Prussian Dragoon Plates: 1806-1807 Campaign

 

My new website 

 

In the past, I used to love painting miniature soldiers, specifically 6mm Adler Miniatures, but I lost that desire, and have never gotten it back. I have always gone through these periods in my life where sometimes I am super motivated, almost to my point of obsessing over things, and then the next moment I find myself lacking the desire to work on something. Usually, this happens when my routine shifts or when I am stressed. At the moment, I am not very stressed, other than having my mother-in-law here for six weeks, but she is very kind and a fantastic cook, yet we just have a slight language barrier between us! Also, I have gotten back into gaming, which I hadn't been into in a long time. I am playing Masters of Command and really enjoy the game. It reminds me of the American Conquest: Fight Back game with the European Warfare mod, which I was part of a gaming group about 18 years ago, called the Hawks. The Master of Command game is set in the Seven Years' War, but hopefully, with modding, Napoleonic War uniforms will be added. Hopefully, my interest in painting miniatures will return, but for now, the focus is on research and uniform design.

I decided that, as my way of painting, without the need for extra tools, I would edit and create new uniform plates using Mr. Alexis Cabaret's fantastic Waterloo Campaign plates found on Les Uniformes pendant la campagne des Cent Jours (Uniforms during the Hundred Days Campaign). One of my favorite sites, created by another Napoleonic enthusiast named JC has a blog called The Waterloo Campaign in Miniatures, which expands upon Mr. Cabaret's work and delves deeper into men who fought during the Battle of Quatre-Bras. I have played with the idea of creating uniform plates for Davout's III Corps, very similar to those for the opening battle of the 1809 campaign at Teugn-Hausen.

Uniform plate from JC Waterloo Campaign in Miniatures

 

 

As mentioned in a previous post, I am focusing on the 1806-1807 campaign, with my current focus on Generalmajor Anton Wilhelm von L'Estocq's corps, mainly fighting against Marshal Ney and Bernadotte on the North-Western flank of the Grande Armée. At the moment, I have finished all of the Dragoons, save for making a Cuirassier Pallasch for the Regiment von Baczko. Not sure why, but the design is causing me issues, and I am unhappy with what I have made. I will need to go back to the drawing board. I have also finished the Hussars Nr. 5 von Prittwitz regiment and both the Towarczy regiment and the battalion. I have started a work in progress on the Wagenfeld Cuirassiers, but the Cuirassiers' saddle cloth is very intricate, and it will take me a lot of time to work out the correct design. So we pivot and move to the easier-to-create Prussian infantry next.

 

Below are the four regiments of Dragoons serving with L'Estocq's Corps in 1806. These include the Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 6 von Auer, Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 7 von Baczko, Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 8 von Esebeck and Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 13 von Rouquette. I have done my best to include all the materials required for those painting miniatures, such as the trumpeter lace, the shabraque pattern, and uniform distinctions. I used three main sources to finish these plates and would highly recommend them all. The first is the Osprey Publishing title, Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars (1) by Peter Hofschröer. The second, with images depicting the Dragoons and Hussars, was created by Stephan Huber and is titled Dragoons of the Kingdom of Prussia 1806. Unfortunately, Mr. Huber has not created uniform plates of the Cuirassiers. Still, his plates on the Hussars and Infantry are valuable references, with Osprey Publishing offering more detailed information on regimental histories, standards, and organization. Lastly, The Prussian Army 1792-1815 Volume III The Cavalry & Artillery by George F. Nafziger, which can be found as PDF. All great sources, but if you prefer a more contemporary primary source, you can not go wrong with Markus Stein's excellent site, filled with images from the period. 

Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 6 von Auer 

 

 

In 1806, the vaunted Prussian cavalry had 14 Dragoon Regiments, 12 five-squadron regiments, and two 10-squadron regiments. One of those 10-squadron regiments was the Dragoon Regiment von Auer Nr. 7. The regiment was divided into two 5-squadron battalions (each with 2 companies) to facilitate easier battlefield control. The total strength of 1,682 cavalrymen consisted of 63 officers, 150 NCOs, 29 Trumpeters, and 1,440 Privates. The Colonel-in-Chief was aging 69-year-old Generalmajor Johann Kasimir von Auer, a veteran of the Seven Years' War, who commanded from April 1803 to March 1807. On March 20, 59-year-old Christoph Johann Friedrich Otto von Ziethen, a relative of the legendary Frederick the Great's light cavalry commander Hans Joachim von Zieten (Ziethen), through his brother's marriage to Zieten's daughter, was appointed Colonel-in-Chief. The regiment was renamed the von Ziethen Dragoons and took part in the Battle of Heilsberg in June 1807. On September 7, 1808, the 1st Battalion of the Ziethen Dragoons No. 6 and their depot became the East Prussian Cuirassier Regiment and the 2nd battalion of the von Ziethen Dragoons, the depots of Graf Herzberg Nr. 9 and vacant Manstein Nr. 10 Dragoon Regiments, plus cantonists from the Graf Henckel Cuirassier Regiment Nr. 1, the Prittwitz Nr. 2 and Krafft Nr. 11 Dragoon Regiments were merged together to create the 1st West Prussian" Dragoon Regiment Nr. 2.

Generalmajor Johann Kasimir von Auer

Battles & Combats

Campaign in Poland (1794) Tuchel (11/14/1806), Sorquitten (12/31/1806), Eylau (02/08/1807) and Heilsberg (06/10/1807).

Standards

Colonel's: Red with a white cross, blue center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay.

Regimental: Red with a blue cross, red center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay.

Uniforms

Officers: Light Blue Kollet, white collar, lapels, cuffs, and embroidered coats only worn on parades. Interimsrock with long tails was worn on campaign without embroidery. A silver sash was worn around the waist over the coat, and a gold aiguillette was worn on the right shoulder. Officers also wore a Leibrock, a single-breasted coat with gold buttons. Officers wore a white plume with a black tip at the bottom.

NCOs: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, white collar, lapels, lining, waistcoats, shoulder straps, white buttons, black-tipped white plume & cords on hat, gold cuff lace, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot.

Trumpeters: Light blue Kollet, white collar, lapels, cuffs, with white lace on blue swallows’ nest, white leather gauntlets, white trim on collar, cuffs, lapels, silver shoulder straps, buttons, red-tipped white plume with red trim & black & white cords on the hat, white & black aiguillettes, and sword-knot.

Karabiniers: Light blue Kollet, white collar, lapels, cuffs, lining on coat tails. White leather gauntlets, white shoulder straps, white buttons, black & white plume & cords on the hat, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot. Armed with rifled cavalry carbine with 12 Karabiniers per squadron.

Dragoons: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, white collar, cuffs, lapels, lining, white waistcoats, white shoulder straps, white buttons, white plume, scarlet cords on hat, white aiguillettes, and sword-knot in squadron color.

Schabraque: Made of medium-blue cloth, cut squarely. Its edge consisted of a narrow blue piping, a thin white stripe, a thin red stripe, a broad white stripe, a thin red stripe, and a thin
white stripe. The pistol holster followed the same pattern.

Sources: Hofschröer, P. (2012). Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars (1): 1792–1807. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Huber, S. (2025). Dragoons of the Kingdom of Prussia 1806. Perry Miniatures.

The Prussian Army 1792-1815 Volume III The Cavalry & Artillery George F. Nafziger

Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 7 von Baczko

 

 

The Baczko Dragoons Nr. 7 was created in 1716 and comprised 5 squadrons (each with 2 companies) and a strength of 31 Officers, 75 NCOs, 15 Trumpeters, and 720 Privates, totaling 841 Officers and men. Before the 1806 campaign, the Colonel-in-Chief was the 60-year-old Oberst Adrian-Gottlieb von Rhein, who took command in October 1805, but died in the same month, passing the command in November 1806 to the relatively young 55-year-old Oberst (later Generalmajor) Josef-Theodor-Sigmund von Baczko, who assumed command until September 1808, when it was converted into the Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment Nr. 3.

Battles & Combats

1794 Invasion of Poland, 1806: Schulitz, Thorn, Biezun, Soldau and Gross-Schiemanen,

1807: Schippenbeil, Waltersdorf, Eylau, Domnau, Spanden, Diedersdorf, Heilsberg, and Ludwigswalde.

Standards

Colonel’s: Red with white cross, blue center disc, gold embroidery.

