"Brunswick Army 1793 - 1806" Topic

Does anyone have information on the Brunswick army organization and uniforms through 1806? Brunswick sent considerable units to North America during the AWI--at least 3 infantry regiments, a battalion of light infantry, a regiment of dragoons, and jagers. (I'm not sure about any artillery.) In 1806, however, it fielded only 2 infantry regiments to serve with the Prussians. I'm inclined to think other forces were left at home; is this correct, or had the army been drastically reduced after 1783? Moreover, prior to 1806, what, if anything, did Brunswick contribute to the fight against the French Revolutionary armies?

As for uniforms, Knotel says only that the uniforms of the 2 regiments in the field in 1806 closely resembled that worn by the Prussians--not really very helpful. The other sources have told me nothing, jumping instead to what the Brunswickers wore during their exploits in 1809, in the Peninsula after that, and in 1815. I would assume if there were more to their army than 2 regiments in 1806, their uniforms would have been broadly similar to what they wore during the AWI, especially during the 1790s.

Thanks in advance (I hope!)

Can you guys help me out here?

Hi, I'm no expert but hope these links help.

link

link

See image 12 in above link

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See plate 1, image 11 on the perry page

Be fair to Knotel. You're talking the Handbuch, which his son in law took from the Grosse Uniformkunde. It's full of gaps like that. Find the full Knotel, and you won't be missing much--but it fills a decent-size library shelf.

My notes (taken from Nafziger "Armies of Hannover, Brunswick, Hesse-Cassel & Hanseatic Cities 1792-1815 – Napoleon's German Enemies" & Otto von Pivka "Armies of the Napoleonic Era") say:

In 1788 a corps was sent to the Netherlands comprising:

Dragoner-Regiment – 4 companies each of 63 men
Grenadier-Bataillon – 4 companies
von Reidesel Infanterie-Regiment
Prinz Friederich Infanterie–Regiment

Jäger Kompanie – 167 men
2 artillery companies (73 men each)

Infanterie-Regiment consisted of 2 battalions, each of 5 Musketeer companies of 93 men & 1 grenadier company of 105 men. The grenadier companies were detached to form the combined Grenadier battalion.

Served with the Anglo-Hanoverian army in Westphalia until 1798.

By 1806 the army had 2 infantry regiments:

Warmstedt Infanterie-Regiment
Griesheim Infanterie-Regiment

Each regiment had 2 battalions each of 5 musketeer companies & 1 grenadier company. The grenadier companies were stripped out to form a 4 company combined Grenadier battalion. A grenadier company had 130 men. Musketeer companies had 93 men.

There was a Jäger Kompanie (150 men).

Warmstedt had red facings, white lace and yellow buttons.
Griesheim red facings, lapels edged in white lace having a blue "worm" and white buttons.
Both regiments dark blue coats, white vests, belts and breeches.
Musketeers wore a bicorn.
Grenadiers wore fur caps with plates in the button colour and backing in the facing colour edged in the button colour.

>>Brunswick sent considerable units to North America during the AWI--

A bit skewed- the ruler was paid a bounty or fee for his units to serve in the Colonies by the Brits; transported and hpused by them as well; hence the 'mercenaries' title.

I don't think the provinces were that flush they could afford regular armies as such, but kept contingents on hand to avoid civil disorder and aggresive neighbours.

Even at home there was much desertion and like the Prussians, foreigners were induced to join- there or jail, or worse from my reading.

I'd hope the accuracy of Knotel(s) on Germanic troops is better than that on French and others.
regards

With regard to the "foreigners" in the Prussian army this could refer to any soldier enlisted from outside the regimental canton. It does not necessarily mean properly foreign.

The book "Umriß einer pragmatischen Geschichte des Kriegswesens im Herzogthum Braunschweig"
By Carl Venturini covers the Brunswickers Army:

link

Even if you can't read the German script,there is much info that can be gleaned from the charts of Army Regts. P.61 starts in 1787 to p.74 for 1806.

@Camcleod,

Good find.

Ian

Paul Demet covers them in his

We are accustomed to do our duty (1793 – 95)

Many, many thanks to you all! This information is exactly what I'm looking for.
My buddy is working on the armies of 1805 and 1806, while I'm putting together forces for the French Rev, so we're both set. He's been using a combination of Perry plastic and metal figures; I've been relying on whatever I can find from wherever I can find it--I'd love to go big into Perry figures, but I also would just as soon not be murdered in my sleep by the wife.

Again, much appreciated.

Chris Johnson