The Indian Brigade
in the 1815 Campaign
Waterloo
by Jan Bruinen & Geert van Uythoven, Netherlands
 |
Editor: The following articles were written independently by the above in response to a reader's letter in the last issue. I have taken the liberty of combining the two contributions, although there is some duplication i.e. uniform details, I felt that it was still beneficial to publish both contributions intact. Part 1 (Jan)A short history of the Dutch colonies in the Napoleonic period As the Dutch Republic and its successors (the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of Holland) were involved in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, its colonies became also under threat by British navies and troops. Also, the exiled Dutch Stadhouder William V asked in 1795 for British support for the defence of the colonies against France, something of course the government of the Batavian Republic resented. In 1795/96 various colonies (e.g. Malakka, the West coast of Sumatra, the Cape colony and Ceylon) were lost to the British, in 1799/1800 followed by Surinam and Curacao. After the peace of Amiens all the colonies, except Ceylon, were given back to the Batavian Republic; the exiled William V was probably forgotten, he received nothing. When war broke out again between France (and the Batavian Republic) and England, the colonies again were attacked and lost to the British. For example in 1804 Surinam surrendered, followed in 1806 by the Cape colony. In 1807 Curacao, Saint Maarten and Saint Eustatius and in 1811 Java were also lost and in fact after the Napoleonic period there existed no Dutch ruled colonies of any importance. The colonies as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands As the French were defeated in 1814 and the Netherlands became an independent state again (although only from 16th of march 1815 the Netherlands became a kingdom with William I, son of William V, as its king), the Netherlands received her colonies which were lost after 1804 and with the exception of the Cape colony, back from England (Treaty of London 14th of August 1814). Already some months before, work had began to organise the army of the Netherlands which included troops destined for the colonies. These troops can be described in two parts namely the troops for the East Indies (Java, Sumatra etc.) and the West Indies (Surinam, Curacao, Saint Martinus etc). East Indian troops In august 1814 a corps for the East Indies was proposed as follows:
1 regiment of European troops of 2 battalions each of 2 flanker (light infantry) and 4 fusilier companies (it received the nr. 5 in the 1815 numbering) 6 battalions infantry each of 2 flanker companies (European) and 4 (native) fusilier companies (nr. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) 2 garrison battalions of 6 (native) companies (nr. 25 and 26) 1 regiment of cavalry of 2 squadrons (4 companies) European troops and 1 native squadron. This regiment received the nr. 5 but changed in January 1815 to Regiment Hussars nr. 7) 1 battalion of artillery (nr. 5) of 1 mounted company, 7 European foot companies and 2 native companies 1 battalion engineers of 1 company Europeans and 4 of natives In all of the native companies or squadrons the officers and NCO's were Europeans. In September 1814 the formation began with the raising of the staff, the 5th regiment, the staff and flanker companies and officers of the fusilier companies of 2 infantry battalions, the staff and 1 European and officers of a second (native) squadron of cavalry and the staff, 3 companies and the officers of 2 (native) artillery companies. I don't know when the rest of the troops were raised but it is of importance when accounting for the strength of the combined flanker battalion in 1815. West Indian troops Here fewer troops were thought necessary and the troops raised for its defence consisted of:
2 battalions jagers each of 8 (?) companies) (nr. 10 and 11) 3 companies artillery (which together became the 6th artillery battalion in 1815) detachment engineers and miners The Waterloo Campaign As the Dutch troops were assembled for the forthcoming campaign against Napoleon, the troops destined for the colonies were partially organised but not yet shipped and were now combined in a brigade which received the name "de indiaansche brigade" (the Indian Brigade). The composition was as follow:
Regiment infantry nr. 5 (2 battalions) Battalion flankers nr 1 (strength unknown but probably the combined 4 flanker companies of the 2 raised battalions) battalions jagers nr. 10 and 11 1 company foot artillery ( 6x6pdr and 2x24pdr howitzers) The Indian brigade was part of the 2nd Corps under Lord Hill and took no part in the fighting at Quatre Brass or Waterloo. Strength of the troops Up until now I have found no information if the theoretical strength of the troops for the colonies is the same as for the troops in the Netherlands but I think it was. The normal theoretical strength of an infantry company was 3 officers and 125 man. An infantry battalion staff counted in theory normally 8 officers and 7(jagers) or 6(line) men. The normal theoretical strength of an artillery company was 3 officers and 122 men. Uniforms The uniforms were described as follows: East Indian infantry
Flankers had blue wings with yellow piping. Officers had a long coat and instead of yellow gold loops and horizontal pockets. All had white trousers, a black shako with copper plate on which a crowned W, orange cockade, copper chinscale and front and back peak, white pompon with light blue top, white leather straps. The drummers had probably light blue swallownests with yellow piping and fringe. East Indian Artillery
The same shako except the front peak had a copper rim, red pompon with black top. The artillery officers had a long coat with horizontal pockets. West Indian infantry
