Letters on: Praise...; Morbid Curiosity; Medical Uniform Info Wanted; On Partridge Shells;
From Jerome of EE&L; Cost of Books;
French Revolutionary Calendar; Austrian Grenadier and Artillery Update;
Praise for Our Contributors...
Dear Mr. Watkins, The issues of First Empire that I have read by buying back numbers have been most impressive. I have found other specialist Napoleonic publications to suffer from being too incestuous. Or, more clearly, to reflect the views of a small groups of friends in such a way as to make the reader feel an outsider. The spirit of your publication, the breadth of its themes, and the diversity of your writers does you credit.
Best Wishes, Kevin MacDonald, Huntingdon.
A Morbid Curiosity
Dear Dave
Could your readers help me with the following information? I am trying to compile a list of French Generals in the Grand Armee. Name, date of birth, date of death. rank, command. If wounded when'? What from'? or killed in action? The following format would assist.
Rene Grandiue, 1789-1817, Baron 1.2.1813, Gen Bde, 1 bde 2nd Div 5th Corps Grand Armee. WIA 1-2-1812 Krackow etc.
Many Thanks. Keep up the good work.
Stuart Hold, Queensland, Australia
Editor: Any takers for this one? Please help our antipodean cousins in their endeavours.
Medical Uniform Info required
Dear Dave,
Many Thanks for my first copy of First Empire, I only wish that I had come across it earlier and not had to wait until the Napoleonic Association had included it in the membership package. Still as the old saying goes 'better late than never'. I was particularly impressed by the cover illustrations and general professional appearance.
Can any reader possibly enlighten me concerning the dress of Officers of the French Service de Sante c. 1813-1815? I have searched for this information in books and magazines for many years but apart from very basic notes I have not been successful. Can anybody out there in 'Napoleonicland' help? I eagerly await any replies.
Once again many thanks and keep up the good work.
Yours for the Emperor and for France
Steve Tamplin (Service de Sante - Napoleonic Association) Telford.
Reply letter to editor (FE#17)
Of Partridge(s) Shells...
Dear Sirs.
In response to Dave Barnett's question on the origins and meaning of the term 'Partridge Shell' which was in his article Why Howitzers? (First Empire No 15, pp 27), the information below is hopefully of use.
The German term Rebhuhnergrante (lit. 'Partridges Shell's plural and note the correct spelling - u and not u]) derives from the French perdreaux (also plural) which means '(young) partridges'.
Johann Rudolph Fasch's Kriegs-Ingenieur- und Artillerie-Lexicon (Dresden 1726) defines perdreaux as follows:
- 'a number of shells with a bomb in the centre fired by a mortar. They are like a flock of partridges with the bomb being the mother.'
(My translation.)
Rumpf, in his Aligemeine Real-Encyclopadie der gesammten Kriegskunst (Berlin 1827) has the following definition:
- 'Partridges Shells, otherwise known as Quails Shells. consist of a
number of hand grenades, either in a wooden container, in which case they are known as disc shells.' (My translation.)
These definitions would appear to indicate that this type of ammunition was developed for howitzers and mortars and used against troops in trenches and other dugout positions.
Yours faithfully,
Peter Hofschroer, Vallender, Germany.
From Jerome at E.E. & L.
Dear David:
Dennis Shorthouse of on Military Matters (USA) sent me a copy of First Empire #12, with over 20 years in publishing in general and over 10 years of the magazine Empires, Eagles & Lions. I really think you've done a nice job.
Of course, I'd like to see more graphics, but the articles were quite well done and enjoyable.
I don't know if you want battling letter columns but I found the comments on "Sharpe" the TV show quite amusing. That type of concern over historical accuracy etc. is usually reserved for ACW movies and the likes - oh well, as we all know the average gamer knows more than the brightest network executive. First Empire is a welcome addition to the serious history/gaming community - keep it going.
Mike Gilbert, Jamesburg, N.J., U.S.A
The Cost of Books...
