The battle of reichensdorf
The Conflict
Prelude
The city of richensdorf is situated on the intersection between the mour river and the river of kings on the left bank and north of the imperial capital. The city was at the core of rebel line and was the linchpin on which the rebel forces needed to hold. Commanding the frankish army was archduke frederick charles 5th cousin. His second in command was the most talented and experienced commander in the frankish army field marshal Victor Von matriess
The Engagement
Victor had been paul harmond commanding officer during the expedition in san antiona and he had been trained at The verianberg imperial army school. The frankish army at reichensdorf was 120000 strong split into three corps. A small 10000 strong corp of rebel crownlands infantry was also part of the army and the archdukes own curraiser was part of the army. They were able to field 70 guns and their position was highly defensible. Facing them Micheal kaff took personal command of the loyalist. his army was made up of the 2nd and 3rd magaran corps and the northern crownlands corp. He also had the reserves of the 12th cavalry division which had in its ranks the 14th magaran lancers . His army had 100000 men and had 70 guns. His plan was to cross the river of kings and then lay siege to the city. It took him 1 day and a night to cross the river and by this time frederick had readied his army when Michael realizes that Frederick had taken the initiative he told his army to dig in. the battle began at 4 in the morning on Tuesday the 3rd of may. The rains prevent cavalry from moving so it would be down to the infantry and the franks were thrown into battle much against the wishes of filed marshal matriess. Time and time and time again the franks were thrown back. The bravest of these units were the Zouave which were recuted from black franks who lived on the coast of frank. These men never faltered in the face of horrific casualties and many were complete lost. The veraiberguer corp then launched its attack. In small boats they crossed onto the right bank of The river of kings . Michael devoted his reserves using his cavalry and his provisional corp to hold thehallsberg froces . As night came michael pushed for a counter attack and sent forward his 2nd corp on the weak left wing commander by general gerard cofu. Cofu a great commander and skilled defender was able to halt the loyalist forces but his corp had suffered the worst of the battle and without help would crack. Fredrick ordered forward his cavalry and they smashed the southern flank of the loyalist. They failed to brake as ISA army officer executed those who ran. As day turned to night 20000 men were dead and dying on the field with only 5000 wounded across both armies showing the ferocity of the fighting. The hallsberg verainberguer corp was pushed back across the river and linked back up and launched a counterattack against the loyalist army. Michael had lowered them into a trap and his artillery shredded the rebel corp. This then allowed him to count and pushed back the frankish and verainberg forces. Cofu then without orders retreated leaving a 2000 strong rearguard of skermishers to cover his own retreat. Michael ordered his men to chase them down taking only 200 prisoners from the rear guard. Archduke frederick then ordered matrese to hold the line. He obliged and he was left with 60000 men which he renamed 1st army. They fought into a third day of fighting gradually giving ground. He wouldn't allow the city to fall without a fight and after a 2 day break he ordered general cofu’s second army of 20000 men to meet him at the city. Cofu had orders from frederick to join him and being a indosissive commander in offense would arrive in time to affect the battle. Matrices ordered the population out of the city and called up all men aged between 16-60 in the city, he took the city's militia and police adding 10000 men to his army. The civilians followed on the heels of fredericks corp. Michael arrived at reichendorf and saw matrices army ready for them. As the battle entered its 6th day the lolasted entered the city after a 2 hour bombardment. The battle for the city was a long and bloody affair the franksih soldiers fought for every street and house. However after the royal standard was stolen the army's sign of honour they broken and many ran west. Cofu arrived just as the 1st army ran. He ordered his second army to cover the 1st retreat. Michaels army was too tired to chace the franks and rebels. The frankish royal force lost 40000 men dead, wounded and missing they suffered 2000 men captured.
Aftermath
with it defeat the Frankish army untimely caused the frankish revolution
Included under Conflict
Conflict Type
Battle
Battlefield Type
Land
Conflict Result
kaff victory
Belligerents
hallsberg rebels
Led by
Strength
The frankish army at reichensdorf was 120000 strong split into three corps. A small 10000 strong corp of rebel crownlands infantry was also part of the army and the archdukes own curraiser was part of the army. They were able to field 70 guns and their position was highly defensible.
army was made up of the 2nd and 3rd magaran corps and the northern crownlands corp. He also had the reserves of the 12th cavalry division which had in its ranks the 14th magaran lancers. His army had 100000 men and had 70 guns
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