St Quentin, 19th January 1871
The following photographs were taken during a refight of the battle St Quentin during July 2005 in Christchurch, New Zealand using the "Volley & Bayonet" miniature rules. The 15mm figures and buildings are from the collection of Adrian Powell. The buildings are hand made, in card, by Adrian. All infantry and cavalry figures are based on Volley & Bayonet 3" wide bases bases, while artillery are based on 2" wide bases.
The historical battle of St Quentin formed part of the larger campaign in the north of France after the French disaster at Sedan and while the Prussians lay siege to Paris and engage other French armies in the Loire. Michael Howard in his book "The Franco-Prussian War" sets the scene:
The morning of the 19th January was foggy and dark, with a chill rain churning the clay fields into mud. The Germans advanced on St Quentin up both banks of the Somme and found the French barely ready to receive them. But [the French] 22nd Corps, in spite of its lack of orders, found excellent positions on the hills round Grugies, firing from behind piles of sugar-beet and manure, and when the Germans began to attack at 10.30am., they [the Prussians] could make no impression...
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For
our wargame the
table measured 8' by 5' and was bisected in the
centre by the river Somme. This, as described by Howard creates two almost
separate battles each side of the Somme. The French right was held by 23rd
Corps under command of Adrian Powell, while the left was held by 22nd
Corps and was commanded by Keith McNelly.
Robin Sutton took the role of the Prussian Army commander, Goeben, and commanded the heavily reinforced Prussian corps. |
Above, French infantry of 22nd Corps on the French left flank, along with artillery, deployed in and around one of the many towns near the banks of the river Somme. Further French Mobile formations were deployed within the town. The prone figure in front of the regiment is a marker which denotes that the entire regiment is deployed prone. A prone regiment is less likely to suffer casualties from enemy fire, especially the accurate Prussian Krupp guns.
After other regiments of the division repulsed Prussian infantry and cavalry attacks Prussian formations moved to bypass the town and defenders pictured above by moving through dense woods along the banks of the Somme. The regiment illustrated above however, continued to be subjected to sustained Prussian artillery fire over several game turns. It was finally broken by this fire. In fact this division of 22nd Corps would suffer a morale collapse, though the division continued to maintain its position. No doubt gallantly holding the line in defence of France against the Prussian invader...
Above, Prussian infantry advance, this time on the French right flank on the initial turn of the battle. Four Prussian infantry regiments form the first line with artillery and further infantry advancing behind. Soon after this photograph was taken the Prussian artillery were deployed and began a preparatory bombardment of the French positions of the French 23rd Corps deployed on the north west of the Somme - the French right flank.
This accurate fire in turn resulted in French attempts to engage the Prussian artillery by advancing French infantry forward and engaging the guns with Chassepot fire. Several Prussian artillery batteries were, as a result, cut down by a withering fire. A testament to the effectiveness of the Chassepot.
On the French right flank French infantry also took advantage of the several small towns that were to be found scattered south of St Quentin. Above, French infantry are shown deployed in and around one such town at the start of the battle while they await the Prussian advance. The Somme is just to the right of this photograph and was crossable only at two bridges.
While the French maintained their garrison in the town, sitting as it did astride the road to St Quentin, the regiment visible in the right of the photograph was soon ordered forward to counter Prussian advances.
| To the
right can be seen
Prussian infantry charging forward into contact with French infantry of
23rd Corps.
Terrain on this flank was reasonably broken and both armies attempted to make use of the terrain to approach each other using covered routes. However, at times no such options existed. The Prussian infantry are equipped with the inferior Needle Gun which is out ranged by the considerably superior French Chassepot rifle. Therefore, the Prussians were forced to push forward, sometimes in risky frontal attacks such as this. |
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While several Prussian regiments failed to reach the French lines the one illustrated above has pressed home its attack to contact. No doubt the troops were inspired by the Prussian army commander, Goeben, who risking life and limb, advanced among a flurry of bullets towards the French line. However, in the resulting melee the Prussians were again driven back in disorder.
Meanwhile, on the French left flank, with the attacks of the 16th Prussian Division stalled by the solid lines of the French 22nd Corps a flanking move by 3rd Landwehr division was attempted. Above, Prussian Uhlans screen this flanking movement of the Landwehr around the extreme French left flank. This cavalry division was, by this time exhausted, a result of an earlier failed charge. It was therefore unable to charge despite facing disordered French regiments. The Prussian turning movement was slowed, and eventually stopped, by reserve regiments of the French 22nd Corps which had been retained in reserve to protect against such a move.
By the end of the battle which had lasted the equivalent of seven hours, or seven game turns, one French division was exhausted and one other had suffered a morale collapse. The Prussians meanwhile, had one infantry division in exhaustion and one in morale collapse along with the exhausted cavalry division. Our refight of the battle of St Quentin had therefore finally ended in a French victory, though it's outcome had been far from clear for most of the engagement.