Ney’s brilliant rearguard action saved his VI Corps from overwhelming odds.


5-6 June (May 24-25 OS) 1807 marks the Battle of Guttstadt-Deppen in the 4th Coalition War when Marshal Michel Ney’s 15,219 French infantry, 991 cavalry, 432 gunners & 24 guns fought Cavalry General Baron Levin August von Bennigsen’s 80,000 Russians & Cossacks & 168 guns. Ney’s brilliant rearguard action saved his VI Corps from overwhelming odds.

Bennigsen launched a major offensive in June. He hoped to destroy Ney. He planned to fix Marshals Jean Bernadotte’s I Corps & Jean-de-Dieu Soult’s IV Corps (on either side of Ney) in place. His main force would converge on Ney’s position in several large attack columns. Ney would be isolated & wiped out.

Lieutenant General Dmitry Dokhturov’s Column 1 (10,323 men) would isolate Soult. LG Baron Fabian von Osten-Sacken’s Column 2 (22,865: 42 bns, 140 sqns, 9 batteries) would circle Ney’s left. LG Prince Pyotr Bagration’s Column 3 (12,537: 42 bns, 10 sqns, 6 Cossack Regiments) would split Ney’s front. LG Aleksey Gorchakov’s Column 4 (10,873: 12 bns, 20 sqns, 3 CRs) & Major General Matvei Platov’s Column 5 (6,347: 3 bns, 10 sqns, 9 CRs) would cross Łyna River & circle his right. Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich’s Column 6 (17,000: 28 bns, 28 sqns) formed the reserve.

French scouts discovered Bennigsen’s movements. Ney asked Soult & Bernadotte to hold his flanks. He deployed Division General Jean Marchand’s division (6,893 foot: 6e Légère; 39e, 69e & 76e Ligne) north at Guttstadt & Praslity villages. 

DG Baptiste Bisson’s division (8,326 foot: 25e, 27e, 50e & 59e Ligne) deployed south at Głotowo, Knopin, Łęgno & Kwiecewo. Brigadier General Auguste de Colbert-Chabanais’ Corps Cavalry (991: 14e & 24e Chasseurs à Cheval; 12e Dragons; 3e, 5e & 7-8e Hussards) provided cavalry support.

At 06:00, 5 June, Bagration seized Praslity. He’d moved ahead too far. He paused so Sacken & Gorchakov could catch up. Ney pulled back, then counterattacked. Sacken flanked his left. Ney made a fighting withdrawal covered by skirmishers. Gorchakov seized Guttstadt, linking with Platov. Ney retreated to Jankowo by 15:00. Queetz Lake held his right. Deppen Forest held his left. Bernadotte & Soult fought their own battles. Fighting stopped at dusk.

At 05:00, 6 June, LG Dmitry Golitsyn’s cavalry (2,982) struck Ney’s left. Golitsyn hoped to seize Deppen bridge & cut Ney’s retreat. Sacken attacked Ney’s center. Gorchakov struck his right. They slowly pushed Ney back. 

His fierce defense stopped Gorchakov. Gorchakov moved south of Queetz Lake to circle it & flank Ney out of position. This temporarily relieved pressure on Ney’s right. He shifted men to shore up his left & center. He escaped over Deppen Bridge.

Ney admitted 400 dead/wounded, 250 captive, 2 guns & his baggage train. Bennigsen claimed to kill 2,000 French. He captured 73 officers & 1,568 men, including BG François Roguet. He lost 2-2,500 dead/wounded. Soult admitted 106 dead, 1079 wounded.

 He claimed to inflict 800 dead, 2,000 wounded on foes in his sector. Bernadotte’s casualties aren’t known. He claimed to inflict 7-800 dead/wounded on his foes. Bennigsen retreated on 7 June (26 May OS). Ney’s brilliant rearguard action saved VI Corps from overwhelming odds.

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