Battle of Raab 13:00-13:30

Severoli's Italians attack

After a longer than expected hiatus, the Raab replay is back in play.  To refresh fading memories on the status of the game, see Raab 1230-1300 account.

Action at Kis-Megyer 1300

At the start of the 1300 hour, Eugene sees most of his French forces return to good order;  the exceptions being the 2/9 Hussars and 1/Italian Dragoons on the French right and 1/102 Line in the center.

French Right

On the French right near the Upper Bridge, Colbert begins gingerly picks his way back across the Pancza Brook while Seras' cavalry attack towards the church.  Somewhat isolated on the east bank of the Pancza, the never timid Grouchy keeps applying pressure to the Austrian cavalry defending the bridge and ford.  Grouchy leads his disordered 1/Italian Dragoons in an attack against the disordered 1/2 Joseph Hussars. 

French cavalry attack!

Disordered and caught standing still, the Austrian hussars are easily scattered.  Hadik is severely injured in the melee.  The momentum carries the victorious Italians into the 1/Heves Insurrection cavalry who are, in turn, roughly handled by the dragoons.  Grouchy, with his cavalry exhausted, breaks off and falls back to the banks of the Pancza.

Grouchy - a hot knife through butter.

Breakthrough!

Hadik goes down

Witnessing Grouchy's success, the overconfident 2/7 Dragoons cross the Upper Bridge in column and are immediately countered by 2/Zemplin Insurrectio cavalry.  With heavy casualties to both but unable to bring their mass to bear while in column, the French dragoons retreat back across to the west bank of the Pancza.

After a long circuitous route to get to the east bank of the brook, Seras' cavalry swings into action in support of Seras.  Both the 1/9 Chasseurs a Cheval (CaC) and the 2/9 CaC attack the Austrian cavalry that has thus far been holding up Seras' advance from the church.  As the French approach, the Austrian cavalry counter attacks.  While casualties are heavy in the clash between the 1/9 CaC and 2/2 Joseph Hussars, the Austrian light horse are able to repulse the French.  The 9th Chasseurs break off their attacks and fall back to the Pancza.

Seras' cavalry repulsed

With the loss of the 1/2 Joseph Hussars and the demoralization of 1/Heves Insurrection added to the earlier loss of the 1/Westprimer Insurrection cavalry, Andrasy's green cavalry formation panics.  As Andrasy and his command stream towards the rear, many insurrectio troopers call it a day and desert.  These losses are heaviest among the 2/Westprimer and Odenburger Insurrectio.  Andrasy's panic effectively relieves Seras' concern for being taken in the rear by Austrian cavalry.  

Andrasy panics!

While cavalry clashes are swirling on the French right, artillery in the center begins to take effect.  With the Austrian Reserve guns repositioned on the Szabadhegy Heights, Seras and the 1/53rd Line fall under the guns' sights.  With some protection offered by the church, the 1/53rd only becomes disordered by the barrage.

Seras under fire

To the north of Kis-Megyer, Lutz' guns disorder 1/1st Italian Line as Severoli's division nears the banks of the Pancza.  Having an advantage in both quantity and quality, Severoli appears determined to force a passage of the Pancza obstacle below Kis-Megyer.   

Severoli advances

At Johan's HQ, activity is abuzz.  With both Frimont and Kienmeyer down to injury, the Reserve Corps is in a state of chaos. With Gajoli's command in motion towards the south to thwart any advance from Seras, Johan recalls Gajoli to fill Frimont's empty boots.  Gajoli gets a battlefield promotion!  Having sent orders to Gajoli to join him on the Heights, Johan hurries to rally the Reserve Corps.  The grenadiers and IR 2/19 rally as the demoralized IR1/19 continues its rout.

Lutz moves to plug the gap

 On the cavalry wing on the Austrian left, Andrasy's panicked formation cannot recover.  The remainder of 2/Westprimer's Hungarian cavalry flee the field of battle.

In Groztony's old command, 5th Ott Hussars and 1/Bacser Insurrection rally.  The 5th Ott Hussars attack the French as they attempt to form up after having successfully negotiated the Pancza.  In each engagement, the French horse force the Austrian horse to break off their attacks but not before the French 2/20 CaC fall back across the Pancza.

ex-Grosztony attack

and is repulsed

In the center, the sound of artillery fire increases but only Durutte's guns find their target.  IR61 suffers moderate casualties and becomes disordered as it stands in the open near the Kis-Megyer farm.

Battlefield from the south 1330

Center 1330 behind Austrian lines

Battlefield 1330 from behind French lines

At the bottom of the 1330 hour, the Austrian left cavalry wing under Mescery shows signs of crumbling.  Andrasy is in retreat and both Grosztony and Hadik have been lost to injury.  Casualties among the troopers mount.  Still, the French cavalry have not been able to pass to the east bank in numbers.  More French cavalry are on their way to support French attacks at the Upper Bridge.  Thus far, the Austrian cavalry on this wing have fought like lions.

In the center, a bit of a battlefield lull descended over the Kis-Megyer complex as both commanders sorted out recent reverses.  Will Severoli be successful in mounting an assault across the Pancza?  Will Durutte reattempt his earlier failed assaults against Kis-Megyer?  Will Seras be able to hold off a pending Austrian counterattack?