Regimental: Red with a blue cross containing a white cross, black center disc, blue pole with gold inlay.

Uniforms

Officers: Light Blue Kollet, scarlet collar, lapels, cuffs, and embroidered coats only worn on parades. Interimsrock with long tails was worn on campaign without embroidery. A silver sash was worn over the coat around the waist and a gold aiguillette was worn on the right shoulder. Officers also wore a Leibrock, a single-breasted coat with gold buttons. Officers wore a white plume with a black tip at the bottom. Armed with cuirassier Pallasch until 1808.

NCOs: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, scarlet collar, lapels, lining, waistcoats, shoulder straps, yellow buttons, black-tipped white plume & cords on hat, gold cuff lace, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot. Armed with cuirassier Pallasch until 1808.

Trumpeters: Light blue Kollet, scarlet collar, lapels, cuffs, with orange and scarlet lace on blue swallows’ nest, white leather gauntlets, orange and scarlet trim on collar, cuffs, lapels, gold shoulder straps, buttons, red-tipped white plume with red trim & black & white cords on the hat, white & black aiguillettes, and sword-knot. Armed with cuirassier Pallasch until 1808.

Karabiniers: Light blue Kollet, scarlet collar, lapels, cuffs, scarlet stripe on coat tails. White leather gauntlets, yellow shoulder straps, yellow buttons, black & white plume & cords on the hat, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot. Armed with cuirassier Pallasch until 1808 and rifled cavalry carbine with 12 Karabiniers per squadron.

Dragoons: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, scarlet collar, cuffs, lapels, lining, scarlet stripe on coat tails, white waistcoats, red shoulder straps, yellow buttons, white plume, scarlet cords on hat, yellow aiguillettes, and sword-knot in squadron color. Armed with cuirassier Pallasch until 1808.

Schabraque: Made of pink cloth, cut squarely. Its outermost edge was a thin white piping. Next came a row of white and orange wolf's teeth, the base of the white teeth being to the
outer edge. This was followed by a white stripe, an orange stripe, and another row of orange-and-white wolf's teeth, with the orange teeth's bases toward the outer edge. The holster had the same decorations

Sources: Hofschröer, P. (2012). Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars (1): 1792–1807. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Huber, S. (2025). Dragoons of the Kingdom of Prussia 1806. Perry Miniatures.

The Prussian Army 1792-1815 Volume III The Cavalry & Artillery George F. Nafziger

 

Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 8 von Esebeck 

  

The Esebeck Dragoons Nr. 8 was created in 1744 and comprised 5 squadrons (each with 2 companies) and a strength of 31 Officers, 75 NCOs, 15 Trumpeters, and 720 Privates, totaling 841 Officers and men. During the 1806 campaign, the Colonel-in-Chief was the 61-year-old Oberst (later Generalmajor) Karl-Christian-Burghard von Esebeck, in command from May 1803 to September 7, 1808, when the regiment was absorbed into the 2nd West Prussian Dragoon Regiment Nr. 4.

Battles & Combats

(1794) Raigrad and Biala during the campaign in Poland. (1806) Schulitz, Gniewkowo, Gollub, Beinzun, Soldau, and Gross-Schiemanenz. (1807) Eylau, Braunsberg, Jesau, and Gollau/Wittenberg.

Colonel's: Red with a white cross, blue center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay. Regimental: Red with a blue cross, red center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay.

Standards

Colonel's: Red with a white cross, blue center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay. Regimental: Red with a blue cross, blue center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay.

Uniforms

Officers: Light Blue Kollet, scarlet collar, lapels, cuffs, and embroidered coats only worn on parades. Interimsrock with long tails was worn on campaign without embroidery. A silver sash was worn around the waist over the coat, and a silver aiguillette was worn on the right shoulder. Officers also wore a Leibrock, a single-breasted coat with silver buttons. Officers wore a white plume with a black tip at the bottom.

NCOs: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, scarlet collar, lapels, lining, waistcoats, shoulder straps, white buttons, black-tipped white plume & cords on hat, silver cuff lace, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot.

Trumpeters: Light blue Kollet, scarlet collar, lapels, cuffs, with scarlet and white swallows’ nest, white leather gauntlets, scarlet and white trim on collar, cuffs, lapels, and lining of the coat tails, silver shoulder straps, buttons, red-tipped white plume with red trim & black & white cords on the hat, white & black aiguillettes, and sword-knot.

Karabiniers: Light blue Kollet, scarlet collar, lapels, cuffs, lining on coat tails. White leather gauntlets, scarlet shoulder straps, white buttons, black & white plume & cords on the hat, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot. Armed with rifled cavalry carbine with 12 Karabiniers per squadron.

Dragoons: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, scarlet collar, cuffs, lapels, lining, white waistcoats, scarlet shoulder straps, white buttons, white plume, scarlet and white cords on hat, white aiguillettes, and sword-knot in squadron color.

Schabraque: Made of red cloth cut squarely. Its outermost edge was a thin red piping, followed by equally thin white and blue piping. Then came a broad white band with another blue, then white piping. The pistol holster was similarly decorated

Sources: Hofschröer, P. (2012). Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars (1): 1792–1807. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Huber, S. (2025). Dragoons of the Kingdom of Prussia 1806. Perry Miniatures.

The Prussian Army 1792-1815 Volume III The Cavalry & Artillery George F. Nafziger

 

Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 13 von Rouquette 

 

The Rouquette Dragoons Nr. 13 was created in 1802 and comprised 5 squadrons (each with 2 companies) with a strength of 31 Officers, 75 NCOs, 15 Trumpeters, and 720 Privates, totaling 841 Officers and men. During the 1806 campaign, the Colonel-in-Chief was the 64-year-old Generalmajor Hans-Stephan von Rouquette, who commanded the regiment from February 1802 to September 7, 1808, when what remained of the regiment and its depot were absorbed into the Silesian Cuirassier Regiment Nr. 1.

Battles & Combats

(1806) Schneidemühl, Bromberg, and Schulitz (1807) Preussisch-Holland, Eylau, Marienwerder, and Siege of Danzig

Standards

Colonel's: White with a blood red center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay. Regimental: Blood red, white center disc, gold embroidery, blue pole with gold inlay.

Uniforms

Officers: Light Blue Kollet, carmen (dark red) collar, lapels, cuffs, and embroidered coats only worn on parades. Interimrock with long tails was worn on campaign without embroidery. A silver sash was worn around the waist over the coat, and a silver aiguillette was worn on the right shoulder. Officers also wore a Leibrock, a single-breasted coat with gold buttons. Officers wore a white plume with a black tip at the bottom.

NCOs: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, carmen collar, lapels, lining, white waistcoats, brass shoulder straps, yellow buttons, black-tipped white plume & cords on hat, silver cuff lace, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot.

Trumpeters: Light blue Kollet, carmen collar, lapels, cuffs, with blue and white swallows’ nest, white leather gauntlets, white trim on collar, cuffs, lapels, and lining of the coat tails, brass shoulder straps, yellow buttons, red-tipped white plume with red trim & black & white cords on the hat, white & black aiguillettes, and sword-knot.

Karabiniers: Light blue Kollet, carmen collar, lapels, cuffs, lining on coat tails. White leather gauntlets, carmen shoulder straps, yellow buttons, black & white plume & cords on the hat, white and black aiguillettes, and sword knot. Armed with rifled cavalry carbine with 12 Karabiniers per squadron.

Dragoons: Light blue Kollet, white leather gauntlets, carmen collar, cuffs, lapels, lining on coat tails, white waistcoats, carmen shoulder straps, yellow buttons, white plume, carmen and orange cords on hat, yellow aiguillettes, and sword-knot in squadron color.

Schabraque: According to Nafziger, the schabraque of the von Rouquette Regiment is unknown. However, Huber's illustration depicts the schabraque in a dark red (carmen) cloth. Its outermost edge was a thin orange piping. Next a row of carmen, and finished with another row of orange along the outer edge. The holster had the same decorations

Sources: Hofschröer, P. (2012). Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars (1): 1792–1807. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Huber, S. (2025). Dragoons of the Kingdom of Prussia 1806. Perry Miniatures.

