The Brunswick Black Band
The following is another contributed article from now prolific author, Andreas Kopp, M.A. Mr. Kopp has certainly done his part in increasing our knowledge of German military history. This is his third contribution to the HäT web site.
Known these days as manufacturers of bowling, billiard and washroom equipment, the unrelated Brunswick troops were one of the most remarkable armies and stories of the Napoleonic times. The Duchy of Brunswick is a Dukedom in Northern Germany and the Duke of Brunswick became a veritable and implacable foe of Napoleon when Napoleon literally erased the Duchy of Brunswick off the map. Overrun, harried and betrayed but not beaten in spirit, the Duke embarked his whole army onto English ships to fight another day. The Brunswickers gave a good account of themselves in the Peninsular War (one cannot imagine a worser climate than Spain to fight in black!) and returned for an encore Emperor toppling engagement at Waterloo. Without further ado, here is the article, produced verbatim.
The year 1807 brought the end of the Brunswick Duchy. As a result of the prussian-french war of 1806 the duchy was resolved and incorporated in the newly created kingdom of Westfalia. Duke Friedrich Wilhelm, the successor to the throne (his father was mortally wounded at Auerstedt), retired to Bruchsal in Badonia. In 1809, the Peninsular War lasted for one year, Austria got hopeful and Duke Friedrich Wilhelm made his way to Vienna, to sign a convention with the austrian emperor. After a few negotiations a treaty came about: Duke Friedrich Wilhelm set up a corps at his own cost of 2000 men as an ally, not as a part, of the austrian troops. From Vienna the Duke departed to his principality Oels to make his preparations for war against France. He occupied the principalities of Oels and Bernstadt with debts and so he got the money to organize his corps. On 1st April 1809 he gathered his troops around the town Nachod.
Originally the corps should consist of a light infantry regiment with 8 companies divided in two battalions. Also a hussar regiment with 8 squadrons and a battery horse artillery were planned. The Duke himself was obsessed with thoughts of revenge against Napoleon and France. As a physical expression of his feelings, he clothed his corps totally in black: So he owned his nickname as "Black Duke". His troops were known as the "Black Band".
In April 1809 the war started. In Bohemia Generalmajor am Ende commanded the austrian troops and they gathered around Theresienstadt. Part of his force were the Black Band and the Kur-Hessians of the former prince of Hessen Kassel. Up to may 1809 the troops were defensive. At 25th May the saxonian troops of Colonel Thielmann (ally of France) invaded Bohemia. In a countermovement the Black Duke conquered the saxonian city Zittau. Thielmann withdrew to Dresden. After the battle of Aspern the austrian troops of am Ende were reinforced to a total strength of 10.000 men and archduke Charles ordered a diversionary raid into Saxony. The action started on 10th of June. Thielmann left Dresden and the austrian force made his way in the city. On 12th June the Black Band, supported by austrian rifle troops, advanced to Gorbitz and pushed Thielmann back. The king of Saxony cried for help. The King of Westfalia, Napoleons brother Jerome, sent parts of his guard division and the 3. Bergisch Line Infantry Regiment to Eisenach; and on 22 June he left Kassel with the rest of the Guards Division, the 2nd Westfalian Division and the 3rd Dutch Division. On 25 June he reached Merseburg.
Meanwhile on 22. June the Austrians and the Black Band had occupied Leipzig. But on the approach of Jerome's superior forces they left the city on 24 June. Two days later Jerome entered the city and on 28 June the first clash between the Black Band and the Westfalians took place.
The austrian forces were now formed into the XI. Corps under Feldmarschall-Leutnant Freiherr von Kienmayer. Their activities were transferred into Franconia. On 1st July Jerome's force reached Dresden; he left this city on the 3rd to join with Marshall Junot's corps at Hof (Franconia). Meanwhile Kienmayer's corps was driven out of Nünberg by Junot. The force fall back on Hof and here on 8th July Junot was stopped (Battle of Berneck and Gefrees). Kienmayer now turned on Jerome and confronted him at Hof on 11th July. Jerome withdrew to Erfurt (17th July), pursued by the austrians. Here Jerome heard of the armistice of Znaim (12. June 1809) between France and Austria und he thankfully hurried back to his capital at Kassel. In Erfurt he left Gratien's 3rd Dutch Division (5.300 men, consisting of the 6., 7.,8. and 9. Dutch Line Infantry Regiment, the 2nd Dutch Cuirassier Regiment and three companies of artillery). Thielman's Saxons remained in Saxony (2.000 men, consisting of 4 squadrons "Zastrow" cuirassiers, one squadron "von Polens" cheveaulegers, three squadrons saxon hussars, Grenadier-Battalion "von Einsiedel", combined infantry battalion "Welan", two companies infantry regiment "von Burgsdorf", one musketeer battalion Infantry Regiment "von Oebschelwitz", two and a half foot artillery batteries and one horse artillery battery).
