"Troops in the Battle of Bergen-Binnen 1799???" Topic

Hi,

I am writing down a scenario for the Battle of Bergen-Binnen 1799 (during the anglo-russian Invasion of Holland). I found a list about the british and russian troops involved, but have Problems to find out the names of the dutch and french troops which fougt in that battle.

Do you have any informations about that troops?

Nafziger has a list for Brune's army on 3 Oct 1799, the day after the battle. But I don't see any list of which ones were present at the battle:

French forces under Brune
Holland
3 October 1799
Commanding General: General de divison Brune
Chief of Staff: General Durdenne
French Division: General de division Vandamme
Brigade: General de division Gouvion, David, & Fuzier
22nd Line Demi-brigade (2)(1,633),350)
42nd Line Demi-brigade (3)(1,623)
48th Line Demi-brigade (1 bn & 2 cos)(731)
49th Line Demi-brigade (2)(1,728)
51st Line Demi-brigade (2)(1,572)
54th Line Demi-brigade (3)(1,839)
60th Line Demi-brigade (1)(498)
72nd Line Demi-brigade (2 bns & 1 grenadier coy)(1,131)
90th Line Demi-brigade (3)(1,850)
98th Line Demi-brigade (1 bn 4 cos)(1,167)
5th Chasseur a Cheval Regiment (4 sqns)(520)
Det. 5th Chasseur a Cheval Regiment (86)
16th Chasseur a Cheval Regiment (1)(161)
10th Dragoon Regiment (4 sqns)(439)
12/7th Foot Artillery Regiment
1 unknown company
4/4th Horse Artillery Regiment
1/8th Horse Artillery Regiment
Total 1 1/2 horse artillery companies

lst Dutch Division: General de division Daendels
2nd Brigade: General Barbou
1st Dutch Chasseur Battalion
6th Dutch Chasseur Battalion
1st Dutch Line Demi-brigade (3)
3rd Dutch Line Demi-brigade (1)
5th Dutch Line Demi-brigade (3)
7th Dutch Line Demi-brigade (3)
1st Dutch Dragoon Regiment (4)
1 Foot Artillery Battery
1 Horse Artillery Battery

2nd Dutch Division: General de division Dumonceau
2nd Dutch Line Demi-brigade (3)
4th Dutch Line Demi-brigade (2)
6th Dutch Line Demi-brigade (3)
Chasseur Battalions (2)
2nd Dutch Dragoon Regiment (2)
Dutch Hussar Regiment (4)
1 Foot Artillery Battery
1 Horse Artillery Battery

Gachot, E., Les Campagnes de 1799, Jourdan en Allemagne et Brune en Hollande, , 1906, Paris, Perrin et Cie.
Copyright GFN 1993

The 1st Battle of Bergen started on september 19th and the various allied columns started at 5.00h with their advance.

The French/Batavian army on the 18th consisted of:
French: General de division Vandamme
42nd db(3 bat:1835)
3rd/48th db(1 bat +1gren comp: 740)
49th db (3 bat: 2130)
54th db (3 bat: 2306)
3rd/60th db (1 bat: 587)
72th db (1 gren comp: 37)
90th db (2 bat: 1370)

10th dragon (4 esk: 487)
5th chasseur a cheval (1 esk: 87)
16th chasseur a cheval (1 esk: 175)

4th comp reg art legere
1st comp reg art legere
6th comp reg art a pied
7th comp reg art a pied

Batavian

1st division: lt gen Daendels

Advance guard: col CL Crass
1st bat jagers 483
2nd bat jagers 489

1st brigade: col JG Rietvelt
4th hb: 3 comp grenadiers 299
1st hb: 3 bat 571/669/700 total 1940
2nd comp mounted artillery 154
reg dragoons 4esk 492

2nd brigade: gen maj PH van Zuylen van Nijevelt
1st+3rd bat 4th hb: 678+498 total 1176
5th hb: 3 bat 529+457+481 total 1467
2nd heavy cavalry 5 comp 198
3 comp field artillery

2nd division lt gen Jean Baptiste Du Monceau

Advance guard: col HJ Gilquin
4th bat jagers 511
grenadiers: 6 comp 489
reg Hussars: 1 esk 114
1st comp mounted artillery 60 (2 guns)

1st brigade: gen maj HD Bonhomme
1st+3rd bat 6th hb; 2 bat 509+550 total 1059
1st+2nd bat 7th hb: 2 bat 502+375 total 877
reg hussars: 3 esk 372
1st comp mounted artillery 88 (2 guns)

2nd brigade: col SJ Bruce)
3rd bat jagers 298
grenadiers: 3 comp 208
2nd hb: 3 bat 474+421+449 total 1344
2nd bat 6th hb: 1 bat 582
1st reg heavy cavalry: 4 esk 434
1st com mounted artillery 12 (2 guns)
2 comp field artillery 212

for batavians: hb = halve brigade = demibrigade

source: Geert van Uythoven: Voorwaarts Bataven

The right column of allied troops led by Russian general Hermann first met a French detachment under general Rosollant consisting of 3rd/48db, 54th db (3 bat), 5th CaC (1 esk), 16th CaC (1 esk) and 6 guns of mounted artillery.
These French troops were pushed back to Bergen and there organised the defence under Gouvion together with reserves 42nd db (3 bat), grenadiercomp 72nd db and some artillery and some dutch hussars.
These total French force was pushed out of Bergen in the evening of the 19th.

