Hessians in the Peninsular War
The following is another contributed article from author Andreas Kopp, M.A. This is his fourth contribution to the HäT web site.
Little is known on the Germans in the Peninsular War. It is interesting to note that the previous article was on the Brunwickers in the Peninsular War and this one on the Hessians, both were Germans, yet fought on opposing sides!
It might be also noted that service for the French in the Peninsular War was equivalent to service on the Russian Front for the Germans in WWII. In place of the unrelenting cold, transport and supply problems in Russia were the unrelenting heat, transport (horse) and supply (food) problems in Spain. The French and Spanish practiced unrestrained savagery on each other from which the British stayed aloof but could do little to curb.
These two articles from Mr. Kopp provide valuable information on the little known German involvement in the Peninsular. Without further ado, here ist the article, produced verbatim.
It must have been a strange day in May 1808 in Bayonne. Napoleon, emperor of France, met the spanish king and his family. The disrupted family hoped for a resolution of the spanish problem with the emperor's help, and they got one: The hotbloody corsican, groaning "what a mother and what a son", forced the abdication of the spanish king in favour of his own brother Joseph. Europe saw once more a king without country.
But one thing Napoleon hadn't foreseen, the outbreak of national rumour in spain, which lasted 6 years, until his own abdication. People's governments in Oviedo and Cartagena proclaimed the national resistance. National revolt rised in Asturia and Andalusia, in Sevilla a central Junta (provisorial government in favour of Ferdinand VII., later in Cadiz) was established.
At 20. July 1808 King Joseph arrived in his capital Madrid. 12 days later he had to leave the city; his rule was now limited to the region between the Pyrenees and the river Ebro. At 19. July a french corps of 23.000 men had capitulated at Bailen. A rumour raised through Europe: The invincible french war machine was shattered.
In Portugal an expeditionary force under General Wellesly landed and they remained victorious against the opposed french army.
So appears the situation just before the day of the princes ("Fürstentag") in Erfurt. Here Napoleon made an agreement with the russian czar Alexander and now he was in the position to sent an army against spain. Also the troops of the confederation of the Rhine were mobilized. This article deals with the engagement of the contingents of the grand duchy Hesse.
At the end of July 1808 the grand duke of Hesse got the order to place a regiment infantry and a half battery artillery at Napoleon's disposal. On 31. July the mobilization of the socalled Brigade "Groß und Erbprinz" (this is the Brigade of the heir to the throne) was ordered. The mobilization was finished on 19. August. The brigade were reorganised on french pattern: It became a regiment with two battalions, each with 6 companies (one Voltigeur-, one Grenadier and four Fusilier companies). Worth mentioning is the formation of these companies: The regiment stood on a field near the hessian town GroßGerau. Here the skilled soldiers were selected. The taller became grenadiers, the smaller voltigeurs. The regiment's name remained "Groß und Erbprinz", but the french sources called it "Regiment des Hesse".
On 24. August the Grand Duke took leave of of his troops. In the city of Mainz the french Marshal Kellermann held an inspection. From here the regiment took his way over Worms, Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Saarbrücken, St. Avold to Metz. It consisted of 40 officers, 149 N.C.O.'s, 13 musicians, 20 pipers and 1416 troopers, a total strength of 1678. Also the regiment got an artillery battery with 4 guns, 1 officer, 4 N.C.O.'s, 92 gunners and trainsoldiers and 51 horses. In Metz the regiment received french weapons. From here the regiment marched to Orleans. On 16. September the troops were mustered by the french Marshal Lefebvre: The Marshall noticed different uniforms within the same company (see chapter Uniforms).
On 14. October the regiment went across the spanish border. It became part of the 3. Brigade in the "German Division" (2. Division) of the 4. Corps (Lefebvre).
The regimental history of the following years reports that the parts of the regiment were often divided. Several detachments were created and they were used as special forces in guerilla warfare. On 18 October the artillery unit was separated from the regiment. Three weeks later - the regiment even had had his baptism of fire at Durango and Zornosa - also the two infantry batallions were splitted. The first batallion made his way to Galizia and Asturia, the second battalion fought with the 1st Corps in Estremadura. On 17 March 1809 the regiment under General Schaeffer von Berstein - the former commander of the Brigade "Groß und Erbprinz" was again put in command - stood in action at Mesa de Ibor. Here the German Division wade through the river under heavy fire. Reaching the left bank, they attacked the spaniards on the hills. On 28 March the battle of Medellin took place. The battle decided the possession of Estremadura. The spanish army was totally defeated, about 19.000 killed persons were on the battlefied. The cruelty of the Peninsular War showed his face. The french troops gave no pardon, the battlecry "no prisoners" arose. At Medellin the Voltigeur company of the 2nd battalion fought as part of the combined Voltigeur battalion of the German Division.
