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).
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| 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.
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| 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".
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