The Russo-German Legion, once a much praised patriotic troop of the War of Liberation, often mentioned in one breath with volunteer corps like those of Lutzow, Schill or the "black" Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Brunswick, have nowadays nearly been totally forgotten. A wargamer interested in the Napoleonic era immediately recalls the "King's German Legion" of which he most probably owns a few battalions, squadrons or batteries and usually holds in high esteem.
There is little information available about the Russo-German Legion (germ. "Russisch-Deutsche Legion" s RDL). There is according to my research nothing substantial available in English. The German sources are rather old, and therefore usually rare and only accessible in scientific libraries. Danish sources (see Colin Allen's Sehested in First Empire No.5) seem to be a little inaccurate here and there (further comments about the Battie of Sehestedt and Habye will appear in a later issue).
With the following information one will be able to add one of those units which stick out of a collection or battlefield.
THE BACKGROUND
Through the wars of 1806-7 and 1809 Napoleon had brought Germany under a condition of dependence. Not only were the common people affected but their armies also. They had been beaten in battles, their old glory and fame were lost, their conquerors showed their pride and victory. These were the times where hatred for the French and patriotism grew anew especially in Northern Germany. Hanoverians and Brunswickers continued their struggle under the Union Jack.
Because of the 1812 war between France and Russia, Prussia had to choose sides. There was great hope among many officers of the Prussian army that Prussia would rise against Napoleon and take sides with Russia. Prussia decided for a treaty with France on May 5th 1812. Officers of the calibre like Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, von Clausewitz, Chasot etc. resigned and left for England, Austria or Russia.
Already in the year 1809, August Graf Neidhardt von Gneisenau and Carl Freiherr vom und zum Stein, had asked Carl von Clausewitz for a detailed plan for the creation of a Prussian Legion under Austrian leadership, set up in Prague. Austria wasn't interested.
In June 1811, Colonel A.I. Cernysev, unofficial attache of the Russian Czar Alexander I in Paris, sent the Czar a proposal of forming a German Foreign Legion. His plans were rather detailed.
It was now up to Stein, who was asked to come to Russia in June 1812, and to bring the building blocks along. Stein had been fed with ideas from Gneisenau and Justus Gruner, the ex-police president and chief of the secret police in Berlin, who had also been forced to leave Prussia. The Czar was willing to give his support.
Alexander I had already asked the Duke Peter Friedrich Ludwig von Holstein-Oldenburg, who was now living in Russia, (having strong family connections with the Czar), in the summer of 1811 to write a memorandum concerning the formation of a German Legion. The Duke had been able to keep the Duchy of Oldenburg by a mixture of clever diplomacy and luck during the wars of 1805 and 1806. Oldenburg joined the Confederation of the Rhine (Rheinbund) in 1808 but the Duchy of Oldenburg was abolished in 1810. Since Napoleon deprived the Duke of his power, he left for Russia.
Infantry-General Andrej Semenovic Fens also supported the Duke's plans and gave a detailed proposal himself. In June 1812 the "Committee for German Matters" was founded and began it's work, members being the Duke of Oldenburg, his son Prince Georg of Oldenburg, Stein, General Graf Christoph Andreevic Lieven, Generalmajor Ivan Grigorevic Gogel, former Home Secretary Victor Pavlovic Kocubej and others. Gneisenau was to join the Committee later to probably lead the RDL as their commander.
THE COMMITTEE BEGINS ITS WORK
The major goal of the Legion to be formed was to enter Germany as an advance guard of the Russian troops, to provoke the German people and their armies to rise against Napoleon.
Three tasks needed to be tackled. 1) The RDL was to be organised, 2) Close connections with Germany were needed and 3) Germany was to be flooded with propaganda. After the treaty between France and Prussia the first Prussian officers came to Russia. It was hoped that by means of propaganda officers would sign up with the RDL, even more would leave Germany and possibly whole units would enlist or even desert. 10,000 handbills, drafted by Stein, were distributed to various units. It was pointed out that a RDL was being built up, German interests could be best represented by Russia, and that one had been fighting for an unjustified case anyway.
