Some 19th century historical questions

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**doktor_g**

During the Napoleonic Wars

1.) How successful/frequent were unaided Cavalry charges vs infantry squares? Was it done by special units like lancers?

2.) If an artillery battery was succesfully charged by a Batallion of infantry that has already absorbed the cannister (or charged a flank), how often, if ever, were unsupported guns defended by the crews?

Thanks. Sources for your responses would be appreciated.

My only source:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry_square

**Easy E**

I am not an expert:

It was very, very rare that an unaided cavalry charge broke a square. I can think of maybe 1 or 2 times, one involving the King's German Legion IIRC.

Typically, the crews would try to fall back into a nearby unit of their own. Rarely did they stand by the guns and fight back, and if they did it was usually pretty bad for the gunners. If they fell back successfully, they would wait until friendly units had retaken the guns and try to man them again. That is why enemy infantry would try to "spike" the guns to make them unusable.

Like I said, I am not an expert.

**Eumerin**

The bayonets on the rifles frequently meant that if a lancer was close enough to poke an infantryman in a square, then the lancer was dangerously close to getting poked by a bayonet, as well. Also, my understanding is that horses were also generally reluctant to get dangerously close to something like a square formation. Both together would make it very difficult for cavalry to do much against a formed square so long as the infantry didn't lose their nerve. On the other hand, iirc when the British formed their squares at Waterloo, the French cavalry fired pistols at the infantry as they rode past. So it was possible for the cavalry to hurt the men in a square. The problem was hurting enough of them to make a difference. A brigade of infantry typically had a lot more men in it than a brigade of cavalry.

**Korvessa**

Easy E wrote:
I am not an expert:

It was very, very rare that an unaided cavalry charge broke a square. I can think of maybe 1 or 2 times, one involving the King's German Legion IIRC.

Typically, the crews would try to fall back into a nearby unit of their own. Rarely did they stand by the guns and fight back, and if they did it was usually pretty bad for the gunners. If they fell back successfully, they would wait until friendly units had retaken the guns and try to man them again. That is why enemy infantry would try to "spike" the guns to make them unusable.

Like I said, I am not an expert.

Going by memory, so no guarantee I am correct, but wasn't the KGL just bad luck? Something like a wounded and downed horse kicking away wildly.

**doktor_g**

To my reading there are a few accounts of breaking the square in that article referenced above. Accounts of a highlander brigade who's square was broken, and going into a pub and asking for a 'pint of broken square' was an invitation for an ass kicking. There are frequent accounts of horses full gallops just having the momentum even after being wounded to crash through a side or corner. Other accounts are when cavalry surprised an unformed battalion. The "Empire" game by Getz specifically addresses that in their"hasty square" rule.... but that ruleset addresses EVERYTHING which is a little much.

Squares became less popular due to really one thing it seems and that is horse artillery. A cav brigade with a gun in tow can bring it to bear outside of musket range (and perhaps rifle range too) and empty cannister or shell into the square at close range... over and over then ride down the remnants.

I *think* this (widespread use of horse artillery) and the advent of standard issue rifles over smooth bore muskets (thus endangering cavalry at greater ranges) simultaneously lead to the decrease in use of the square and changing role of cavalry in the later 19th century (ACW) from active battlefield participants to recon-in-force and raids and mounted infantry of course.

**Easy E**

doktor_g wrote:
To my reading there are a few accounts of breaking the square in that article referenced above. Accounts of a highlander brigade who's square was broken, and going into a pub and asking for a 'pint of broken square' was an invitation for an ass kicking. There are frequent accounts of horses full gallops just having the momentum even after being wounded to crash through a side or corner. Other accounts are when cavalry surprised an unformed battalion. The "Empire" game by Getz specifically addresses that in their"hasty square" rule.... but that ruleset addresses EVERYTHING which is a little much.

As I said, they are a rare exception and not the rule. It "Could" be done, but should your rules reflect it? This sort of thinking often leads to If This/Then That type of rules and rules bloat on edge cases. This particular situation I call..... One time at band camp

If I maybe so bold as to quote myself.....

