The Battle of Kuwanastadt
November 6th, 1812
British Order of Battle
Advance Guard (Independent Brigade) Brigadier-General James Maxwell (8)
40th Foot 2nd Somersetshire
39th Foot Dorsetshire
31st Foot Huntingdonshire
Wickham's Battery (9lb)
French Order of Battle
53rd Division
2nd Brigade - GdB Roberto Malchance (8)
9th Legere
--1st Battalion
111th Ligne
--1st Battalion [arrived in the afternoon]
Joseph Napoleon regiment
Foot Battery (Howitzer)
7th Hussards (Marauders) [Attached from the 10th Cavalry Division; present only in the morning]
11:30 am
Addressed to the Headquarters of the XV Corps from General de Brigade Malchance, Rostock in Mecklenburg, November 1812.
"Having gotten word of the British landing, we broke camp early on a bright and cool November morning and arrived at a small village south of Wismer. Upon arrival the scouts of the 7th Hussards made sight of the first British column rounding the far bend. I immediately hurried my infantry down the highway and had the howitzer unlimbered.
As the enemy infantry approached the village, the colonel of the hussards attempted to strike at the columns. However the wary British General Maxwell caught sight of the approaching hussards and deployed the 31st into line. The disciplined regiment leveled a disordering volley that panicked the leading elements of the cavalry.
The enemy also rapidly deployed the 39th Devonshire into line, who with another show of British discipline and marksmanship, disordered the skirmish line of the 9th Legere.
With the 9th's advance stalled, I was worried of being bottled up in the defile we were passing through. Fortunately, using my rough and broken Spanish, I was able to convey my commands to the Spanish colonel of the Joseph Napoleon Regiment. The battalion passed about the confused column of the 9th and their forward skirmishers picked off several officers among the ranks of the enemy 39th. The veteran howitzer crew quickly found the range of the same enemy and their shelling made a mess of the fine ranks of redcoats.
The shelling seemed to throw the enemy plans into utter disorder. General Maxwell rode forward to steady the 39th. At which point, rather inexplicably and with their general's back to them, the reserve battalion disappeared over the far ridge and abandoned the field entirely!
I immediately set about exploiting this gap in the enemy position. I swung my two battalions around the flank of the enemy. The 9th raked the 39th while the howitzers finished their work. The beefeaters broke and fled. The Spanish disordered the 31st, freeing the shaken ranks of hussards being subjected to further enemy musketry.
In the din of firing, apparently my poor British counterpart could not be heard clearly, as his artillery rather than unlimber and pound our daring ranks, followed their cowardly comrades over the ridge and off the battlefield. I couldn't believe our lucky stars!
I pressed the advantage and penned in the men of the 31st, who stood for a moment longer before throwing in the towel and taking heel.
Having won the field, I settled in for lunch and began waiting for the victuals and wine provisions to come forward. A battalion of 111th was to arrive shortly and seeing the sorry shape of the hussards, I sent them to the rear to reorganize and hunt down the quartermaster wagon.
Little did I know the British were reorganizing over the ridge-line...."
2:30 PM
After Action report from Brigadier General James Maxwell addressed to Marshall Wesley, Duke of Wellington, from Kuwanastadt outside Wismer, November 6th, 1812
"I found the 40th completely turned about and idling on the far-side of the ridge with Wickham's battery backed up behind them. Giving them a hot dressing down, I admonished them in stark tones about abandoning the field of battle. Their pride sore from the shame, they about turned and followed me seeking to redeem their honor. I soon found the roughed up and retreating Devonshire and Huntingdonshire lads. They had been hard pressed, but their spirits were yet still undefeated. I gave them a few rousing words about how the day was not over and we had yet bullets and spirit enough to send Johnny Frenchman packing home. Very soon I had my whole brigade back in order and we set out for the very same field of battle we had left hours before.
Rounding the bend once more at about 3 in the afternoon, we saw the French had not moved off the field. They tried to quickly throw off their lethargy and hastily massed into columns.
The Devonshire and Huntingdonshire lads had a taste for battle and quickly swung into action forming battle lines astride the highway. Once again the damnable French howitzers found the range of the Huntingdonshire battalion and bombs were soon creating havoc amongst my lads. But they are fine good lads and stood to their position.
The French came on in aggressive fashion, throwing forward skirmishers as their drums beat the Pas de Charge. I gave the Sommersetshire battalion the order to advance and wheel on the enemy flank...
But the men were slow in the maneuver and the 111th Ligne caught them still in column! The Gallic host fell upon the head of the battalion and decimated the foremost company. The rest of the battalion fell back.
A violent firefight developed between our lines. We were getting the worst of it as the bloody howitzer shells continued to explode amongst our ranks. The white-clad Spaniards formed into line and wheeled into the flank of the 31st, but those fine Huntingtonshire lads weathered the murderous fire.
I rode over to the 40th. Steadying their nerves and forming them into line, they came into action, firing on the grenadier company of the 111th. I ordered Wickham's battery to manhandle their guns down the ridge into canister range.
With cheers of Vive l'emperor and to holy Spain, the 9th Legere and the Joseph Napoleon regiment fixed bayonets and rushed the 31st. The Devonshire lads didn't shrink from the contest and courageously held off the two battalions, giving as good as they got. The line held in the face of the onslaught.
With the 31st buying our left time, the 40th wheeled on the French 111th. Wickham pushed his 9 pounders into close range and along with the 39th, they shattered the order of the 111th who retired back into the village leaving behind many dead and wounded. The 31st having fought valiantly against the odds, finally broke cohesion and the lads broke into bands scattered across the countryside.
However, so had the French 9th taken a savaging. Having seen two of his battalions exhaust their morale, the French commander was forced to oblige the field to us this time. Evening had fallen upon the day and my lads were exhausted having fought two affairs in a single day, so I broke off the engagement and settled with control of the battlefield. Patrols were dispatched to collect wounded and gather prisoners. The burial details are to be busy for the next day or two. Wismer is secure for now and your Lordship may proceed with disembarking the Expeditionary Force."