On 27. and 28. July 1809 the reunited regiment fought as part of the 4. Corps at Talavera. Here the british commander Wellesley had deployed his anglo-spanish forces. On the right wing, near the city of Talavera and behind secure ramparts, stood the spanish army. The middle of the front was secured by the King's German Legion. On the left wing the Division of General Hill was lined up. Here in the evening of the 27. the french 1. Corps opened the battle. Finally Hill repulsed the assault. The German Division deployed around 4p.m. opposite to the british centre, but no fighting took place. In the night a grotesque episode on the right wing happened. The spanish troops, alarmed by a few french dragoons, opened fire and withdrew to Talavera. With great difficulty they went back to their positions.
On 28. July Marshal Victor attacked the left english wing for a second time, but after heavy fighting his troops were forced back. Between 9a.m. and 1p.m. there was no action. Because the weather was hot, both armies, refreshed at the Portina, the brook, which laid between the lines.
At 2p.m. the 4. Corps received an order to attack the british centre. The regiment "Groß und Erbprinz" stood on the left wing of the assault column. Over bad ground the attack was driven forward. But the defense was too hard. Regiments Baden and Dutch withdrew. Regiment "Groß und Erbprinz", formed in square, held out against cavalry attacks, however at last they fell back. The 1st Voltigeur company secured the retreat. Further attacks on the british centre and the left wing were repulsed. The battle of Talavera was a british victory. Wellesley received the title Viscount of Wellington. The french had lost 7.000 men, the british 3.800 killed and 1.500 wounded and the spaniards 1.500. Regiment "Groß und Erbprinz" lost (strength at the beginning of battle: 21 officers and 741 men): 2 N.C.O.'s and 18 men killed, 4 officers, 6 N.C.O.'s and 45 men wounded.
It isn't possible to report in this article about all the skirmishes of the regiment between 1809 and 1812. The hessian tropps, divided in several detachments, had several missions in partisan warfare. How dangerous these actions appeared, shows the following episode: "On 28. December 1808 Grenadier Schneider was ordered to march with a cart on which were loaded the bagage and Schneider's heavily pregnant wife. The cart had fallen about 200 paces behind the battalion when suddenly several shots were heard. They rushed back only to find both the grenadier and his wife murdered, hideously mutilated and lying in the road. The woman's stomach had been slit open and her breasts cut off; Schneider had been disfigured in an even worse manner which it is better not to relate."
Badajoz was an old spanish fortress in south Estremadura near the frontier to Portugal. The fortifications were at the beginning of 1812 in a passable condition, except of the socalled citadel, a castle, that stood on a steep slope. The interior of the citadel was a confusing chaos of buildings. In front of Badajoz laid several minor fortresses: In the north, on the northbank of the river Guadiana, Fort Christobal. In the south of the citadel St. Roque; south of it Picurina. In southwest the minor fortress Pardaleras. In february 1812 rumours arose that a siege would come. The fortresses were repaired, but there was a shortage of gun munition cause several transports of ammuniton were captured by partisans.
On 16. March Wellington reached Badajoz with 2 divisions and a portuguese brigade. He encircled the fortress on both sides of the Guadiana. In the night of the 17. the siege started. The garrison of Badajoz consisted of the following troops: Regiment "Groß und Erbprinz" (32 officers and 910 men), five french battalions, one company spanish troops, a detachment engineers, 250 men artillery and 80 men cavalry, a total of 4550.
After the drawing of the first parallel the garrison troops were deployed. At the eastside of the fortress opposite to St. Roque and Picurina (bastion 7, 8, 9) and in the citadel stood the soldiers of regiment "Groß und Erbprinz". The minor fortresses got mixed troops: 50 soldiers of "Groß und Erbprinz" in Picurina, 50 in Pardaleras.
Wellington's first assault turned against Picurina and the bastions 8 and 9. Wellington was in a hurry, because he knew, that two french armies were on their march to Badajoz. On 19. March the commander of the fortress General Phillipon decided a sortie. Two bataillons, each 500 men strong, 40 troopers and 200 engineers attacked the british at the entrenchments near St. Roque. A counterattack forced the soldiers back to Badajoz. 220 soldiers were killed or wounded. Regiment "Groß und Erbprinz", lost 99 men out of 200 in this sortie.
Since 20. March the english army attacked mainly Picurina, which was stormed in the night from 26. to 27. 30 hessians escaped and reached Badajoz, swimming through the flood which surrounds the minor fortress. After the capture of Picurina Wellington laid his main effort on the southeast, face to face with bastions 6 and 7. The defenders were weakened: On 25. March the half of the guns ammunition was used up. On 3. April two breaches were laid between bastions 6 and 7. On 6. April the third breach was ready.
Now Wellington decided the general assault. He ordered a combined attack on the breaches, and an escalade against Bastion 1 in the far northwest of Badajoz and against the citadel. Since 5. April the defenders expected the assault. The crest of the breaches was prepared with barrels, filled with powder and peaces of iron, and with bombs. Also barricades bristling with sabres stood here. At the bottom of the breaches bombs were burried.
On 6. april at 10p.m. the storm began. Two english divisions (4. under Colville and the Light Division under Bernard) attacked the breaches. Picton's 3. Division should escalade the citadel and Walker's Brigade (5. Division) Bastion 1. 15.000 attackers against 3.600 defenders.
