Solferino: First Contact

The battle begins.

For a refresher on initial army dispositions, please visit, Solferino: Setting the Stage.

While the battle rages around them, the Austrian Corps positioned in between the two conflagrations wait in silence as the first reports of a French advance upon their positions drift in.  Stankovic's Division is situated on the high ground around San Cassiano.  Montenuovo's Division supports Stankovic with his division deployed around Cavriana.  Out on the Medole Plain stands Mensdorff's Cavalry division and I Corps' Reserve.

Austrian positions looking from the west.

Austrian positions looking from the southeast.

Montenuovo in support of Stankovic.

Across the plain, elements of MacMahon's French 2nd Corps can be seen approaching.  Behind these lead elements, masses of infantry can be seen marching to battle.

French advance begins.

Never-ending masses of French file toward the front.

French march across the Medole Plain.

Seeing the enemy's approach, alarms are sounded.  Jaegers quickly move forward to occupy the small farms covering the Austrian right.  They await the attacks they know will be coming as skirmish fire erupts.  Stankovic's lead brigade under Hoditz, positioned around San Cassiano, is increasingly coming under fire from musketry from Gault's Brigade.  French guns quickly begin to deploy.

Jaegers move up to occupy the farms.

Skirmish fire intensifies

as the French close on San Cassiano.

On the French right, Castagny's Brigade screens the French advance as Desvaux's Cavalry Division moves up to counter the Austrian cavalry division.  With Austrian guns already in place on the plain and firing, Castagny's Zouaves and Foreign Legion battalions receive long range artillery fire from the numerous Austrian smoothbores.

LaMotterouge's Division reaches the Medole Plain and marches behind the densely packed cavalry screen.

The French move due east along the main road.

Back on the French left, the 11th Chasseurs eject elements of the 14th Jaegers from the farm and occupy the high ground.  As the 11th takes the farm on the right, the close presence of Manegue's guardsmen forces the remainder of the 14th Jaegers to retire from the adjacent farm.

11th Chasseurs in action.

French guard forces Jaegers to retire.

On the French far left, Villiane's French light cavalry struggle to scale the heights.  Successful in overcoming the rough ground, the French horsemen reach the plateau.  In repeated charges, the Jaegers are driven off with heavy loss.  Unfortunately for Villiane, pursuit is stopped by devastating volleys from the densely packed Austrian line infantry.  Half of Villiane's Brigade is scattered not to be seen again on this day.

Jaegers driven back
but with heavy casualties to Villaine's cavalry.

Back to the French attack on the right, LaMotterouge is having difficulty sorting out his command as both Castagny and Desvaux come under increasingly heavy artillery bombardments.  Austrian artillery continues coming on line from the Reserve, Mensdorff's Cavalry Division, and the batteries of Montenuovo.  The French face a strong headwind in advancing along this axis.

Deploying is difficult in tight spaces. 

More Austrian batteries unlimber and begin to fire.

With the fight for the heights around San Cassiano seesawing back and forth in attacks and counterattacks, the French Reserve artillery begins to deploy.  The presence of the French 12-pounders is begining to cause damage to the Austrian positions on the heights.  The accuracy of the French 4-pound rifled artillery is adding to this mayhem.

All is not well for the French, however.  On the right, Castagny's Brigade is taking punishing blows from massed enemy artillery.  In the open, with no cover, Castagny's Brigade wavers under the weight of losses.    

French artillery open up on the heights.

French progress on the left.
A difficult task on the right.

Castagny's Brigade waivers
(yellow ball denotes broken brigade)

Despite increasing fire from the French attackers, the defenders around San Cassiano stand firm.  Losses are mounting.  The concern for holding these positions grows.  I Corps commander, Clam-Gallas sees the danger and orders Montenuovo to move his division forward.  Montenuovo puts his command in motion as it moves forward to occupy the second string of hills behind San Cassiano.  

Austrian positions look formidable

as the French close in.

Montenuovo moves up to form a second line.

This is where we called it a day after about five hours of play.  The seven players agreed that they would enjoy continuing the game where we left off in one week.

Casualty counts in the rosters below show where the fighting has been heaviest.  Villaine's cavalry attacking along the spine of the heights suffered greatly.  Decaen's division also saw heavy casualties. Casualties suffered not from close combat but from artillery fire.  In opening hours of battle Castagny's Brigade was wrecked.  Against San Cassiano, Gault's Brigade has seen heavy losses too.

For the Austrians, Hoditz' Brigade, the defenders of San Cassiano and the Austrian front line, suffered greatly but gave more than they took.  Hoditz's command took heavy fire on the heights but the line infantry stood firm under repeated heavy bombardments.  If the French want these positions, they will need to take them by force.  

Given the situation at present, what would your next moves be?

Next time we revisit Solferino, we explore The Assault.