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".

7e Legere 1809

 

 

 

Hello everyone, 

     It has been awhile since I have posted. I am currently working again and going to school, as well as looking for a house. Finding a house during this time of the year is a very frustrating process and seems almost impossible as we have already lost two houses in a week. However, I can not complain, as we are lucky to have this problem with everything going on at the moment.

 

   Moving on to one of most unique regiments found in the 3rd Corps is the 7e Legere from Général de Division Charles-Étienne Gudin de La Sablonnière's 3rd Division, whose Carabiniers supposedly wore the Colpack. These images can be found in icongraphy of the 7e Legere from Petit Soldats de Strasbourg, Bucquoy plates, and Knotel. Below is the list of officers from the 7e Legere that took part in the Battle of Thann. The 3rd Battalion was the advance guard of General Gudin's division under the command of General de brigade Petit. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were attached to General de Division Montbrun with Colonel Charles-Guilluame Lamaire in command of the regiment. As the list shows below, the 1st and 3rd suffered the most casualties, with the 3rd’s staff being the hardest hit, losing Adj. Major. Louis Waroquier (killed) and Chef de Batallion Jean-Pierre Faury shot in the left hip. Six other officers from the 3rd Battalion would be wounded, including two Capits., two Lieuts., and two Sous-Lieuts. There was also one officer from the 2nd Battalion, named S.Lieut. François-Joseph Courties, who was shot in the left shoulder.

 

    The wounded officers of the 3rd Battalion were Capit. Yves-Blaise-Julien Bonnescuelle Duplessy (35) shot in the right hand, 3e Bat./ 4e Co. Capit. Jean Baptiste Brocq (43) was wounded by a shot at Thann on 19 April 1809, 3e Bat./ 3e Co Lieut. Charles Dupuy (nd) no information on his wounds, 3e Bat./ 4e Co. Lieut. Jean Bertrand Senat (39) received a strong contusion to the right shoulder, 3e Bat./ 3e Co. S.Lieut. Joseph-Benjamin Collin (25) no information on his wounds, and 3e Bat./ 4e Co. S.Lieut. Ambroise Beaumont (no date of birth) no information on his wounds.

 

    Multiple sources put the total casualties for the regiment over 200 men hors de combat. We do know two officers were killed, and 13 other officers were wounded, including the commanding officer Colonel Charles-Guillaume Lamaire, who received a strong contusion to the left thigh. Unfortunately, I am missing the controle de troupes for the 7e Legere, which would shed some more light on the regiment's losses and the situational report dated 20 April 1809. In his work on the 1809 campaign, the Austrian historian Binder says, “In the Petit Brigade, the 7th Light Regiment 2 Batts., which had branched off to Montbrun, lost 2 Officers and only 40 men, which does not seem quite comprehensible.” https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=H8lCAAAAYAAJ... One word of caution, even though Binder claims to have seen the 20 April 1809 3rd Corps Situational report, his number of casualties seems very high and does not match even close the number of men I have collected from the controle de troupes for other regiments of the 3rd Corps.

 

    However, I did find a document that shows the number of men killed up to 30 April 1809. As shown below from C506, the 7e Legere had 41 killed or scratched off the roles twenty days after the opening of hostilities, which most likely includes those killed outright, mortally wounded, and or those written off due to long absence in the hospital. Before 30 April, the regiment fought in countless outpost skirmishes, the Battle of Thann, the Battle of Landshut, the Battle of Eckmuhl, and took part in the assault on Ratisbonne. 

 

     One of the main issues tracking down the regiment's causality is the regiment being split between two different divisions and fighting on multiple fronts. However, in the 7e Legere Regimental history reports"Our losses did not exceed 200 men; Captain Waroquier was killed." https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=ugCm4rhYxDQC... Whatever the true losses were for the regiment; the regiment could easily afford them as they were one of the strongest regiments in the 3rd Corps with 63 officers and 2,790 NCOs and soldiers present on 10 April 1809.