The english army attacked the breaches with a superior force 10:1. The defenders kept quiet until the englishmen reached the bottom of the breaches. Then they opened fire: Exploding bombs, gunfire in the flank of the assault column, volleys from the walls awaited the attackers. On the crest sharpshooters, each with three muskets, fired down in the storming ranks. Powderbarrels and bombs rolled down the breaches. It was an inferno. Repeated attacks of the english forces were repulsed. At last Wellington ordered the retreat. 3.000 men were killed, with 300 officers. One third of the defenders were hessians, and they made a good job: Premierleutnant Senkenberg commanded his troops with smashed thigh. Leutnant Venator was gravely wounded, after the attempt to throw back a grenade. Leutnant Maurer, also wounded, stood on the crest of the breach with a lance against attacking enemies.
At the same time the escalade at the citadel started. In the beginning the ladders were destroyed by the defenders. General Picton received a light- , General Kempt a grave wound. At the bastions 8 an 9 the escalade failed. Now the 3. Division attacked at the south- and westside of the citadel. The defenders were shrunken to a strenght of 111. At 11.30p.m. men of the 42. regiment escaladed the wall. The hessians, after heavy fighting, withdrew. Now a second detachment of the 3. Division escaladed the left wing of the citadel. The citadel of Badajoz remained in english hands.
At Bastion 1 the escalade of Walker's Brigade was also successfull. The brigade approached to Bastion 2 and 3, but a counterattack repulsed the men to Bastion 1.
At 1a.m. on the 7. April the breaches weren't stormed, but the siege was decided. At 3a.m. the Light and the 4. Division entered the city. The garrison was captured, but the plundering of Badajoz lasted two days.
The victory of Badajoz cost Wellington about 406 officers and 4606 men. 2500 defenders saw themself as prisoners of war. The regiment "Groß und Erbprinz" lost the half of its men. 450 men were captured, most people wounded.
4 officers and 216 men of the regiment "Groß und Erbprinz" succeeded. They were away of Badajoz, detached or sick. These men returned to Hesse in October 1812. In 1814 circa 200 prisoners of war came back to the Grand Duchy. Between 1808 and 1812 the regiment lost 13 officers killed, 25 wounded and about 1300 men in the Peninsula.
I've mentioned above, that the regiment "Groß und Erbprinz" was reorganised on french pattern at the beginning of the Peninsular War. But likely the french uniform was fully adopted between 1809 and 1810. So we also have to look on the uniforms of the former Brigade "Groß und Erbprinz".
The coat was darkblue with yellow collar, cuffs and lapels; white waistcoat. White trousers were worn over black gaiters. The leather equipment also in white. A bicorn was worn with a plume in company colours: 1. yellow, 2. black, 3. blue, 4. red and officers black over red.
The fusiliers wore green coats. I've mentioned above the mustering of the hessian troops by Marshal Lefebvre. We know, that at GroßGerau the different men were mixed, to get new companies. Because of that the former blue and green uniforms appeared in the same company.
To get these soldiers, you can use Esci's Prussian Infantry of 1806.
The new uniforms in the Peninsular War had the following appearance:
Dark blue coat with yellow collar and cuffs; red turnbacks. Red epaulettes (Grenadiers) resp. green epaulettes (Voltigeurs). White waistcoat, darkblue breeches, high black gaiters with yellow buttons. The other buttons in white. Frequently brown trousers were worn (supply problems!). White leather equipment.
French infantry shako replaced the bicorn. At the front, a white metal shield bearing the Hessian lion und red-within-white cockade held by white loop and button. The chinscales were black edged with the facing colour. The loops of the shako were red (Grenadiers), green (Voltigeurs) or white (Fusiliers). A red (Grenadiers) resp. green (Voltigeurs) plume. Officers wore bicorns.
The equipment on french pattern.
Here you can use the french infantry of Airfix (also Hät is coming soon!!!), Esci or Italeri.
The uniform of the artillery is like that of the infantry, but with black collar and lapels piped red. Contre-epaulettes were worn.
Here you can take the french line artillery of airfix.
This is the end of the article. Maybe the collectors are inspired: Come on, what do you think about a diorama with plastic soldiers attacking a spanish fortress. I think, it would be very impressive.
Literature: Keim, Geschichte des 4. Großherzoglich Hessischen Infanterie Regiment (Prinz Karl) Nr. 118 und seiner Stämme 1699-1878, Berlin 1879; Esselborn, Die Hessen in Spanien und in englischer Gefangenschaft 1808-1814, Darmstadt 1912; Pivka, Napoleon's German Allies (5): Hessen Darmstadt and Hessen Kassel (Osprey Men at Arms 122), London 1982; Knötel/Sieg: Farbiges Handbuch der Uniformkunde. Band 1, Augsburg 1996; Haythornthwaite, Uniforms of the Peninsular Wars, London 1995.
© 1998 Andreas Kopp, M.A.
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