2nd Westphalian Hussar Regiment

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2nd Westphalian hussar regiment, officer around 1812 (after Knoetel)

The second (royal) Westphalian Hussar Regiment was a cavalry joined the army of the satellite State Kingdom of Westphalia in the time of the Napoleonic Wars .

History and background

The 2nd Royal Westphalian Hussar Regiment was established around 1807. From 1808 to 1812, interrupted by numerous war missions and often alternating with the 1st Westphalian Cuirassier Regiment , the city of Aschersleben was divided as a garrison with the still existing facilities of the Old Prussian Cuirassier Regiment No. 6, which went down in 1806 . Various other Napoleonic cavalry regiments were also temporarily quartered in the city . The second Westphalian hussar regiment under Colonel Karl Christoph Wilhelm von Hessberg was also recruited from local recruits.

The commander in chief of the superordinate army units (light cavalry brigade at least in Germany in 1809, 1810 and 1813; and the Westphalian light cavalry division of the VII Army Corps of the Grande Armée in Russia in 1812) was mostly General William Friedrich von Hammerstein (possibly also Hans Georg von Hammerstein- Equord ), scion of a baron family from the former aristocratic electoral Hanover military cadre families (see also: Reiter-Rgt. V. Hammerstein, 1759 ).

After the Russian campaign in 1812 and a reorganization in 1813, based on only 40 survivors, the regiment under General William Friedrich von Hammerstein went over to the Austro-German Legion .

Known regimental members

  • Friedrich Klinkhardt : born 1788, trained musician, lived near Aschersleben until 1808, but also played occasionally in Quedlinburg, where he received an engagement in 1808. Soon he was asked to enter the Westphalian service, as he describes in his memoirs (Campaign memories of the Royal Westphalian music master Friedrich Klinkhardt from the years 1812-1815):

.... on January 3, 1810 , I was shaken from my sleep and told that a hussar in a blue uniform wanted to speak to me and had to give me a letter. ... The hussar, a Quedlinburg child, named Littge, was a sergeant in the 2nd Westphalian hussar regiment and had already completed the campaigns in Spain . The letter contained a briefly military question as to whether I would be inclined to take over the direction of the music corps in the aforementioned Hussar Regiment ... The letter was signed by Colonel von Heßberg (Karl Christoph Wilhelm v. Heßberg; other spelling: Hessberg) in Aschersleben and dated January 3, 1810. ... On the next day I received the reply from the colonel, who briefly explained to me that I had at least consulted with my principal, who wanted to hold me back out of self-interest and at least with me also dictated yesterday's (negative) answer. I shouldn't be a fool and follow the colonel's well-intentioned advice. In any case, I should visit him in Aschersleben . ... As I proudly drove up to the royal post office in front of the colonel's house on the following day, my confidence suffered quite a shock when the sentinel thundered me violently. ... Herr von Heßberg received me very kindly and expressed his astonishment at how I could still remember not to simply accept his offer, which was so advantageous ...

... Our further negotiations were interrupted by the entry of Major von Gautsch (Gotsch?), Whom our flute-playing had attracted. The latter also expressed his appreciation for my game, and we then sat down for breakfast. After this I was asked to go to the parade of the watch, and here I was introduced to the officer corps as the new music director. All my attempts to hit me sideways in the bushes were in vain; the officers stormed ... with requests to stay with the regiment, and finally Herr von Hessberg told me that I was his guest, had to dine with him, and that evening he would have the trumpeters of the hussar regiment try out with what opportunity I may choose the most capable people for the music corps. In the panel there were Major General von Hammerstein (...), six to eight Captain and Adjutant Major von der Malsburg and it overwhelmed me with honor so much that I signed the right panel reversed the contract. Only one Lieutenant Schwenke , a native of Einbeck, the son of a pastor, warned me ...

In 1812 Klinkhardt went to Russia with the regiment. During his retreat he was very fortunate to be sent ahead to Aschersleben on October 20th by the regimental commander, Colonel Karl von Hessberg , to reorganize the music corps there. After an interruption due to illness, Klinkhardt followed the remnants of the regiment and arrived in Aschersleben in the spring of 1813, where the regiment was reorganized from the tribe of around 40 hussars who had returned from Russia. Klinkhardt succeeded in forming a music corps with twelve men. But since he fell ill again, he could not move back into the field with the regiment (the regiment passed over to the Austrians under the leadership of General von Hammerstein).