Colonel Daniel von Arentsschildt, ex-commander of the Oldenburg troops, was called and sent in December 1811 to Berlin to make sure many Prussian officers would enlist. He was supported by Gneisenau and the Hanoverian envoy Ompteda.
The propaganda didn't provoke the hoped-for results. Only a few officers came to Russia but it was a start 65 officers who joined the RDL when it was founded had been on active duty with the following countries prior to enlisting:
-
Prussia 31
Estland, Militia 1
Russia 16
Sweden 1
Austria 6
Denmark 1
Livland,Milita 3
Saxony 1
Kurland,Milita 2
Brunswick 1
Oldenburg 2
Well known names joined the RDL The brilliant writer and military man von Clausewitz, Colonel Graf Chasot, commandant of Berlin, von Dornberg, Stulpnauel, Arentsschildt, von Tiedemann, teacher of tactics at the military academy in Berlin and others.
A new source had to been found to fill up the RDL with qualified troops. The Czar gave permission that they could be recruited trom deserters of the French Campaign Army, especially Germans. Napoleon had started his campaign into Russia in June 1812 and it was hoped that 10 - 12000 Germans would desert from the French lines. It didn't work. A source still had to be found. The RDL was then to be filled by prisoners the Russians would take. Because of the mistrust of, and bad treatment by the Russians, enlistment was slow.
Russia had suffered during the wars, food shortages and diseases were commonplace. Prisoner transports had incredible death rates. During one transport of 4200 prisoners only 381 arrived at their destination. Of these only a few were eventually recruitable and fit for service. The majority had diseases like typhoid or had frostbite. It was obvious that the RDL had to be smaller than was originally envisioned.
THE RUSSO-GERMAN LEGION IS RAISED
The first organisation was as follows: The RDL was to consist of two brigades, each containing four infantry battalions, one Hussar regiment and one horse artillery. In addition to the two brigades there was to be a Jager company and an artillery reserve. A foot artillery battery was to be added later.
The planned RDL
| Unit | Officers | NCOs | Other Ranks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. C-in-C's staff | 30 | 27 | 36 |
| 2. Staff of 1st. Brigade | 12 | 31 | 14 |
| 3. Staff of 2nd. Brigade | 12 | 31 | 14 |
| 4. 1st Batt. Horse Artillery | 5 | 31 | 157 |
| 5. 2nd. Batt. Horse Arlillery | 5 | 31 | 157 |
| 6. Foot Artillery Battery | 5 | 31 | 157 |
| 7. 1st. Hussar Regiment | 31 | 68 | 544 |
| 8. 2nd. Hussar Regiment | 31 | 68 | 544 |
| 9. Jager Company | 4 | 13 | 123 |
| 10. 1st. Inf. Battalion | 19 | 69 | 812 |
| 11. 7 further Inf. Btns. | 133 | 483 | 5684 |
| 12. Not assigned | 10 | - | - |
| Total: | 297 | 883 | 8242 |
For each battalion there was to be a reserve or "colonne mobil" of 174 men each. The infantry battalions were sub-divided into 4 companies, totalling 898 men, and the Hussar regiments of 4 squadrons made up of 158 cavalrymen each.
The horse artillery consisted of 8 guns each per battery, the foot artillery of 8 guns. The RDL never reached its planned strength.
The Czar agreed to two conditions pertaining especially to the Prussians: 1) RDL members would not be forced in the future to fight against their original sovereign, and 2) that the Czar would later try to move the King of Prussia to welcome the Prussian officers again.
In September 1812 the first units of the RDL were formed in Reval (Talin): The 1st Infantry Battalion, 1st Hussar Reniment, 1 st Horse Artillery Battery and the Jager Company. The first prisoners to enlist did so in July 1812, they being 30 Dutch Guard Lancers. This was interesting because the Committee had put down in the beginning that only those could join the RDL whose native language was German. It was to be even forbidden by punishment to speak any kind of French. But the realities of enlistment had overlaken the high ideals of the Committee. The RDL would later even have Polish, French, Swiss, Croatian and Italian members.
