RE: 1809: Turn 6: 6 April 1809
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 7:07 pm
1809: Turn 8: 8 April 1809 Worrying developments.
A messenger arrived today reporting that there were Austrian troops in Schwandorf within 50 km's of our depot are Neumarkt but annoyingly no mentions of their strength of direction of march. This could just be a cavalry patrol screening the right flank of the Austrian advance on Regensburg or it could be the leading corps of their advance column heading for our depots at Neumarkt and Nurnberg.
Another messenger reports that the Austrians have seized the bridges over the Danube at Deggensdorf.
The urge to do something is becoming overwhelming made worse by the lack of clear intelligence. Davout is ordered to dispatch Montbrun's Cavalry to scout the road out Of Ingolstadt towards Regensburg. Whilst Massena is ordered to send Colberts Cavalry Divsion to do likewise along the road from Augsberg to Munich and Marulaz Cavalry along the Augsberg to Freising road. These orders are merely token gestures involving a limited movement of 9 km from the main bodies of their Corps. So the cavalry involved will remain in supply by we may gain a slightly advanced warning of an approaching enemy.

*** Intelligence Reports ***
The intelligence reports are typically uninformative again today. Once more concentrating mainly on the arrival of fresh Divisions way beyond Viena. The report of 16,500 troops at Passau suggests that the enemy on the Inn might be moving at last but nothing else of any major value is revealed.
Enemy forces reported near Brunn : 16500 Probably the corps reported at Brusau yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Brusau : 10500 Yet another fresh reserve Corps.
Enemy forces reported near Linz : 19500 Possibly the reinforcement column reported at Enns yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Passau : 16500 Possibly the columnfrom Shaerding advancing at last.
Enemy forces reported near Possnitz : 6500 Fresh reserve formation.
Enemy forces reported near Tabor : 9500 Another column using the northern route.
Enemy forces reported near Zwettel : 14000
The key question is do I withdraw my depot at Neumarkt or leave it where it is and risk it getting captured?
Bernadottes XI Corps is due to arrive near Nurnberg in 16 days time and will be in serious trouble if there are no supplies awaiting it. Particularly if it is to face an Austrian force moving from the east. On the other hand if the supplies at Neumarkt or Nurnberg are seized by the Austrians it will give them a ready made base of operations north of the Danube and ease their supply lines considerably.
My current feeling is that the risk of the supplies at Neumarkt falling into enemy hands outweights the benefits of keeping them for use by Bernadotte. I shall therefore order the supplies at Neumarkt to be withdrawn to Donauworth and the size of the Nurnberg Depot reduced from 500 to 200 days rations.
At the same time a replenishment convoy with 200 supplies is ordered to Augsberg which is down to 37 supplies and another of 100 to Ingolstadt which is down to 96.
A messenger arrived today reporting that there were Austrian troops in Schwandorf within 50 km's of our depot are Neumarkt but annoyingly no mentions of their strength of direction of march. This could just be a cavalry patrol screening the right flank of the Austrian advance on Regensburg or it could be the leading corps of their advance column heading for our depots at Neumarkt and Nurnberg.
Another messenger reports that the Austrians have seized the bridges over the Danube at Deggensdorf.
The urge to do something is becoming overwhelming made worse by the lack of clear intelligence. Davout is ordered to dispatch Montbrun's Cavalry to scout the road out Of Ingolstadt towards Regensburg. Whilst Massena is ordered to send Colberts Cavalry Divsion to do likewise along the road from Augsberg to Munich and Marulaz Cavalry along the Augsberg to Freising road. These orders are merely token gestures involving a limited movement of 9 km from the main bodies of their Corps. So the cavalry involved will remain in supply by we may gain a slightly advanced warning of an approaching enemy.

*** Intelligence Reports ***
The intelligence reports are typically uninformative again today. Once more concentrating mainly on the arrival of fresh Divisions way beyond Viena. The report of 16,500 troops at Passau suggests that the enemy on the Inn might be moving at last but nothing else of any major value is revealed.
Enemy forces reported near Brunn : 16500 Probably the corps reported at Brusau yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Brusau : 10500 Yet another fresh reserve Corps.
Enemy forces reported near Linz : 19500 Possibly the reinforcement column reported at Enns yesterday.
Enemy forces reported near Passau : 16500 Possibly the columnfrom Shaerding advancing at last.
Enemy forces reported near Possnitz : 6500 Fresh reserve formation.
Enemy forces reported near Tabor : 9500 Another column using the northern route.
Enemy forces reported near Zwettel : 14000
The key question is do I withdraw my depot at Neumarkt or leave it where it is and risk it getting captured?
Bernadottes XI Corps is due to arrive near Nurnberg in 16 days time and will be in serious trouble if there are no supplies awaiting it. Particularly if it is to face an Austrian force moving from the east. On the other hand if the supplies at Neumarkt or Nurnberg are seized by the Austrians it will give them a ready made base of operations north of the Danube and ease their supply lines considerably.
My current feeling is that the risk of the supplies at Neumarkt falling into enemy hands outweights the benefits of keeping them for use by Bernadotte. I shall therefore order the supplies at Neumarkt to be withdrawn to Donauworth and the size of the Nurnberg Depot reduced from 500 to 200 days rations.
At the same time a replenishment convoy with 200 supplies is ordered to Augsberg which is down to 37 supplies and another of 100 to Ingolstadt which is down to 96.





