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Austrian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2) : Cavalry PDF

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181 OSPREY· MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES of ~strian ~my the . llpoleonic 'Wars 2 : Gavalry ---- Text by PHILIP HAYTHORNTHWAITE Colourplates by BRYAN FOSTEN of (2) AustrianArmy theNapoleonic IMrs Organisation were superior to well-trained 'men with poor officers. From the outset, higher command in the cavalry was far less capable due to appointments being influenced by nepotism and politics, and The mounted troops of the Hapsburg Empire resulting in commanders who frequently lacked comprised one of the most powerful forces of the experience ofactive service. As Archduke Charles apoleonicWars; thefield armyinMarch 1809,for reported from the etherlands in 1794, so example, included no less than 44,940 cavalrymen dissatisfied with theircommanderswere theofficers and 42,791 horses. Thoughinvolvedin a numberof ofthe Kinsky Chevauxlegers that they 'havesworn epic actions, however, limitations in the ability of the higher echelons of command prevented the force from being as effective as it might, and successive re-organisations eem to have had little Cuirassier officer, 1796; note that the coat is worn over the cuirass.ThetrUJ1lpeterinthebackgroundridesa greyhorse. effect in redressing the balance. (Printafter R. von Ottenfeld). Many of the more general facts relating to the internal workings of the Austrian army are as applicable to the cavalry as to the infantry, as described in the companion title, The Austrian Amry ojthe Napoleonic Wars (I) (MAA 176). Recruiting was largely as for the infantry; although cavalry units were suppo ed to accept only men who had alreadycompleted basic training with the infantry, this was usually disregarded. Cavalry regiments (especially Hungarian units) had little difficulty in attractingrecruits, unlike manyinfantryregim nts. This was reflected in the bounties paid to men enlisted in the smaller south German tates, which provided so much of the Austrian army's man power: 35florins bountyfor aninfantryrecruit, but only 29for a cavalryman-aclearindicationofthe preference for the mounted arm among most potentialrecruits. Ranksin thecavalryweresimilar to those in the infantry, although from 1771 the rank ofHauptleute (senior lieutenant) was re-styled Rittmeister, a squadron commander being the Premier-Rittmeister, his deputy the Seconde-Rittmeister and the senior NCO rank was known as Wachtmeister (sergeant). As in theinfantry, the qualityofthe officercorps was ofgreat importance, and this was stressed by the 1806 regulations which claimed that poorly trained and ill-mounted troops with good officers 3 'German'cavalryequipment,pre-1798regulations.Includedis Carabinier,pre-1798.Theuniformisvirtuallyidenticaltothat thetroopers'sabrewithwhiteleatherstrapand'knot'pierced ofCuirassiers,eventotheParolionthecollar,thoughthehat withfourholes,asusedthroughouttheperiod;anNCOsabre laceisindicativeofCarabiniers.(PrintafterR.vonOttenfeld) with black and yellow knot and tassel; a cartridge box with plate,andtheranuodona strapattachedtotheundersideof the shoulder belt; and the carbine clipped to its belt. (Print afterR. von Ottenfeld) that the first such gentleman who delivers an order other. The Saxons had the better of this sad to attack will be forced to take part in the charge'! encounter. The system whereby the regimental lnhaber Despite successive changes in organisation (and (colonel-proprietor) had so much control over the the usual change in title when a new lnhaber was affairsoftheregimentwasequallyapplicablein the appointed, as each regiment bore the name ofits cavalry as in the infantry, regimental commissions 'proprietor'), certain features of the regiments being within a colonel's gift. Among the system's remained reasonably standard. As with the difficulties was a singular incident which occurred infantry, distinct differences existed between regi at Wagram, when Prince Albert ofSaxe-Teschen mentsformedin'German'and 'Hungarian'areasof was lnhaber of a regiment on either sid the the empire; the former included all non Austrian Prince Albert's Cuirassiers and the Saxon 'Hungarians' such