
6
Outflanking the Defenders at Poniechowo
Russians still completely unaware of disaster on
island
French progress up left bank
7
Outflanking the Defenders at Poniechowo
Russians become aware of French approach.
8
Outflanking the Defenders at Poniechowo
Mud
French discover appalling mud and cannot prevent
Russian withdrawal
Tolstoi orders immediate withdrawl to Czarnowo
9
The Attack on the Czarnowo Position
Russians successfully withdraw to Czarnowo
17th
Mud
French 17th Legere race ahead of group and smash
into Russian artillery defending Czarnowo
Russians Surprised by ferocity of 17ths chaotic
and unsupported attack and allow battery to be
taken
10
The Attack on the Czarnowo Position
French main body (at last) crosses river
Mud
Russians very quickly recover from surprise and
counter-attack French occupying Battery at point
of bayonet. 17th legere easily driven out again
and Russians re-establish their battery
11
The Attack on the Czarnowo Position
Mud
French and Russian square up to each other but
Russians now heavily outnumbered
12
Breaking through to the plateau beyond Czarnowo
Mud
French Discover a dry ravine which allows them to
go round the Russian positions. Tolstoi realises
they have been out-flankened and immediately
orders the artillery to withdraw to Nasielsk (off
map) and the rest to cover retreat.