The Black Duke was shocked by the armistice of Znaim. His hopes were buried on the fields of Wagram. But his fate laid in his own hands. He, as ally of the austrians, decided to fought on. In the past campaign he failed to translate his aims into action. As part of an austrian corps his dreams of an uprising in northern germany and a recovery of his duchy wasn't to be realized. The plan of his commander in chief Kienmayer to support with the aid of the Black Band an uprising in Hessen Kassel, was superseded by the armistice. Now the chains were fallen down. The Black Duke decided a raid to the cost, hoping that there will be a revolt in northern germany, calculating that the english fleet, that laid at the northern shores, could evacuate his troops.
The Black Band consisted at this moment of the following troops: 1. Light Infantry Battalion (Major von Fragstein) with 500 men; 2. Light Infantry Battalion(Major von Reichmeister) with 500 men; 3. or free "Jäger" battalion (Major von Herzberg) with 150 men; Sharpshooters company (Major von Scriever) with 150 men; Hussars regiment (Major Schrader) with 550 men; Squadron of Uhlans (Lancers) (Rittmeister Graf von Wedel) with 80 men and a battery horse artillery (Premierleutnant Genderer) with 80 men and four canons. So the forces of the Black Duke came on a strength of 2010 men with 100 officers.
On 26th July the Black Band reached Halle. Here the Black Duke emptied the public crest, and recruited new men. The next day King Jerome ordered General Rewbell in Hannover, General Gratien in Erfurt and General Michaud in Magdeburg to find and destroy the Black Band.
Rewbell gathered his troops in Celle ( 1st and 6th Westfalian Line Infantry Regiments, the 1st Westfalian Cuirassier Regiment, the 3rd Bergisch Line Infantry Regiment, a foot and horse artillery battery with ten guns), and ordered the 5th Westfalian Infantry Regiment in Halberstadt to join him. The Black Duke, hearing that the 5th Regiment stood in an exposed position, decided to attack. At 6pm on 29th July the Brunswickers arrived outside the walls of Halberstadt. The westfalian commander Oberst Graf Wellingerode sent out a few companies to throw them back. The Black Duke answered with canister shots and the westfalians withdrew. The Duke assembled now his troops in two assault columns. He led one of them against the Harsleber Gate while another column assaulted the Kuhlinger Gate. Here the fighting was heavy and the casualties numerous until the gate were shot in by a gun crewed by officers. The sharpshooters rushed in the town, shouting "Sieg oder Tod" (Victory or Dead).
The fight at the Harsleber Gate was also heavy, but finally the Brunswickers made their way. Two companies of the 2nd battalion attacked the Johannis Gate and also gained entrance to the town.
The cavalry of the Black Band now entered the town by the Kuhlinger Gate. Driven through the city the westfalian resistance died down. Next day the Brunswickers found that they had captured 80 officers and 2000 men, nearly 600 westfalians were dead or wounded. About 100 westfalians escaped. The losses of the Black Band were 400 killed or wounded. The 5th regiment was wiped out.
After reinforcing his troops from captured stocks and men, the Black Duke pushed on to his former capital Brunswick, which he reached on the evening of 31st july. But there was no uprising in the duke's favour and so the Black Duke decided to go on to the coast. On 1st august Rewbell expected him at Oelper in the north of Brunswick. 100 Brunswickers and 200 Westfalians sallied out. The tactical success was on the westfalian site. But Rewbell could not manage the result and withdrew to Celle. Approaching once more to Oelper, he had to find out, that the Black Duke was on his way to Hannover. From there the Black Band approached to Hoya. Here the Black Duke ordered a countermarch of a part of his troops to lead Rewbell astray. They were sent to Bremen and the Duke himself led his force to Elsfleth. The plan was successful and after a short skirmish at Heidkrug the detached troop reached on 6th July the main body of the Black Band. Rewbell roved about, and the Black Band embarked 1.600 men strong on english ships, which took them first to Helgoland and then to the Isle of Wight.
