Battle of Corunna, Elvina Ridge, 16th January 1809

 We gamed through Jonathon Jones’ Corunna scenario this past week as we slowly work our way through the scenario book. This time it is Moore up against Soult as Moore concludes his gruelling retreat across the northwest of Spain only to arrive in Corunna to find that the transports are not there. Eventually they do arrive, but so does Soult’s army, and Moore is forced to fight a last desperate battle in the hills above the port to create the time and space needed to embark.

The scenario map showing the original deployment. The notes allowed both sides to set up closer towards the valley then shown here.

As always, Alan takes the French, vowing to push me into the sea (again) while I get to move the British around. Our game is played with the Over the Hills ruleset on a 6’X9’ table with my 1/72nd scale miniatures.

1. The Battlefield

The Rio Monelos cuts the bottom part of the battlefield off, especially for the French horse (not visible bottom right) who will need to find a ford in order to cross. North of the river is Elvina, in the valley that separates the two armies arrayed upon their facing heights. The entire area is rough ground, making it heavy going for both artillery and cavalry.

2. French Dragoons on the left bank

The French begin with a lot of horse, but unfortunately they are on the wrong side of the river!

3. 47me in front of Elvina

We arrayed our forces as indicated by the scenario. The four battalions of the 47me, along with their ad hoc skirmish battalion and the unlimbered foot batteries, begin in front of the village.

4. 31me Legere and 122me on the French right

To the sound of drums eight more battalions of French march forward in column, with their skirmishers massed out in front.

5. Manningham behind the ridge

The British left appears empty but Soult has no doubt there are British lurking over that ridge.

6. Light bobs in the woods

The only enemy visible here are a small contingent of British light infantry, lining the edge of a copse halfway up the hill.

7. Bentinck's brigade deployed around Elvina

On the British right it is a different story. The set up allowed Bentinck to deploy as far forward as Elvina, but not in it and, after much deliberation, Moore decides to challenge the French for the village.

8. 42nd Highland to the left of Elvina

To the left of Elvina the 42nd deploy behind some stone walls, along with the half battery of 6 pdrs. which is all the artillery the British get today.

9. Gaulois sends the 1/47me in to seize the village

The French move first and are able to send in the 1/47me to seize Elvina before the British can respond.

10. Fight for Elvina

Bottom right Gaulois pushes his light infantry forward to engage Bentinck’s 1/4th as the remainder of the 47me push forward. But the British aren’t going to let Elvina fall without a fight. The British commander has the Dirty Half Hundred, in line behind the village, let loose a first volley, with the intention of following up with a desperate bayonet assault by the 1/4th in column (our house rules only allow town assaults to happen in column). The 1/50th roll a 1 on a Fatigue score of 5, just enough for a British unit in line to inflict 3 FH’s and drive the enemy back, in this case clear out of Elvina!
As they reeled out, the 1/4th delivered a long range volley of their own, and this was enough to send the hapless 1/47me packing!

11. 1/47me routed

12. Betinck's light infantry occupy Elvina

Bentinck’s light infantry quickly move in to occupy Elvina, and due to an extremely good stroke of luck Mooore now has the village in his possession as a solid anchor to his right flank. 

13. Looking for a ford

As all of this is happening in front of them la Houssaye’s dragoons depserately forge up and down the banks of the Monelos, looking for a place to ford.

14. French push forward, crossing the valley on the right

On the French right things go a bit more smoothly, as they advance in the face of a bit of long range shelling from the British half battery and some light sniping from the British soldiers in the woods.

15. “I say, Sir, that’s a lot of French! Perhaps we should fall back?”

16. First British reinforcements arrive

Moore is not unhappy to see Disney, from Paget’s Division somewhere off to the right, appear marching down to join Bentinck’s troops in Elvina. They are immediately directed to the right of Elvina - their early arrival will help secure Moore’s right.

17. A change of plans

One of Soult’s ADC’s splashes across the Molenos with a change of plans for la Houssaye. With Elvina lost and more British troops arriving on this flank, the French cavalry are ordered to attack to the right of Elvina once they find a crossing.

18. Elvina reinforced with the British guns

To discourage the French from any plans to retake the village, Bentinck moves his half battery into Elvina to bolster the light bobs already there.

19. Bentinck pulls back his right flank

Seeing the dragoons’ guns galloping over towards his flank, Bentinck pulls back the 1/4th to keep them on his front and at a distance.