    

    I would also like to post some information on the officers who joined the regiment after the horrific Battle of Eylau in February 1807. On the two day Battle of Eylau on 7 and 8 February 1807, the regiment would take part in the disasterous attack of Marshal Augereau's VII Corps on the second day of battle. The 7e Legere would lose four officers killed, four mortally wounded, and 29 wounded. To make up for these losses after internal promotions, the regiment was sent five newly promoted officers from the Velites de la Chasseur a pied eight days after the battle on 16 February 1807 and three officers on 13 July 1807. Most regiments I have researched, have a few officers from the Velites de la Garde Imperial (Grenadiers or Chassuers a pied), however the 7e Legere is the largest yet. Of the 18 Sous-Lieuts present with the regiment on 19 April 1809, 10 were former Velites de la Chasseurs a pied de la Garde Imperial. In contrast, Joseph Marcel (20) was the only recent graduate of the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr. The othe seven Sous-Lieuts. were long serving soldiers of the 7e Legere who were promoted from the ranks, and must of felt some sort of jealousy or frustration with the newcomers from the Garde. There were also two Lieuts. who were from the Velites de la Chasseurs a pied, which were Claude-Phillippe Cotte (34) and Jean-Paul-Marie de Sede (31). Lieut. Cotte was a holder of the Legion d'honneur and had a long career before joining the Chasseurs a pied de la Garde and eventually being promoted Sergent in an 9 in the Velites de la Chasseurs a pied in 2nd Company, 3rd Battalion of the 2e Regiment. Below can be seen my most recent research on these officers from the Velites de la Chasseurs a pied. This is still a work in progress as a few are still missing.

 

 References:

 

Historique du 82e régiment d'infanterie de ligne et du 7e régiment d'infanterie légère, 1684-1876, par P. Arvers, avec les différents types d'uniformes... par Ch. Brecht,... dessinés et gravés... par E. Collomb,... – Paul Arvers, Brecht https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=ugCm4rhYxDQC&printsec=frontcover&fbclid=IwAR323lREIfLo0zULU1He6DySm3l5RcBkTpZvVhYVF8mqDl54QLayBwvxCvc&pg=GBS.PA192

Der Krieg Napoleons gegen Oesterreich 1809 – Freiherr Karl Binder von Krieglstein

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=H8lCAAAAYAAJ&fbclid=IwAR323lREIfLo0zULU1He6DySm3l5RcBkTpZvVhYVF8mqDl54QLayBwvxCvc&pg=GBS.PA207 

2YB552 7.Légère An X.1811

XB576 7.Légère 1809 

2C 506 2e&3e Corps April 1809

Regiment de velites, 14 germinal an XII [5 Mars 1804] -21 Mars 1807. GR20 YC48

https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=YToxMTp7czoxMDoidHlwZV9mb25kcyI7czo3OiJhcmtvX2lyIjtzOjg6ImltZ190eXBlIjtOO3M6NDoicmVmMCI7czoyOiI1MSI7czo0OiJyZWYxIjtzOjI6IjIyIjtzOjQ6InJlZjIiO2k6NjU7czo0OiJyZWYzIjtzOjQ2OiJQQVJDT1VSU0lORElWL0NPTlRST0xFVFJPVVBFL0dSMjBZQy8yMFlDMDA0OFgvIjtzOjQ6InJlZjQiO3M6NDY6IlBBUkNPVVJTSU5ESVYvQ09OVFJPTEVUUk9VUEUvR1IyMFlDLzIwWUMwMDQ4WC8iO3M6MTg6ImlkX2Fya19lYWRfZmFtaWxsZSI7aToxMDtzOjQ6Im1vZGUiO3M6NzoiZG9zc2llciI7czoxNjoidmlzaW9ubmV1c2VfaHRtbCI7YjoxO3M6MjE6InZpc2lvbm5ldXNlX2h0bWxfbW9kZSI7czo0OiJwcm9kIjt9#uielem_move=0%2C0&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoom=100&uielem_brightness=0&uielem_contrast=0&uielem_isinverted=0&uielem_rotate=F

Base Leonore http://www2.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/leonore_fr?ACTION=NOUVEAU&USRNAME=nobody&USRPWD=4%24%2534P

 

Battle of Teugen-Hausen 19 April 1809

 

 

105e Regiment d'infanterie de Ligne 1809

    The 105e Ligne is probably best known for losing its eagle at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. For those who might be interested, the wounded 1e Porte-Aigle Lt. Jean CHANTELAT, who lost the trophy to Captain Kennedy Clark and Corporal Stiles of the 1st Royal Dragoons, had served his whole career in the regiment dating back to 1794. By the time of our battle in April 1809, Sergent Chantelat already served six years in this grade and fought in the 1805, 1806, and 1807 campaigns with the Grande Arme. Withstanding this tarnish on their honour, the regiment by 1809, was a veteran unit that had fought in the famous battles of Iena (Jena), Eylau, Heilsberg, and Friedland. During the glory years of the 1e Empire the 105e Ligne was led by the gallant Colonel Pierre-Joseph Habert from 1802- February 18, 1808, with Colonel Pierre-Marie-Isidore de Blanmont (39) taking over the regiment on 28 March 1808 and skillfully leading it through the 1809 campaign. For his service and leadership of the 105e Ligne in the battles of 19-22 April, Colonel de Blanmont would be awarded the Commander of the Legion d'honneur on 23 April 1809 and Baron with an annuity of 4,000 francs. When researching our Colonel, one interesting thing that I noticed is that his name is constantly spelled differently, with the two most common spellings as de Blanmont and DeBlanmont. He signed the regimental papers as shown below with The Colonel of the 105e Regiment DeBlanmont. 