Later that evening a counter attack by French Batavian troops followed who did drive out the russians out of Bergen .
In this counter attack the mentioned troops who were used are:
42nd db (3 bat), 49th db (3 bat), 3rd bat 48th db, grenadiercomp 72th db, 1st+3rd bat 6th batavian hb, 10th dragon (3 esk), 5th CaC (1 esk), 16th CaC (1 esk), artillery (10 guns+4 howitsers), 1st comp batavian mounted artillery (4 guns).
A reserve consisted of 54th db (3 bat,) 150 men cavalry

That's interesting. Thanks!

Was there a second battle? Nafziger has lists for a Battle of Bergen on 2 October.

Yes, there was a 2nd battle,
I will look it up for you this weekend

Thanks, very interesting. i knew the battle exists as i did many times holidays there but hever have seen a battle order. Thank you

Thanks a lot for the answers… now I can finish the scenario.

Some more information:
In the days, following 20 september, the French received reinfocements and consisted of the following:
Infantry:
22nd DB(1 bat-860men),
42nd DB (3 bat-1685 men),
3rd/48th DB (1 bat-887 men),
49th DB (3 bat – 1904 men)
51st DB (1 bat-833 men)
54th DB (3 bat-1925 men)
3rd/60th DB (1 bat 515 men)
72nd DB (2 bat+1 comp gren-1214 men)
90th DB (3 bat- 2135 men)
Cavalry
10th dragon (4sq – 465 men)
4th CaC (4 sq – 542 men0
5th CaC (1 sq – 86 men)
16th CaC (1 1/2 sq-21 men?)
Artillerie
artillerie leger: (1 1/2 comp 101 men)
6th + 7 th regiment artillerie a pied: (2 comp-82 men)

Total 13.444 men, divided in 2 divisions (Barbou and Gouvion)

The above mentioned troops should be the one who were fighting in the 2nd battle of Bergen.
Later, french reinforcements arrived and anthough the French had losses, on 6 october the total French stegth was 15142 men and consisting of

22nd DB(2 bat-1633 men),
42nd DB (3 bat-1623 men),
3rd/48th DB (1 bat and 2 comp gren -731 men),
49th DB (3 bat – 1728 men)
51st DB (2 bat-1572 men)
54th DB (3 bat-1839 men)
3rd/60th DB (1 bat 498 men)
72nd DB (2 bat+1 comp gren-1131 men)
90th DB (3 bat- 1805 men)
98th DB (1 1/2 bat – 1167 men)
Cavalry
10th dragon (4sq – 439 men)
4th CaC (4 sq – 520 men0
5th CaC (1 sq – 86 men)
16th CaC (1 sq-161 men?)
Artillerie
artillerie leger: (1 1/2 comp 105 men)
6th + 7 th regiment artillerie a pied: (2 comp-101 men)

The Battle fought on October 6th was at Castricum.

I suspect that the dates of October 2nd and September 19th for the battle of Bergen are due to the difference between the Gregorian and Julian calenders, with the former being used in most of Europe at the time and the latter in Russia.

Jurgen

Flecktarn,
you are right regarding the battle on the 6th of October; this is the battle of Castricum.
The battle on the 19th of september is the battle of Bergen (sometimes called the first battle of Bergen).
The battle on the 2nd of October is called Battle of Alkmaar or sometimes the 2nd battle of Bergen. Geert van Uythoven calls it the batle of Alkmaar in his book.

AFAIK it has nothing to do with the calendar differences.

PS, i cannot find an OOB of the Battle of Alkmaar (the 2nd of october)

Some p.o.w.s russian were taken tothe litle eiland of texel. YEARS AGO LOCAL PEOPLE FOUND A corps of an english soldier. greetings serge joe

M. le Duc,

Many thanks for the clarification:).

Jurgen

Concerning this statement above:

"Later that evening a counter attack by French Batavian troops followed who did drive out the russians out of Bergen."

Duc de Limbourg, I thought that the counterattack occurred as soon as the Batavians had reinforced the French on the left? From what I am reading of "The Campaign in Holland 1799" pages 31-33 it appears that this occurred with a shorter interval of time from when the Russians stacked arms and when the French began their attack.

What source did you use to place the troops and is this available in English? I am trying to set up a scenario for this battle. Your information is most helpful!

While this campaign is a sideshow to the main events to the south on the Rhine and in Italy/Switzerland I find it interesting and the Battle of Bergen in particular would be fun to game on the miniatures table.