NOTE FROM EDITOR. The following article is the continuation on the series started in issue #46, on the Westphalian Army. The material used by Mike is from a very rare authoritative source: Lunsmann's "Die Heer des Konigreich Westphalen, 1807-1813. First of all, I'd like to say Hello again to all fellow Westphalians that I met at Origins - We'll restore Der Konig yet! The Westphalian Infantry regiments of two battalions each, of 6 companies (except the 2 and 7 which had three battalions) were organized as follows: Senior Staff 1 Colonel 1 Major 2 Chefs De Bataillon (or 3) 1 Quartermaster* 1 Paymaster 1 Bekieidungskaptain* 1 Senior Surgeon 2 2nd Class Surgeons 3 3rd Class Surgeons 13 Total Junior Staff 4 Adjutants 1 Drum Major 1 Drum Corporal 1 Music Master 22 Musicians 2 Master Gunsmiths 31 Total Companies 1 Captain 1 Lieutenant 1 Sous-Lieutenant 1 Sergeant Major 4 Sergeants 1 Fourier 8 Corporals (4 with the train) 121 Soldiers 2 Drummers 140 Total *These men remained in the depot. The regiments depot was of 4 companies of 560 men. The regimental train and artillery company were organized as follows: Regimental Artillery Co. 1 Lieutenant 1 Sous Lieutenant 1 Sergent Major 4 Sergents 1 Fourier 4 Corporals 2 Trumpeters 18 Gunners 32 Total Train 4 Corporals 26 Train Soldiers 1 Munition Wagon for 1st Battalion 2 Munition Wagons for 2nd Battalion 2 Supply Wagons 2 Wagons for Officers effects 1 Ambulance 2 6 lb. guns Field Forge 1 Munition Wagon Light Infantry The Light Infantry was organized as 3 battalion/regiments as the line with no artillery company with the following totals: 873 men per battalion and a depot of 140 men - the train consisted of 9 men and 24 horses per battalion. In the field the senior regiment stood to the right of the brigade, division, likewise the 1st Battalion also stood on the right of the regimental formation. The individual battalions maintained an intervals of 50 feet when moving together. The battalion was divided into two "Halbbataillons" - i.e. half battalions that were known as right or left half battalions. Each half battalion was further divided into 3 "platoons". These pelotons were numbered from right to left and although the "peloton" was a company, the soldiers didn't necessarily retain their company designation. The fusiler pelotons were numbered 1 to 4 and the elites (grenadiers and voltiguers) retained their designation. Further, the peloton was divided into two "Sektions". Reflecting the French influence - two pelotons formed a "division" and the grenadiers and voltigeurs could be stripped off to form elite division or mixed with a fusilier peloton to form a division. The infantry fought in typical 3 rank formation with the largest men always in the front line. The distance between ranks was one foot - during peace time the second rank was removed but the company depth remained the same. In contrast, the light infantry retained the two rank formation in both peace and war. In 1813 due to the high losses, all the infantry was organized into two ranks. Battle Formation In battle formations the Colonel stood 30 paces behind the rank containing the supernumerary officer and adjacent to the flag escort of the first battalion. When the regiment consisted of 3 battalions the Colonel stood between the 2nd and 3rd battalions. The Major stood at the Colonel's left. The Chef de Bataillon stood 20 paces behind the supernumerary officer at the end of the 2nd peloton. The Adjuntant-Major stood 8 paces to the rear of supernumerary in the middle of the right halbbataillon. The 1st Adjutant of the battalion stood, as the Adjutant-Major but in the middle of the left halbbattalion, the 2nd adjutant stood in the same position behind the grenadier peloton. The drummers of the battalions formed two ranks fifteen paces behind the supernumerary of the 3rd peloton. In front of the drummers, by the 1st Battalion, stood the Sarqent-Major. The drum corporal stood by the 2nd battalion with the music corps standing 2 paces behind the drummers in two ranks. The sappers stood in the battalion intervals at the end of the first rank - when threatened with attack they formed on the right wing of the regiment, forming a 3rd rank of that peloton. The sappers were commanded by the Sapper Corporal of the lst battalion. The flag escort of the battalion was organized under the Sous-Lieutenant who was the standard bearer. The escort contained the 4 fouriers of the fusiliers, two corporals and two sergeants arranged like so. The officers and NCO's of the peloton were as follows: the Company Commander stood on the rightwing in the front rank. The Lieutenant stood as the supernumerary - two paces behind the middle of the 1st section of the peloton - the Sergeant-Major stood the same, behind the 2nd section. The lst Sergeant stood behind the Captain in the 3rd rank, he also lead the rightwing of the peloton standing by the Grenadier and Voltigeur peloton in the row with the Adjutants and the Guidon. The Second Sergeant stood behind the left wing of the 2nd section as the supernumerary - he commanded the right portion of the peloton. The 3rd Sergeant was to the right, behind the Sergeant-Major, behind the lst section. The 4th Sergeant stood on the right wing as a supernumerary. The fourier of the grenadiers stood in a row with the supernumerary between the Sous-Lieutenants and the 4th Sergeants;, the fourier of the Voltigeurs stood on the supernumerary's left. The Corporals stood on the right and left wings according to their seniority, two were placed behind the Captain and one on left wing in the first rank. A Corporal stood on the right wing in the second rank, another stood behind the 1st Sergeant in the 3rd rank with the last on the left wing of these ranks. Firing Methods The Westphalians fired in 4 methods: "Gliederfeuer" (rank fire), "Peloton feuer" (peloton fire), "Zwei-Gliederfeuer" (two rank fire) and "Bataillonsfeuer" (battalion fire). Gliederfeuer was used by battalions, Halbbataillons and pelotons, with all 3 ranks firing as individual ranks: the third rank firing first, the second next, finally the first rank. The commands were: 1. "Gliederfeuer fur...batallion!" 