Dear Sir:
I would like to take this opportunity to make an observation on what seems to be a developing trend in our hobby - that of expensive, limited editions of books. Whilst I appreciate that the production of fine quality prints is expensive as is research; the price of £ 150.00 for the Elting and Knotel book will put it out of the reach of most wargamers: leaving only a privileged few with access to its information.
In the present economic climate public libraries are unlikely to be able to publish sets so the majority will be denied access via this route also. The same happens with 'high quality' reprints of out of print and rare titles. These are often unavailable in libraries and at up to £ 80 -- not within the budget of most wargamers.
Why can't publishers produce more paperback editions or at least keep prices below £ 30? With works like Elting and Knotel why not produce them as 'part works' or let people pick and choose which section they need. This would at least spread the cost.
What must be remembered is that a wargamer's funds are limited. If a hard pressed soul does send £ 150 or even £ 80 on a book he is unlikely to spend as much on paints, scenery or God forbid, on your magazine.
Yours Sincerely, David Shuttleworth, Nelson, Lancs.
Editor. Picked on my pet subject, there. The question is about two volume 'Napoleonic Uniforms' which retails, if you can find any for sale, at £ 150.00 the pair. Yes, £ 75.00 a book may be steep, but you get 96 full colour plates, most of which are full page and equates to 16 pence per plate!!!
As for breaking this work down into say four or more volumes, then I think you will find that the cost would increase - for example (ballpark figures here - but) as a four volume set then I'd imagine that each volume would have to retail at about 60.00 each pushing the price up to £ 240.00. If any one doubts this, I suggest they pop down to a local printers and take a copy of one of the Funcken books and ask him how much it would cost to print 5,OOO copies, then double the figures--two volumes don't forget.
I would imagine that the publishers of the 'Elting' never even figured the wargaming public as part of their anticipated market. And why should they? Napoleonic history has a vast following worldwide and unfortunately, wargamers are an insignificant number. I obviously believe that this situation should be rectified, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this.
Historically, wargamers already get an exception deal frp, figure manufacturers, but I've ranted on about that in the past.
The Republican Calender & 'Great Commanders'
Dear Dave,
I thought I would put pen to paper in order to help David O'Connor (Dispatches, Issue 15).
David's first comment was about the 'Great Commanders' programme on Napoleon Bonaparte on Channel 4. He may be interested to know that an extended version of each of the programmes has been produced by Beckmann Communications and is available from IMC Video Ltd (Tel 0800 557733) for £ 12.99 each or £ 69.99 for all 6 (plus postage).
David's second comment was about the Revolutionary Calendar. This was introduced on 5th October 1793 by the National Convention to commemorate the new era which the deputies considered had begun with the declaration of the Republic. Years ran from 22nd September 1792 (being the date of the Convention's declaration) beginning with 'An I' (Year One). All months were of thirty days, with five days being added to the twelfth months (six days in leap years). These 'extra' days were originally known as 'sans-culottides' (after the revolutionary activists, the 'sans- cullottes') and from August 1795 as 'jours complementaires'.
The months were named after the phenomena of nature as follows:
| Vendemiare | Month of Vintage | 22 Sept. - 21 Oct. |
| Brumaire | Month of Fog | 22 Oct. - 20 Nov. |
| Frimaire | Month of Frost | 21 Nov. - 20 Dec. |
| Nivose | Month of Snow | 21 Dec. - 19 Jan. |
| Pluvidse | Month of Rain | 20 Jan. - 18 Feb. |
| Ventose | Month of Wind | 19 Feb. - 20 March |
| Germinal | Month of Germination | 21 March - 19 April |
| Floreal | Month of Flowering | 20 April - 19 May |
| Prarial | Month of Meadows | 20 May - 18 June |
| Messidor | Month of Harvest | 19 June - 18 July |
| Thermidor | Month of Heat | 19 July - 17 Aug |
| Fructidor | Month of Fruit | 18 Aug. - 21 Sep. |
Years are numbered thus:
-
I 1792-3
II 1793-4
III 1794-5
IV 1795-6
V 1796-7
VI 1797-8
VII 1798-9
VIII 1799-1800
IX 1800-1
X 1801-2
XI 1802-3
XII 1803-4
XIII 1804-5
XIV 1805
The Gregorian Calendar was reinstated in 1806.
