Prussia- 1806

[OotKust]

More specifically, Lt.Gen Lestocq and his endeavours.

Somewhat stimulated my conscience (reading the many Russian based missives of the ’06-’07 campaign) and wondering, that so much droll attention is paid in English books (not necessarily including Petre) to the disasters and disastrous manoeuvring and uncoordinated collapse of the Prussians.

Now that Perry has outed the figures, I’m considering my French ‘extention’ to 1807 could also include a token enemy force, a la Lestocq. But finding a detailled OB seems tricky.

Nafziger has the basics, but details missing (not his fault, sources I know). I can glean a series of Prussian Regiments but administration is everything. [And I intend buying some Prussian guns as they’re separate to gunners, for an expansionist fuelled contributory Polish force].

I know I have the main armies p/copied in my files from a 19thC book, but be there a concise form similar to those by N-S and Gingerich on Austerlitz?
cheers dave

Swinging from left to right no matter where the hobby goes!

[OotKust]

Hmm, well, nothing…

So the delving continues- Petres ‘Poland 1806-07’ has a few snippets of information spread through it, and is mostly complementary about Lestocq.

Cross referencing some facts, Berjauds 11e Chasseurs á Cheval has an interesting snippet about Naps. preparations for war:

Le 20 septembre 1806, l’Empereur écrit au Major général, depuis Saint-Cloud : “… Il y aura à la réserve de cavalerie, sous les ordres du prince Murat, deux brigades de hussards et de chasseurs. Une sera commandée par le général Lasalle, et l’autre par le général Milhaud.

Celle du général Lasalle sera composée des 5e et 7e de hussards; celle du général Milhaud, des 11e et 13e de chasseurs … Les régiments de ces brigades de cavalerie légère pourront être changés quand ils seront fatigués …
Donnez l’ordre qu’on réunisse les deux brigades de cavalerie légère : celle de hussards à Kronach et celle de chasseurs à Lichtenfels” .

(Correspondance de Napoléon, t.13, lettres 10837 ; Correspondance générale de Napoléon, t.6, lettre 13004; P. Foucart : Campagne de Prusse (1806) : d’après les archives de la guerre. Iéna ; P. Foucart : La Cavalerie pendant la campagne de Prusse (7 octobre-7 novembre 1806), d’après les archives de la guerre; lettre également citée par le Général Bonnal).

“There will be in the Cavalry Reserve, under the orders of Prince Murat, two brigades of hussars and chasseurs. One will be commanded by General Lasalle, and the other by General Milhaud. That of General Lasalle will be composed of the 5th and 7th hussars; that of General Milhaud, the 11th and 13th Chasseurs… The regiments of these light cavalry brigades can be changed when they are tired...
Give the order to unite the two brigades of light cavalry: that of hussars at Kronach and that of chasseurs at Lichtenfels “.

So Lasalle* seems to have been rehabilitated following his demotion to a mere dragoon brigade in 1805. Milhaud of course had an active engagement service in charge of an ad-hoc light (chasseurs- 16e and 22e) brigade during 1805 and on the left flank at Austerlitz.

Interesting planning that cavalry regiments were expected to wear out and be transferred away from the line for R&R. I’m sure this happened a lot but is rarely seen in documentation as clearly as this.

Of course this arrangement has nothing to do directly with Lestocqs actions later, but the timing is everything.

*According to his wiki, which contains several errors besides, it is cited:

“On 30 December 1806, Lasalle was promoted to Général de division”. Thus he left his ‘brigade infernale’ to become their Divisional commander, leading instead 3 brigades for 1807.”

regards
dave

Swinging from left to right no matter where the hobby goes!

[Whirlwind]

Apologies OotKust, what exactly are you after that isn’t in the wiki?

I could have a look and see which regiments Oliver & Partridge have for the Prussians at Eylau:

Infantry Regts (2, 11, 14 (Grenadiers))

Fusiler Bns (3rd, 6th, 11th, 23rd, 24th)

Dragoons (6th, 7th, 8th, 13th)

Hussars (5th, 9th (Towarczys))

[OotKust]

Whirlwind wrote:

Apologies OotKust, what exactly are you after that isn’t in the wiki? I could have a look and see which regiments Oliver & Partridge have for the Prussians at Eylau: Infantry Regts (2, 11, 14 (Grenadiers)) Fusiler Bns (3rd, 6th, 11th, 23rd, 24th) Dragoons (6th, 7th, 8th, 13th) Hussars (5th, 9th (Towarczys))

Thanks Whirlwind- Well call me thick but I hadn’t been to that url for a long time.

I’d ignored it simply because I wanted to know what and how his full Corps that reached an estimated 19,000 troops [before December 1806 perhaps?], got whittled down to 5,500 by Eylau.

I know there were detachments, illness and some other ‘garrisons’ along the way; of course paramount to his Corps actions was the defence of Königsberg as the last remaining ‘city’ of Prussia not occupied by the invader, and ‘home’ to the King and government.*

Like d’Erlon a decade later, they marched hither and thither to conflicting orders or supposed threats that like all in that climate, made them suffer more.

The Towarczys’ Regiment is particularly interesting unit- written off again by many, a bit like cossacks, their main body and detachments seem to have had exceptional luck and fortitude.

Do you think I know where I saw models of them?? Not Perrys apparently! Perhaps I’m deceived by too many illustrations again?

Thanks for the info, davew

7Sep- *Edit addition for clarity.

 

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