as Walloons and Italians, and Prince Albert's Hussars. As the countries had long the latter Croatians, Slovenians and Transyl been at peace, it had been his practice to appoint vanians. Withoutexception the Hungarian cavalry candidates to whichever vacancy was next avail were all hussar, the army's light cavalry, and all able, ineitherregiment. Thuson thisoccasioneven other regiments were 'German' and classed as members of the same family found themselves 'heavy' or 'medium', only the Chevauxlegers were arrayed on opposing sides, and by even greater regarded as 'light' troops in the German cavalry, coincidence the regiments actually charged each though in effect they were more akin to the 4 'medium' Dragoons; all but the Ulzlam ofGalicia from the mounted elements of various Frei-Corps. conformed to these basic groupings. As a result of From this date regiments cea ed to be numbered theextratimerequired to trainacavalryman, there con ecutively, irrespective of type. existed only minor differences between a unit's After the Treaty of Luneville (1801) another wartime and peacetime establishments with units reorganisation was undertaken, reducing th being kept near full strength at all times. A cadre number ofregiments from 42 to 35, partly because was also maintained to enable a 'Reserve Division' some of the likely theatres of future operations to be assembled in wartime. (Switzerland, Italy and the Tyrol) offered little At the outbreak ofthe French wars, the cavalry scopeformajorcavalryactions.Disbandedwere the wasin the process ofreorganisation. In 1792 it was Cuirassier regiments numbered 4, 5 and I I, the approximately 40,000 strong, comprising two Light Dragoon regiments 2, 5, 6 and 9, the regiments ofCarabiniers, nine ofCuirassiers, six of MountedJagersand the 12thHussars,although the Dragoons, seven of Chevauxlegers, a 'Staff latter number was filled by the formation ofa new Dragoon' regiment (Stabs-Dragoner-Regiment), nine Grenz regiment (the Palatinal-Grenz-Huszaren) in 'National' light regiments of Hungarian Hussars, 1802. The 12th Cuirassiers were converted to oneregimentofSzeklerGrenz(border) Hussar,and Dragoons, and the Light Dragoons again split into a newly-formed regiment of Ulzlans (lancers). The Dragoons and Chevauxlegers. A third regiment of main tactical element for all regiments was the Ulzlans was newly-formed. 'division', commanded by a field officer, which The regiments existing inJune 1802 were styled comprised twosquadrons,eachsquadronconsisting as follows: oftwo 'wings' (Fliigel) oftwo platoons (Ziigen) each. Cuirassiers: Regt. o. I Kaiser Franz; o. 2 In the heaviest regiments-the Carabinier and Erzherzog Franz (d'Este); o. 3 Herzog Albert Cuirassiers-each squadron numbered approx v. Sachsen-Teschen; 0.4ErzherzogFerdinand' imately 150 men ofall ranks; in the Dragoons and 0.5 assau-Usingen; 0.6Baron Mack; 0.7 light regiments, between 170 and 180. For the Prinz Carl v. Lothringen; and o. 8 Carabiniersand Hussars, each regiment comprised Hohenzollern-Hechingen. four 'divisions' (8 squadrons); the remainder each had three 'divisions' (except the Szekler Grenz Hussarswhichhad fiveand the Ulzlanregimentwith Horsefurniture,'GerlDan'cavalry,ofthepatterninuseprior two). Thestandard-escortcomprised 24menin the to the 1798 regulations: scarlet cloth shabraque and holster caps with yellow lace bearing white diaJDonds edged black. Carabiniersand Hussars, and 18menin theothers. The Roque/o,.isrolledbeneaththeholstercaps.(PrintafterR. von Ottenfeld) A major reform was instituted in 1798, affecting principally the German regiments. The Cuira ier arm was increased to 12 regiments, by the conversion ofboth Carabinier corps (the Emperor and Albert regiments) and by the formation of a new 12th Cuirassiers. This was formed from elements ofthe Carabiniers plus the cavalry ofthe Anhalt-Zerbst contingent (absorbed into the Austrian army, with the infantry going to the new 11thLightBn.) and thesurvivorsofthe old French guard cavalry corps of Royal-Allemand Dragoon. The Dragoons and Chevauxlegers were merged intoa singlelistof15LightDragoon regiments, the old 'Staff Dragoons' going into the 9th Light Dragoons, and the 13th Regt. being newly-raised. The Hussars were enlarged to 12 regiments, a second Ulzlan regiment formed, and a new corps of MountedJagers(JagerRegt. zuPferd(Bussy') created 5 Dragoons: No. I Erzherzog Johann (previously Light Dragoons NO.3); No. 2 Hohenlohe (previously NO.7); No. 3 Wiirttemberg (pre viously No.8); NO.4 Levenehr (previously No. 14); No. 5Savoyen (previouslyNo. 