"Thuringer Battalion 1813" Topic

Here's a question for the Prussian experts in the group:

Did the Thuringer Battalion (of the Prussian Army) carry colors?

link

I'm guessing that it did not for several reasons:

1. It was newly raised and not among the numbered units.

2. According to the Knotel illustration (at the link), it had black strapping, which would indicate that it was technically a "3rd" battalion (aka, Fusilier), which did not carry colors.

Any insight appreciated.

Best,
Ed M

No doubt more knowledgeable people will be along shortly, but as a wartime creation, the battalion definitely was not assigned any official colour. Given the specific circumstances I would also think it highly unlikely that it unofficially carried something suitably patriotic embroidered by the local ladies (as some Landwehr and Reserve units may have done).

It is difficult to prove that they did not have colours. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence ;-)

But at least it is for sure that they did not receive any colour officially. The battalion received pay, food and supplies from the Prussian government, but its officers and men were subjects of some smaller Thuringian states, who had been taken prisoner and had changed sides for the duration of the war.

No Prussian flag but the Thuringian Battalion was made up of a recently raised March Bn that had been raised in the Thuringian states that as I recall was captured by a Prussian-Cossack Streiforce (possibly Lutzow). Not with my books at present. I would doubt it would have a flag also from this source.
Stephen

Blücher (Jr.) of the Silesian Hussars actually, or rather, a Captain v.Pinto under his command. In early April 1813 the latter led a patrol of just 15 hussars which managed to surprise and capture the 400 Saxon recruits, making one think that they were somewhat ready to give themselves up. Their home duchies remained officially loyal to Napoleon until October.

- That's what I meant by the circumstances of their entering Prussian service: hardly conducive to flag-waving…

Sorry I can remember writing about the incident. Thanks for correcting me.
Stephen

Gentleman,

Thanks for the excellent information. I knew of the broad circumstances about the creation of this unit, but not in such fine detail: most illuminating. It confirms what I was thinking.

Best,
Ed M

Merely refreshing your memory, Doctor – you definitely will have forgotten more about the period than I'll ever manage to read!

Ed M,

your instincts about them being classed as a light battalion were sound too. Apparently they went by the alternative name of "Thüringisches Jägerbataillon " once they had demonstrated their marksmanship and, when reduced to less than a hundred muskets after Leipzig, were combined for a time with the equally decimated Füsilier battalion of the Leibregiment.

I doubt that the Thüringer battalion was called a Jäger-Bataillon. The only reference I found for this is in a recent publication, cited several times in the web. "Jäger" would imply that all its members were huntsmen or foresters by profession.

Probably, someone mixed up this 1. Thüringisches Bataillon, commanded by Major von Linker, with another formation: the freiwillige Jäger-Bataillon, also called Freiwilliges Lausitzer Jäger-Korps, which was raised in September/October 1813 in Saxon Lusatia and commanded by Capitain von Linker:

link

("Freiwillige Jäger", on the other hand, were volunteers who were rich enough to equip and arm themselves at their own expenses, many of them came from the urban middle classes, most had no prior practice in handling a rifle.)

The name Linker is sometimes also spelled Lyncker or Lynker.

With the COs having the same name, the two units may indeed have been mixed up. But would a Thuringian author (I expect we're referring to the same recent article) really confuse a Lusatian unit with one from his home district? Unfortunately I can't access the 19th C. sources he references.

EDIT: From the correspondence about the Lusatian volunteer Jäger, it would seem that those were hardly battleworthy even by late November 1813?

This article is quite complete:

PDF link

I believe (can't check) the source for the "Thüringisches Jägerbataillon" is the book by Hartmut Liebe. Being German, I can assure you that this doesn't prevent me from making sometimes mistakes myself, unfortunately …

Zychlinski: link

Plotho: link and link

A letter from the archives, stating that most of the losses were caused by desertion:

*********************************************************
Das Thüringer-Bataillon, welches noch aus deßen Commandeur den Major v. Linker 2 Offiziren 8 Unteroffiziren 6 Spielleuten 1 Chirurgus und 46 Gemeinen besteht und sich täglich vermindert ist schon gänzlich der Auflösung nahe. Das Bataillon hat zwar in allen Gefechten einige Menschen verlohren, doch haben sich bei weiten mehrer bei dem Durchmarsch durch Thüringen und späterhin vom Bataillon enfernt und sind wahrscheinlich in ihre Heimath gegangen. Unter diesen Umständen würde es vielleicht am gerathesten sein diesen Ueberrest des Bataillons gänzlich zurück zu schicken, bevor es sich völlig auflöst.

Ew. Excellenz trage ich demnach gehorsamst an, ob und wohin dieses Bataillon zurückzuschicken sein dürfte, damit es wiederum ergänzt werden kann.

Hademar d. 11t. November 1813.
Unterschrift unleserlich

Dem König. General
Feldmarschall pp
Herrn v. Blücher Excell.
in
Alten[burg?]

Thank you very much for those links (I had "Züchlinski" from an article based on H.Liebe, and didn't think of swapping in a "Y"…), and for the additional information!

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