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Colonel Borremans (also known as Van den Elsken) had founded a unit of volunteers, Les Chasseurs de Bruxelles (the Hunters of Brussels), at the time of the Belgian revolution, a coup that led, in 1830, to the separation from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands of the provinces of the South and therefore to the birth of the present Belgian state. Borremans participated in the attempts of the orangist faction to put an end to the acts of the usurpers.

The "Hunters of Brussels"

Borremans, a brewer's son, aged 26, who originated from the area around the Old Grain Market Place in the center of Brussels, had gathered around him under the denomination of ‘Hunters of Brussels‘, during the riots of the month of August 1830 and at the time of the prologue to the fights of September 24, a group of - more or less - 200 volunteers. The Hunters found shelter in the barracks of the fire brigade of the district of the Old Grain Market Place. His group, having participated in the fights of the 22 and September 23 and in the fight of the public garden of Brussels, where the army of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands had found shelter, had been recognized as "regular" troops on September 27 by the provisional government of the rebels. They were the first unit of infanterists to be incorporated in the new army. The same day, this unit was completed with 200 volunteers of the region of Ath. Borremans made a quick career to the head of this corps; he advanced in rank when he became major on September 28 and on October 5 he was already lieutenant colonel. Meanwhile, the corps had officialy acquired the denomination of "Hunters of Brussels", while counting some 450 men grouped in six companies and a staff. The Hunters wore an authorized uniform, that consisted of a blue tunic, a lumbar ribbon and a black police hat with a tricolor rosette. On November 1, the provisional government made a decree establishing the 1st Regiment of Hunters on foot, of which Borremans' Hunters of Brussels constituted the core. The decree was confirmed by the National Congress of Belgium, the temporary legislative institution having for task the development of a new constitution which was ratified by the first assembly of November 10. It is only on February 25 1831 that Borremans, then colonel, got effectively the command over this huddle, grouped in two batallions, that had grown to some 950 agitators. Brussels became for these poor wretched soldiers the main seat, where they had to secure the city and to maintain the order there.

Resistance by the orangists

By the time it became obvious that the provisional government and the National Congress, established by the southern rebels after having overthrown the legitimate regime in this part of the Kingdom, were incapable of getting any credibility, nor with the press, nor with the French intimidating schemers dedicated to loud agitation in the tribune of the public during the gahterings of the Convention, and with in the backgroud on the one hand the Congress writing the new constitution and on the other hand the candidacy to the Belgian trone of the Duke of Nemours, son of the new king of France, Louis-Philippe, the orangist faction in the southern part of the Netherlands could easily increase it's public support. The orangists realized a network able to re-establish the legitimate regime, a network in which were represented, among others, the former minister Gobbelschroy, the industrial of Liège John Cockerill, the commander of the troops of the provisional government to Bruges Ernest Grégoire, the chief of the home guard baron Emmanuel d‘Hoogvorst and his brother Joseph, Charles Morel and the generals Goblet and Van der Smissen. Faced with the inability of the new administration, colonel Borremans decided to join this network of resistants.

For the orangists, the signal to the revolt had been given when minister Alexandre Gendebien founded, on March 23 1831, day of his resignation, a National Association - a clique oriented towards France that, if it would not succeed in spite of all its schemings in getting Belgium’s annexation by France, strived all the same to reduce the southern Netherlands to a satellite state of the Kingdom of Louis-Philippe. The Association decided to organise a meeting on March 24 at the Vauxhall in Brussels‘ public garden. The orangist's network had decided to send, as one of the measures to take for the liberation of the country, colonel Borremans, chief of the Hunters and Brussels born, to the public houses to recruit partisans there in order to muddle, with their support, the meeting of the association. The colonel had appeared to be so imprudent as to plead openly for the return of the Prince of Orange, the future Willem II of the Netherlands, and proved to be incapable to ward off the empty but impressive rhetoric of the leaders of the Association. His persuasive strength left him and he and his adherents had to leave the meeting without having had any success.

At that time, the military intervention had not taken place yet; colonel Borremans would have, in the evening of the following day, to find some sympatizers in his district of the Old Grain Market Place, to support the insurrection. The colonel seemed under the impression of the failure of the previous day. In an instant of despair, he surrenders to the police of the new government, which of course was a disaster for the orangist faction. The English envoy, Lord Ponsonby, then recommended the orangists to cancel the intervention. Most members of the resistance were able to escape, but colonel Borremans was summoned in justice and convicted by a military courthouse. On May 31 1831, he was condemned by the military Superior Courthouse and scratched of the military ranks because of: "the non denunciation of a plot against the security of the Belgian state". His condemnation will lead to anti-orangist riots. The regiment itself had been transferred towards Aalst - Dendermonde. Borremans, having always denied the accusations, was pardoned on the occassion of the marriage of Leopold I, who meanwhile had accepted the throne of the Belgian Kingdom. Borremans left the jail only in September 1832.

