Austrian Volunteer Corps in Mexico

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The Austrian Volunteer Corps in Mexico was a protection force for Emperor Maximilian of Mexico set up on the basis of the Convention between Austria and Mexico of October 19, 1864 about the recruitment of a volunteer corps for Mexican military service . Immediately after Maximilian had decided in April 1864 to accept the dignity of Mexico as emperor and sealed it with his oath to the empire, Emperor Franz Joseph issued a handwritten approval to begin recruiting the volunteers. The formation of a brigade with a strength of about 6,500 men was planned.

Structure of the corps

Recruitment and placement

The collection point of the Austrians was the city of Ljubljana - today's Ljubljana in Slovenia, the advertising offices were set up in all districts of the monarchy. Practically every citizen could register, provided he was no longer required to do military service, as well as all active members of the Imperial and Royal Army who had to request their admission in writing. Of the 7,211 people admitted, 232 were discharged for health or family reasons and 86 "because of incompatibility". Another 52 people had deserted before embarkation and 29 died during the time of deployment.

Crossing and arrival in Mexico

Five transport ships were chartered for the crossing, which from November 19, 1864 to the end of March 1865 brought a total of 6,812 men, including 215 officers, from Trieste across the Atlantic to the Mexican port city of Veracruz . Together with two Belgian hunter battalions under the command of Belgian Colonel Alfred van der Smissen , the Imperial Mexican corps of Austrian and Belgian volunteers under the command of Major General Franz Graf Thun-Hohenstein was to be formed.

commitment

Contrary to its original dedication as the personal protection force of the imperial couple, the corps was placed under the command of the French intervention troops , Marshal François-Achille Bazaine . The troops were thus fully involved in the fighting. The first year of 1865 can definitely be rated as successful: in 55 successful battles with only nine unsuccessful actions, the assigned operational area, the Sierra del Norte, was brought under control and a sustained armistice with the rebellious Indians under Juan Francisko Lukas was concluded.

The beginning of the end

For all the military successes that Count Thun was able to achieve with his volunteers in the Sierra, the French troops were the only guarantee to keep the increasingly active and growing Republicans in check. But Napoléon III. was forced to withdraw its troops from Mexico under increasing pressure from the USA, which has now been able to end its own civil war. Since the state was practically bankrupt at the beginning of 1866 and was no longer able to raise the pay for the two Freikorps, the Austrian and Belgian contingents were incorporated into the French armed forces in May 1866. Together with the associations of the Foreign Legion , they became the "Division auxiliaire étrangère", another reason for the USA to also accuse the Austrians of the demonized intervention in Mexico. The diplomatic pressure on Austria was so strong that the personnel replacement that was already on the way was ordered back.

The real end, however, were the two heavy defeats of Santa Gertrudis in September and Carbonera in October 1866, with which the loss of the cities of Matamoros and Oaxaca was connected.

Dissolution and repatriation

In a handwritten letter dated December 6, 1866, Maximilian ordered the dissolution of the Belgian and Austrian corps and, at the same time, the establishment of the Mexican National Army . 3428 Austrians decided to return home, 1011 to stay in Mexico and join the national army. The returnees were embarked in Vera Cruz together with the French troops and at their expense. For the returnees, disappointment was inevitable. Those who could put aside some of the little they had earned were still in a good position compared to those who returned home disabled. They relied solely on the alms of society. Two support associations finally raised a sum of 18,100 guilders to alleviate the worst misery.

losses

Of the 6,812 volunteers who had moved to Mexico, 3,428 returned to Austria.

  • 256 fell.
  • 432 died of illnesses.
  • 34 committed suicide.
  • 30 were executed by a court martial.
  • 10 were expelled from the army.
  • 1071 were considered missing.
  • 407 had deserted or had been forced to defeat by the Republicans.

The remaining difference of 140 people is probably due to inaccuracies in the management of the stand.

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