Regiment Garde-Chevaux-Legers (Hesse-Darmstadt)
| Unit Information | |
| Country |  Grand Duchy of Hesse
|
| Garrison | Darmstadt |
| Ethnicity | German |
Title |
Regiment Garde-Chevaux-Legers (From 18 August 1803) |
Commander |
Obrist Chamot (From 18 August 1803) |
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The Regiment Garde-Chevaux-Legers was the singular cavalry regiment raised by Darmstadt which participated in the Napoleonic Wars.
History
The unit was initially formed from veterans of a hussar regiment from Salm, fighting against Revolutionary France after it had threatened the Landgraviate territories west of the Rhine.
War of the Fourth Coalition
When the war against Prussia broke out, the regiment was only able to mobilize a single combined squadron due to the unpreparedness of the army. The unit would spend October 1806 moving through to Franconia, and in November a part of the regiment would join the convoy to transport Prussian prisoners to Mainz while the remainder of the unit was cantoned in Staaken. The remainder of the Hessian contingent would be sent east to join Napoleon's army in Poland in December, assembling at Brodnica[1] before moving on to join Bernadotte's corps to besiege Graudenz.
The first combat of the troopers would be on reconnaissance alongside French dragoons when a detachment of Prussian jägers fired at the squadron and deterred continued movement. Soon after the fortress would be surrounded, but the Hessians would withdraw due to the Russian-Prussian counteroffensive in the east. The detachment would spend the following month mostly on guard or reconnaissance duties, though when Bernadotte was eventually reinforced a small detachment of the Chevauxlegers would be placed in the cuirassier division of French General Jean-Louis-Brigitte d'Espagne as part of the marshal's escort. During the reestablishment of the siege of Graudenz, the detachment would engage Prussian recon groups near Gross-Schönwalde. It would continue its duties for the following months, especially with the indecisive engagement at Eylau continuing to permit Russian and Prussian cavalry to harass French-allied forces. The unit would be located at Rheden by mid-June 1807, remaining around the siege corps until news of the armistice at Tilsit came on 26 June. Afterward, the Chevauxlegers would march to Swedish Pomerania, occupying towns on the outskirts of Stralsund and later on the island of Rügen, before being demobilized after moving back to Darmstadt.
On paper, the regiment was supposed to be at the strength of three squadrons, but the rest of the unit outside of the combined squadron was slow to mobilize. These late squadrons would technically march out in 1807 but see no action and be returned home.
War of the Fifth Coalition
With the impending war in Austria, the regiment would depart on 31 January 1809 with three squadrons. It would join Napoleon's army as part of Marshal Bessières' corps for the Bavarian phase of the campaign, having its first action in the pursuit of the defeated Austrian troops at Landshut. There was one engagement with Hiller's corps at Feichten on 22 April, and a particularly distinguished action at Mühldorf am Inn where a detachment of 150 Austrian infantrymen was defeated. The troops of Hiller would however manage to evade being separated from Archduke Charles, though the pursuit would continue. On 2 May, a difficult engagement would occur at Neumarkt-Sankt Veit, where the regiment was ambushed by Austrian lancers and skirmishers. While only a few men were killed, one of the three captains, von Dalwigk was killed. Later on, the Austrians would be repelled by assisting French cavalry and the offensive would continue.
The unit with the Marulaz Division would thus be in Vienna by 10 May and sent to reconnoiter the road to Pressburg. A detachment would be hit by Austrian cavalry at Petronell, which would be repulsed despite the surprise of the attack. Soon it would be recalled to partake in the Battle of Aspern-Essling, where on the first day it would be deployed with around 50 allied squadrons to fill the space between the two settlements. On the second day, it would form a reserve behind Essling but suffer heavy casualties from the Austrian artillery. It would soon withdraw to Lobau, then move on to join the French troops dispatched to the retreating Austrian army of Archduke John. The cavalry would however mostly occupy Raab after the battle, before moving to join the crossing to Wagram. On the first day of the battle, it would attack the Austrians at Enzersdorf in the morning, forcing them to withdraw from this position. The entire division would be held back after this attack until the evening when the Hessian cavalrymen would attack the Austrian Hesse-Homburg hussars near Breitenlee. On the second day, it would suppress an artillery battery to the right of Aderklaa, supporting the Hesse-Darmstadter Leib-Regiment which was storming the village. When the Austrians finally withdrew, the squadrons would fall upon their right wing before bivouacking at Leopoldau. Its final engagement would be with the Austrian rearguard at Stockerau, however, by this point, the regiment had been thoroughly damaged by the campaign and thus halted its participation.
Russian Campaign of 1812
The regiment would be assigned to Marshal Victor's IX Corps as part of Daendels' Division. On its pass through Danzig, it would be praised by General Rapp, and it would linger in East Prussia for most of the early campaign due to Russian forces threatening the Duchy of Warsaw. After a horrible stay in Tilsit, the cavaliers moved into Russia and reached Smolensk on 29 September. When Napoleon's main army commenced its retreat, the IX Corps was made to meet the retreating II Corps of Marshal Saint-Cyr at Vitebsk. By 5 November, the regiment would be at Lukoml, where it would halt the advancing Russian forces despite the difficult conditions endured by the entire division. The retreat would continue and on 14 November, Victor's corps would fight at Smoliani but withdraw the following day to Krasnaya Gora. During this march, it would form the rearguard of the XI Corps, constantly harried by the cossacks until the Berezina where it fought a glorious final stand. Russian forces had captured the French Partoneaux Division, forcing Victor to send a patrol of Badener cavalry in the direction of Borisow with the Hessians trailing behind. The Badeners were caught severely outnumbered by Russian hussars and were saved by a timely attack of the chevauxlegers. The patrol would soon return, however, and form the rearguard of the troops crossing the Berezina, soon coming under the fire of the advancing Russian army. In the desperate defense, the Russian cuirassiers would crush the thoroughly attrited Hesse-Baden riders, which would spell the end of the regiment as an organized fighting force. Up to thirty men would be fit for duty by the night of 28 November, who would withdraw under great difficulty across the river and remain as part of Marshal Victor's headquarters for the remainder of the campaign.