The next that joined were 50 Prussian infantrymen and 40 Hussars that had been captured near Riga during outpost encounters with MacDonald's Corps. After the battle of Dahlenkirchen on 22 August 1812 a further 664 Prussians were added. Nearly the complete 3rd company of the Foot Prussian Jager battalion deserted. Out of these the RDL Jager company was formed. The battles at the Upper Duna brought a further influx of Bavarians and Dutch. These, plus Prussians, were to form the 2nd Battalion. The following is a summary of the formation of the RDL
Commander-in-Chief:
Lieutenant-General Graf Ludwig von Wallmoden-Gimborn
Von Wallmoden was made C-in-C in late June 1813. He had been in service with Prussia, Austria and Hanover before. When Austria agreed to the pact with France, Wallmoden resigned from Austrian service and left for England. It was expected especially by the Prussian officers that Gneisenau was to be the C-in-C. This was the intention of both Stein and the Duke of Oldenburg.
The Czar, however, selected von Wallmoden after some intervention from England. England had been approached to finance the RDL and wanted to see von Wallmoden as C-in-C.
The offended Gneisenau wrote to Stein and insinuated that the reason von Wallmoden was chosen was probably because von Wallmoden was the brother-in-law of Stein. It might be wondered if this incident contributed to Gneisenau's strong mistrust towards the English and Wellington in future years. One remembers his hot discussions with Blucher before Waterbo that Wellington wouldn't keep his word.
Brigadiers:
Colonel von Arentsschildt
Generalmajor von Dornberg
Chief of the Quartermaster General Staff: Lieutenant
Colonel von Clausewitz and Colonel von Stulpnagel as 1st Generals-aide-de-camp having been director of the Prussian War Ministry before.
1st Battalion
Command: Captain von Natzmer I (Ferdinand), from 16 August 1813 Captain von Schaper
Formed: July-September 1812 at Reval. Composed mainly of Prussians and some Dutch.
2nd Battalion
Command: Major von Fircks
Formed: Begun September 1812 at Reval, completed February 1813 at Walk. Composed mainly of Prussians, Bavarians and Dutch.
3rd Battalion
Command: Lieutenant-Colonel Wardenburg, from 17. February 1814 Captain von Tiedemann I (Carl)
Formed: February-March 1813 at Mitau. Composed of the smaller German contingents especially Westphalia and Bavaria.
4th Battalion
Command: Major von Horn
Formed: March-May 1813 at Konigsberg. Consisting mainly of Westphalians.
5th Battalion
Command: Captain von Dobschutz
Formed: May-June 1813 at Konigsberg. Composed of convalescents of all countries of German native language.
Many of the rank had health problems and discipline was always going to be a major problem with this battalion. It was disbanded on 11 December 1813 after the battle of Sehestadt and Habye because of cowardice in battle.
6th Battalion
Command: Captain von Natzmer II (Hans)
Formed: 30 June 1813 at Landsberg/Warthe. Constructed with of Saxons of the Saxon Regiment Prinz Maximilian which had been captured by the Prussians and Russians after the Battle of Luneburg 2 April 1813. During their transport to Russia, Natzmer heard of these men. Prussia had tried to enlist them in Prussian service which they had bitterly rejected. Natzmer tried his
luck for the RDL but wasn't very successful in the beginning. He finally managed to convince the regimental band to enter the Legion. He then told the musicians to play up marching
through Landsberg to convince the still faltering Saxon infantry. Natzmer's stratagem worked. Nearly a whole battalion stood up including two officers.
The majority of these troops had been serving for 12 months, their only battle experience was the Battle of Luneburg. The battalion was filled up with some Dutch troops.
7th Battalion
Command: Major von Reiche
Formed: July-October 1813 at Langenbielau and Domitz. Made up from deserters and prisoners from Saxony, Saxe-Coburg and Westphalia.
The troops from Saxe-Coburg were freshly trained units and the battalion was completed by some Dutch units which had originated from the French 147th and 148th Regiment. The organisation of this battalion wasn't at its best, the officers not being of very high calibre.
8th Battalion
Command: Captain von Gregersdorf
Formed: September 1813 at Brandenburg
This unit was never fully formed, not because of lack of personnel but of equipment. It was used to fill up earlier battalions.