Russia, however, used the Julian Calendar up until 1917 which was ten days behind the Gregorian at the time of Austerlitz and it was this discrepancy which contributed to the defeat of the Allies in 1805.
I hope David finds this information of use. Keep up the good work with the magazine - its great!
All the best
Barry Taylor, Braddan, Isle of Man
Editor. Thanks to everyone else who wrote in with the above information. I'm now up to my ears in Republican Calendars.
Austrian Grenadier & Artillery update...
Dear Mr. Watkins,
I have a few comments on 'Austrian' items, which have appeared in your magazine recently:
1) In FE7, there was a list of Austrian Grenadier battalions, albeit its source is something of a mystery!
(Ed. No mystery, most of the data was gleaned from a Napoleonic Association handbook Austrian Regular Infantry 1806-1815 by Mike Embree. My copy is too faded to reveal the publication date but I think it was pre 1976)
The list for the 1809 battles on the Marchfeld should read as follows, based on the great 'Krieg 1809' and those useful Militaerhistorische Schriftenreihe booklets (Nos. 11 and 36 by Dr. Rauchensteiner) - the basic uniform styles are in brackets. Incidentally don't believe everything you read in Arnold or Bowden & Tarbox on this campaign, but do look out for the new Osprey on Wagram):
| Aspern | Wagram |
|---|---|
| Hohenlohe 1,29,38 (German) | Hromada |
| Hahn 2,33,39 (Hungarian) | Same |
| Bissingen 3,50,58 (German) | Same |
| Scovaud 4,49,63 (German) | Same |
| Demontant 7,18,21 (German) | Same |
| Mayblumel 8,22,60 (German/Hung.) | Locher |
| Legrand 9,55,56 (German) | Same |
| Wieniawsky 10,11,47 (German) | Frisch |
| Oklopsia 12,20,23 (German | Same |
| Puteany 14,45,59 (German) | Jambline |
| Georgy 17,36,42 (German) | Same |
| Brzeczinski 24,30,41 (German) | Same |
| Leiningen 25,35,54 (German) | Same |
| Scharlach 31.32,51 (Hungarian) | Same |
| Kirchenbetter 34,37,48 (Hungarian) | Same |
| Portner 40.44,46 (German | Same |
| Berger 15,28,57 (German) | Same |
| Arch Duke John | |
|---|---|
| Chimani | 13,43(German) |
| Welsperg | 16,26,27 (German) |
| Gersanich | 19,52,61 (Hungarian) |
| Zetlar | 53,62 (Hungarian) |
Although the Grenadier divisions, (2 companies), from each regiment were massed into battalions from 1769 onwards, the battalions were not concentrated in Reseme Brigades until Archduke Charles' German campaign of 1796.
2) As a general point to figure painters the 1798 pattern Austrian musket, which was introduced over a 10 year period and was in full service in the Line units by 1808. had a black lacquered stock. The Osprey MAA in particular gets this wrong. Sources: Dolleczek: 'Monographie der k.u.k. oesterr.-ung. blanker und Handfeuer-Waffen' (1970 reprint)/Weapons in the Army Museum, Vienna [Die Handfeuerwaffen des oesterreichischen Soldaten' (Graz exhibition catalogue 1985).
3) Although I am not sure of the origin of Magnus Guild's comments about the 'Salzburg Regiment', the answer is probably very simple not least if one understands the background history.