Dark green short coat with no lapels and with 7 yellow buttons and yellow piping, yellow collar with green piping, yellow cuffs with green piping, green turnbacks with yellow piping and yellow piped vertical pockets. Green wings with green piping for jagers, yellow piping for flankers. Shako with only front peak, orange cockade with a copper plate representing a horn with a W and a crown above the horn, green pompon with yellow top for flankers, just green for jagers. The flankers had also a yellow cord hanging on the shako. Drummers and bugles had green swallownests with yellow piping and yellow (flankers) or green fringe. The men had muskets, NCO's rifled muskets, all had sables. The straps were black. The officers had white trousers, on the turnbacks a golden horn (jagers), a horn and grenade (flankers) or grenades (staff). The shako had a golden rim and golden top around the shako. Literature H. Hardenberg: Overzicht der voornaamste bepalingen betreffende sterkteetd
Part 2 (Geert)In First Empire no. 12 a request was made by David Tomlinson for information about the Dutch Indian Brigade. So here it is. At 13th August 1814, the former Batavian/Dutch colonies were given back to the Dutch government by the Treaty of London. At 18th August the strength for the troops to send to the colonies was established: East Indies: 1 European line infantry regiment of 2 battalions, each of 2 flanker- and 4 fusilier-companies. This regiment would receive no. 5, because all the Dutch units were numbered consecutively. 6 native line infantry battalions, each with 2 Flanker companies consisting of Europeans and 4 native fusilier companies. These battalions would receive the numbers 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. 2 native garrison-battalions, each of 6 companies. These battalions would receive the numbers 25 and 26. 1 cavalry regiment with 3 squadrons each of 2 companies. 2 squadrons would be European, 1 squadron native. This regiment would receive no. 7. 1 artillery battalion of 10 companies. 1 company would be horse artillery, 2 companies would be native. This battalion would receive no. 5. 1 battalion pioneers, with 1 company European engineers and 4 companies native pioneers. West Indies: 2 European jager battalions. These battalions would receive nos. 10 and 11. 1 European artillery battalion of 3 companies. This battalion would receive the no. 6. All cadre would be European. They wouldn't receive colours. As was to be expected, finding the men for these units was difficult. So for example, at 22nd February, an agreement was made with Count Bentinck, sovereign of Inn und Kniphausen, to take in to Dutch service an infantry battalion of 2 Flanker and 4 fusilier companies, who were destined for the East Indies. Because of all these trouble, at the outbreak of war in 1815 the troops were still in the Netherlands, and were promptly incorporated in the so called Indian Brigade: INDIAN BRIGADE CIC: Lieutenant-General C.H.W. Anthing
Strength of these units was as follows (12th June 1815):
Uniforms of these troops were as follows: a. East Indian Regiment no. 5 and 1st Battalion Flankers. Short dark blue coat with light blue lapels closed till the middle. Lapels with 7 horizontal rows of yellow frogging and piped red. Collar light blue with red piping with 2 rows of yellow frogging. Cuffs light blue, also with yellow frogging. Shoulder straps light blue piped red. Pocket flaps piped red and with 3 rows of yellow frogging. Yellow buttons with no. 5 on them. Turnbacks light blue with red piping. Dark grey breeches, worn over the gaiters. Gaiters and shoes black. Black French shako with brass shako plate (a crowned `W'), orange cockade, yellow loop and button, and brass chin scales. White pompon with light blue top. Yellow linen pack with white straps. White belts, black cartridge box. Greatcoat dark grey. No infantry sabre. Fusiliers armed with muskets and a bayonet, Flankers armed with rifles. White musket-slings. Flankers had blue wings with yellow fringe. Officers wore a long coat, and all frogging was gold. They also wore shako's. Drummers, pipers and horn-blowers had the same uniform, with light blue swallownests and yellow bullions. They were armed with sabres. b. West Indian jagers. Short dark green coat with lapels closed with 7 yellow buttons, piped yellow. Yellow collar piped green. Cuffs, cuff-flaps and turnbacks yellow. Epaulets green fringed yellow and a yellow horn embroidered for corporals and jagers; NCO's fringed gold and a gold horn embroidered. Dark grey breeches, black shoes. Black French shako with brass shako plate (hunting horn with in it the letter `W', above it a crown), orange cockade without loop and yellow button. Jagers had a green pompon, flankers a green pompon with yellow top and yellow shako cords. light brown leather pack with black straps. Black belts, black cartridge box. Armed with a rifle and a sword-bayonet. Also short infantry sabres were issued. Black musket-slings. Officers wore the same uniform, only of a better quality. On the turnbacks a gold embroidered hunting horn. Gold epaulets. Black boots. Shako with a gold edge on the peak, gold shako plate and gold chin scales. Orange cockade with gold loop and button, gold shako cords. Orange sash across the body. Armed with a sword. Nothing is known about the musicians, they probably had the same uniform with only minor distinction of swallow-nests. c. Foot battery no. 3 and train. The infantry uniform as for the East Indian infantry, with the following changes: Red collar, shoulder straps, turnbacks and cuffs. Collar and turnbacks piped dark blue. Yellow buttons with two crossed gun barrels on them. Dark grey breeches. On the shako a red pompon with black top. White belts. Officers had a long coat with gold loop. All other details as for the infantry. Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #13 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |