Queries

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Q21.1 I am currently building an 1813-14 Prussian Army. During my research, l came across a reference to the Mansfeld Pioneer Battalion. As far as I can find out, this was a volunteer formation, made up from artisans, but I cannot find out what the uniform was. Was it the same as the regular engineer units, or was it classed as a Landwehr unit? I would also be grateful if somebody could say if what the TO&E was, whether it had heavy equipment, or whether it was used as combat engineers.

--Andrew Finch

Answer in issue #23

Replies

Q20.1 John Cook has replied to this [Westphalian uniform guide] in detail elsewhere in the magazine. I would also like to thank Steven Walker, of Salem, Oregon for his information.

Q20.2

Query in AoN#20

The 1813-14 and 1815 campaigns in Italy are a rather neglected subject:

With the Allied armies pressing upon the Grande Armee in Germany and later invading France to temporarily seal Napoleon's fate, in 1813 and 1814 Italy was rightly considered a secondary theatre of war. Nevertheless, from August to April, Northern Italy and the so-called Illyrian provinces (modern Slovenia and part of Croatia) saw a considerable amount of fighting between the Army of Inner Austria led by Hiller and later by Bellegarde, and the Army of Italy, led by the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, Eugene de Beauharnais comprising French and Italian troops.

Murat's Neapolitans, who had gone over to the Allied camp at the beginning of 1814 and some mixed British units also played a role in the operations against the Franco-ltalian army. There was only one large scale battle, on the Mincio near Mantua on 8 February 1814, as Eugene repulsed an Austrian attempt at crossing the river. However, the number and variety of minor engagements, including sieges, blockages, landings and mountain guerrillas make this an intriguing campaign.

In 1815, Murat's risky attempt at reconquering North Italy and regaining Napoleon's favour was rudely interrupted by the Austrians at Tolentino.

As far as I know, there is no English source that covers these campaigns and the role played by the Austrian army in detail. Rothenburg's Napoleon's Great Adversary: Archduke Charles and the Austrian Army 1792-1814 (Spellmount 1995) does contain some bits of information but on a very general level. George Nafziger and I are currently co-authoring a research project on the 1813-14 campaigns (not Tolentino).

Many primary and secondary sources are available in French, German and Italian. Among these, at least five contain detailed information about the Army of Inner Austria. First of all, there is the monumental five volume work Le Prince Eugene et Murat by M.H.Weil (Paris 1902). It is in French, with many references to Austrian archival sources. In German, the following books are worth a look (even if you do not know the language, the orders of battle are usually readable):

Sporschil, Feldzug der Oesterreicher in Illyrien und Italien in den Jahren 1813 and 1814, Braunschweig, 18144. von Welden, Der Krieg der Oesterreicher in Italien gegen die Franzosen in den Jahren 1813 und 1814, 1853 Holtz, Die Inneroesterreichische Armee, 1813- 14, Vienna, 1912 as Vol. 4 of Oesterreich in den Befreiungskriegen. Jerabek, Die Kampfe in Sukarnten 1813, Vienna, 1986, which has a large bibliography.

There is also general information about preparations for the Italian campaign and the army in general in Befreiungskriege 1813-14, Vol. 2, 1913-14.

There were a couple of short items in the original series of the Journal of the Napoleonic Association, which covered the small Anglo-Austrian expedition to the Po delta:

Mario Zannoni, The Battle of Parma, Journal 8, pp 6-9.

Per-Eric Janssen, The Campaign in Italy 1813-14: Operations in the River Po Delta October 1813, Journal 17, pp 27.

Paolo Coturri, The Campaign in Italy 1813-14: Operations in the River Po Delta

October 1813 - Further Notes, Journal 20, pp 31-36.

Hopefully, it might be possible to reprint these as part of a larger item in the near future.