15); and No. 6 Melas (previously 12th Cuirassiers). Chevauxlegers: No. I Kaiser (previously Light Dragoons No. I); No. 2 Hohenzollern (pre viously NO.4); NO.3 Lobkowitz (previously No. lO); NO.4 La Tour (previously No. II); NO.5 Kinsky (previously No. 12); and No.6 Rosen berg (previously No. 13). The establishment of eight Cuirassier, six Dragoon, six Chevauxleger, 12 Hussar and three Uklan regiments remained constant until 1813, when a fourth Ulzlan regimentwas raised, andfrom the re-occupied Italian provinces a 7th Chevaux legers. Hasty reforms were pushed through by Mack, taking effect from April 1805, by which all units comprised eightsquadrons, with 131 men per squadron in the heavy regiments and 151 in the light; these hasty measures, with delays in mobilisation resulting in many squadrons embark ing on the 1805 campaign with but lOO troopers, contributed not a little to the defeat of that year, anditwaslefttoArchdukeCharlestoinstitutemore useful reforms. From then on, heavy regiments comprisedsixsquadronsof135men each, andlight regiments eightsquadrons of150 each (the Szekler Grenz Hussars six squadrons). In addition, each regiment carried a number of supplementary dismounted troopers, who upon mobilisation could actasacadreforareservesquadronof60meninthe 'heavies' and go in the 'lights'. Total regimental strength now stood as follows: Cuirassiers and Dragoons, gIg menand 8I5horses; Chevauxlegers, 1,358 men and 1,212 horses; Hussars and Uhlans 1,360 men and 1,2I2 horses, except the Szekler Hussars who had g8g men and glO horses. Among thosewhoweremountedonlyin wartimewereeach regiment's various 'specialists', the Fouriers (quar termaster staff) and smiths, for example. Recruits and remounts were provided by the regimental reservesquadrons; normalstrengthwhenmobilised upon the cadre was 143 men and 133 horses for Dragoon wearing the pre-1798 uniform. Note especially the largesizeoftheturnbacks,andthetricornhat,whichlatterly tended to have the front 'corner' flattened to reselDble a bicorn. (PrintafterR. von Ottenfeld) 6 Cuirassiers and Dragoons, 180 men and 171 horses for the remainder (175 men and 171 horses for the Szekler Hussars). From these reserve squadrons, regimental active strength could be increased by 112 mounted men in the 'heavies' and 150 in the 'lights'. Although the quality of horses was generally good, remounts were never sufficient. The effect of the expan'sion for war service is reflected in the statistics of the cavalry establish ment as at 1 March 180g: Eight regiments Cuirassiers, six regiments Dra goons, each six squadrons and one reserve squadron: 1,031 men, 975 horses each. II regiments Hussars, three regiments Uhlans, each eightsquadronsand onereservesquadron: 1,481 men, 1,414 horses each. Sixregiments Chevauxlegers, each eightsquadrons and one reserve squadron: 1,479 men, 1,414 horses each. One regiment Szekler Hussars, eight squadrons (two additionalformed for war) and one reserve Chevauxleger,pre-1798uniforru,showingthetallerversionof squadron: 1,478 men, 1,408 horses. theinfantryCasquet,andthegreenuniformwithredfacings,as Staff Dragoons (Stabsdragoner-Regiment): re-formed worn by the two senior regiments, (Print after R, von Ottenfeld) 1805,onesquadronplustenindependent'wings': 8g8 men, 873 horses. Givingagrand totalof'regular' cavalry (including paces from the enemy, at which point the theGrenzHussars) of46,418menand44,Igghorses. trumpeters were ordered to sound 'Alarm', officers Afurther reorganisation occurred after the 180g shouted 'Marsch! Marsch!', and the troopersraised campaign, when the heavyregiments werereduced theirsabresabove their heads. For thefirst time the to four squadrons and the light regiments to six, 1784 manual discussed fencing with the sabre (insteadofrelyingsimply upon a downward chop). It also mentioned massed charges, executed by several'regiments, but it did not elaborate further. lar/irs According to Mack, few ifany regiments in 1789 were able to gallop far without