The behaviour of Rewbell was very strange. Possibly he distrusted his own men, cause there were a lot of Brunswickers among them. In any case, a furious King Jerome sent General Bongars to Bremen to remove Rewbell from his command. But Rewbell wasn't to be found: He had slipped away and was on his way to America.
Before we follow the way of the Black Band to the peninsular shores, it's time to describe the uniforms of 1809, because during the time of reorganisation in England there were a lot of changes concerning the habit of the soldiers.
The infantry battalions wore the socalled Litewka (Polrock, Kutka). It was a black, single breasted coat with skirts which reached down to just above the knees. The breast of the Litewka was covered by six rows of black lace. The standing collar was light blue. The cuffs pointed and black (some sources refer also on light blue cuffs). The trousers were black with a small light blue side strip. Black shoes and gaiters with black buttons were worn. The leather equipment was also black. A brown calfskin pack were worn on the back; at its top a rolled grey greatcoat.
The shako were of black felt, slightly larger at the top, with a black leather peak, top, bands and chin strap. A black horsehair plume and a white metal skull-and-crossbones badge were fitted on the shako.
Here I recommend a conversion of Airfix' or Hät's prussian militia. The lace rows are to be painted on the breast. The heads of the french Infantry (Esci, Italeri, Airfix) or the russian Infantry (Esci) are to be used. At the top of the shako you can fix a modeled horsehair plume.
The 3rd free "Jäger" battalion wears a shorter black double-breasted coat with yellow collar and piping. The rest of the uniform was identically to the above described. Here you can use the prussian infantry (Revell) with the heads mentioned above (The sources in the case of the 3rd battalion are contradictory. Some authors describes the same uniform, refrain from the distinguishing colors, like that of the 1st and 2nd battalion).
The sharpshooters are Hät's Brunswick Avantgarde. They wear a dark green, double breasted, coat with yellow buttons. Collar, cuffs shoulder straps and skirt turnbacks were red. Long grey or white trousers were worn over shoes and black gaiters. The black corsican hat was worn without a plume. Officers wear the infantry shako and grey trousers with red piping.
The hussar uniform was similar to that of the infantry. The shako was the same but with brass chin scales. The dolman was black, with a light blue collar and light blue pointed cuffs. Above the cuffs were black Hungarian knots. The chest of the dolman bore 14 rows of round black lace. The seams on the back of the dolman and sleeves were decorated with round black lace. A yellow cord sash with light blue barrels was worn. Under black overalls with light blue side piping, hussar boots were worn. Officers wear the Litwka instead of the dolman. Black sheepskin saddle covers with light blue wolf's tooth edging as horse furniture.
Here you can use the hussar sets of the different companies (for example the french hussars of Italeri). As officers you can fall back upon Hät's prussian dragoons.
The Uhlans are the polish lancers of Esci. Typical lancer Kurtka with red facings (collar, pointed cuffs, lapels, shoulder straps, turnbacks and piping) and yellow buttons.Under the dark green overalls with red piping, black boots were worn.
Square topped Czapka having a yellow upper part and a black leather lower part and peak. The white metal skull-and-crossbones badge was fixed at the front. The cords were yellow.
A yellow over red pennant was fixed at the lance. The shabraques were edged in red.
The artillery wears the same shako like the infantry. Trousers and equipment like that of the hussars; a short black coat with six rows of round black lace. The standing collar, polish cuffs, shoulder straps and skirt turnbacks in light blue.
Here you can use the british horse artillery of Esci or Airfix, with the above mentioned infantry shako, or the tin figures Brunswick artillery of Jörg Schmähling.
On the Isle of Wight the brunswick troops were reorganised. On 8. october 1810 the "Brunswick-Oels Jäger", the new name of the regiment, landed in Lisbon. The regiment consisted of 12 companies and a regimental headquarter. It was part of Packenham's Brigade in Cole's 4th division. Shortly afterwards they were transferred to General Craufords Light Divison. Here the Brunswick troops took part in the pursuit of Marshal Massena from the Lines of Torres Vedras (17th November) and in the skirmish at Santarem (19th November). Other actions were Redinha (12.3.1811), Casal Novo (14.3.1811) and Foz d'Arouce (16.3.1811). In April 1811 nine companies were transferred to von Altens Brigade in the 7th Division. One company was detached to Ellis Brigade in the 4th Division, one company to Greville's Brigade in the 5th Division. Likely the three companies were the sharpshooters.