2. "Regiment Feuer!" At the 2nd command the Chefs de Battalion gave the following orders: 1. 1st battalion - ready - 3rd rank fire! 2. 1st battalion - ready - 2nd rank fire! 3. 1st battalion - ready - 1st rank fire! On the first command the peloton commander moved quickly behind the third rank. The left and right wing leaders moved to the supernumeraries to form a 4th rank. The flag escort moved back to align with the 3rd rank of the company. At the same time the 3rd rank moved 6 inches to the right aimed and fired. This was followed by the 2nd rank and first rank firing on command. The advantage of the Gliederfeuer was that the entire front fired and the fire was superior because the 3rd rank fired first. Of course, the sequence never should be broken to maintain the effectiveness of the Gliederfeuer. If the unit was unable to form square if charged by cavalry it would use this form of fire. The first commands would be then followed by the order "Kreutzt de Bajonekte!" (fix bayonets). On this command the ranks fixed bayonets with the 3rd rank rotated on their left legs and extending their bayonets forward. In this formation fire could be delivered by Gliederfeuer or in a single discharge. Pelotonfeuer was very similar to the fire used in the linear tactics of the Seven Years war. The Chef de Bataillon, supported by the adjutant and the drum- major; commanded "Mit Pelotons chargieren! Chargier!" (by peloton fire, fire). On these commands fire was begun, Commanders of the various pelotons commanding: "Peloton (number)", "Fertig (ready!)", (on this command the weapons were extended before soldiers' chest, the first rank knelt and held the butt of their musket by the right thigh. This was followed by the order, "T'am," which resulted in the musket being lowered. The third rank then moved their right feet to the right and into the interval of the men before them. The commander "Feuer!" followed with all three ranks discharging their muskets. At the command of "Ladt!" the front rank stood and the third rank returned to its original position. The fire was delivered by alternate pelotons, each waiting to hear the report of the muskets of the peloton next to it and when was to be ceased the Captain would order a drum roll. Zweigliederfeuer was a system also developed by the Prussians. In this, the third rank performed as loaders for the second rank while the front rank loaded its own weapon. The first salvo was fired by both ranks, thereafter they fired as quickly as possible. This was executed by the Chefs de Bataillons who ordered, "Gliederfeuer!", "Fertig!", and "Chargiert!" Gliederfeuer and pelotonfeuer could only be fired directly ahead, but bataillonsfeuer could be directed obliquely. Battalionfire was executed as Pelotonfeuer. The cormnands were: "Mit Bataillons Chargieren!", "Chargiert!", "lst battalion - Fertig - Vam! Feuer Ladt". When in line this fire began by odd numbered battalions. For attacks the Westpahalian infantry formed a deep column. The conversion from line to column could begin from either wing or from the center. The column had a front of two pelotons and was three pelotons deep. The orders given to form the column were ... 1. Angriffskolonel (Attack column) 2. "Mits Pelotons von rechten und linkenflugen auf die mitte en Kolonne!" (When forming on the middle division, "with pelotons from the right and left wing on the middle in column".) 3. Bataillon link und rechts um! (battalion from the left and right turn) 4. Geschwindschritt! (At a double time) 5. Rechts und links um kehrt (right and left about face) These orders indicated the formation of the column on the center division. The 3rd command turns the divisions inward and the 4th set them in motion to the middle, once they had reached their positions they would stop and the 5th command faced them forward. The pelotons formed behind the peloton of their halbbataillon such that the two pelotons from the left wing would be behind the third peloton. The two pelotons from the right wing would be behind the fourth peloton leaving the 2nd and 5th peloton to merge into a new division as the 1st and the 6th. The soldiers carried the musket on the right arm, the first rank lowered its weapon shortly before contact with the enemy. Typically, a skirmish line proceeded the column into assault. When the infantry was forced to form square, it did so according to the Regulations of 1791. The square was the typical one seen on the battlefield, one company per side with the elite companies inside, or the "carre d'Eqypte" that the French formed, which was a rectangular formation with a frontage of two companies on one side and one company on the other. Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 48 Back to EEL List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1980 by Jean Lochet This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com