20. Moore surveys the field

Moore sends off an ADC to Baird to make sure he has told Manningham it is time to show himself and advance over the ridge.

21. Skirmishers fall back on their supports

As the 122me drive the light bobs on the British left back from their forward position, the bulk of Manningham’s brigade marches over the ridge to show themselves to the French. But it is only three battalions facing the eight in column in front.

22. An unfortunate incident on the road to Corunna

After a dozen attempts, the French commanders finally manages to roll the 2 required to rally the routed 1/47me, only to have a stray bounce through from the British guns in Elvina come rolling down the road, causing panic and the poor 47me to rout a second time - this time off the field!

23. Finally! A ford!

However a cheer goes up as a ford is found for the French horse.

24. Disney watches as the French horse surge across the Monelos

The British have managed to get Disney’s forces arrayed in a strong position (the 1/91st in line with the 1/20th in square and the village on either flank), allowing Bentinck to shift his own battalions in support of Manningham. However, it looks as if the French horse won’t be coming this way as they are seen streaming off towards the east.

25. Dragoons cut loose

26. 1/20th's square shelled

The horse battery, unable to follow over the Monelos, unlimbers and starts shelling Disney’s position. As the battle progressed, this position firing in enfilade wreaked havoc on the British line!

27. French move to outflank Manningham

In preparation for his big push to take the ridge, Lefebvre sends one of his battalions to outflank Manningham while the others press the front.

28. French foot batteries redeploy to bring fire on the British centre

29. Overview

A this point the French are finally keyed up for their push to overwhelm the British left (top right) just as Wade’s Guards brigade arrives (off photo top left).

In the centre left Bentinck holds Elvina and reinforces above the town while Disney’s brigade, takes over Bentinck’s position below Elvina.

Bottom right French cavalry pour over the Monelos while above the 47me threatens in front of Elvina.

30. French attack British left!

Mermet throws Lefebvre’s 122me and a battalion of the 31st Legere against Manningham’s position on the left of the ridge in an all out attempt to carry the top while the remainder of the 31st advance to support Lefebvre’s flank.

31. 3/1st engaged

While the 1/26th stand in support the 3/1st Foot meet the French columns. Delivering a desultory volley, the 3/1st crumbles under the weight of the French juggernaut and breaks after three rounds of fighting.

32. 2/81st hold fast

The 81st does better. Manningham’s light infantry fires into the flank of one of the French battalions, driving it back in confusion while the 81st goes three rounds with the others but survives.

33. Manningham's light bobs finish off a battered French battalion

A devastating second volley in enfilade breaks the flanking 3/122me.

34. British right

Despite the loss of the 3/1st after beating off the French attack, Manningham still holds the ridge, with the 1/26th now moving to the front and the 81st going into reserve. To his right (above) Moore orders Wade’s newly arrived Guards to attack the three battalions of French ranged in column in front.

35. Guards go into the attack

36. Guards advancing on French centre

The huge 1/1st Guards battalion, in its thin two lines, easily fronts the three French columns as the Guard’s skirmishers invest some rocky ground to their right. To their right, Bentinck’s three battalions slowly march down the hill. All of the British battalions begin to take a bit of a pounding from the French guns on the far side of the valley as the Guards volley and charge.

37. 31me Legere battalions routed

The Guards are unstoppable, routing the two Legere battalions and driving the 2/122me into the woods.

38. Victorious Guards

39. Bentinck's brigade charged, form squares

Meanwhile, next to Elvina, Bentinck is so focussed on driving in the now exposed French flank he fails to see the French Dragoons pounding down the far slope. The 4th and 42nd Highlanders both manage to form emergency squares, but the British lines here are now jammed close and in danger of a French infantry attack, which quickly comes in. The 42nd and 4th are driven back by Jardon’s 3/31er Legere before the attack is finally stopped by the 50th, still in line.

40. Disney shores up Bentinck's right

Fortunately help is on the way. Moore, seeing the French horse traversing east, had already sent an ADC to request Disney to move to Bentincks’s flank east of Elvina, The 20th now arrives, moving in line between the 50th (now in square) and Elvina. The Guards’ light bobs link up east of the 50th and the British line is again stabilized.

41. Dragoons stymied

Soult spots British guns moving into the east side of Elvina, placing any future cavalry charge against the line here in enfilade and leaving his horse with few options.