Jager Company
Command: Lieutenant Muller I (Gottlieb)
Formed: Begun at Reval August 1812, completed at Borgo October-January 1812/1813. Made up of Prussians mainly of the former 3rd company East Prussian Jager battalion.
1st Hussar Regiment
Command: Lieutenant-Cobnel von der Goltz
Formed: Begun August 1812 at Reval completed at Carskoe Selo by Petersburg January 1813. Composed mainly of East Prussians and Lithunians, some cavalrymen from Wurttemberg, Saxony, Bavaria, Livonia, Kurland and some Petersburg Germans. Some Prussian infantrymen were incorporated. This unit acquired a fine reputation.
2nd Hussar Regiment
Command: Lieutenant-Cobnel Graf zu Dohna I (Friedrich)
Formed: February-May 1813 at Mitau and Konigsberg. Consisted of men from Holland, Croatia, Illyria, Poland, French-Switzerland and France. A large number had been former infantrymen that had shown sufficient skill and talent to become cavalrymen.
Artillery
Chief of Staff of the Brigade: Lieutenant-Cobnel Monhaupt
1st Horse Artillery
Command: Lieutenant von Scheele, from 11 October 1813 Lieutenant Ramaer
Formed: Started at Reval August 1812, completed at Pavlosk January 1813. Consisted to a large amount of former Prussian infantry and a few cavalrymen. Since Monhaupt favoured rapidity and security his batteries were astonishing to watch during drills and inspections held for
the Duke of Oldenburg. Monhaupt had done an excellent job during a short time of training. But the batteries lacked proficiency at their main function: fire effectiveness. This would show up in the future battles.
2nd Horse Artillery
Command: Premier-Lieutenant von Tiedemann II
Formed: April-May 1813 at Konigsberg. Same as the 1st Horse Artillery but inferior in training.
Foot Battery
Command: Captain von Maghino
Formed: August-October 1813 at Barth/Stralsund. Consisting of former infantrymen. Dissolved August 1814.
Park Company
Formed: Begun August 1812 at Reval, completed October 1813 at Barth/Stralsund
The majority of the officers were Prussians except those from the 3rd and 7th battalion. Most of them were rather young being around 30 years, only a few older than 40. Most of the troops were experienced having been participants of Napoleon's Campaign of Russia or earlier battles.
As a whole the battalions were a replica in their composition of the jumbled condition of Germany itself:
Composition of the 3rd Battalion RDL 5th May 1814
-
104 Westphalia
20 Wurtemberg
5 France
94 Bavaria
17 Frankfurters
2 Gotha
76 Dutch
15 H-Darmstadt
2 Uppe
74 Prussia
14 Palaffnate
1 Nassau
53 Saxony
11 Brabanters
1 Italy
37 Netherlands
10 Flanders
1 Oldenburg
31 Polish
10 Alsace
1 Wittgenstein
31 Dessau
10 Cobnials
1 Sweden
25 Austrians
7 Meckelnburg
1 Denmark
22 Hanover
7 Tirol
5 no homeland
22 Swiss
6 Wurzberg
21 Baden
5 Kurland
Total: 742
EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS
The supply of equipment was quite a problem for the RDL at the beginning. Most troops brought their original uniforms along as they joined. Russian arsenals were short on equipment themselves when the 1st Brigade received orders to march westward. They weren't fully equipped and most men even lacked weapons.
The infantry wore the typical Russian green closed to the waist jacket, the 1st Brigade had red collars and cuffs, the 2nd Brigade light blue collars and cuffs. The battalions were differentiated by their coloured shoulder straps which are not known any more. Trousers were grey with a red piping, leather-work, cartridge box and knapsack were black. Headdress was the shako or better known as the concave- topped kiwer in black with leather reinforcing. The kiwer had a grenade badge topped by a red (rim) and white (centre) resp. blue and white pompon. The infantry had leather chinstraps, all other units, including the Jagers, brass chinscales. All kiwer had the typical white cords, artillery cords were red. The Jager had a short black plume, an aiguillette and hom badge with chains on the belt.
The 1st Hussars looked pretty much like the 1st Brigade infantry, except that they wore a green dolman. The 2nd Hussars had a resemblance similar to the "Der Schwarzen Schar" (The Black Band) of the Duke of Brunswick and were sometimes mistaken for them. Their uniform therefore being completely black, including the dolman with fur. Their kiwer was headed by a white plume made out of horsehair. They also carried the typical sabretasches.