The Order of Battle of the Army of Inner Austria at the outbreak of hostilities was:

12 August 1813

Commander: FZM Hiller

Brigade: Generalmajor Stannissavlevich (under the direct command of FZM Hiller)

17th Grenzer (2nd Wallach) Regiment, (1 battalion) (1,044)
15th Grenzer (2nd Szeckler) Regiment,(1 battalion) (994)
9th Frimont Hussar Regiment, (2 squadrons) (300)
Half 3pdr Brigade battery

Division: FML Marschall

Brigade: Generalmajor Eckhardt

8th Jager Battalion (856)
15th Grenzer (2nd Szeckler) Regiment, (1 battalion) (1029)
9th Frimont Hussar Regiment, (4 squadrons) (509)
Half 3pdr Brigade battery

Brigade: Generalmajor Winzian (Colonel Volkmann, ad interim)

IR39 Duka Infantry, (2 battalions) (1622)
IR53 Jellacic Infantry, (2 battalions) (?)
One 6pdr battery

Division: FML Frimont

Brigade: Generalmajor Vlasitz

9th Jager Battalion (864)
9th Grenzer (Peterwardein) Regiment, (1 battalion) (934)
10th Stipsicz Hussar Regiment, (6 squadrons) (783)
One 6pdr Cavalry battery

Brigade: Generalmajor Pulsky (Colonel Gober ad interim)

IR26 Hohenlohe Infantry, (3 + 1 Landwehr battalions) (3884)
One 6pdr Brigade battery

Brigade: Generalmajor Vecsey

3rd Erzherzog Karl Uhlan Regiment, (6 squadrons) (749)
1st Merveldt Uhlan Regiment (6 squadrons) (796)

Division: FML Marziany

Brigade: Generalmajor Mayer (Colonel Weigl ad interim)

IR10 Reisky Infantry, (3 battalions) (1457)
IR27 Chasteler Infantry, (3 + 1 Landwehr battalions) (3761)
One 6pdr battery

Division: FML Sommariva

Brigade: General major Wrede

2nd Hohenlohe Dragoon Regiment, (4 squadrons) (376)
5th Savoyen Dragoon Regiment, (6 squadrons) (573)

Brigade: General major Stutterheim

Purcell Grenadier Battalion (534)
Welsberg Grenadier Battalion (791)
Chimany Grenadier Battalion (695)
Faber Grenadier Battalion (442)
One 6pdr battery

Brigade: Generalmajor Folseis

7th Grenzer (Brod) Regiment, (1 battalion) (1271)
IR16 Lusignan Infantry, (1+1 Landwehrbattalions)(2625)
5th Radetzky Hussar Regiment, (2 squadrons) (261)

Division: FML Radivojevich

Brigade: Generalmajor Csivich

5th Grenzer (Warasdiner-Kreuzl Regiment, (1 battalion) (1162)
6th Grenzer (Warasdiner-St Georg) Regiment, (1 battalion) (1194)
IR52 Erzherzog Franz Karl Infantry, (1 battalion) (?)

Brigade: Generalmajor Rebrovich

8th Grenzer (Gradiska) Regiment, (1 battalion) (1205)
IR52 Erzherzog Franz Karl Infantry, (2 battalions) (1415)

Brigade: Generalmajor Nugent

5th Radetzky Hussar Regiment, (4 squadrons) (595)
One 6pdr Position Battery

Artillery Reserve:

Number of guns unspecif fed (Holtz gives 72 guns)

Pioneers: 2 Companies

Pontoniers: 1 Equipage

Total:

34 battalions, 40 squadrons, 2 companies, 120 guns (36537 men and 6646 horses)

The data on the artillery is incomplete. There is often no distinction between a brigade battery and a position battery.

From: MH Weil, Le Prince Eugene et Murat, Vol. 1, pp 195-197, from Austrian archival sources, K.u.K. Kriegsarchiv

Marco Gionnini & Dave Hollins

The following work contains a narrative of the role of the Austrians in the Campaign of 1815 and detailed Orbats: Plotho, Carl von: Der Krieg in Europa gegen Frankreich im Jahre 1815, Berlin 1818 A copy may be available through library interloan, at the British Library, or through the Goethe Institute in London or Manchester.

Q20.3

Query in AoN#20

This book Hessisches Militaer, Ortenburg/Kersten, is probably still available from a specialist bookdealer. Try Klaus-Dieter Gerson, Bornweg 5a, D21509 Glinde, Germany.

--Peter Hofschroer