The March on Porto Part 2 - Rearguard at Grijo 11th May, 1809

Alan and I squared off for the second of the linked O’er the Hills scenarios covering the French retreat on Porto on May 10th and 11th, 1809, as they are hounded by Wellesley’s advance from Lisbon.

If the table looks familiar, it’s because the set up is similar to Part 1, with the village of Grijo at the midway point of a road bordered with hills and forests that traverses the battlefield south to north. Again the French, Franceschi’s forces from Part 1 now joined up with Mermet’s force, need to shepherd their baggage train off the north side of the board unscathed.

However, here the similarities end. The British horse are no longer part of the pursuit, but Wellesley has two massive Guard battalions (1/2nd and 1/3rd) in pursuit, along with Stewart’s brigade from Part 1. Two more British forces converge on the retreating French from both sides, Murray’s KGL battalions and Muter’s brigade under Hill, as the battle progresses. The objective of the French is to get their wagons off the board and deliver better than they take in doing so. The British objective is to inflict as much damage on the retreating French as possible.

This is a tricky scenario for the French. The British Guards are basically indestructible, and the converging flanking forces make withdrawal tricky. The French need to decide where and when to deploy in retreat while making best use of their cavalry to slow up the enemy.

The game was played using the Over the Hills ruleset on a 6’ X9’ board, using my 1/72nd toy soldiers.

The scenario map showing the French rearguard and main defensive position with British lines of attack. Murray's KGL and Hill's force entered from either flank. 

The battle begins with the French deployed south of Grijo and the British force of Sherbrooke’s 1st Division, (Campbell’s Guards brigade) and Stewart’s brigade from Part 1 in close pursuit.

1. Starting positions

Early on Alan, playing the French as usual, knowing that there are flanking enemy forces approaching from both sides, elects to withdraw most of Mermet’s 2nd Division infantry to the final hill to the north where he will make his stand. Only the cavalry and Jardon’s 31er Legere, protecting the retreating wagons, will form the rearguard in and around Grijo.

2. French around Grijo

The cavalry and 31er Legere take up positions around Grijo as Mermet sends his line battalions to the rear.

3. French line battalions on the move

4. French form up rearguard

5. Wellesley moves Murray to the flank 

The British, played by me, decide to push hard in column to try and keep the French off kilter. Knowing my superb Guards could advance with impunity on the French horse (their 13 FH base guaranteed a successful emergency square if charged) I moved them in column of companies against the French light cavalry in front of Grijo (top). With the French light horse engaged, Stewart’s brigade is pushed up the British left, swinging wide around Grijo as Paget seeks to link up with the rest of the 2nd Division, Murray’s KGL, when they arrive from the east on their flank march.

6. Sherbrooke and Campbell observe the 3rd Guards advance

7. British cannon open fire

8. Cautious columns

The Dragoons presence was a threat, but Stewart’s troops switched from column of companies to closed column anytime the French horse would venture close, all the time swinging onto the flank of the French horse around Grijo. 

9. Wagons make their way through Grijo

The French needed to maintain their rearguard until their baggage train is safely through Grijo, but progress is slow as they negotiate the narrow streets.

10. Guards form emergency squares

The French light horse charge the Guard columns but they swiftly form square. Focussing on keeping the Guards contained in front of Grijo, the French commander failed to see the threat enveloping from Stewart’s flank move until it is too late.

11. Hussars enfiladed

The 1st Battalion of Detachments moves to the French flank (far right) and fires on the 1me Hussars to devastating effect. 

12. Battered 1me Hussars fall back

13. French cavalry move to face threat from flank

Now realizing the developing threat on their flank, the French pull their Dragoons back to protect the wagons, leaving the 22me Chasseurs to keep the Guards contained in front of Grijo while the Hussars turn to face Murray's brigade.

14. Guards light bobs harass the French cavalry flank

15. 47me and 122me reach their new positions

Meanwhile, to the rear the French line battalions reach their new position on the final hill flanking the road where it exits the battlefield.

16. Mermet begins to deploy his troops

The 122me's three battalions are deployed to the east of the hill (bottom), while the 47me takes up positions on the west side. Both brigades send their skirmishers into the woods on either side.

17. Grijo overview

Back in Grijo things take a turn for the worse with the French cavalry. The Hussars charge Stewart's 29th in line, but the British manage to form emergency square (lower right). Musket fire breaks the Hussars and they rout (edge, far right). In front of Grijo the 3rd Guards (left) seeing that the French light cavalry, now broken, is preparing to withdraw, form line while the Coldstream Guards (top left) storm Grijo.

18. Routed Hussars

1me Hussars are routed by Stewart’s musket and cannon ire.

19. Battlefield overview from French positions

At the bottom can be seen Meret's line battalions now arrayed for battle on the high ground, prepared to protect the last stage of withdrawal of the French baggage train, which is now clear of Grijo (centre). On either side of Mermet's line battalions (out of picture) are woods occupied by their skirmish battalions. Centre left the Hussars rout while the 8me Dragoons (to their right) fall back to protect the wagons. Upper left Stewart's battalions continue their move around the flank of Grijo while the Guards (centre top) clear the French out of Grijo. Far upper left Stewarts's guns, left behind by the swift British advance, fall out of command, forcing Wellesley to dispatch an ADC to get them moving forward. They never do catch up to the fast-paced British advance!

20. 1/2nd Guards storm Grijo

With DeBelle’s cavalry scattered, the 2nd Guards form column and assault Grijo. Garrisoned by the 1/31er Legere with the 2/31er and voltigeur battalions in support, the Guards crush the 1/31er and pour through the town to engage the 2/31er just as Murray’s KGL arrive on the British right.