becoming disordered. In earlier days (especially against the Turks) the The regulations were updated frequently, and a Austrian cavalry had made considerable use of new issue in 1806 confirmed earlier practices, mounted fire, but for some time this had been specified in the previous revision of1804. The two discouraged and shock action with the sabre was squadron 'division' remained the principal tactical considered the primary function of cavalry. The element, while a two-deep line, rather than three, 1784Regulations (amending slightly those of1765 was recognised as the standard formation, It wa and 1769), while covering fire-fights (normally stated that cavalry were to act offensively where executed in two lines), concentrated mainly upon possible and that the charge (delivered at 12-pace the charge, for which the usual formation was in intervals between divisions) was the recommended three lines, with troopers formed knee-to-knee. tactic. Troopswereforbidden to receivea chargeat Techniques for the charge remained reasonably the halt, all charges were to be made with flank constant. Increasinggraduallyfrom a slow trot to a guards, and the regulations stressed that a reserve gallop, full speed was only reached at about 80 was to be kept at all times. Speed was to be 7 regulated from walk to trot, canter and restrained gallop, so as not to blow the horses before the full gallop within the last 80 paces before impact. Although charges in column were being used increasingly by the French, the Austrian cavalry was ordered to use the column and 'mass' only for manoeuvre; thus the two-deep line could be at a disadvantage when meeting a French column. A greaterdisadvantagewas thelackofinstructionsfor multi-regiment charges, and with the lack oflarge scale exercises thi was never brought to light, resulting in futile and unco-ordinated attacks by single regiments, or even 'divisions' or squadrons. Thetendency tofragmentcavalrystrength (though opposed by Archduke Charles) was reinforced by the new regulations, which called for large formations to manoeuvre in column during deployment; fearful ofcharges by enemy cavalry, commanders often insisted upon cavalry support and receiveditin theform ofsmall detachmentsfor flank protection. Instead ofassuming the role ofa decisive, independent assault force, which it had enjoyed in the reign ofMaria Theresa, the cavalry became increasingly a support element for the infantry, which role it assumed in the 1809 campaign, considerably reducing its combat effect Iveness. Chevauxlegerand Hussar,pre-17g8. Note thepeakless shako Despite their mi use by higher command, the oftheHussar,withtheplUlDeworninsidea blackwaterproof cover. (PrintafterR. vonOttenfeld) Austrian regulars rarely performed less than proficiently, as remarked upon by contemporary observersfrom othernations.Thiswasevidentfrom theoutsetofthe Frenchwars, and isemphasised by a comment from J. G. Le Marchant, the British cavalry leader killed at Salamanca who, as a troop officer in the Queen's Bays in 1793, described the Austrian cavalry with whom his unit was brigaded in anaction atCasselinJuneofthatyear: 'I amjust returnedfrom ascenethat,oncoolreflection,makes mysoulshrinkwithinme; butitisoneofthehorrors ofwar. Whatgave me most painwas tosee that the Austrians gave no quarter. Poor devils on their knees, merely begging for mercy, were cut down. My own people, thank God! were as merciful as possible ... [we] had taken five men alive, but TrooperswearingtheuniforOlSoftwoofthecOOlponentparts ofthenewlyfOrOled12thCuirassiers,17g8:left,Anhalt-Zerbst cavalry (yellow faced light blue); right, Royal-Allemand Dragoons(darkbluefacedcherryred,whitelace).Bothwear the black and yellow Austrian pluOle. (Print after R. von Ottenfeld) 8 leaving them for an instant in pursuit of others, (actually light straw yellow) and were worn inside some Austrians came up and butchered them'. high-topped riding boots, with 'cuffs' inside Nevertheless, he noted that the Austrians were 'as protecting the knees. superior to us as we are to the train-bands in the Although full cuirsasses (and even 17th-century city'. iron helmets) had been worn as late as 1788-89 in Appropriately, the Hussars in particular en the Turkish war, the cuirass worn by Carabinier