6th Light Demi Brigade (6th Legere)

The 6th Light Demi Brigade (the future 6th Legere) was created in 1788 as the 6e Batallion de Chasseus Bretons.  In 1791 they were renamed the 6e Bataillon d'Infanterie Legere(6e Bataillon de Chasseurs), 

The result of the First Amalgamation caused the unit in 1795 to be remained the 6e Demi-Brigade d'Infanterie Legere and included the amalgamation of the 6e Bataillon d'Infanterie Legere, 8e Bataillon, Volontaires du Calvados and the 4e Bataillon, Volontaires de Saone-et-Loire

The Second Amalgamation in 1796 resulted in the new 6e Demi-Brigade d'Infanterie Legere being formed from the 19e Demi-Brigade d'Infanterie Legere along with contingents of men from various demi-brigades

In 1803 the unit was renamed the 6e Regiment d'Infanterie Legere

There were numerous leaders of the 6th Light Demi Brigade / Legere.  For the purpose of this project we focus on Chef-de Brigade Pierre Macon who led the 6th from 1799 to 1803 when he was promoted General de Brigade.

Pierre entered the service in 1787 as a private in the 61st Infantry Regiment.  By 1791 he had risen to the rank of Sergeant Major.  By 1792 he was promoted to lieutentant and then to a captain by 1793.  After suffering a brief wound at the battle of Mas d'Eu he served a brief stint at the desk job but soon returned to his regiment.  In September he was given command of the battalion of the 61st infantry regiment and participated in all of the 1793 campaigns of the army of the Eastern Pyrenees (vs the Spanish).

By June of 1795 he was given command of the 122nd half-brigade, and in June 1796 he joined the 57th line infantry demi brigade at took part in the Battle of Arcole.  He served in those regiments until 1798 when he was transferred to the 58th demi-brigade.  In 1799 he took command of the 6th light demi brigade.

The 6th Light Demi Brigade's combat record is rather light in the early part of the Revolution.  In 1796 it was part of Napoleon's Italian force as it lay siege to the city of Mantua.  Later that same year it took part in the Battle of Castiglione against the Austrians.

In 1800 the 6th LDB (light demi brigade) would head the vanguard of Lannes's Corps (Watrin's Division) of Napoleon's army as it opened what would be a decisive campaign in Italy.  After crossing the Saint-Bernard pass on May 7th it encountered Austrian resistance at the town of Chiusella.  The 6th, led by Colonel Macon, started with a frontal assault across the bridge spanning the Romano river.  An attempt to ford the river further to the east came to nothing as the 6th LDB broke after being charged by Austrian cavalry.

On June 9th part of Lannes's Corps, led by the 6th LDB encountered Austrian forces at the town of Montebello.  Although initially lightly held by the Austrians, reinforcements quickly began to arrive.  Lannes found his forces slowly being overwhelmed over a five hour period of time, and were only saved by the arrival of elements of Victor's French Corps which helped turn the tide of the battle in favor of the French.

This was a major running battle and as a wargame I can't wait to try it.  During this battle the 6th LDB began the major action and its three brigades were split up and fought all over the battlefield.  The Battle of Casteggio-Montebello is worth reading about.  

Battle of Marengo followed closely on the heels of Casteggio-Montebello.  During the Battle of Marengo the 6th LDB played a part in helping to patch up the crumbling French position around 11am where Lannes's Corps arrived and began to drive back part of Bellegarde's Austrian forces.  While part of the 6th remained in reserve supporting an attack by the 22nd DB, another part was sent Northwest towards Castelceriola to try and slow part of Ott's Austrian column.

Ott's column soon drove out the 6th LDB and began marching South with the intention of attacking Lannes' right flank. Close to being surrounded all of Watrin's Division (including the 6th LDB) of Lannes' division broke but and ran but were quickly rallied and formed a new line of battle that held on long enough to enable General Desaix's division to arrive and turn the tide of the battle in favor of the French.

The 6th LDB would remain with the Army of the Reserve and participate in mop up actions against the Austrians following the armistice agreed to after the Battle of Marengo.  On Christmas Day in 1800 Watrin's brigade would be apart of the force that attacked and the Austrian positions along the Mincio river.  This attack broker their line and forced them to retreat.  Two days later the armistice was renewed and Austrian resistance was effectively ended for a short time.



The 6th LDB would go on to fight as the 6th Legere in most of Napoleon's major campaigns:

1805: Elchingen, Ulm, and Austerlitz
1806: Jena and Lubeck
1807: Eylau, Peterswald, Guttstadt, and Friedland
1809: Villafranca, San-Payo, and Santiago
1809: Essling and Wagram
1810: Cuidad-Rodrigo, Almeida, and Busaco
1811: Fuentes-de-Onoro
1812: Arapiles
1813: Lutzen, Bautzen, Buntzlau, Potznitz, and Leipzig
1814: La Rothiere, Vauchamps, Montmirail, Craonne, Orthez, and Toulouse
1815: Ligny and Waterloo

These figures Baccus figures.  In order to establish my Chef-de Brigade with his lead brigade I snipped apart a command strip and spaced it around the good Pierre Macon who will lead my 6th LDB in my future battles.

Sources

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Macon

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/c_lightinf1.html#6th

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_romano_chiusella.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Montebello_(1800)
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_casteggio_montebello.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pozzolo