42. French centre

The French guns continue to pound the British lines. The horse artillery, unable to cross the Molenos, also shell the British lines from long distance in enfilade, adding to the carnage.

In front on Elvina ridge the French have managed to reform their line in face of the Guards. From left to right can be seen the two Legere battalions still in the fight along with their skirmish battalion, and the 2/122me still sheltering in the small woods on the right.

Far left  mid-foreground, just over the ridge Gaulois’ 1/47me march in to the attack.

43. Dragoons make another attempt to break the British line

With time running out the Dragoons, despite the British guns in enfilade, are sent in again in a desperate attempt to break through Disney’s 20th who are in line but with supported flanks.

44. Dragoons routed

The British line holds and the dragoons fall back. One unit takes a flank full of canister by the Elvina guns and routs from the field.

45. Guards driven off!

The fresh 2/1st Guards, taking the lead, volley and charge the 2/122me in the small woods as the French shore up their battered centre. The Guards are driven off with heavy losses and the French centre holds!

46. 47me and cavalry make a last attempt to break the British right

Soult finally throws the 47me into the fray. A battalion charges the 5th’s square while the French cavalry make another desperate attempt to break the 20th’s supported line.

46. 47me also storm Elvina

Two more battalions of the 47me form column and storm the village.

47. British left also charged once more

And two battalions of the 122me in column charge the 1/26th.

49. Overview

A late battle attempt by the French to seize their objective. Bottom right the 122me charge Manningham’s 26th, while above them all is momentarily quiet, with the few French remaining in the centre not eager to challenge the Guards. However, east of Elvina (top) Bentinck and Disney’s forces are charged by the still relatively fresh 47me and the French horse.

50. 1/20th routed

The 1/20th drive off the French charge with a deadly volley, but in turn are routed by the 47me after the French hurled back the British 5th in square on their initial charge.

51. Attack on Elvina driven off

The attack on Elvina is easily beaten off by Bentinck’s light infantry.

52. But the British right holds

53. 26th routed

On the British left the 122me has some initial success, routing the 26th in three rounds of combat and then continuing their charge, still in column up against the 81st.

54. 2/47me broken by cannon fire

With the French options exhausted the British surge back on the final round of play. Cannon fire in enfilade from Elvina breaks the 2/47me…

56. And the 2/31 are sent packing by Guards Light Infantry

57. 81st break 4/122me and rout the 1/122me

The French charge on Manningham, initially successful, runs up against the red brick wall of the 81st which breaks one battalion and routs the second.

58. Guards charge the stubborn 2/122...

And finally the 2/1st Guards, incensed that they had their nose bloodied by a lowly battalion of French conscripts, charge the woods a second time…

59. And this time drive them from the woods

The 2/122me rout and the chausseurs of the 31re Legere are driven off the ridge.

60. 1/122me routing past the only remaining French battalion on the ridge

61. French driven off Elvina Ridge

Soult’s forces in full retreat from the ridge as the British once again reign victorious.

62. Game end

After 12 hours of play over two sessions the battle comes to an end with the British in full control of the ridge. In the fight the French had lost four battalions of infantry broken and one routed from the board, along with a unit of cavalry. Another three or four battalions were routing by game end. Most French losses were on the final round of play.

The British fared much better, loosing the 3/1st Foot but stopping the rout of their other two battalions before game end. 

Clearly this was going to be a hard nut to crack for the French, especially with two monster battalions of British Guards showing up. The freakish loss of Elvina on the first turn meant the British were able to hold it, being a thorn in the side for the French the entire battle and anchoring the British right. (This has led us to introduce an OTH house rule that give troops only a +2/-2 first round when garrisoning a town, to allow the change overs that so often happened in battles before troops could get established.) This loss forced the French horse, slow to find a ford, to have to move further east and with the rough ground hampering their movement, only able to come into action against the British east of Elvina who were in a strong position.

The French pushed forward bravely, however, effectively using their columns in concert and at times overwhelming the British lines. And the superior French artillery firepower kept the British scrambling to keep their troops in good order. 

Finally the failure of the British general (me!) to register the proximity of the French horse was only rescued by the lucky formation of the emergency squares. Failure to do so would no doubt have resulted in the complete collapse of the British right, as I had yet to have moved the guns in Elvina to the east to put them in enfilade position. So the British victory, although absolute, was not entirely deserved!

Alan and I are going to replay this one, this time with Alan taking the British for a change.