21. 1/3rd Guards devastate French Chasseurs with volley

The 3rd Guards, swiftly deploying in line in front of Grijo, destroy the 22me Chausseurs de Cheval with a devastating volley before they can retreat.

22. KGL arrive on French left flank

At this point the KGL flanking force, four line battalions strong, arrive on the British right. Pressed now by Paget’s entire united 2nd Division, as in Part 1, Girardin’s 8me Dragoons (upper left) once more find themselves stemming the red tide, holding the advancing columns from reaching the rear of the slow moving baggage wagons. Four of Paget’s battalions press the Dragoons, while the 1st and 7th KGL move to outflank the French once the British light infantry have cleared the voltigeurs from the woods.

23. And then things get worse

Things go from bad to worse for the French as Hill, with Muter’s brigade, suddenly appears deep on the French right! (The arrival of Hill is a variable, arriving on Turn 5-7, in this case arriving at the earliest possible moment, Turn 5.)  Hill, seeing the Guards already pressing forward north of Grijo, sends the 2/48th and 2/66th to their left in a pincer movement towards the road in an attempt to get behind the French position. The 1/3rd advances in line into the woods to flush out the voltigeurs while the Portuguese 1/16th are sent around the right of the woods to engage the French from the front. Wellesley, with the Guards, spots the arrival of Hill and dispatches an ADC to urge Hill into the attack.

24. Guards light infantry chase 31er voltigeur battalion off the hill west of Grijo

25. 1/2nd Guards sally out of Grijo

Meanwhile Sherbrooke’s Guards Division continue to push the 31er Legere as they fall back on the French right. The depleted French rearguard is now in full retreat, as the wagons (unrallied fatigue hits starting to mount) slow as they begin to reach the last hill.

26. 3rd Guards move to join the 2nd

27. KGL in advance

Murray’s light bobs engage in a skirmish fight with the French voltigeurs in the wood on the French left, attempting to drive them out in preparation for the British assault on Mermet’s line battalions, now arrayed on the high ground astride the road.

28. Overview

On the left the French skirmish line retreats towards the main position, trying to slow the British advance. To their right the 8me Dragoons hold at bay the rest of Paget's force who, in column, push forward, closing up anytime they get close to the cavalry.

Straddling the road from Grijo the 1/2nd Guards steadily advance in line against the 2/31er Legere, while on the lower right the Portuguese 1/16th round the south side of the woods, threatening the rear of  the 47me,  now reversed to face the threat of Hill's troops moving around north of the woods (off picture). 

One of the wagons nears the exit point but the other two, slowed by fatigue hits, have fallen behind.

29. 1/48th and 2/66th form up on French rear

Muter's two flanking battalions form up at the foot of the French position, but on the north side, preparing to charge.

30. Light infantry and 3rd Buffs attempt to clear the woods

On the same flank both sides' light infantry trade shots as the 3rd Buffs form line to charge the woods.

31. 122me Voltigeurs fall back on the French positions

On the French left, with one battalion dispatched to shore up the right, Lefebvre’s remaining battalions tighten up the perimeter on the hill as Paget’s division presses ever closer. The 8me Dragoons continue their slow retreat, giving ground each time the British closed columns move into musket range.

32. Overview

On the right Mermet's two battalions of the 47me have turned to face the threat from the rear while  Lefebvre’s 3/122me move behind them to stave off the Portuguese attack from the south. The first attempt by Muter's 2/48th to carry the hill is repulsed, with both side suffering losses. With time running out and the French now warding off attacks both on their front and rear the first of the French wagons exits the table.

33. 31er Legere trapped

In the centre the 2/31er Legere miraculously survive repeated vollies from the 2nd Guards as the French fall back in front of them. But now the Portuguese have formed up on their flank and the 2/31er find themselves trapped between a rock and a hard place!

34. Protecting the wagons

It's all about getting the last wagon away at this point. With Muter's 2/66th threatening the road from the west the 1/47me march down to intervene, leaving the battered 2/47me to hold the hill. In the foreground Lefebvre's 3/122me march down in support. 

35. French squeezed

Overview of the last wagon exiting as the 2/66th advance lower right and above them the 2/48th form up for a second attempt on the hill.

36. Overview

On the French left (left) the remaining 122me battalion gives ground over the hill in front of the KGL advance, with the 122me skirmish battalion protecting their flank. Top centre-left the 8me Dragoons also fall back in line with the beleaguered 31er to their right. 

37. Clashes on the French rear

A second attempt by the 2/48th breaks the French line on the hill, but at a cost as the 48th too, exhausted, falls back and routs. The French 1/47me deployed to protect the road and final French wagon from the advancing 66th are attacked and broken, and the French right crumbles.

38. Stubborn voltigeurs

In the woods on the French right the 47me voltigeurs however put up a remarkable fight, driving back the 3rd Buffs' attempt to expel them before slipping away to safety.

39. 31er destroyed

A final push by the 1/2nd Guards with the Portuguese simultaneously hitting their flank breaks the 2/31er, who flee over the hill after the retreating wagons.

40. Aftermath

At this point, on the final turn, the French just manage to get the last of their wagons successfully away. But with Mermet’s 1st and Legere brigades now both decimated, along with Debelle’s light cavalry brigade, only Lefebvre’s brigade and the 8me Dragoons remain intact. On the final turn two of Lefebvre’s battalions as well as most of the French voltigeurs manage to disengage and slip through the closing British trap, following the wagons up the road to Porto. But the Dragoons and 3/122me are trapped on the hill and presumed forced to surrender at games’ end. Wellesley succeeds this time, where he failed at Albergaria, in his attempt to seriously degrade the French forces. And the road to Porto is now clear.