The artillery were only different in that their collars and cuffs were black with a red piping, the trouser piping being black, the kiwer pompon and cords red with two crossed cannons on the centre.
Officers could only be distinguished from the rank and file as with Russian units by their sashes and epaulets. The officers of the general staff wore Russian general staff uniforms. (For the few existing illustrations see Knotel, R., Uniformenkunde Vol.XI, No.7,8 and Menat-Arms Series 185, Plate H 4);192 Plates F3 G1 and G2
It seems as if no detailed information or remnants of RDL regimental Colours are available. The only information I found was a letter from Ernst Friedrich Graf von Munster, a passionate enemy of Napoleon and influential Hanoverian member of the British cabinet, who played the role of a intermediary between England and the Continent, to Stein. Munster here mentions his proposal for a RDL regimental flag: St. George killing the dragon with the inscription "Heran! Gekommen ist die Ziet: es fallt der bunte Drache, aus allen Landen weit und breit ershallt der Ruf der Rache."
(Translation:"Come on! The time has come, the motley dragon falls, out of all countries far and wide the call for revenge resounds.")
The most popular patriotic writer of his time, Ernst Moritz Arndt, mentions the "sign" in a leaflet he wrote. He adds that St. George was encircled by oak leaves. He gives the beginning words of the text a little differently:
"Auf! Auf! Gekommen is die Zeit."
"(English: Up! Up! The time has come", but also "Come on!")
Arndt's version is probably the accurate one, since he was at Konigsberg and in contact with the committee when he wrote his leaflet.
WEAPONS
The 1st Brigade of the RDL was in fear of being laughed at by onlookers when they were supposed to leave for the westem battlefields. The Russian Govemment had only delivered 1500 muskets In bad condition from the St. Petersburg arsenals for the now nearly 4500 troops. And these were only loaned and had to be given back at Konigsberg. Meanwhile Stein and Gneisenau had negotiated for months with England in order that the RDL could be financed through the British Crown. Finally on the 6 July 1813 England signed the treaty of Peterswaldau with Russia. England was to finance the RDL and pay wages, its number was to be a maximum of 10,000 men and was to operate according to English interests. Equipment was to be delivered by ship to Stralsund.
The RDL infantry then received their big expected English muskets of which some were in need of repair. The Jager exchanged their Russian-made Tula rifles with English rifles. The bayonets were kept on the muskets at all times. These weapons were held in such high esteem that the troops even kept them when the RDL was integrated into the Prussian Army in April 1815.
The Hussars carried a sabre, usually two pistols, some had a carbine.
Each horse artillery battery received six 6-pounder cannons and two 4 2/3" howitzers from the Russians. Each was completed by 16 two-wheeled caissons pulled by three horses, two supply-wagons and one field-forge. The normal supply immediately available for each gun in firing position were 150 rounds. The caissons would carry and extra 150. The foot battery received eight old 9-pounder cannons from England.
THE EXPEDITION TO NORTHERN GERMANY
After a year of formation the RDL was prepared to leave for their first action in Mecklenburg but was overtaken by the armistice.
The armistice between the French and the Allied Troops was to last from the 4 June - 26 July 1813, but was elongated until 16 August 1813. The RDL used this time for further drill and organisation. This was also the first time that the RDL had to reject officers that wanted to offer their service because it had filled it's ranks sufficiently. Shortly before the expiration of the armistice the RDL consisted of the units listed in figure 1.
On the 16 August 1813 the armistice between the French and the Allied Forces expired. Napoleon was by then standing at Dresden with his main body. Three allied armies surrounded him standing at Berlin, Silesia and Bohemia. The Allies wanted to unify their forces and meet in Saxony. Napoleon himself wanted to forestall them with an own offensive movement. He had detached a Corps on his left flank by Hamburg which was to lead an attack at Berlin and come to his aid. The Crownprince of Sweden, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Army, put his own Corps up which was to cover his own right flank from the French. This Corps was to be commanded by von Wallmoden in Mecklenburg. Here between the Baltic Sea and the Lower Elbe, possibly the most boring and isolated theatre of war, the RDL was to fight its battles.
