Ney defeated - 1st Battle of Johnsdorf

Yorck's gamble of pouncing on Ney's isolated corps seems to have paid off with the French Marshal receiving a bloody nose south east of Johnsdorf.  However, Prussian losses were heavy in what was a fierce pounding match that either side could have won.

Rather than waiting behind the river for the French to mass, General Yorck boldly marched south and attacked the French.  Numbers were almost even though the French were slightly outnumbered in cavalry. 


An overview of the  early stages of the battle.  In the foreground, 2 French Light Cavalry brigades are boldly trying to fend off 3 Prussian cavalry brigades (one of them heavy) with a fourth in the background.  Oh the hill, the French conscripts attempt to look threatening but are loathe to leave the safety of their high ground.  Notice how both armies have deployed in a long straight line with little depth.  This will lead to the battle becoming a real slogging match as both sides will attempt to wear down their opponents from shooting before closing in with the bayonet. 
The stream was an insignificant brook and played no part in the battle.



After the first cavalry encounter both sides retreat with bloody noses.    The surviving French cavalry advance bravely but are soon chased from the field by the masses of Prussian horsemen. Crucially though the French divisional commander carelessly gets himself killed in this fight (he couldn't withstand the onslaught of a Prussian double 6) and this means the French are unable to rally whereas the Prussians can. The entire division remains leaderless for couple of vital hours.

On the opposite flank, two brigades of Baden and Westphalian hussars become bogged down in front of a Prussian division on a hill.  Their infantry move up to support them but are unable to budge the Prussians.  Every time the Prussians appear to be wavering, their general rides to the critical point and rallies the men.

 



The Baden hussars boldly charged the Prussian infantry advancing down the hill but to no avail.  The Prussians confidently formed square and saw off their German enemies.



 

The crucial moment of the battle - in the centre a Prussian brigade is thrown back, wavering under massed French fire.  A second Prussian brigade suffers the same fate and runs through their own wavering brigade.  Everyone holds their breath as the Prussians test for morale. If they fail it could set off a chain reaction down the line as over 50% of the Prussian infantry are disrupted or wavering.  Veteran French infantry stand poised to charge in.  But the crucial test is passed and the best French chance for victory is lost.



The French left is turned.  Prussian cavalry swarm around their flank.  A couple of charges later and the hill is cleared of French guns and infantry and as the French centre gives way, Ney breaks off the battle to try and retrieve what he can.



The closing moment of the battle.  The French centre and left are fleeing the field.  The Prussian infantry though are shattered and in no position to pursue.  However, the Prussians do have two fresh cavalry brigades who will hound the French as much as they can before nightfall.