Battle of Sorauren - Move 10

Table at the start of move 10

The crisis of the battle has arrived
Davout is ready to press his attack

Wellington has lost most of his gunners to the safety of an infantry square

British Left

Hill orders his cavalry to charge the French gunners, who evade to a nearby square
He then moves to the right of Sorauren and orders two brigades to advance

French Left

Reille’s artillery fire but miss the Spanish cavalry
He sends his hussars forward to engage them

His infantry advance on the hill and skirmish with the British brigade

British Centre

British gunners fire canister on the approaching infantry, but miss
Cole orders his hussars to charge the French lancers.
Lancers counter charge, win melee and rout hussars

Cavalry melee

The hussars are rated as poor, but the French lancers have casualties
The lancers pass their morale to counter charge
Both sides are even in the melee, but the hussars roll two ones!
Hussars take one casualty and rout

British Right

Morillo orders his cavalry to charge the French hussars
The hussars win the melee and rout the Spanish cavalry
All of the Spanish infantry are in square.
The square on the right also contains the Spanish gunners

French Right

d’Erlon must drive off the British cavalry before he can continue his attack on Sorauren
His gunners have retreated to the nearby square
He orders his battered cavalry to charge the British dragoons
The French win the melee and rout the dragoons
The infantry to the left of the town skirmish, but without much effect

French Centre

Davout orders Clausel to attack the ridge
Three infantry brigades storm the ridge
Two brigades engage and rout the Portuguese brigade
The gunners retreat to the nearby square as the third brigade approaches
The square is a guard brigade, and they hold their own against the French column

Game Notes
The French have had considerable success during this move.
The allied cavalry are all in rout
The Spanish corps is pinned in square
French infantry are on Cole’s ridge
Wellington must survive two more moves until nightfall