Until 1803, Salzburg was an independent Archbishopric, but under the reorganisation of the Holy Roman Empire of that year, it was secularised and became an Electorate. Archduke Ferdinand, eldest of the brothers of Emperor Francis II, had been Grand Duke of Tuscany, but that territory was lost to the French in the Revolutionary Wars, so he was compensated by becoming the Elector of Salzburg in 1803.
After the Peace of Pressburg in 1805, Salzburg hecame part of the Austnan Empire and Ferdinand was given the Duchy of Wurzburg. As well as having numbers, Austrian regiments were named after their 'Inhaber' or Proprietary Colonel, (by then an honorary position). Thus the answer is the unit is IR23, (German uniform/white metal buttons/scarlet facings), which followed the moves of its Inhaber, Ferdinand, as, for short, Tuscany/Salzburg/Wurzburg until it was disbanded in 1809. I suspect Magnus has looked at the Osprey MAA, which is full of errors and gets this unit's details wrong.
4) Can we please have no more of that Arnoldism: "Archduke Karl" it is either 'archduke Charles' (English) or 'Erzherzog Karl' (German).
5) Howitzers (FE15): A very interesting article, but there are much more reliable works thart 'Otto von Pivka', (real name Digby Smith). For Austria, I would suggest Rothenberg's "Napoleon's Great Adversaries"; Dolleczek: 'Geschichte der Osterreichischen Artillerie' (rep. 1971 and there is a copy in the National Art Library in London); Semek 'Die Artillerie im Jahre 1809' Mitt. der kk Kriegsarchiv Series 3), admittedly less accessible: Up to the great reforms of 1808, Austrian artillery was utilised in a haphazard collection of regimental guns, cavalry artillery batteries and ad hoc collections or reserve batteries according to requirements. Austrian artillery only deployed 7 and 10pdr howitzers, not the 25pdr. and following the reforms, they were attached in pairs to the position and cavalry batteries, but not to brigade batteries.
It should be emphasised that Austrian artillery was designated as above - not as 'Foot' and 'Horse'. The purpose of cavalry batteries was not as a support to mass cavalry assaults, but the name emphasised their ability to move at speed. Ideally, they would move forward quickly, take control of a point and hold it until infantry could arrive in retreat it would be in the last line as cover. Many of these batteries were placed in the Army Reserve at the direction of the overall commander, although despite instructions to the contrary, some were attached to the advance-guards of light troops.
-
Type of ball in canister:
3 pdr 30g (1 oz)
6pdr 30&60g (1 and 2 oz.)
12pdr 30, 120&320g (1,4and 12oz)
3pdrs were also allocated a form of light cannister - 'Schrotbuchsen', which seems to be a sort of buckshot without its own charge, which could be inserted on top of any type of charye as required. Howitzers, which did not use cannister used this ammunition instead. The howitzer rounds were separate from their charges. because of the different types of charge available: 80, 100, 160, 240, 320 and 400g.
| Ammunition per battery | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Cannister | Schrotbuchsen | Ball | Shell |
| 3 pdr | 36 | 8 | 132 | 0 |
| 6pdr | 28 | 0 | 160 | 0 |
| 6 pdr Cavalry gun | 24 | 0 | 124 | 0 |
| 12 pdr | 32 | 0 | 70 | 0 |
| 7 pdr howitzer | 0 | 10 | 0 | 80 + 3 illuminating |
| 7 pdr Cavalry howitzer | 0 | 13 | 0 | 62 + 1 illuminating |
| Ammunition Reserve in Wagons: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Ball | Cannister | Schrotbuchsen | Grape | Shell |
| 3 pdr | 90 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 pdr | 94 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 pdr Cavalry howitzer | 94 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 pdr | 123 | 40 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| 7 pdr howitzer | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 72 |
As an indication of the quantity of ordnance fired, at Aspern, 288 guns fired 53,000 rounds of ammunition in a battle where the French lost about 23,000 casualties.
Yours Sincerely, Dave Hollins
Letter to Editor Correction (FE#17)
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