The Prussian Army 1792-1815 Volume III The Cavalry & Artillery George F. Nafziger

I hope this was helpful. I will continue the series next with the Prussian Hussars and Towarczys. Please leave any feedback or comments about the uniform plates. Any errors are my fault, and I will make any necessary changes.

 

New website! Brilliant Actions of the Napoleonic Wars

 Hello everyone,

I have decided to move the blog to a website where things will be easier to keep track of and not get blocked on some websites like this blog does.  Please head over to my new website called Brilliant Actions of the Napoleonic Wars. I will be focusing at first mainly on the 1806-1807 campaigns in Prussia and Poland. I also plan to add more documents on all the campaigns in the future. I currently have one post, but should be able posting another article shortly. 

Thank you for your support!

Michael

2e Carabiniers: S.Lt. Joseph Paul Bassigny 1809

Portrait of Sous Lieut Joseph-Paul Bassigny depicting his uniform at the Battle of Wagram on July 6, 1809, where his left leg was carried away by a cannonball.

 

Painting by Lucien Rousselot of a Carabinier officer in full dress.

Mr. Bassigny's Service record from Base Leonore: File

The actions the then Marchel de logis Bassigny at the Battle of Ostrolenka in 1807.

                                     

Bassigny's description of his actions at the Battle of Ostrolenka and how he saved the veteran Carabinier Boudor, who had over 20 years of service.

                                                       

 Final letter written in 1856 describing Mr. Bassigny's career.

Below can be found a few maps and websites on the battles of Aspern-Essling and Wagram. These give the reader a better understanding what the battlefield looked liked. The first is a tour of the whole battlefield of Wagram. You can move around the map to show the different positions of the French and Austrians.   Wagram Tour battlefield anomalies website

 

 https://battlefieldanomalies.com/napoleonic-wars/the-battlefields-of-aspern-essling-deutsch-wagram-and-znaim/

 

A period Map of the geography of the Battle of Wagram from https://davidrumsey.oldmapsonline.org/maps/1cdcfd91-fd5c-52b6-ae3b-cd4cd82382b6/view#

 

 

 

 

Capitaine Pierre-Julien Hamon

 Hello everyone,

Below is my translation of the wounds received by Capitaine of the 1st Battalion Carabiniers of the 7e Legere Pierre-Julien Hamon. His last wound at the combat of Sochocin on 24 December 1806 would abruptly end his 30-year career. On the left is Surgeon-major Lierneur's report on the gunshot wound Hamon received to the right side of his face during his application for a pension in 1807. Even with this devastating wound, Hamon would marry, father a daughter, and live for another 25 years until his death in 1831.

 

Pension application for Capit. Hamon signed by the regimental counsel on 15 September 1807

Hamon's service record from 2Yb552

 Base Leonore file: https://www.leonore.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/ui/notice/180414#spotlight

Bavarian Infantry 1809

 Hello everyone,

I wanted to post something that I have been editing for awhile and not so much research based. Below can be found a work in progress of Bavarian infantry and Austrian infantry in 1809. The Bavarian cornflower blue is slightly darker than many paint their miniatures, but thanks to the help of von Winterfeldt on TMP, I was able to see the actual uniforms and paintings by von Kobell and Albrecht Adam from the period. First we have the Bavarians. The plates were very heavily edited from the great website http://centjours.mont-saint-jean.com/ One of the best sources for uniforms on the Bavarian Army from 1800-1815 are the Cantler Plates https://www.napoleon-series.org/military-info/organization/Bavaria/Cantler/c_cantler.html

Panorama painting of the3rd Battle of Bergisel. Bavarian Grenadiers are shown attacking Tyroleans.

THE TYROL PANORAMA from the Kaiserjäger Museum

Coat of a soldier from the 3rd Infantry Regiment
Prinz Karl

Coat of a Bavarian private from the 3rd Regiment

Uniform of Colonel von Dietfurth of the 11th Line Infantry Regiment

Portrait of Leonhard Freiherr von Hohenhausen

An article by Hans-Karl Weiss about the Bavarian musket.  http://napoleon-online.de/html/bay_infwaffen.html

Officers and soldiers from the 5th Infantry Regiment Preysing

 

 

2nd Division of the 3rd Corps Artillery Citations 1809: Part 2

     Following up on my last post on the 3e Corps 2e Division's Artillery citations in 1809, I wanted to finish the last five men found on the document. These men were Lieut. Mamard of the 7e Foot Artillery Regiment, Sous. Lieut. Chapart (Chapard) of the 8e Bataillon Bis of the Artillery Train, Sergent-major Pierre and 1e Cannonier Tisserand of the 7e Foot Artillery Regiment, and 1e Cannonier Parisse of the 5e Horse Artillery Regiment. These last citations provide unique details not found in any book I have read so far on the campaign. Getting to see what ordinary soldiers did in battle is fascinating and one of my favorite parts of research.

