On April 11th, 1848, Emperor Ferdinand V granted the Hungarians a new Constitution. which gave them control of all regular Hungarian units in the Imperial Army as well as the right to raise their own militia. While it was a policy of the Imperial Army to station regiments outside their home provinces, there were nominally 'Hungarian' units in Hungary when they came under the control of the new government. Regiments Outside Hungary began to slowly make their way back to the homeland in May and June of 1848. Many soldiers returned as deserters, rather than a part of organized units. In April of 1848, Hungary commanded two grenadier battalions, more than 24,000 infantry in thirty-three battalions, and 10,500 cavalry in 72 squadrons. While there were no Hungarian artillery units, 5th Bervaldo Artillery Regiment headquartered in Pest did provide 32 field batteries of 6-8 guns each for a total of 260 guns. Eight or more were horse artillery. The batteries were made up of predominately six pound smoothbores, though twelve batteries were 3 or 12 pounders. The 5th Bervaldo also manned the 500 fort and siege guns in Hungary. INFANTRY The units that were stationed in Hungary and/or remained loyal to the new government were: Infantry Battalions Regiment 1st, 2nd, & 3rd 2nd Czar Alexander Inf. 1st & 2nd 16th Zanini Inf. (Italian) 3rd 19th Schwarzenberg Inf. 1st 23rd Ceccopieri Inf (Italian) 3rd 32nd Ferdinand d'Este Inf. 3rd (2 btns in Italy) 33rd Gyulay Inf. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd 34th Vilmos Inf. 3rd 37th Mariassy Inf. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd 39th Dom Miguel Inf 3rd (2 Bins in Italy) 48th Erzherzog Emo Inf. 3rd 52nd Turszky Inf. 3rd 53rd Leopold Inf.(Croat-Serb) 3rd 54th Prince of Hesse (German) 2nd & 3rd 60th Pr.of Vasa Inf.(Slovaks) 1st, 2nd, & 3rd 62nd Tursky Inf. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd 14th (1st) Szekely Grenz 1st, 2nd, & 3rd 15th (2nd) Szekely Grenz Uracca Grenadier Btn. From regts. 31, 51, 62 Baussnem Grenadier Btn. From regts. 2, 32, 39 One third of the Hungarian regiments remained with the Imperial forces, all stationed outside the Hungarian borders. A few, such as the 51st Erzherzog Karl, did cross the borders with the Imperial forces to fight against the Honved. Both the Austrian and Hungarian pre-war battalions contained six companies and averaged 775 men, but would be more than 1,250 men at full strength. Each regiment had three battalions, one of which remained in the regiment's recruiting area. Soldiers remained in the regiment's Landwehr battalions once they left the regular army, but these units had to be called up. Landwehr battalions did fight in the war on both sides. In addition to the regular army forces listed above, it is estimated that 30,000 soldiers deserted Imperial regiments outside Hungary to join the Honvedseg in 1848. These soldiers were used to fill out the regular regiments, while volunteers are formed into fifteen Volunteer National Guard Battalions of about 1,000 each. After their performance in the Battle of Schwechat, the National Guard was incorporated into the Hungary's first regular army made up of the Honved battalions. The battalions represented the large number of nationalities in Hungary. About 40% of the army was made up of native Serbs, Croats, Romanians, Germans, and Slovaks who fought for Hungary as well as those of Mygar extraction. Jews enlisted in large numbers because under the new Hungarian constitution they were granted full citizenship. Even Italians fought in both Hungarian regular and Honved units because Austria was seen as the common enemy. Thousands of Poles, veterans of the 1830s uprisings, fled Russian tyranny by escaping over the passes of Galacia to fight with the Hungarians. Because of this, there were a number of unique infantry units, almost all of battalion strength: The Polish Legion of three battalions The Transylvanian Polish Legion of two battalions. The German Legion battalion The Italian Legion Battalion The Vienna Legion Battalion The Tyrolean Rangers (or Jaegers or Sharpshooters) Genitzky Rifles Nograder Battalion (Slovaks) Ujhazy Rifles The first ten Honved battalions had a large number of regular infantry and university students incorporated in them. These battalions become the Army's elite infantry units, a number known by unique names (Listed below.) Even so, eighty percent of the over 170 Honved battalions raised still consisted of the peasant class. The new Hungarian government finally ended serfdom. The first ten battalions averaged 800 to 1,000 strong. Like the state