Fast and Furious!

I have just finished another Play By E-Mail Napoleonic campaign. Which ended very abruptly!

It was set in the frankly horrific 1807 winter campaign that historically ended with the Battle of Eylau.

Fortunately for our virtual soldiers, this campaign only lasted for I think four days.

I was Davout, the "Iron Marshall" with his veteran 3rd Corps.

Starting bright and early on 22 December 1806, I bridged the Vistula and marched north from Plock, covering the main force's left and providing a link with our distant left wing (Lannes and Bernadotte).

The changing weather complicated matters. Snow or mud caused extra fatigue. Even standing still on a muddy day added to fatigue levels. So it was slow, laborious, going. 

I made for Soldau, hoping for a rest day in the town, before marching to Mlawa and reinforcing Ney and Napoleon's left in a build up around Pultusk. 

I bumped into the Prussian Auxiliary Korps (commanded by the Mad Padre) at Soldau with my 4 divisions. They, occupying the only shelter for miles, were to be evicted.

I defended with my right, where the biggest Prussian division was, pinned in the center around the village, and attacked on my left with my biggest division and my cavalry. It was hard slogging, but I decided it was a "victory or death" situation and kept pushing.

A close run battle on a muddy Christmas Day followed, with me finally routing the Prussian right hand division just before nightfall. The next morning it took a couple of turns to get organized and pursue. I then hooked right to march towards the ongoing mighty battle of Pultusk. 

I had just bumped into the worn Prussians at Mlawa, who had bumped into Ney (my friend Scott), who had a shattered Russian cavalry division on his other flank... when the game ended.

The division I routed, added to Russian divisions routed that day at Pultusk, got us enough VPs to win the game.

And it was only 26 December 1806.

Definitely an interesting experience.