7e Foot Artillery Regiment Officers, NCOs & Soldiers.

 Lieut Didier Mamard (possibly spelled Mamart) of the 7e Foot Artillery Regiment commanded two pieces of 4-pound artillery during the battles in April. Sadly, I could not find any information on his service record. It seems Dardennes plea for nominating Mamard for the LdH fell on deaf ears. Still, his citation gives us some interesting insight into what occurred at the Battle of Eckmuhl on April 21st and what type of artillery the French used during the campaign. His citation reads as,

" Officer of merit distunguished himself in the affairs of the 19th, 21st, and 22nd, where he commanded two pieces of 4 (pounders) with which he wrecked the greatest havoc in the enemy ranks. On the 21st his two guns were dismantled, but although he was under vigorous fire, he managed to harness the guns and bring them back to the Reserve Park to have them re-axeled.  When his guns were just operational again, he returned to the battlefield. I beg his Majesty to nominate this officer, Member of the Legion of Honor".

   Sergent-major Pierre Pierre of the 7e Foot Artillery Regiment was 31 years of age during the opening battles of the 1809 campaign. He had served his whole military career with the 7e Foot Artillery Regiment joining on 8 June 1799 as a cannonier. In the ten years between joining and the 1809 campaign, Pierre would be promoted fourrier on 6 vendemaire an 11 and then Sergent-major on 20 January 1807. He fought in many famous battles, such as the Battle of Hohenlinden in 1800, the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, and the Battles of Iena, Pultusk, and Golymin in 1806. He would fight at the Battles of Eylau and Koenigsberg in 1807 and the Battles of Ratisbonne, Wagram, and Znaim in 1809. In an interesting twist of fate, Sergent-major Pierre would be awarded the Legion d'honneur on 8 June 1809, exactly ten years after joining the regiment. He would reach the officer ranks when he was promoted Sous. Lieut in September 1809. His citation reads as,

"Very good non-commissoned officer. Commanded in the affairs of the 19th, 21st, and 22nd two pieces of 8 (pounders) with which he wrecked the greatest havoc in the enemy ranks. The sangfroid of this non-commissioned officer is worthy of the greatest eulogies. I beg his Majesty to nominate him, Member of the Legion of Honor".

 

 

 

    1e Cannonier Pierre Tisserand (possibly spelled Tisserant) is our last soldier from the 7e Foot Artillery Regiment cited for actions on the 19th, 21st, and 22nd of April. Unfortunately, I could not find his service record, but at least we are given information citing his bravery under fire in full view of the whole division. His citation reads as,

 " The gunner constantly followed the skirmishers in the most advanced posts with caissons of infantry cartridges. The liveliness of the enemy's fire could not alternate his sangfroid. Several officers of the Division who witnessed his conduct on the subject expressed expressed satisfaction with it".

It is interesting to note that Dardenne did not ask for either advancement in rank or the LdH Cross for what seems to be very rare and courageous actions by Tisserand. 

 

5e Horse Artillery Regiment

 Just like Tisserand, our next soldier 1e Cannonier Jean Antoine Parisse of the 5e Horse Artillery Regiment, would be cited for actions at the Battle of Eckmuhl but would not be awarded any promotions or the LdH. However, according to his citation, his actions firing his 8-pound cannon were vital in helping push back the Austrians on the 21st of April. His citation reads as,  

"Pointed on the 21st a piece of 8. The accuracy of his shot singularly protected the operations of the Division and forcing several times the enemy to withdrawl."