joyed a reputation not only for elan but for an and Cuirassiershadafrontplateonly;itwasslightly uncompromising attitude; Marbot, for example, domed and painted black, with an inner lining of claimed with some disgust that the Szeklers were canvas orchamoisleather, and retained by a white responsible for two attacks upon French flags of leather waist strap attached to cross straps at the truce, assassinating the French plenipotentiaries at rear. A white leather waist belt was worn over the Rastatt in 1799, and cutting up the French coat, with the sabre suspended on slings; the sabre delegation outside the gates of Vienna in 1809. wasa Pallasch (broadsword) witha blade4cmwide Their enemies, however, accorded respect to and between 84 and 88cm long, with iron fittings the professionalism of the Austrian regiments, and a scabbard (brass fittings for NCOs and a and complimented-for instance-the O'Reilly natural leather scabbard for Wachtmeisters). Over Chevauxlegers, who covered the retreat at Auster the left shoulder was carried a white leather belt litz with great skill and success, by describing the 9cm wide, supportinga blackleathercartridge box corps as 'one ofthefinest regiments in the Austrian holding r8 cartridges, bearing the Emperor's army'. Cuirassiertrooper(left)andofficer(right),1798uniform.Note the trooper's white lambskin saddle cover and the officer's black, the colouring specified originally by the 1798 re Uniforms: gulations. The unit illustrated has the scarlet facings and yellowbuttonsofthe8th(Hohenzollern)Regt. (PrintafterR. von Ottenfeld) Gernlan Cavalry Pre-I798 UniforlDs The uniform worn before 1798 was that evolving from thedressofthemid- tolater 18thcentury. The headdressconsisted ofa black tricorn hat, although latterly the front corner had become flatter so as more to resemblea bicorn. At the leftsideitcarried a black, butterfly-shaped cockade held by a loopof mixed blackand yellow braid with a button, above which rose a 22cm feather plume, the upper two thirds black and the lower third yellow. The braid and plume in these two colours were standard national distinctions, used throughout the period. Hats ofthe two Carabinier regiments had a It-in. lace edging. The single-breasted white coat ofthe heavy regiments was similar to that worn by the infantry, closed at the front, with shortish but voluminousskirts and large turnbacks which had a 2t-in. edgingofthe regimentalfacing-colour; a It in. standing collar bearing a facing-coloured patch or Paroli on each side, with a button; and plain facing-coloured cuffsfastened by twosmall buttons at the rear seam. The breeches were 'white' 9 shabraque had borne theInhaber'scoatofarms, but after that date they carried a crowned yellow cypher with narrow black edging. A rolled white RoqueLor (overcoat) was carried under the pistol holsters at the front ofthe saddle. COsweredressed as trooper, exceptfor a gold sword knot. For Wachtmeister and Estandartenfiihrers (standard-bearers) the hat bore gold lace and the shabraque three laces; corporals and Carabinier troopers had silver lace on their hats. Wachtmeisters carried 'Spanish reed' canes with an ivory top, and corporals a hazel cane. Trumpeters wore the uniform ofthe troopers, minus thecuirass, butwith a red plume. Officers' uniforms were radically different, with the cuirass worn over a facing-coloured waistcoat and underneath a long white coat with facing coloured ParoLi and cuffs, instead ofover the coat likethoseoftheotherranks. Officers'cuirasseshada gilded rim and a gilded 'arrowhead' on the breast, extending to the lower edge for field officers. Their hats were gold-laced, their white or straw yellow breeches worn with high boots, and the universal gold and black a h was worn around the waist; theirscabbards were black leather. Horsefurniture wa like that of the other ranks, but with gold or Cuirassier trooper, ClUllpaign dress, 17gB, wearing the grey silver lace and ornaments. serviceoverallsandwithfullkit. Note the coiledpicketrope betweenthevaliseandtheleftknee,andtheendofthepicket Dragoon were uniformed and equipped in a stakecarriedattherightside.