The Battle Of Montmirail

11th February 1814

Orders of Battle

by Major A. W. Field, UK

French Forces

Most French Orders of Battle for Montmirail are based on the Army Archives, Chateau Vincennes, C2-555; these give formation strengths on the 1st February, i.e. before the Battle of La Rothiere and subsequent actions and retreat. Needless to say, these do not take into account the significant casualties of those units who took part in these actions. The figures below have been revised to reflect this fact and are based on other sources as well as C2-555.

Napoleon's Escort

A squadron each from :

    1st (Polish) Lancers,
    Chasseurs-a-Cheval,
    Grenadier-a-Cheval,
    Empress Dragoons.

    These squadrons were detached from the Guard Cavalry Divs.

Old Guard: Marshal Mortier.

1st Old Guard Division (4,500); General de Division Friant.

Brigade. General de Division Michel.

    1st Chasseur a Pied Regiment (2)
    2nd Chasseur a Pied Regiment (2)

Brigade. General de Division Cambronne.

    1st Grenadier a Pied Regiment (2)
    2nd Grenadier a Pied Regiment (2)

2nd Old Guard Division (2500); General de Division Michel. (See Note 1)

    Flanquer-Chasseur Regiment (2)
    Flanquer-Grenadier Regiment (2)
    Velites of Florence (1)
    Velites of Turin (1)

Young Guard: Marshal Ney. (See Note 2)

1st Voltigeur Division (3500); General de Division Meunier.

    1st to 4th Regiments of Voltigeurs.

2nd Voltigeur Division (2500); General de Division Decouz.

    5th to 8th Regiments of Voltigeurs.

Guard Cavalry: General de Division Nansouty.

1st Guard Cavalry Division: General de Division Colbert.

    1st (Polish) Guard Lancers (700)
    2nd Scouts (300)

2nd Guard Cavalry Division: General de Division Guyot.

    Old Guard Dragoons (800)
    Old Guard Chasseurs (660)
    Old Guard Grenadiers (950)

3rd Guard Cavalry Division: General de Division Laferriere.

    Young Guard Chasseurs (540)
    Young Guard Dragoons (730)
    Young Guard Grenadiers (880)

8th Division (of VI Corps) (1800); General de Division Ricard.

    Remains of 2/2nd, 7/4th, 2/6th, 9th, and 16th Legere and
    22nd, 2/40th, 2/50th, 3/65th, 1/136th, 1/ 138th, 1/ 142nd, /144th and 1/145th de Ligne.

Cavalry Division (896): General de Division Defrance.

    1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Regiments
    Gardes d'Honneur.
    10th Hussars.

Artillery

8th Division: 12 guns.

Guard; Available at start of battle;

    16 guns(3 batteries) Horse Artillery, 8 guns(l battery) Foot Artillery.

Guard: Available by end of battle;

    4 batteries Horse, 4 batteries Foot.

Notes

Note 1. The Fusilier-Grenadiers and -Chasseurs who were part of this Division were left to garrison Sezanne.

Note 2. Most French sources clearly state that the Young Guard were not present at the battle. Allied sources give them significant contributions to the fighting! Take your pick!

Allied Forces - Army of Silesia

Note: All Russian infantry regiments are one battalion unless otherwise shown. Number of squadrons in cavalry regiments are shown in brackets.

Russian Corps

Lt. General Sacken. Approximately 10,500 infantry, 3,300 Cavalry and 80 guns.

XI Corps: Major General von Lieven III.

10th Division : Major General Sass.

    Brigade: Major General Sokolovsky
      Jaroslav Infantry Regiment
      Kursk Infantry Regiment
      Bieloserk Infantry Regiment(2)
    Brigade: Colonel Achlestischev.
      8th Jäger Regiment
      9th Jäger Regiment
    Brigade (from 16th Division): Lt. Colonel Selivanov.
      Kamtchatka Infantry Regiment
      Okhotsk Infantry Regiment

27th Division : Lt. General Stawitzky.

    Brigade: Colonel Lewandowsky.
      Odessa Infantry Regiment
      Vilna Infantry Regiment
    Brigade: Colonel Alexejev.
      Simbrisk Infantry Regiment
      Tarnopol Infantry Regiment
    Brigade: Colonel Kaloggruivoff.
      49th Jäger Regiment
      50th Jäger Regiment
    Artillery:
      Position Battery #18
      Light Batteries #34 and #35

VI Corps: Lt. General Tallisin II

7th Division : Major General Prince Scherbatov.

    Brigade: Colonel Kritschinikov.
      Pskof Infantry Regiment
      Moscow Infantry Regiment
    Brigade: Colonel Augustov.
      Sophia Infantry Regiment
      Libau Infantry Regiment
    Brigade: Colonel Dieterich.
      11th Jäger Regiment
      36th Jäger Regiment

18th Division : Major General Bernodessov.

    Brigade: Lt. Colonel Blagovenzenko.
      Vladimir Infantry Regiment
      Dnieper Infantry Regiment
    Brigade: Major General Heidenreich.
      Tambov Infantry Regiment
      Kostroma Infantry Regiment
    Brigade: Major General Metcherinov.
      28th Jäger Regiment
      32nd Jäger Regiment

    Artillery:

      Position Battery #10
      Light Batteries #19 and #24

Cavalry Corps: (Approximately 2,000 Cavalry and 1,300 Cossacks) Lt. General Wassiltchikow.

2nd Hussar Division : Major General Lanskoi.

    Brigade: Major General Waddolski.
      Akhtyrsk Hussar Regiment (6)
      Marioupol Hussar Regiment (5)
    Brigade: Colonel Vassilschikov.
      White Russia Hussar Regiment (4)
      Alexandria Hussar Regiment (5)

3rd Dragoon Division : Major General Pantschichscheff.

    Brigade: Major General Uschakov.
      Kurland Dragoon Regiment (4)
    Brigade: Major General Umanez.
      Tver Dragoon Regiment (4)
      Kinburn Dragoon Regiment (4)
      Horse Artillery Battery #18
    Brigade: Major General Karpov II
      Karpov II Don Cossack Regiment
      Semintschikov Don Cossack Regiment
      Lukowken Don Cossack Regiment
      Kuteinikov Don Cossack Regiment
      Grekov I Don Cossack Regiment
      St Petersburg Opolochenie Cossack Regiment
      4th Ukrainian Cossack Regiment
      2nd Kalmuck Regiment

      NB. Many of the Cossack regiments were not present at the battle.

    Reserve Artillery Major General Nikitin.

      Position Batteries #10, #13 and #18
      Light Batteries #24, #28, #34 and #35
      One Pioneer Coy

Prussian I Corps: General Yorck

Approx 5,000 men deployed. I do not believe this total includes Katzler's Reserve Cavalry Abteilung which made an appearance but does not seem to have taken part in any fighting.

1st Brigade; Major General Pirch II.

    1st East Prussian Grenadier Battalion
    Silesian Grenadier Battalion
    Leib Grenadier Battalion
    West Prussian Grenadier Battalion
    13th Silesian Landwehr Regiment (4)
    East Prussian National Cavalry Regiment (4) With Jägers.
    6pdr Ft Battery #2

7th Brigade; Major General von Horn.

    Leib Infantry Regiment (3)
    4th Silesian Landwehr Regiment (2)
    15th Silesian Landwehr Regiment (2)
    Brandenburg Hussar Regiment (4) With Jägers
    6pdr Foot Battery #3

Reserve Cavalry Abteilung; Major General Katzler.

    Neumark Dragoon Regiment (4)
    Brandenburg Uhlan Regiment (4)

More Monmirail

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