The Colonel's signature

Statue of General DeBlanmont

Legion d'honneur papers dated 23 April 1809

         From the situational report dated 10 April 1809 seen above, we know the regiment had 65 officers and 1,942 men present, two officers and eight men detached, and one officer and 203 men in the hospital with a total effective strength of 2,221. At the time of this report, the 105e Ligne was still not present with Saint-Hilaire's division, but instead at Magdeburg. The regiment would reach the division within the next few days but played a less glorious part in the battle than its sister regiment in the brigade, the 72e Ligne. However, even standing in reserve, the regiment suffered losses from long range cannon fire that killed eight soldiers and carried away the thigh of a sergent-major of the fusiliers. The majority of the regiment's losses came from musketry and amounted to two killed, eight mortally wounded, 78 wounded, and nine scratched off the rolls due to long absense in the hospital on 19 April 1809. These men probably should count as mortally wounded as eight of the nine men were wounded at the battle and never heard from again. There was also one prisoner of war, but there seems to be no mention how he was captured. Taking a look at one of the mortally wounded, Jean Michel Hilgen of the 1e Voltigeurs, died over two years later in Vitoria, Spain, on 10 August 1811, after a surgery was botched to extract a ball from his right arm he received at the battle in April 1809.

Situatonal Report dated 10 April 1809 III Corps

   

 

          The officer casualties for the day were one killed, one mortally wounded, and seven wounded. Even though the lowest from the four other regiments of the division, sadly, the former Colonel of the regiment Pierre-Joseph Habert, lost two of his brothers, Lieut. Honore (killed) and Capit. Jean-Isidore Habert (died of wounds on 25 June 1809). One can only wonder if Capit. Jean-Isidore Habert rushed to see his dying brother and received his mortal wound at the same spot. This is not the only tragedy the family faced as less than two years earlier, Jean-Pierre Habert, on 7 June 1807, died from wounds received at the Battle of Eylau. From the regiment's records, there seems to have been five Habert brothers who served at one time in the regiment, with at least two serving at the battle. The names of the brothers were Pierre-Joseph (Colonel), Henry (Chef de batallion), Jean-Isidore (Capitaine), and Lieuts. Jean-Pierre and Honore Habert. Losing three out of the five brothers was a harsh reality that many regiments faced during this era. Looking at the rolls, there is countless Habert's (the Habert brothers were from Avallon in the department of Yonne) that can be found from 1804-1809, with many dying from disease before ever fighting.

The 105e Ligne Habert brothers

    Two documents that show the rewards and promotions received by the regiment on 23 April 1809, give details into how the regiment performed during the days of 19-22 April. As seen below, Casimir Honoré Louis Lescaudey, a long-serving veteran battalion commander, was promoted to the regimental Major, replacing the former Major Pierre Coste, who had been promoted to Colonel of the 59e Ligne on 7 April 1809. The other two Chefs de batallion Louis René Rateua and Jean Francois Saltet were awarded the Officier de la Legion d'honneur. Unfortunately, Base Leonore only has one file, and the XB files have no papers detailing what feat of arms 1e Porte-Aigle Lt. Claude Théodore Boutellier did that earned him the title of Baron and 4,000 francs. Boutellier would rise to the ranks of Chef de batallion in the 105e Ligne. Unfortunately, I do not have enough information on Boutellier to give a definitive answer if he served in the 105e Ligne at the Battle of Waterloo. However, if he did, in a cruel twist of fate, he would have likely watched as the eagle he so bravely protected years earlier was taken away by the British.

    Below are the names officers and soldiers of the 105e Ligne who were casualties at the Battle of Thann 19 April 1809.