Sources

History of the carabineers (nl)
Political crimes (nl)
K. van Overmeire, Het verloren eiland (the lost isle), Egmont uitgeverij, Brussel, 2005 (nl)

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 '''Colonel Borremans''' (also known as '''Van den Elsken''') had founded a unit of volunteers, '''Les Chasseurs de Bruxelles''' (the Hunters of Brussels), at the time of the [[Belgian revolution]], a coup that led, in [[1830]], to the separation from the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands]] of the provinces of the South and therefore to the birth of the present [[Belgian]] state. Borremans participated in the attempts of the [[orangist]] faction to put an end to the acts of the usurpers.
 ==The "Hunters of Brussels"==
-Borremans, a brewer's son, aged 26, who originated from the area around the Old Grain Market Place in the center of [[Brussels]], had gathered around him under the denomination of ‘Hunters of Brussels‘, during the riots of the month of August [[1830]] and at the time of the prologue to the fights of [[September 24]], a group of - more or less - 200 volunteers. The Hunters found shelter in the barracks of the fire brigade of the district of the Old Grain Market Place. His group, having participated in the fights of the 22 and [[September 23]] and in the fight of the park of Brussels, where the army of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands had found shelter, had been recognized as "regular" troops on [[September 27]] by the [[provisional government]] of the rebels. They were the first unit of infanteristes to be incorporated in the new army. The same day, this unit was completed with 200 volunteers of the region of [[Ath]]. Borremans made a quick career to the head of this corps; he advanced in rank when he became major on [[September 28]] and on [[October 5]] he was already [[lieutenant colonel]]. Meanwhile, the corps had officialy acquired the denomination of "Hunters of Brussels", while counting some 450 men grouped in six companies and a staff. The Hunters wore an authorized uniform, that consisted of a blue tunic, a lumbar ribbon and a black police hat with a tricolor rosette. On [[November 1]], the provisional government made a decree establishing the 1st Regiment of Hunters on foot, of which Borremans' Hunters of Brussels constituted the core. The decree was confirmed by the [[National Congress of Belgium]], the temporary legislative institution having for task the development of a new constitution which was ratified by the first assembly of [[November 10]]. It is only on [[February 25]] [[1831]] that Borremans, then colonel, got effectively the command over this huddle, grouped in two batallions, that had grown to some 950 agitators. Brussels became for these poor wretched soldiers the main seat, where they had the order to secure the city and to maintain the order there.
+Borremans, a brewer's son, aged 26, who originated from the area around the Old Grain Market Place in the center of [[Brussels]], had gathered around him under the denomination of ‘Hunters of Brussels‘, during the riots of the month of August [[1830]] and at the time of the prologue to the fights of [[September 24]], a group of - more or less - 200 volunteers. The Hunters found shelter in the barracks of the fire brigade of the district of the Old Grain Market Place. His group, having participated in the fights of the 22 and [[September 23]] and in the fight of the public garden of Brussels, where the army of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands had found shelter, had been recognized as "regular" troops on [[September 27]] by the [[provisional government]] of the rebels. They were the first unit of infanterists to be incorporated in the new army. The same day, this unit was completed with 200 volunteers of the region of [[Ath]]. Borremans made a quick career to the head of this corps; he advanced in rank when he became major on [[September 28]] and on [[October 5]] he was already [[lieutenant colonel]]. Meanwhile, the corps had officialy acquired the denomination of "Hunters of Brussels", while counting some 450 men grouped in six companies and a staff. The Hunters wore an authorized uniform, that consisted of a blue tunic, a lumbar ribbon and a black police hat with a tricolor rosette. On [[November 1]], the provisional government made a decree establishing the 1st Regiment of Hunters on foot, of which Borremans' Hunters of Brussels constituted the core. The decree was confirmed by the [[National Congress of Belgium]], the temporary legislative institution having for task the development of a new constitution which was ratified by the first assembly of [[November 10]]. It is only on [[February 25]] [[1831]] that Borremans, then colonel, got effectively the command over this huddle, grouped in two batallions, that had grown to some 950 agitators. Brussels became for these poor wretched soldiers the main seat, where they had to secure the city and to maintain the order there.
 ==Resistance by the orangists ==
 By the time it became obvious that the provisional government and the National Congress, established by the southern rebels after having overthrown the legitimate regime in this part of the Kingdom, were incapable of getting any credibility, nor with the press, nor with the French intimidating schemers dedicated to loud agitation in the tribune of the public during the gahterings of the Convention, and with in the backgroud on the one hand the Congress writing the new constitution and on the other hand the candidacy to the Belgian trone of the Duke of Nemours, son of the new king of France, [[Louis-Philippe]], the [[orangist]] faction in the southern part of the Netherlands could easily increase it's public support. The orangists realized a network able to re-establish the legitimate regime, a network in which were represented, among others, the former minister [[Pierre Louis Joseph Servais Gobbelschroy|Gobbelschroy]], the industrial of [[Liège]] [[John Cockerill]], the commander of the troops of the provisional government to [[Bruges]] Ernest Grégoire, the chief of the home guard baron [[Emmanuel van der Linden d'Hooghvorst|Emmanuel d‘Hoogvorst]] and his brother Joseph, Charles Morel and the generals [[Albert Goblet of Alviella|Goblet]] and Van der Smissen. Faced with the inability of the new administration, colonel Borremans decided to join this network of resistants.