regiments of the American Civil War, the battalions had the county where they were raised as a part of their name, even though all the battalions were numbered consecutively: 1st Buda Honved Btn. 2nd Pest Honved Btn. 3rd Szeged Honved Btn. (the White Feathers) 4th Pozsony Honved Btn. 5th Gyor Homed Btn. 6th Veszprcm Honved Btn. 7th Szeged Honved Btn. 8th Pees Honved Btn. 9th Kassa Homed Btn. (the Red Hats) 10th Debrecen Honved Btn. The 11th Kolozsar and 12th Marosvasarhely Battalions also found fame on the battlefield as well as the 33rd. Landwehr units were given Honved designations like the 25th Honved Battalion. By February of 1849, the 64th to 98th Honved Battalions had been raised. The 65th, 66th, 70th-72nd and 75th were formed from National Guard battalions while the 74th Honved was made from the 3rd battalion of the 37th Mariassy Regiment. The 76th to 86th Honved are organized around the two Szekely Grenz regiments and the Szekelyfold Volunteers. The numbers 107th to 122nd were given to former Imperial regular battalions in April of 1849. CAVALRY In the Austrian Army, only the Hussar regiments were Hungarian, and nine of the twelve fought in the Honvedseg, keeping their pre-war designations throughout the war. There were eight squadrons in each regiment, up to 200 troopers per squadron. 1st Emperor Fredinand 2nd King of Hanover 3rd Archduke Ferdinand Carl d'Este 4th Grand Prince Alexander 5th Radetsky (remained in Italy) 6th King William of Wurttemberg 7th Reuss (Remained in Italy) 8th Prince Colberg, Elector of Hesse 9th Emperor Nicholas of Russia 10th Friedrick Wilhelm III of Prussia 11th Prince Alexander of Wurttemburg (in Bohemia/dissolves from desertions.) 12th Palatinat Almost immediately, there was a call to raise more cavalry, so six more Hussar regiments were raised, each named after a past Hungarian hero. The numbering was continued from the regular Hussar regiments: 13th Hunyady 14th Lehel 15th King Mathias 16th Karoly 17th Bosckay 18th Attila Two regiments were reportedly raised to replace the 5th and 7th lost to the Italian theatre, but I could find no information on them. If they were, they would have held the same uniforms as the original regiments. All the hussar regiments consistently outperformed Austrian cavalry, including the Croatian Hussar regiments raised by the Austrians to replace and counter the Hungarian horsemen in 1848-1849. Two regiments of Polish lancers were also formed, fighting with the main Hungarian army. ARTILLERY The Honved artillery quickly became very competent under the tutelage of the 5th Artillery Regiment. Many university students had volunteered for the artillery, so there was a strong foundation for excellence. By February 1849 they had become so proficient that the Austrians were convinced they were French mercenaries from newly Republican France. By the end of the war, there were 500 field cannon divided into nearly seventy, six and eight-gun batteries. Larger organizations of artillery, battalions or regiments, never occurred during the war. The Hungarians manufactured their own cannon and even rockets based on captured Austrian models, so both sides deployed rocket batteries in almost all the major battles of the war. Batteries were designated by number in the spring of 1849, but the practice never caught on and most batteries were known by their captain's name or the brigade they were attached to. While there was an effort to create more horse artillery batteries, it is not clear how successful the Hungarians were. Between the capture of imperial cannon and their numerous fort cannon, the Hungarians always enjoyed adequate numbers of guns, if not ammunition. ORGANIZATION At the beginning of the war, the various Hungarian commands averaged about 10,000 men and were referred to as divisions. By the fall, the various independent commands containing more than one division were designated as army corps. In the Spring of 1849, ten corps had been formed, the first, second, third and seventh being combined into the first designated army, the Upper Danubian Army. Others soon followed, The Transylvanian Army, Upper Tisza Army, and finally the Lower Danubian Army, each of two to four corps depending on which point in the last six months of the war is considered. At its peak, the Hungarian army numbered 170,000 men and 500 field guns. While the Austrian corps organization was followed in the beginning, the generally accepted structure was formalized in June by the then Minister of Defense Gorgei. Two infantry divisions and a cavalry division, each of two brigades, constituted an army