War of the Sixth Coalition
At the start of the campaign, the regiment would be assigned to Marmont's VI Corps at Beaumont when it arrived in Dresden on 9 May 1813. The division would set out on the 15th to Grossenhayn where it defeated some coalition cavalry before joining Oudinot's corps on the 19th. At Bergen in the Elsterheide district, the regiment encamped with two Westphalian hussar regiments. But on the 27th, it would be surprised on three sides by enemy cavalry and be forced to retreat, however after meeting reinforcing French infantry the regiment would launch a fierce counterattack that would take 90 prisoners and capture several supply wagons. During the Battle of Luckau, the riders would be deployed to the right of Oudinot's main body, but would be defeated by the opposing Prussian cavalry. Soon after, as Napoleon won a string of victories in Lusatia a ceasefire would be signed. The regiment would be cantoned south of Frankfurt an der Oder, before being sent to the Prussian frontier towards the expiry of the truce. The regiment would also receive a reinforcement column of more than 300 soldiers as it joined a brigade with the combined Bavarian Chevauxlegers and the Westphalian Guard Chevauxlegers in Oudinot's XII Corps.
Upon the expiry of the truce, the regiment would take the offensive to the Prussians, but it would quickly be ambushed by Prussian troops at the border village of Besch. The unit would lose around 80 men and horses during this encounter, though afterward, it would continue to take the advance to Zoffen. By 21 August, the regiment would drive the Prussians back to Blankenfeld, but Oudinot would fail to capture Berlin after losing at Grossbeeren. From here the Hessian riders would form the rearguard as the corps retreated to Wittenberg, though it would only face minor skirmishes with the enemy. The regiment would fight in Dennewitz, but during the retreat, it would be caught by Russian dragoons and the regiment would be practically destroyed.
A depot would remain after having marched to Leipzig on 8 September, and it would soon meet the remains of the regiment destroyed in Dennewitz. The regiment would take a reconnaissance to Wartenburg which was heavily defended by Prussian troops, but the advancing Prussians would beat it. The regiment did not participate in the early Battle of Leipzig, though it assisted in driving out the Austrians from the left bank of the Elster by driving out an Austrian artillery battery at Plagwitz. After the French army disengaged from Leipzig, the 100-strong remainder of the unit retreated to Darmstadt, unharassed by the coalition due to the switch of allegiance by the Grand Duke.
For the campaign against France in 1814, most of the regiment would be part of the blockade corps in Mainz though a handful of men would accompany the main army on the advance to Lyon.
Organization
Unit Composition
The regiment was organized into three squadrons in 1804 after the Grand Duchy had lost its territories west of the Rhine to France.
Combinirte Escadron Garde-Chevaux-Legers (8 October 1806)
| 1 Squadron (1 Escadron) |
|---|
137 horses and a wagon. |
Regiment Garde-Chevaux-Legers (31 January 1809)
| Staff (Stabe) | 3 Squadrons (3 Escadron) |
|---|---|
|
|
| 348 horses | |
Regiment Garde-Chevaux-Legers (1812 and 1813)
| February 1812, 3 Squadrons (3 Escadron) | 14 April 1813, 4 Squadrons (4 Escadron) |
|---|---|
|
|
Colours
Dress and Armaments
| Chevaux-Leger Casque M1790 | |
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
Casque |
Black felt |
Decoration |
Mannschaft & Unterofficier Black Plume |
| Cockade | White-Blue-White |
Plate |
Brass Crowned L Monogram |
| Chinscales | Brass |
Miscellaneous |
|
| Chevaux-Leger-Regiment M1790 Uniform | ||
| Detail | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Headgear | Casque, see above | |
| Neck | Black Neckstock | |
Coat |
Cut Cavalry Spencer Kollet | |
Shoulder |
Shoulder Board Poppy Red | |
Waistcoat |
Green | |
Legwear |
Parade Uniform Buff Breeches | |
Equipment |
Crossbelts Black leather | |
| Garde-Chevaux-Leger-Regiment M1809 Uniform | ||
| Detail | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Headgear | Casque, see above | |
| Neck | Black Neckstock | |
Coat |
Cut Cavalry Spencer Kollet | |
Shoulder |
Shoulder Board Poppy Red Piped White with a White Stripe | |
Waistcoat |
Green | |
Legwear |
Parade Uniform White Breeches | |
Equipment |
Crossbelts Black leather | |
Rank insignia followed the same as the infantry.
The regiment was equipped with carbines and light cavalry sabres.
Gallery
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Chevauxleger in 1812 (Richard Knötel, Uniformkunde) -
Chevauxlegers in 1812 (Richard Knötel, Uniformkunde) -
Riders (Achenbach-Bilderhandschrift) -
Riders (Achenbach-Bilderhandschrift) -
Officer (Achenbach-Bilderhandschrift) -
Soldiers (Achenbach-Bilderhandschrift) -
Soldiers (Achenbach-Bilderhandschrift)
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- ↑ Formerly Strasburg an der Drewenz