  • Eduard Rüppell (also: Rüppel), born in 1792 as the son of a Landgrave Hessian councilor. He attended the military school established in Braunschweig in 1808 and in 1810, at the age of 18, became a second lieutenant in the newly established 2nd Westphalian hussar regiment, which was stationed in Aschersleben. With this regiment he went on the Russian campaign in 1812.
  • Heinrich Camin was stationed as a non-commissioned officer of the 2nd Westphalian Hussar Regiment in Aschersleben when his unit was assigned to the Russian campaign in mid-April 1812. Camin became known through a report he wrote about his participation in Napoleon's Russian campaign.

Garrison, campaigns and association membership

The following list is incomplete and is based only on the garrison data listed here and verified data for campaigns.

  • Mid-April 1812: move out to Russia
  • On September 7, 1812, participation in the Battle of Borodino in the VII Army Corps (Commander: Général de division Junot ) in the Light Cavalry Division (Major General von Hammerstein):
    • Light Cavalry Brigade: Major General von Hammerstein (Westf. 1. Hus. [4 sq.], Westf. 2. Hus. [4 sq.])
    • Light cavalry brigade: Géneral de brigade Wolf (Westf. Garde-Chevauxlegeres [4 sq.])
  • Spring 1813 in Aschersleben, new formation from around 40 hussars who have returned from Russia
  • August 23, 1813, after the armistice had expired, the regiment under Major von Penz, together with the first hussar regiment, led by General Hammerstein , went over to the Austrians from Reichenberg .
  • Part of the “ Austro-German Legion ” formed in Bohemia in 1813 . Relocated to France via Switzerland with a brigade .
  • March 20, 1814 Attack on Lyon.

uniform

The uniform and equipment followed the French model. The basic color of pants, jacket and dolman was light blue, each with white strings. The badge color was dull red with white piping. A red and white hussar sash was worn around the belly. The shako fitting made of white metal showed the Napoleonic eagle. Above it was the dark blue and white Westphalian cockade and a red pompom (white for officers) on which a red feather clip could be inserted. The officers' shako had a silver border on top. Trumpeters rode gray horses and wore black fur hats with white piped, dull red cloth bags, white hangings and white plumes over the red pompom. With them, the color sequence was exactly the opposite (dull red base color, light blue advances), but the cords were also white. For teams and musicians there was a Hungarian knot pattern on the thigh, for officers an angular one in silver. Around 1813, red overpants with silver-white edge stripes without side buttons and fur spikes with only 5 rows of cords were worn. In both Westphalian hussar regiments, the emblem on the black saber pocket was simply the regimental number made of white metal.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Emil Straßburger: History of the City of Aschersleben, Neudruck Naumburg / Saale 2003, Vol. 2, p. 393
  2. ↑ a b Thomas Hemman: knowing about the German memoirs of the Napoleonic era ( Memento of 7 June 2011 at the Internet Archive ), accessed on 8 June of 2009.
  3. ↑ http://home.germany.net/101-102451/zf/oob/1812-03-OOB-Westphalia.html
  4. ↑ Uniform table on Histofig.com ( Memento from August 15, 2011 in the Internet Archive )

literature

  • Eck, from: History of the 2nd Westphalian Hussar Regiment No. 11 and its regular troops from 1807 - 1913 ; August Bagel, Düsseldorf 1913.
  • Fritz Lünsmann: The Army of the Kingdom of Westphalia 1807-1813 . Berlin 1935.
  • Otto von Pivka: Napoleon's German Allies, (1) Westfalia and Kleve-Berg , April 1992; ISBN 9780850452112 .
  • GF Nafziger: Napoleon's Invasion of Russia . Presidio Press, Novato, CA, 1998, pp. 478-498.
  • HA Eckert / D. Monten: Das deutsche Bundesheer I , plate 49, Harenberg, Dortmund 1981, ISBN 3-88379-235-7 .
  • The consecration of the flags and standards decorated with the iron cross of the 2nd Westphalian Hussar Regiment No. 11, the Westphalian Uhlan Regiment No. 5, the Lower Rhine Fusilier Regiment No. 39, the 3rd Battalion 2nd Guard Grenadier Landwehr Regiment, 2nd Battalion 4th Westphalian Landwehr Regiment No. 17: in the field service on the Trinitatisfeste (May 26, 1872); along with an appendix on the history of the regiments and battalions mentioned above . West German Handelszeitung, Düsseldorf 1872 ( digitized edition of the University and State Library Düsseldorf ).

author

Web links