corps. Every corps contained ten infantry battalions, sixteen cavalry squadrons and five to eight batteries, one for each of the infantry and cavalry brigades in each division with one to three batteries as a corps artillery reserve. Thus an average Corps would comprise 9200 infantry, 1600 cavalry and forty to forty-eight guns. The Honved never created infantry regiments; two to three battalions of six companies each formed a brigade of about 2,500 infantry. Eight to sixteen squadrons formed a cavalry brigade for an average of 1,600 cavalry. The Honved Upper Danubian Army, April 1849 Major-General Artur Gorei Commanding (excellent) I CORPS Major-General Georg Klapka (Good) 1st Division Colonel Desewssy (fair) Bobich Brigade 28th Honved, 46th Honved , 47th Honved battalions one squadron of 14th Lehel Hussars, eight 6# guns Dipild Brigade 6th Honved, 26th Honved, 52nd Honved battalions one squadron of 14th Lehel Hussars, eight 6# guns 2nd Division Colonel Kazinczy (Good) Zako Brigade 19th Honved 34th Honved Battalions, half squadron of 13th Hunyady Hussars, four 12# guns Schulz Brigade 17th Honved, 3rd Btn/39th Dom Miguel Regiment half squadron of 13th Hunyady Hussars, four 12# guns Mestzterhazy Cavalry Brigade 1st Emperor Ferdinand Hussars (8 sqns) 8th Prince Coburg Hussars (4 sqns), eight 6# guns Artillery Reserve: Eight 6# guns Strength: 9.200 infantry, 1,600 cavalry 800 artillerists and forty guns. Total: 11,600 men and 40 guns. II CORPS Major-General Lajos Aulich (good) 1st Division Colonel Rakowski (fair) Buttler Brigade 25th Honved (Landwehr),43rd Honved, 54th Honved Btns One Squadron 6th Wurttenberg Hussars, eight 6# guns Mihaly Brigade 56th Honved, 1st Btn/39th Dom Miguel Regiment One Squadron 17th Bocskay Hussars, eight 3# guns 2nd Division Colonel Horvath (Good) Mandy Brigade 49th Honved, 61st Honved, 63rd Honved Battalions One Squadron 17th Bocskay Hussars, eight 6# guns Cavalry Brigade 6th Wurttemberg Hussars (6 sqns) 14th Lehel Hussars (3 sqns) Artillery Reserve: eight 6# guns Strength: 6,800 Infantry, 1,800 Cavalry, 640 Artillerists and 32 guns Total: 9,040 men and 32 guns III CORPS Major-General Johann Dainjenich (Excellent) 1st Division Colonel Wysocki (Excellent) Leiningen Brigade (Elite) 3rd Honved, 42nd Honved, 3rd btn/54th Pr.of Hesse Regt. one Sqn 3rd d'Este Hussars, eight 64 guns Kill Brigade (Elite) 9th Honved, Polish Legion btn, 3rd btn/60th Vasa Regt. one Sqn 3rd d'Este Hussars, eight 64 guns 2nd Division Colonel NagySandor (Good) Knezich Brigade 60th Honved, 2nd btn/34th Pr. of Prussia Regt. Eight 6 lb. guns Kazonyi Birgade 2nd King of Hanover Hussars (8 sqns) 3rd d'Este Hussars (4 sqns), Polish Lancers (one sqn) eight 6 lb. horse guns Artillery Reserve: Eight #6 guns Strength: 9,200 infantry, 2,000 cavalry, 800 gunners and 40 guns Total: 12,000 men and 40 guns VII Corps Major-General Gaspar (poor) 1st Division Colonel Kossuth (fair) Horvath Brigade 15th Honved, 39th Honved btns, six sqns 9th Emperor Nicholas Hussars, five 6# guns Waldberg Brigade 1st Btn. 60th Vasa Regt. two sqns 13th Hunyady Hussars, eight 6 lb. guns Petheo Brigade (Elite) 1st btn/ 2nd Emperor Alexander Regt., Nograder Btn two co,s pioneers, two co.s Ujhazy Rifles, five 6# guns 2nd Division Colonel Kmety (good) Gergely Brigade 10th Honved, 25th Honved, one co. of pioneers two sqns 10th Friedrick Wilhelm Hussars, seven 6 lb guns Ujvary Brigade 45th Honved, two co.s Ujhazy Rifles four sqns 10th King of Prussia Hussars, six 6# guns Uechtritz Brigade (Elite) 33rd Honved, 51st Honved bins_ two sqns 12th Palatinal Hussars. six 6 lb. horse guns 3rd Division Colonel Poltenerg Kossuth Brigade (Elite) 1st Honved, 50th Honved btns, two sqns 4th Grand Prince Alexander Hussars, seven 6 lb. horse guns Lambely Brigade 14th Honved. 66th Honved btns, four sqns 4th Grand Prince Alexander Hussars, seven 6 lb horse guns Weissel Brigade four co.s Grenadiers, 3rd btn/48th Erno Regt., four co.s Tyrolean Rangers, two sqn 9th Emperor Nicholas Hussars, six howitzers, two rockets. Artillery Reserve: Seven howitzer horse guns Stength: 12,400 infantry, 3,150 cavalry, 1,360 gunners and 68 guns Total= 16,910 men and 68 guns ARMY TOTAL= 49,550 and 180 guns More Hungarian War of Independence 1848-1849 Introduction The Hungarian Revolution Army Organization: Austrian Imperial Army Organization: Honved Army Organization: Russian Hungarian Army 1848-49: Uniforms Hungarian Army 1848-49: Battle Flags Hungarian Army 1848-49: Figure Availability References Back to MWAN # 120 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum 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