The Dragoons strike

Picking his moment Major Kummel launched the Light Dragoons forward, the 1st squadron headed straight for an infantry column, which fled back town the hill, while the 2nd squadron swept away some light infantry. Both squadrons then halted rather than continue after the fugitives.

The other French flank was also in trouble the sustained fire from the two militia battalions plus the foot artillery caused most of Colonel Jolais units to fall back out of musket range to reform and one detachment of light infantry that had been badly flayed by canister fire fled on down the hill.

This left the French with a very tenuous hold on the top of the hill, on the right only the 2/56ieme DB de Ligne remained and on the right the 3/17ieme DB Légère and a detachment of skirmishers. Both columns had no choice but to form into square to resist the cavalry, even though it left them vulnerable to the Frundsberg guns.

The good news was that the hussars had nearly reached their position and that the rest of the army was now working its way through the valley bottom.

Meeting at Trouds

Once again Ritter Hugo von Schwillensaufenstein had been sent off with urgent despatches. He was now in the headquarters of Brigadier Sir David Linienblatt of the Beerstein Foreign Legion in Trouds(#). After perusing the letters from General Von Barner, Sir David questioned Hugo carefully on the state of the roads between Traubs and Pappenheim or alternatively from Sonnenbad.

“So it seems if your General is successful he expects the French to retreat along the Stocwald altweg as the open ground will favour cavalry operations”

“Yes sir, and it’s only one days fast ride so they would be here within two days”

“Of course if we march that way we are liable to be attacked and defeated as the Legion is not strong enough to stand up against a whole French division, even if it has been defeated”

“Ohh, yes if you say so sir, I don’t know your exact strength, just what general Von Barner told me to say”

“He says I should wait here and act like a stopper in the bottle to prevent the French reaching the Rhine, is this true?”

“Well sir, from my observation, after the direct Pappenheim to Berlin road there is no easy way down the Stocwald escarpment until this point. If they abandon their wagons and guns they could do so, but not otherwise.

“OK thank you von Schwillensaufenstein. My despatch will inform your commander that we will do as requested, I trust he is confident on the result of the battle, otherwise our assistance will be delayed by at least two days”

# Trouds is the first major town north of Frundsberg in the Electorate of Glowstein and lies at the end of a long valley leading down from the Stocwald hills. It is renowned for its woollen mills.

Up the hill

Once the French broke cover they were subject to everything the Frundsbergers could throw at them, but they kept advancing up the slopes

All the while the French artillery deployed on the Gottberg endeavoured to provide covering fire, while the hussars trotted forward down the lane to be ready to support the infantry once they had cleared the crest.

The 1st and 2nd Sonnenbad Militia battalions had been positioned in the centre of the line and were the main targets of this French fire and were forced to fall back to reform. Recognising the danger of not maintaining formation Colonel Pringle ordered the rest of the formation to fall back from the crest line. The French cheered and surged forwards but were met with further volleys as they breasted the crest. Unnoticed Major Kummel brought forward the two squadrons of Light Dragoons in case of need.

The French drove forward shattering the Welle/Fromel select militia on the right and also the 1st Sonnenbad battalion. The 2nd Sonnenbad battalion was pushed back. However the Light Dragoons were ready for a counter strike.

Clearing the hedgerows

The Légère advanced cautiously ducking whenever they heard a shot and only a few bodies lay behind them on the slopes by the time they reached the first hedgerow. Obeying the shouts of their officers and NCOs they crossed the hedges into more open ground and advanced.

Casualties began to mount but they continued forwards. On the left they paused to fire, whereas on the right they charged the enemy hiding behind the hedgerows. In both cases the results were the same, the riflemen fled up the slopes towards their main line.

Colonel Anjou, was pleased, the enemy had been quickly cleared from their initial positions, but where was the rest of the army? Colonel Letort was equally anxious as he couldn’t launch his cavalry forward until the crest line of the ridge was cleared or at least checked for other surprises.

It was a while later that Colonel Jolais arrived with the 56ieme DB de Ligne. Immediately the four battalions available were sent forward. As they advanced the enemy guns opened fire, and as a round shot ploughed though his men, Colonel Jolais spotted markers that had been placed earlier by the enemy, presumably to mark the range. Luckily his men realised the benefit of speed and rapidly descended to the valley floor and crossed the hedge to join the Voltigeurs beyond.