(PrintpublishedbyTranquillo imilar fashion to the Cuira iers, but without the Mollo) cuira s, and with turn-down collars in the facing colour, without the ParoLi. cypher in brass. A similar belt supported the Chevauxlegers were dressed and equipped like carbine on a spring clip. For Carabiniers, the belts the Dragoons, except that the first two regiments hadanedgingof2.6cm-wideyellowlace,anda2cm wore bottle-green uniforms with crimson facings lace edging on the cartridge box flap. The carbine insteadofthewhitecoatsoftheremainder. Allwore was r23cm long and weighed 3.4kg; in early r792 afeltorleatherCasquet, taller than thatworn by the six men in every carbine-armed squadron were infantry, with a 23cmfalse front and a r6'5cm rear, issued with the Model r789 CavaLleril-stutzen, a the front edged with yellow braid and bearing a short-barrelled rifle. The Model r759 Trombon brass plate; at the left side was the national yellow (blunderbuss) had been issued to r2 men per rosette with blackcentre, and above it a blackover cuirassier squadron, modified in r78r, was with yellowfeather. LatterlytheCasquetshaddetachable drawn in r798. Each man carried two pistols in sun visor. Officersworea cocked hatinstead ofthe addle hoI ters. The black leather addle rested Casquet, and trumpeters of the first two regiments upon a white blanket folded four times; the had 'reversed colours', crimson coats faced bottle rectangular habraque with rounded rear corners green. and holstercapswereofred cloth, edged with rtin. Anoted exceptionwas the LatourRegiment, the lace ofa white, black, and yellow design, with one old r4thDragoon whohadenjoyedadistinguished narrow and one wide lace for Carabiniers. Prior to record earlier in the century. They had worn a 1777 the holster caps and rear corners of the green Walloon uniform, which colour was restored 10 to them as a mark ofdistinction when converted to Chevauxlegersin 179I.Theyworecocked hatsand, having remained loyal during th etherlands agitation, were especiallyfavoured by the Imperial family, carrying on 'honour standard. One side bore a half-length portrait ofEmperor Leopold II (1790-92) with the inscription 'Leopoldus II Augustus, and the other was inscribed 'A La FideliteetValeurSignaleedu Regimentde Latour Dragons Reconnue par l'Emper ur et Roi'. The 1798 UnifOrtl1: Cuirassiers The 1798 regulations changed the appearance of the cavalry as radically as that of the infantry, especially by the adoption of the crested black leather helmet, identical to that ordered for the infantry, with a brass front plate bearing the Emperor's cypher 'F.II', (changed to 'F.I.' when the title 'Holy Roman Emperor' was relinquished [1804-06]),andaleathercomb topped byacrestof black over yellow. The remarks concerning the helmetgivenin MAA 176areapplicableequally to the cavalry helmet, including the use ofthe green foliageFeLdzeichen (arelicoftheold 'field- ign'ofthe 17thcentury, retained by the Austrian armyas late as the 20th century), usually ofoak in summer and fir in winter, affixed behind the left chinstrap boss and worn as high as the top ofthe helmet. The 1798 coat was white, ingle breasted, with a whitestandingcollar Itins. high, bearinga facing coloured patch I in. high by It ins. long with a small button. The cuffs were facing-coloured, the skirtsless voluminousand the turnback white with facing-coloured edging. Ten large button were on the breast and two at the rear, with two small buttons on each cuff and one to each pair of turnbacks. A single strap was carried at the rear of the left shoulder, with a small button, and another strap (4 ins. long by I in. wide), also of the coat colour, was carried at the left waist, fastened by a large button, to ecure the waist-belt. A white sleeved waistcoat with standing collar wa worn under the coat, or carried in the valise in hot weather. The blackstock, whitecloth breeches and stockingsweresimilarto thoseworn bytheinfantry. The riding boots were reduced to a height 2 in. below the kneecap, with spurs with a I in. neck CuirassierindislDounted'guardorder', '798uniforlD:lDinus screwed into the heel. For service dress overalls of thecuirass,andwiththescabbardinsertedintoa looponthe waist beltto preventithinderinglDovelDent. Note thepistol 'mixed grey' cloth extended to the ankle, buttoned carriedina sUnilarloop. (PrintafterR. von Ottenfeld) (I

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