105e Regiment d'infanterie Ligne

Officers: 1 KIA, 1 MW, 7 WIA

                      NCOs & Soldiers: 10 KIA, 8 MW, 79 WIA, 1 POW, 9 Scratched off rolls due to long absence in the hospital on 19 April 1809 (8 were wounded and never heard from)

Killed in Action:
S.Lieut. Honore Habert

Mortally Wounded:
Capit. Jean Isidore Habert: Died of wounds on 25 June 1809 in Augsburg hospital

Wounded in Action:
2e Grenadiers Capit. Henry Maussion
Lieut. Jean Baptiste Leclerq

Lieut. Lespinasse
Lieut. Antoine Maillet: Shot in the left foot
Lieut. Pierre Silvestre De Mostolac: Shot in the superior part of the right leg
Lieut. Claude Francois Pichon: Shot in the right thigh
Lieut. Francois Daudier

NCOs & Soldiers

Killed in Action:
1e Grenadiers Sergent Louis Robois: Killed by a cannonball
1e Grenadiers Jospeh Leroy: Killed by a cannonball 
1e Grenadiers Philippe Badere: Killed by a cannonball
2e Grenadiers Caporal Jean Francois Nail: Killed by a cannonball 
2e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Sergent Nicolas Perin dit Crecy: Killed by a cannonball 
2e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Caporal Francois Thenard: Killed by a cannonball
2e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Gilbert Joseph Lefebvre: Killed by a cannonball 
2e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Jean Perrallt: Killed by a gunshot to the chest
2e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Jean Pierre Rabier: Killed by a cannonball  
1e Voltigeurs Grelin Nicolas Colas: Killed on the field of honour 19 April 1809

Mortally Wounded:
1e Grenadiers Louis Reboulleau: Shot in the right leg and died of wounds in Jzesbourg hospital on 9 September 1809
2e Greandiers Pierre Marge: Died of wounds in Neuburg hospital on 29 April 1809 
Fusilier Sergent Major Pierre Billard: Shot in the left arm and died of wounds in Strasbourg hospital on 16 June 1809  
1e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Jean Gerard Christophe: Died of wounds in Kaisersheim hospital on 12 May 1809 
1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Jean Pierre Simon Gauchel: Shot in the right arm and died of wounds in Kaisersheim hospital on 5 June 1809
3e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Jean Joseph Delloye: Shot in the right knee and died from a cannonball to the head 
1e Voltigeurs Sergent Major Charles Louis Legrand: Shot in the lower abdomen and died of wounds
1e Voltigeurs Jean Michel Hilgen: Shot in the right arm and died of the wound extraction in the Vitoria hospital on 10 August 1811
1e Voltigeurs Philippe Willems: Wounded by a gunshot and died of wounds

Wounded in Action:
Wounded in Action:
1e Grenadiers Caporal Jacquel Divay: Shot in the thigh
1e Grenadiers Caporal Antoine Alexandre Bouvier: Shot in the right hand
1e Grenadiers Andre Theophile Dinocheau: Shot in the head
1e Grenadiers Pierre Boutel: Shot in the arm
1e Grenadiers Jean Francois Cleis: Shot in the thigh
1e Grenadiers Jean Fludige: Shot in the hand
1e Grenadiers Jean Baptiste Delaumonne: Shot in the right leg
1e Grenadiers Francois Besson: Shot in the left leg
1e Grenadiers Felix Francois Beauvais: Shot in the leg
1e Grenadiers Charles Benoisl Gaspard: Shot in the left leg
1e Grenadiers Barthelemy Rimbauly: Shot in the arm
2e Grenadiers Michel Moreau: Shot in the right hand
3e Grenadiers Francois Labreveux: Shot in the head
4e Grenadiers Jean Baptiste Liloz: Wounded 19 April 1809
4e Grenadiers Pierre Francois Lanberton: Shot in the arm
1e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Yves Denesse: Shot in the right arm
1e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Pierre Danger: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Jean Toussaint Miraull: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Pierre Francois Nadelin: Shot in the right thigh
1e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Jean Hue: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Hubert Emmanuel Mathieu: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Caporal Jean Baptiste Ligny: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Antoine Canivel: Shot in the right hand
1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Francois Granger: Shot in the leg
1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Pierre Gadas: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Pierre Bernard: Shot in the leg

1e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Charles Francois Salvanelli: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Mathieu Gemers: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
1e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Marie Joseph Plaissy: Shot in the leg
1e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Jean Romelfangen: Shot in the leg  

2e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Fusilier Etienne Gandon: Shot in the right leg

2e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Pierre Dequper: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809

2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Sergent-Major Jean Baptiste Bourdelois: Wounded by a cannonball that carried away his left thigh
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Sergent Calude Antoine Estache Meainie: Shot in the left foot
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Etienne Aubert: Shot in the thigh
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Francois Xavier Weiss: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Henry Drowen: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809

2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Pierre Heckmann: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Pierre Guenol: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Pierre Blanvillain: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Michel Probecker: Shot in the right arm
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Jerome Bechenec: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809