The regiment took part at the battle of Fuentes d'Onoro (3-5 May 1811) and at both sieges of Badajoz (9 June 1811 and 6 April 1812). Further actions were at Salamanca (22.7.1812), Vitoria (21.6.1813), Maya and Roncevalles (25.7.1813), Sorauren (28.7. and 30.7.1813) Echalar (2.8.1813), St. Sebastian (31.8.1813) Bidassoa (7.10.1813), Nivelle (10.11.1813), Nive (9.-10.11.1813) and Ortez (27.2.1814). An anlaysis of the losses of the Brunswick-Oels Jäger in the Peninsula shows, that they seldom stood in the eye of the storm. 252 men were killed, wounded or missed in action. At Orthez the Brunswick Troops were quite heavily involved. The total losses amounted to 48 men. It seems, that the english commanders distrusted the Brunswickers. The sources report, that the desertion-rate was severe. In August 1813 Wellimgton noted that no fewer than ninety had deserted in the "last few days" and Crauford made the following remark: " If any of these gentlemen have a wish to go over to the enemy, let them express ist, and I give my word of honour I will grant them a pass to that effect instantly, for we are better without such."
In my opinion this judgement is to subjective. It is well-known, that casualities as cause of diseases were very high in the Peninsular War, on both sides. The reinforcements that joined the Brunswickers were taken out of german speaking prisoners of war. So, in my opinion, the severe desertion rate isn't astonishing. I think, that the main body of the troops remained intact - have a look at the Brunswick engagement at Quatre Bras and Waterloo -, but this main body have had extreme difficulties to integrate the miserable reinforcements. Unfortunately the negative judgement appears all along the english literature about the napoleonic wars, but this isn't strange: Remember the treatment of the dutch and belgian forces at Waterloo in english books.
Now it's time to look at the Brunswick Cavalry in the Peninsular War. A reorganised Hussar regiment with two squadrons appeared in the Peninsula, but on the eastside. Here it took part in the misleaded raid on Tarragona. Then, on 25th August 1813, the Brunswick Hussars with 18 officers and 258 men were part of Bentinck's Brigade on the east coast of Spain. At Villa Franca (13.9.1813) they lost 3 officers and 50 men killed, wounded or missing. In 1814 they took part in the invasion of sicily.
You see, the Brunswickers have had a positive share in the Peninsular war, despite of the apologetic british historians. On 25th december 1814 the Brunswick infantry returned home, the hussars remained in british service up to summer 1815.
It is obvious that the english style was adopted, but the main appearance of the Black Band was retained. The infantry wears the same shako as in 1809. The Litewka gave way to a short, dolmanlike tunic in black, with black cuffs, light blue collar and black lace on the chest. The trousers were black with light blue side piping, worn over short black gaiters. The equipment was british.
So, for conversion, you can use Hät's Avantgarde with the above explained shako. Also you can use the prussian infantry of Revell with the same shako.
The sharpshooters are surely the troops of Hät, but with the infantry shako. Darkgreen single-breasted tunic with light blue collar, cuffs and short turnbacks. Light grey trousers with light blue piping, worn over short black gaiters. Because the sharpshooters carried the baker rifle, you can also use the Rifles of Revell, with the restyled shako.
The hussars looked like 1809. The sash was now light blue and crimson and instead of overalls the men wore black hussar breeches in hussar boots. Also a black pelisse was worn.
An artillery unit wasn't engaged in the Peninsular war.
This is the end of my article. The engagement of the Brunswick Troops at Quatre Bras and Waterloo will be treated at another time.
Literature: Haythornthwaite, Uniforms of the Peninsular War, London 1995; Pivka, Brunswick Troops 1809-1815 (Osprey Men at Arms 167), London 1987; Gill, With Eagles to glory, London 1992; Kortzfleisch, Des Herzogs FriedrichWilhelm von Braunschweigs Zug durch Norddeutschland im Jahre 1809, 1894; Schneidawind, Der Feldzug des Herzogs Friedrich Wilhelm von Braunschweig und seines Schwarzen Korps im Jahre 1809, Darmstadt 1851; Knötel/Sieg, Farbiges Handbuch der Uniformkunde, Band 1, Augsburg 1996.
© 1998 Andreas Kopp, M.A.
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