This One Time at Band Camp
This type of situation arises mostly in historical games. History is an amazing thing, and there are all sorts of weird and amazing things that happen. Sometimes, as a designer you can fall into a trap of trying to represent everything that happened in the period even if it was not the norm.

For example, Baron Von Munchausen’s men once jumped from a cliff and landed on goose feather mattresses in the siege of Krakow and stormed the cannon and broke the siege (I have no idea if this happened). This was the only time where this activity was ever recorded. However, since it was such a celebrated event designers try to make sure all of their rules for the period have a rule for jumping from castle walls and landing on goose feather mattresses.

Source:
https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2017/03/wargame-design-if-thisthen-that.html

**doktor_g**

E,
There seem to be several times that it happened in the Napoleonic Wars as well as prior. My anecdotes were just color. False charges, faltering morale, "hasty squares", impetuous firing, and undisciplined infantry were common reasons.

It just needs to be costly decision for the charger. The rules will stay simple. I have zero interest in Empire because of the reasons you mentioned. However, I also would like a historical feel to it. Squares broke. Bayonet charges happened.

**Easy E**

Sure, but it is very unlikely.....

https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Infantry_square#Breaking_a_square

Attacking cavalry would attempt to "break a square" by causing it to lose its cohesion, either by charging to induce poorly disciplined infantry to flee before making contact, or by causing casualties through close-range combat (see above).

Cavalry charges were made in closely packed formations, and were often aimed at the corners of the square (the weakest points of the formation.) Feints and false attacks would also be used to make the infantry "throw away their fire" by causing them to fire too early. However, if the infantrymen were well-disciplined and held their ground, the cavalryman's dream to "ride a square into red ruin" would not be realized, and such an event was the exception rather than the rule in the history of warfare.

However, the most effective way to break a square was not by direct cavalry attack, but by the use of artillery. To be truly effective, such artillery fire had to be delivered at close range. A 20-metre wide infantry square was a small and difficult target for field artillery firing from within or just in front of its own army's lines, typically 600 or more metres away, at which range most rounds could be expected to miss. Instead, the attackers would usually try to deploy horse artillery accompanying the cavalry. The presence of the cavalry would cause the infantry to form square, but the closely packed infantrymen would then become targets for the artillery - the cohesion of the square would break under their fire, making it much easier for the cavalry to press home the attack.

Combined attacks by infantry and cavalry would also have the same effect - the defending infantry unit would be placed in the difficult position of either forming square and being shot to pieces by the attacking infantry (which would usually be in line formation), or being ridden down by the cavalry if it decided to remain in line while trading volleys with the attacking infantry.

In addition, if the cavalry could catch an infantry unit before it formed square properly, the horsemen could usually inflict severe casualties, if not destroy the unit completely. Quatre Bras (1815) saw several examples of this, with several British units being surprised at close range by French cavalry hidden by the terrain. Other circumstances that could lead to a successful cavalry attack included sudden rainstorms soaking the infantry's gunpowder and effectively reducing their weapons to very short pikes, or a mortally wounded horse in full gallop crashing into the square, opening a gap that could be exploited, as happened at the battle of Garcia Hernandez, shortly after Salamanca (1812).

**doktor_g**

I've come back to your way if thinking.

http://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/infantry_tactics_4.htm#infantrycombatcolumns3

I think this is a Chinese website, but has fantastic info. They estimated that cavalry successfully charged a square 1-10% of the time. For a simple game, I think you're right. No charges.

Here's the new idea:

- Cavalry can never be charged by infantry.

- Squares cannot be charged cavalry, but they can be false charged and made to take a leadership. Failing, as I mentioned before will cause a double-time order away from chargers ending in skirmish order.

EDIT
Got my threads mixed up. I updated in Game Design too.
.

**Easy E**

Now that, I like.

You can still use Cavalry to force a Morale check. If failed, the unit is vulnerable to a follow-up charge or infantry attack.

Makes much more sense then a "direct" attack in the traditional way.