2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Francois Xavier Weiss: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
2e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Jacques Storck: Shot in the right foot
2e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Andre Broschard: Shot in the left foot
2e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Jean Michel Haffner: Shot in the head
2e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Georges Fuchs: Shot in the head

2e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Mathiue Lambertz: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
2e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Joseph Geerard: Shot in the left arm
2e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Etienne Aubert: Shot in the thigh

3e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Charles Francois Salvanelli: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
3e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Antoine Orzi: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809
3e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Pierre Louis Bernard: Shot in the leg
3e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Claude Besnard: Shot in the hand 3e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Fourrier Victor Florent Porrion: Shot in the right arm
3e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Louis Lambert: Shot in the right hand
3e Bat./ 4e Co. Fusilier Caporal Jean Francois Anquetil: Shot in the right knee
1e Voltigeurs Sergent Pierre Joseph Christiaenne: Shot in the thigh
1e Voltigeurs Jean Sulpice Morand: Shot in the head
1e Voltigeurs Joseph Mortier: Shot in the thigh
1e Voltigeurs Julien Forveille: Shot in the foot
1e Voltigeurs Louis Grias: Shot in the right hand
1e Voltigeurs Noel Caillol: Shot in the foot
1e Voltigeurs Pierre Busson: Shot in the left foot
2e Voltigeurs Jacques Chantome: Shot in the right arm
2e Voltigeurs Jacques Alienhoffen: Wounded by a gunshot
2e Voltigeurs Jacques Philippe Guillol: Shot in the head
2e Voltigeurs Leonard Carlaine: Shot in the right hand
2e Voltigeurs Guillaume Petard: Shot in the left arm
2e Voltigeurs Noel Blondeau: Shot in the left leg
2e Voltigeurs Pierre Cyprion Chauveau: Shot in the right foot
3e Voltigeurs Julien Jean Neveux: Shot in the right leg
4e Voltigeurs Caporal Bernard Gouriol: Shot in the shoulder
4e Voltigeurs Hermann Hotters: Shot in the left arm
4e Voltigeurs Jean Nicolas Chartier: Shot in the left leg
4e Voltigeurs Joseph Dhozdain: Shot in the right arm
4e Voltigeurs Louis Pequin: Shot on the arm
4e Voltigeurs Pierre Mayer: Shot in the leg
4e Voltigeurs Rene Boudouin: Shot in the foot

Prisoner of War: 
3e Bat./ 3e Co. Fusilier Michel Cherami: Returned 4 September 1809

Scratched off rolls due to long absence in the hospital on 19 April 1809:
3e Grenadiers Guillaume Brand: Written off October 28 1809
1e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Pierre Sabard: Wounded by a gunshot (Scratched off rolls 23 September 1809) 
2e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Pierre Francois Deyden: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809 (Scratched off rolls 19 August 1809)
2e Bat./ 2e Co. Fusilier Charles Richard Frerel: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809  (Scratched off rolls 28 8ember 1809)
3e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Jean Pierre Haemers: Wounded by a shot 19 April 1809 (Scratched off rolls 25 December 1809)
3e Bat./ 1e Co. Fusilier Gregoire Vernaza: Shot in the body (Scratched off rolls 23 September 1809)  
1e Voltigeurs Jean Metiou: Shot in the foot (Scratched off rolls 28 September1809)
1e Voltigeurs Henry Bruno Ermetcaby: Shot in the head (Scratched off rolls 28 September 1809) 
1e Voltigeurs Francois Michel Compain: Shot in the left arm (Scratched off rolls 28 September1809)

                                                           References

• le 105e régiment d'infanterie de ligne, de 1796 à 1815 (free.fr)
• 1815 Porte Aigle Jean CHANTELAT Base Leonore
• XB527 105. Ligne 1809
• Tableaux, par corps et par batailles, des officiers tués et blessés pendant les guerres de l'Empire (1805-1815) / par A. Martinien,... 
  
• 105e régiment d'infanterie de ligne. An X-1815. 

  SHD/GR 21 YC 763 à 772
• 2C 506 3e Corps 1809
• Pierre-Joseph Habert 
• Two portraits of General Habert
• Isidore de BLANMONT (1770-1846) (napoleon-monuments.eu)
• Cercle Généalogique de l'Eure (eure-genealogie.org) Statue of de Blanmont.
• Colone Colonel Pierre-Marie-Isidore de Blanmont
• Major Pierre Coste 
• Chefs de batallion Casimir Honoré Louis Lescaudey Louis René Rateua and Jean Francois Saltet  
• 1e Porte-Aigle Lt. Claude Théodore Boutellier