Friendly Fire

[[N]Von Thielmann]

On the first day of the battle of wagram in the fading light of day and heavy smoke General Macdonald's French and Italian corps left flank got entangled with the some saxon battalion. The saxons opened fire on there flank, The austrian Vincent Chevaulegers led by ArchDuke Charles himself (fresh from there victory over the 57th terrible to evacuate there gains) charged the right flank intercepted and outnumbered by the Italian cavalry division under Sahuc checked and repulsed them. Meanwhile the Austrian Erbach IR#42 successfully attacked Macdonalds center.Macdonald opted on retreat and as they were crossing the Russback Sahucs cavalry appeared and the Macdonalds corp routed not realizing they were friendly. The worst route of French-allied Units of the napoleonic era.

Anyone know of anymore examples?

[[N]Fullin]

Apart of Tac murdering his embended gun crew last night in spain3... well no

[[N]Tactacus]

The bastards deserved it!!they had dirty guns.

[[N]Von Clausewitz]

that trick still works on TAC?

@Cyn

I am not aware of any other incident but i will look into it.

VC

[[N]Von Thielmann]

found more incedents of friendly fire.

1. In 1809 at Talavera, British II/87th and I/88th Regiment of Foot became so disordered and frightened after French attack that they fired at each other. Both regiments then took cover behind the 45th and 60th Regiment of Foot, reformed and the British division retreated, covered by cavalry. The British lost 440 men (incl. 100 who surrendered) while the French lost less than 100.

2.In 1811 at Fuentes de Onoro, the French infantry took their allies, the Hannoverian Legion, for an English battalion and opened fire on them. The Hannoverians with over 100 dead hastily retreated past the village.

3. In 1815 at Waterloo, the Nassauers were fired upon by their Prussian allies because they were still wearing the French style uniforms. The shooting went on for at least 10 minutes (!) before the officers on both sides realized their mistake

4. In August 1812 at Polotzk 2 Russian Jager companies were confused by the smoke in the woods that they were fireing at two other Russian Jager companies which were also being fire upon by the French.

5. In 1815 at Quatre Bras, the Hihlanders mistook the Netherlands cavalry for French and fired. Williams writes: "There then occuredd one of those tragic incidents of war in which men die in error at the hands of friends. Seeing the Netherlands in blue (hussars) and green (light dragoons) galloping wildly toward the crossroads and hearing them shouting in French, the Scots of the 92nd and 42nd Highland along the Namur road mistook them for French and were ordered to open fire on them. Many horses in particular were brought down, as they presented the largest targets ... van Merlen was left to reflect with sadness on the losses his unit had suffered and with bitterness that more had been caused by their 'Scotish allies than by the French."

6. At Albuera, the British infantry fired in the backs of their allies, the Spaniards under General Zayas, before they realized their mistake. For a while the Spaniards were under fire from two sides: from the rear by the British and from the front by the French.

7.At Waterloo, the counter-attacking British infantry (Picton's division) fired on their allies, the Belgians under the command of General Bylandt, whose uniforms resembled the enemy's. Shortly thereafter, having realized their error, they mistook French troops for Belgians and let them get away.

8.in the very last stage of the battle of Waterloo, the British 52nd Light Infantry mistook 23rd Light Dragoons for enemy and fired. It resulted in great disorder and hesitation among the troops.

Just known cases i bet there are even more cases unkown.

[[N]Fullin]

wasnt at Eylau where the whole 3th corp got murdered by french and russian batteries?

[Jakob]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_No._227

[[N]Legless Lannes]

wasnt at Eylau where the whole 3th corp got murdered by french and russian batteries?

It was Augereau VII corps that got disoriented in a snow blizzard and was virtually annihilated by the Russian guns and their own. Augereau was so ill on the day of battle that he had to be tied to his horse, best thing that happened to him was that he didn't die lol.

Forgot which book but I recall that many friendly fire casualties for the French was caused by nervy and excitable soldiers in the third rank who shot their comrades in the front two when things got heated.