 

Battle of Eckmuhl April 21st & 22nd: Operational History of the 2e Division of the 3e Corps

Saski's three volume book on the campaign of 1809 is the most detailed history of the campaign ever written and filled with countless documents of archival material. All three volumes can be found here  Looking at the actions of the 2e Division's Artillery we are given some insights into the role the artillery played. A Operational History of the 3e Corps of the Army of Germany from the 21st of April states, 

 "Then the fiercest musketry fire broke out in the woods, and on the plateau a cannonade which lasted several hours. The six guns of the Friant division, commanded by the Battalion Commander Dardennes, were of the greatest effect at this moment when the Archduke Charles put himself at the head of his troops to regain the lost ground." 

These five of the six guns would include the two 4-pound and four 8-pound guns commanded by Lieut. Mamard and Sergent-major Pierre, and one 8-pound gun pointed by 1e Cannonier Parisse. We can see from the document below, that the 2e Division had seven 8 pound six 4 pound cannons, and two 6-inch howitzers.

3e Corps 1809 Artillery Material from Saski's 1809 Campaign volume 2

Another quote below from the 2e Division's Operational history from the 21st of April shows that a heavy use of skirmishers were needed to eject the Austrians from the wooden areas around the villiage of Schierling. We are able to see that from the citation of 1e Cannonier Tisserand that the fighting was very heavy and due to the large expendure of ammunition, his actions of following the skirmishers and supplying them with ammunition, was vital in creating a sustained well fed front of fire. Tisserand used one of the 30 infantry ammunition caissons that were assigned to the 2e Division.

"The general of division judged that nothing less than the tirailleurs of all his division was necessary to carry out and to support this plan. The engineer captain Henrat was in charge of directing this operation, the good dispositions taken by this officer and the courage of the voltigeurs soon made us masters of the iron curtain which hid the Austrian front from us. During this time, the light artillery was moving at full speed on the plateau which seemed to command the enemy's right. The regiments of the division advanced in echelons; the affair assumed a most serious character. A strong cannonade engages on both sides; the general of division is dismounted beside the duke of Auerstaed."

 

8e Bataillon Bis of the Artillery Train.

 Our last man to wrap up this long post is Sous. Lieut. Antoine Francois Chapart (Chapard) of the 8e Bataillon Bis of the Artillery Train. Although most of the glory went to the artillery guns, the most numerous and probably most important vehicles of the artillery park and divisional artillery came from the artillery and infantry ammunition caissons. Without these vehicles, the artillery guns could not support any long-term sustained fire during a battle. The 40-year-old veteran Chapart had started his career in the Epuipages d'artillerie on 7 January 1791 and served in the 8e Bataillon Bis of the Artillery Train in 1e germinal an 8. Since then, he was promoted to Marchel de logis in the same year and Marchel de logis chef in an 11. He would be promoted in 1808 to Sous. Lieut. and reach the rank of Lieut. in 1813. His citation gives us insight into the role of soldiers and officers of the artillery train that are largely forgotten and overshadowed by their hard-hitting brother shooting the artillery guns. His citation reads as,

"Officer could not be more active. The conduct he held on the 19th, 21st, and 22nd April are worthy of the greatest eulogies. Several caissons having been bogged down and delaying the march of the Park, he took care to have them cleared despite the fire of the enemy, and managed to save them. I beg the Majesty to nominate this officer, Member of the Legion of Honor."

 

He would be awarded on 8 June 1809 the Legion of Honor.

2nd Division of the 3rd Corps Artillery Citations 1809: Part 1

 

    It has been a while! Sorry for the long hiatus, but I have been slowly working on my research due to school, work, and real-life stuff. Recently, I have been working on translating documents to get a better understanding of the actions of individual officers and soldiers. Above is a translated document depicting citations and requests for advancement of the officers and soldiers of the Artillery of the 2e Division of the 3e Corps during April 1809. The Battle of Teugen-Hausen (Thann) occurred on the 19th and the Battle of Eckmühl (Eggmühl) on the 21st and 22nd. The commanding officer who wrote and signed this document was 37-year-old Chef de Bataillon Charles Dardenne, who would be killed exactly one month after signing this document at the Battle of Wagram on the second day of battle.