On the 13 August 1813 Wallmoden's Corps orders of battle were laid down. The RDL received their grouping and quite a few promotions amongst officers. The 1st, 2nd and 5th infantry battalion were formed as the 1st Brigade, the 3rd, 4th and 6th battalions as the 2nd Brigade. Major Ferdinand von Natzmer was to command the 1sl Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Wardenburg the 2nd. Both brigades formed the 1st Division commanded by General von Arentsschildt. The Jager united with the Hanoverian Jager of Colonel Graf von Kielmansegge. The Hussars and Horse Artillery formed up with GeneralMajor Freiherr von Dornberg's Cavalry Division with the artillery being under the command of the freshly promoted Lieutenant-Colonel Monhaupt. The Avantgarde of this Corps was to be led by General Freiherr von Tettenborn and formed of Russian cossack and Prussian units. Also part of this Corps was a Swedish Division composed of
| Figure 1: Report of the RDL to the
Crownprince of Sweden 1st August 1813 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i |
| Infantry | |||||||||
| 1st Battalion | 1 | 14 | 55 | 13 | 613 | 8 | 42 | 15 | 681 |
| 2nd Battalion. | 1 | 17 | 55 | 13 | 602 | 6 | 39 | 18 | 670 |
| 3rd Battalion | 1 | 15 | 62 | 14 | 733 | - | 27 | 16 | 809 |
| 4th Battalion | 1 | 13 | 56 | 32 | 698 | 14 | 32 | 14 | 786 |
| 5th Battalion | - | 12 | 56 | 15 | 533 | 8 | 27 | 12 | 604 |
| 6th Battalion | - | 11 | 49 | 27 | 410 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 486 |
| Jager Coy. | - | 2 | 12 | 3 | 95 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 110 |
| Cavalry | |||||||||
| 1st Hussar Regt. | 2 | 20 | 55 | 14 | 464 | 601 | 51 | 22 | 533 |
| 2nd Hussar Regt. | 1 | 20 | 58 | 13 | 516 | 590 | 49 | 21 | 587 |
| Artillery | |||||||||
| 1st Horse Art. | 1 | 3 | 23 | 2 | 130 | 256 | 6 | 4 | 155 |
| 2nd Horse Art | - | 2 | 13 | 2 | 138 | 259 | 12 | 2 | 153 |
| Foot Artillery | - | 4 | 24 | 2 | 174 | 4 | 192 | 4 | 200 |
| Summary: | 8 | 133 | 518 | 150 | 5106 | 1754 | 490 | 141 | 5774 |
| Total: 5915 Troops (5981 if one adds 24 craftsmen and 42 surgeons)
a) Staff officers b) Officers c) NCO's d) Musicians e) Rank & File f) Front horses g) Train horses h) Total officers i) Total Rank & File (c+d+e) | |||||||||
Orders of Battle
Army Corps General Lt. von Wallmoden
16th August 1813
| Russo-German Legion | Btns | Sqdns | Guns | Rocket | Cossacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Btl. Capt. v. Schaper | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2. Btl. Major v. Fircks | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 3. Btl. Capt. v. Tiedemann | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 4. Btl. Major v. Horn | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 5. Btl. Capt. v. Dobschutz | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 6. Btl. Capt. v. Natzmer | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Jager Company (unit with Hanoverian Jager) Lt. Muller | .25 | - | - | - | - |
| 1. Hu. Rgt Lt.-Col. v.d.Golz | - | 4 | - | - | - |
| 2. Hu. Rgt Lt.-Col G. z. Dohna | - | 4 | - | - | - |
| 1. Ho. Art Lt. v. Scheele | - | - | 8 | - | - |
| 2. Ho. Art U v. Tiedemann | - | - | 8 | - | - |
| King's German Legion | |||||
| Inf. Detach. Capt. Holtzermann | .5 | - | - | - | - |
| 3. Hu. Rgt Major Kuper | - | 5 | - | - | - |
| 1. Ho. Art Capt. Sympher* | - | - | 6 | - | - |
| 2. Ho. Art Capt. Kuhimann* | - | - | 6 | - | - |
| Hanoverians | |||||
| LnBtl Lauenburg Maj. Benoit | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| LnBtl Bennigsen LtC Bennigsen | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| LnBtl Langrehr Maj. v. Langrehr | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| LgBtl Luneburg LtC. v.Klencke | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| LgBtl Bremen-Verden Major de Baux | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Jager Corps, 2 companies Col. Graf v. Kielmansegg | .25 | - | - | - | - |