Meanwhile, the whole of the artillery had arrived, and opened fire at extreme range and elevation at the Frundberg militia on the opposite hill.

Once in position on the valley floor Anjou and Jolais split the force between them Anjou took the left which was mainly légère backed up with a battalion of Ligne, whereas Jolais took his second and third battalions and some légère.

The other side of the hill (2)

It turned out that Jens’ appearance was the result of a debate with General Wurst and Jens’ challenge that sailors could shift heavy guns where landlubbers failed. As a result General Wurst challenged him to move 4 siege guns to the top of the Landsberg. The first part was easy, just river transport upriver from Pappenheim to Sonnenbad. The move through the old streets was easy, but then the slope steepened for a long way.

The rational for Jens’ assertion was the regular use of winches and pulleys by sailors to move heavy objects carefully at minimal effort. His approach had been to establish winching points high up the slopes and move the guns up slowly using a pulley system, then repeat the same progressively higher. However, he had not expected this level of continual effort, but at least the road was already levelled. He had debated leaving two guns behind and continuing with only two, but decided that it was all or nothing.

Ilse listened to Jens’ story and decided that for her too, it was all or nothing and resolved to return to the battle.

On the French side of the hill Colonel Anjou had arrived with his 17ieme Demi-Brigade Légère and saw the problem even before Colonel Letort pointed it out. He deployed both of his first two battalions in skirmish order and kept the third back in reserve and sent them forward to clear the hedgerows.

The other side of the hill

As Ilse left the Landsberg, she alternately felt angry then worried. Why had she been sent away? Did the Baron really want to see her? What for? Who had she upset now? What might happen to Friedrich and her father?

She was so engrossed that she almost rode into a web of ropes stretching across the road and a shouted warning “Watch out miss” Dismounting and walking down the hill she met a large siege gun travelling slowly uphill pulled by the ropes. Shortly after she encountered two large groups of men either side of the road hauling on the ropes obviously pulling the gun up the steep slope of the Landsberg. As she passed she heard her name and turned to see Jens, her sister’s betrothed, hauling the ropes with the others.

“Jens, what is happening?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We are using a pulley system to move the guns to the top of the hill”

“I know it’s not far now, but the battle is about to start”

“Yes but we are working as hard as we can, some assistance would be useful as the men are tiring”

“I’ll find you some help” With that Ilse descended to the nearest houses and began banging on doors. This being one of the wealthy areas of Sonnenbad she was invariably met by a flunky, who she immediately informed that “The Baron needs your immediate assistance, inform your master to met me in the street and then get up the road to help the sailors with as many of the other servants as possible.”

Gradually a mass of people gathered in the road and some servants headed off up the hill. At least a start thought Ilse.

To calls of “What’s going on?”, “who are you?” and various other comments. Ilse projected her voice “Ladies and Gentlemen. On the authority of Baron Wilhelm I am asking for your assistance. Just up the hill are a number of guns that need to get to the top of the Landsberg”.

“The French won’t harm us we are no threat to them”

“Tell that to the inhabitants of Welle, Fromel and various other villages I have met. The French will pick your properties clean of anything of the slightest value”

“It might not work”

“Yes, but it’s worth making the effort to stop the French otherwise you’ll lose everything.”

There was a general murmur of assent, so Ilse continued “Ladies, can you please pass the message onto your neighbours. Gentlemen, please muster your servants and follow me.”

Within 30 minutes Ilse was back and the workforce on the ropes had been tripled.

Will they fight?

Following the Freihussaren breaking through the Chasseurs, the French cavalry rallied and set off in pursuit. At first it appeared that the Freihussaren were fleeing in the direction of Pappenheim, but they suddenly veered southward down into a dip. Following closely the French saw their chance, a bottleneck where a narrow lane passed through a hedged valley bottom. However as they rode up rifle fire commenced and they immediately pulled back up onto the crest. Similarly their opponents work their way up and onto the height on the opposite side of the valleys and disappear from view. At this point General Letort arrived.

Surveying the position he could see the Jaegers occupying the hedgerows and then behind them Frundsberg militia and artillery occupying the Landsberg opposite.

So where were the infantry this time would they arrive in time before the Frundsbergers slip away again?