the wurtembergers AT gross-beeren
(august 23, 1813)
 |
| The full 38th Division |
ACTUAL FORCES AND STRENGHTS
Wurtembergs were present at Leipzig as well as in the battles of
Gross-Beeren and Dennewitz forming part of the polyglot French IV
Corps (Bertrand)
There are some inconsistences amongst the sources I have used for the
strenght of the
Wurtemberger infantry at Gross-Beeren time. Thus, Nafziger shows
the below OOB (12 batalions) but in the stata of forces for August 15
only appear 8 batalions with 3,594 men (the missing ones are from 4th
and 6th line regiments). A plea addressed to the
NAPOLEON-SERIES
forum received a friendly answer from
Markus Stein which confirmed the OOB with 12 batalions based
upon "Geschichte der Nordarmee", published in 3 parts in 1859 to 1865
with a total for infantry of 5,698 men (Incidentally, assuming that the
missing Nafziger's 4 batalions were in route, the total forces at Agust
15 could be estimated as 3,479x12/8 = 5,391 i.e a very similar number).
"Geschichte der Nordarmee" also says that until 20th August some men
were received as reinforcements, so we can assume a near null attrition.
Some rounding up and down was necessary to accomplish the requeriments
of Napoleon's Battles and, at last, I arrived to the following numbers
(items between parenthesis are Napoleon's Battles figures)
Line Infantry 3,830 (32)
Ligh Infantry 766 (6)
Foot batteries 3 (3)
Chasseurs a cheval 310 (3)
Chevaux-legers 280 (2)
Horse batteries 1 (1)
38th Division (Franquemont)
1st Brigade (von Spitzenberg)
1/,2/1st Wurtemberg Line Regiment
(6)
1/,2/2nd Wurtemberg Line Regime(6)
2nd Brigade (Doring)
1/,2/4th Wurtemberg Line Regiment
(10)
1/,2/6th egiment (10)
3rd Brigade (Stockmayer)
1/,2/7th Wurtemberg Line Regiment(6)
1/9th Wurtemberg Light Regiment
(3)
1/10th Wurtemberg Light Regiment
(3)
Artillery
1st Wurtemberg Heavy Foot Battery
(1 no necessary)
1st Wurtemberg Light Foot Battery
(1 no necessary)
24th Light Cavalry Brigade (Briche)
1-4/3rd Wurtemberg Chasseur Regiment
(3)
1-4/1st Wurtemberg Chevauleger
Regiment
(3)
Artillery
1st Wurtemberg horse artillery
(1)
UNIFORMS AND MINIATURES
There are not specifically designed Wurtemberg figures... for 1813 at
least. It is precise to find similar ones amongst the existent. HAT
Wurtemberg Line Infantry seems to be the best alternative, but the
head-dress must be changed. After the Campaign of Russia, the
characteristics infantry helmet was substituted for a shako. The unforms
of 1813 can be seen at
HISTUNIF
and
HISTOFIG.
1) Wurtemberg Line Infantry wor a short-tailed blue habit,white
breeches and black under-knees gaiters. After 1811 the facings were only
shown at collar, cuffs, turnbacks and piping. In 1813 the
characteristics helmet was replaced by a double-peaked shako. White
double crossbelts.
2) The uniform for Wurtemberg Light Infantry had a dark-green
short-tailed habit, green trousers and black gaiters. After 1811 the
facings (sky-blue or black) were only shown at collar, cuffs, turnbacks
and piping. In 1813 the characteristics helmet was replaced by a
double-peaked shako. Buff or black double crossbelts.
3) The Chasseur a Cheval wore a dark-green short-tailed habit,
and trousers. Dark-green piped yellow facings. Black shako and
crossbelts.
4) The Chevau Leger had a blue short-tailed habit with yellow
collar, cuffs and sash, and blue piped yellow lapels and turnbacks.
White crossbelts. Helmet similar to British Heavy dragoons (post 1812).
5) The Wurtemberg Foot Artillery wore a greyish blue short-tailed
habit and trousers and black gaiters with black collar, cuffs and sash,
and blue piped yellow lapels and turnbacks. Black shako and white
crossbelts.
6) The Wurtemberg Horse Artillery wore a similar uniform to Foot
artillery but with grey breeches.
The
HISTOFIG
site gives color plates for all the uniforms.
Using the above information with the given in
The Plastic Soldier Review showing the actual posibilites (i.e.
miniatures in the market) I made the following choices:
32 Line Infantry HAT 8093 Wurtemberg
Infantry with heads from
HAT 8027 Napoleonic Austrian
Infantry (many thanks to Erik Chase
from the
HAT
forum
for his kindly help). See the technique at the 'How
to exchange heads'
Section.
6 Ligh Infantry ditto
3 Chasseurs a Cheval HAT 8032 Dutch/Belgian
Light Dragoons
2 Chevau Legers HAT 8033
British Heavy Dragoons.
0 (+2) HAT 8039 Napoleonic French Line Horse
Artillery with heads from
HAT 8027 Napoleonic Austrian
Infantry
1 Horse Artillery ditto
The guns are from
Newline
Designs painted following the Thierry Melchior's table found
at
Soldats du Premier Empire site. The flags were form
Warflag.
See a scheme of my choices and my painted miniatures
| UNIT | FIGURES | COLOR SCHEME | PICTURES | |
| Line Infantry |
HAT 8093 Wurtemberg with heads from HAT 8027 Austrian Line Infantry |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
| Light Infantry |
HAT 8093 Wurtemberg with heads from HAT 8027 Austrian Line Infantry |
 |
 |
 |
| Chevau Legers |
HAT 8033 British Heavy Dragoons |
 |
 |
|
 |
||||
| Chasseurs |
HAT 8032 Dutch/Belgian Light Dragoons |
 |
 |
|
 |
||||
| Foot Artillery | HAT 8039 French Line Horse Artillery with heads from HAT 8027 Austrian Line Infantry |
 |
 |
|
 |
||||
| Horse Artillery | As above |
 |
 |
|
 |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Napoleon at Dresden. The Battles of August 1813
George Nafziger
The Emperor Press , Chicago, 1994
1813: The Year that Doomed the Empire.
Special Study Nr.1
Operational Studies Group.