"prussian landwehr cavalry" Topic

Looking at Perrys figs i see their command set has a standard bearer--any manufacturer make landwehr cav standards?????

Troopers with lancers can easily be converted.

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You can use any graphics program to resize 1 of the infantry Ldw flags.

I'm not sure that figure is meant as standard bearer. maybe he's just another trooper or NCO carrying a lance to make up the third figure in the pack?

I'm not sure that Prussian Landwehr cavalry ever carried standards. But this is just the sort of question on which somebody like Oliver Schmidt would be able to give a better answer than me.

I think it was highly doubtful in fact that the Landwehr cavalry were issued flags and took them on campaign. First, they were Landwehr and there was no official flag issue for them and second, they were light cavalry.

They never received standards, this is just another trooper / NCO with a lance.

Cheers,

Burkhard

P.S.: when did the borthers release those. I looked at their store after reading tis and was surprised to see a good number of cavalry there.

Dear Burkhard
The Landwehr Cavalry were not issued standards. My new book gives examples of the uniforms for every Landwehr Cavalry Regiment. The shako was commonly used. Only a couple of regiments of Silesian used Czapska and only the Pomeranians used Stovepipe Shakos.

Also remember that a number of regiments had Freiwilliger Jager detachments in green rather than blue.

Lance pennants is a very complex subject. In 1815 it was ordered to have white over black pennants. Before that often it was the seniority colour over the facing colour. Some Provinces had this to distinguish regiments others to distinguish the squadron.

Stephen Summerfield (2011) Prussian Landwehr Infantry and Cavalry: Landsturm, Volunteer Cavalry and Streifkorps, Partizan Press.
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Remember over a third of the book is upon the Volunteer Cavalry, Freiwilliger Jager of the line cavalry, Landwehr Infantry & Cavalry plus the National Cavalry Regiments.

It will be in stock with Caliver Books, Ken Trotman and OMM in the next couple of weeks. Publishing Date is 14 Sept 2011.
Stephen

Stephen,

Nice timing with the book being released just as Perry is releasing its new Prussians. I think we all better hold off painting Ldw cavalry until the book comes out. ;-)

Does the book deal with the thorny issue of the quality of the Ldw in 1815 vs the French?

Dear Hue
There are examples of Landwehr cavalry beating Imperial Guard Cavalry in 1813-15 explored in the book. The Landwehr cavalry was as efficient from late 1813 as any other cavalry on both sides. Remember that a great number of experienced Catholic Rhinelanders and Westphalians could not get employment in the Regular Prussian Cavalry in 1815.

So I think there is enough to be able to make an informed decision. The problems I have had with that type of question is that writers on the French Army of 1815 are rather quiet upon the problems with their cavalry. Whereas the Germans are very fact and list driven.
Stephen

From late 1813?

Would recruits already know how to ride? IIRC, it took about 2 years for union cavalry to be effective in the ACW.

Dear Hue
That was a problem for all countries. I certainly learned how to ride after a couple of hours tuition. It is more an issue over being able to ride the next day. I was cantering in my second lesson.

Also how well schooled the horse would be. The Freiwilliger Jager provided their own horses. Those who were attached to Cuirassier and Dragoons would be classed as light cavalry. Often striped off to form streifkorps.

Now from memory a Brandenbug Landwehr Regiment defeated Imperial Guard Chasseurs in a straight fight. Landwehr Cavalry suffered from the British Cavalry problem. Once launched did not rally easily.

So I agree that experience and time is required but when you compare with the French. They must also have been poor. The Dragoons from the Peninsular were the best French Cavalry in 1813 as you would expect.
Stephen

Interesting that a LKR could beat the Garde. Is this from a German source? ;-)

I have always assumed that the Prussian regular cavalry would have been significantly superior to the Ldw until at least 1815. More expert riders, better officers and NCO's.

OTOH, the LKR's were far fewer than LIR's and thus could – I assume – obtain some quality recruits and cadres.

huevans011….you need to remmeber that in the Napoleonic wars there was no mass transportations as we know it now…if you wanted to get somewhere ..you walked ,road a stageing coach ,or a horse.A lot of folks back then would have known how to ride.It would not surprise me that a lot of those prussian landwehr troopers brought the own horses with them…if the french had not stolen them first.

Runicus