Russia was "in the field" in 1812, as any Napoleonic neophyte would have to acknowledge. The problem with Russia is different -- it is obtaining reliable reported field strengths on the regimental, battalion or squadron level for 1812 -- or as NAO refers to it: "the enigma of the Russian Army as a whole."
NAO sets forth Russian infantry organization from company to Division concisely and accurately, but bogs down when it starts to consider field strengths. It says: "In 1811, the theoretical(sic) strength of each battalion of Russian infantry was 738 men but the actual strength varied greatly. In 1812, at the start of the war, the army was at about 2/3 strength.
In early 1813, the strength of a field battalion was "about 350 men." NAO then organizes Russian line infantry battalions of all types as four 5-figure company stands, reflecting a field strength of 400 men, which is certainly not 2/3 strength, but more like the 1813 figure cited.
This writer has been unable to discover any breadth of reliable record field strengths for Russian 1812 units on the regimental, battalion or squadron level.
However, W. Zweguintzow's L'Armee Russe, 1801-1825, Vol. 1 4th Part (LAR) does provide much information. On p. 389, it indicates that in 1812, there were 14 Grenadier Regts., 96 Infantry Regts., and 50 Jaeger Regts., for a total line infantry strength of 390,000. Dividing the total figure by the 160 Regts. of Line (rather, the 480 battalions) gives a battalion average of 812.
This larger figure can probably be partially explained by the fact that each regiment contained a number of non-combatants -- wagon drivers, officer's valets, etc. But it is still a long way from an army "at full strength". Rather, it tends to indicate (allowing for variables) an army at pretty close to its authorized strength in line infantry.
NAO says: "The Russian Guard cuirassiers and dragoon regiments had 10 squadrons each with two companies per squadron and 159 men per squadron." LAR, Vol. 1, Pt. 4, p. 395 has a chart for organization of Guard cavalry which indicates that on March 8, 1811, all Guard cavalry was reorganized into 6 field squadrons and one depot squadron, except the Horse Guard Regt., which had 7 active squadrons. The chart confirms squadron authorized strength at 159 men.
NAO says: ''Line cavalry...had five squadrons per regiment with 151 men per squadron." LAR, Vol. 1, Pt. 4, pp. 397-8 has charts for the organization of line cavalry which indicate that line cuirassiers and dragoons had five field squadrons, but that hussars and uhlans had ten field squadrons. The chart confirms that 151 men per squadron is essentially correct, but further indicates that in each cuirassier squadron only 120 men were mounted, while in dragoon squadrons the number was 125.
Further, the 1812 Russian Army Order of Battle (pp. 419-21, LAR) lists all 11 Hussar Regts. of the Russian Army, and shows 10 of them in the field with 8 squadrons. Four of the 5 Uhlan Regts. are listed, and 3 of them are shown with 8 squadrons. The reader's attention is drawn to p. 38 of Ray Johnson's Napoleonic Organization, which states: "(1812) The heavy cavalry regiments now consisted of 4 field squadrons and 1 depot squadron; the light cavalry regiments of 8 field and 2 depot squadrons."
It would appear that NAO contains some serious mistakes in the organization of Russian cavalry in 1812, and some interesting omissions as to the strengths of line cavalry operating in the field. For example, NAO prescribes a wargame Russian line cuirassier or Dragoon Regt. as five 8-figure squadron stands with a 4-figure command stand, when it appears that the real organization for wargaming should be four 6-figure squadron stands with a 3-figure command stand. That's a difference of 17 figures, which can be a lot when Russian Cuirassiers are thundering down on you! (All this, again, is at 100% of authorized strengths.)
NAO has presented Russian infantry at 50% of authorized strength and Russian cavalry at 100%, patently missing its objective of presenting average field strengths.
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