 

   The document above from Base de Donniers Leonore, an extract from a death certificate written by Sous-Inspector Joseph Xavier Reybaud, who was attached to the 2e Division of the 3e Corps, gives us details on how Dardenne died. According to Reybaud's description, Chef de Bataillon Dardenne of the 3e Foot Artillery Regiment and commanding officer of the 2e Division Artillery was hit in the left shoulder by a cannonball, which caused his death on the battlefield on July 6th, 1809. We can assume by looking at the position of Davout's 3rd Corps on July 6th that Dardanne was killed somewhere near the villages of Markgrafneusiedl (written Neusiedel on the first map) and Glinzendorf on the far northeastern part of the battlefield fighting against Rosenberg's 2nd Corps (see maps below).

 

Beautifual Map from napoleon-histoire website 

Below are the files of the men I was able to find on Base Leonore 

5th Horse Artillery Regiment: 2nd Company Officers

   1st Captain of the 5e Horse Artillery Regiment Pierre-Jean-Louis-Victor FARJON (31) commanded the 2e Company of the regiment at the battles of Tann (Thann), Eckmuhl, and Ratisbonne. His citation reads, 

"The Captain commanding the Horse Artillery attached to the Division distinguished himself in the affairs of the 19th, 21st, and 22nd of April by a bravery and sangfroid of which he has often shown evidence of. His battery dismantled several pieces of the enemy. The rank of Squadron Leader (Chef d'Escadron) is requested for him". 

He would be promoted to Chef d'Escadron on June 7th, 1809, and later command the artillery on the right of Lobau Island of the 3e Corps' 2e Division. The situational report for the 3e Corps, dated July 15th, 1809, shows that he commanded the 2e Division Artillery after the death of Chef de Bat. Dardenne.

Section of a document from C2 676 Armée d'Allemagne 15 juillet 1809. Farjon is named as Commandant l'artillerie.

   The next officer of the 5e Horse Artillery Regiment's 2e Company cited for his actions in late April was 34-year-old Lt. Henry Amour. He had been a soldier of the 5e Horse Artillery Regiment since 1 Vendemarie an 5 ( 22 September 1796) and would finish his career as a Captain. His citation reads,  

"Former soldier who always behaved perfectly, distinguished himself particularly on the days of the 19th, 21st, and 22nd by the way he disposed of the battery he commanded, which caused several times diversion to the enemy troops. I beg the Majesty to appoint this officer as a Member of the Legion of Honour".

 Below can be seen his LdH paper, where he was awarded on 18 June 1809.

2e Company Strength April 1809    

   According to a document from 2C506 3rd Corps April 1809, the 5e Horse Artillery Regiment's 2e Company on April 15th had 83 officers and soldiers and 87 horses. It gained eight men from the depot between the 15th and 30th of April. Casualties during this period show that the regiment had one soldier killed and two horses and three horses died from fatigue. The strength of the 2nd Company on April 30th was 90 men and 82 horses.

1e Foot Artillery Regiment 

   The second officer found in the above document is Captain Nicholas-Isidor Rogier, who sadly I was unable to find what company he commanded or any information from Base Leonore. Most likely, this means he died somewhere between 1809-1815 as officers and soldiers killed during this period rarely show up in Base Leonore other than Chef de Bat. Dardenne. Also, I can not find anywhere where it shows that the 1e Foot Artillery was attached to the 3e Corps, so either his regiment is incorrectly written, or he is a mystery. He possibly could be an officier de la suite detached from the 1e Foot Artillery. It is not uncommon to see regiments having multiple officiers de la suite before the beginning of a campaign to make good any casualties sustained. 

 However, the only foot artillery regiment to serve with the 3e Corps during April 1809 was the 7e Foot Artillery with 1e, 2e, 3e, 5e, 6e, 7e, 9e, and 15e Companies serving the multiple Divisions and Artillery Parc of the 3e Corps. I will need to search the XB files of the 1e and 7e Foot Artillery to find more information on this officer. However, we do know what his citation says, and it reads,

"This distinguished officer in all respects deserves the special benevolence of the Majesty. He rendered the greatest service on the days of the 19th, 21st, and 22nd April by supplying ammunition to all the troops of the Division. Without the activity he developed on the 19th, the enemy would have seized the Artillery Park of the Division during the passage of the forest in the back of Thann. The request for advancement is renewed for him or for the Decoration of Officer of the Legion of Honor".