| Hus. Rgt Luneburg Lt Col. v. Estorff | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| Hus. Rgt Bremen-Verden Lt. Col. v. d. Busche | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| Foot battery., 6 pdrs., Cap. Wiering | - | - | 6 | - | - |
| Dessauers | |||||
| Battalion Major v. Krohne | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Prussians | |||||
| 1. Btl. Lutzow U v. d. Heyde | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2. Btl. Lutzow Capt. v.Seidlitz | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 3. Btl. Lutzow Lt. v.Bietinghoff | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Jager Btl. Maj. v. Reiche | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Lutzower Cavalry Rittmeister v. Bornstedt | - | 5 | - | - | - |
| Lutzower Art. Lt Fritze | - | - | 8 | - | - |
| English | |||||
| Congreve Rocket battery, Capt. Bogue (32 rocket stands) | - | - | - | .5 | - |
| Russians | |||||
| Cossack Rgt Grebzow 2. | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Cossack Rgt Kommissarew 1. | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Cossack Rgt Sulima 9. | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Cossack Rgt Denissow 7. | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Summary Wallmolden: | 17 | 22 | 42 | .5 | 4 |
| Detachment under Lieutenant-General v. Begesack | |||||
| Swedes | 6 | 4 | 6 | - | - |
| Meklenburgers | 4 | 4 | 4 | - | - |
| Prussians | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| Hanseatics | 2 | 8 | 8 | - | - |
| Summary: | 12 | 18 | 18 | - | - |
| Northern Army Corps Totals | 29 | 40 | 60 | .5 | 4 |
| *(arrived 23 Aug. 1813) | |||||
The RDL and the Wallmoden took their positions around the area of Boitzenburg, Ratzeburg and Domitz. It was their objective to disturb the retreat of the enemy and to make a turn to Berlin impossible. Wallmoden would face the French 13th Corps under Davout, formed out of the 3 French Divisions under Loison, Pechaux and Thiebault, plus a Danish Corps under command of Prince Friedrich von Hessen, somewhere in the region of 40000 men.
General v. Begesack's detachment was to be positioned on the right flank in order to cut the French off from a possible retreat to Stralsund. Wallmoden's group was to operate on its own.
Wallmoden received notice on 18 August 1813 that the French had taken the offensive. First contact with the enemy brought quite some amusement to everybody as Cossacks took their first booty: A Mameluk sitting astride a barrel of brandy!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ARNDT Ernst Moritz, Zwei Worte uber die Enstehung und Bestimmung der teutschen (sic)
Legion, Berlin
BEAMISH, N. Ludlow, Geschichte der Koniglich Deutschen Legion, Vol.1-2, 2nd
eat., Berlin
HUBATSCH, Walter (ed.), Karl Heinrich Friedrich vom Stein, Briefe und amtliche
Schriften,Vol.3-4, Stuttgart 1963
NIEDERSACHSICHES STAATSARCHIV IN OLDENBURG, Bestand 63, Akten I-XXXIV
SCHIRMER, Friedrich, Nec aspera terrent, Vol.2, Hildesheim
QUISTORP, Barthold v.,Die Kaiserlich Russich-Deutsche Legion, Berlin
QUISTORP, Barthold v.,Geschichte der Nordarmee im Jahre 1813, Vol.1-3, Berlin
SICHART, U. und R. v., Geschichte der Koniglich Hannoverschen Armee, Vol.5, Hannover 1898
VENZKY, Gabriele,Die Russisch-Deutsche Legion in den Jahren 1811 -1815, Wiesbaden
WERSEBE, Wilhelm v., Geschichte der hannoverschen Armee, Hannover 1928
More Info in Letter to Editor (FE #8)
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