The Dutch Army in the French Revolution 1792-1795 (3)
3. INFANTRY OF THE REPUBLIC 1790-1795
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The infantry of this period can be divided into infantry of the line and light infantry. The Dutch army had, as far as is known, no integral skirmishers in the line infantry, but had some separate light units. When the war broke out, new light units (national, German and émigré) were created and/or taken into service.
The infantry also can be divided into the nationality of the units; there were National (Dutch), German, Walloon and Swiss troops. Up to 1783 some Scottish regiments existed but these were turned into National regiment in that year (which ended a long period of almost 200 years of Scottish service in Dutch pay).
Also, some contracts were signed with German rulers (eg with the Dutch Stadtholder as ruler of the principality of Nassau) and foreign regiments and/or battalions were hired in Germany in the 1792-1795 period.
When the revolution broke out, French émigré units were also taken into the Dutch service.
3.2 INFANTRY ORGANISATION
The strength of the regiments given are of course theoretical. The real strength was mostly far lower as is shown in the 1793/94 battlefield organisation where of the 12 musketeer companies of a national regiment a field battalion of 8 companies (1793) or even 6 companies (1794/95) was formed. Of the remaining companies a weak depot was formed.
The theoretical given strength underneath is based on H.Hardenberg: "Overzicht der voornaamste bepalingen betreffende de sterkte, samenstelling, betaling, verzorging en verpleging van het Nederlandsche leger" (The Hague 1858).
In table 3.2.1 underneath is given:
- the strength for the 1792 budget,
- the 1793 augmentation (a) or reinforcements at the beginning of 1793 and the new 1793 strength.
In the table are the strength of the regimental staff, grenadier and musketier companies, the amount of battalions in the regiment and the amount of companies (grenadier/musketeer) in the battalion and at last the battalion and regimental total strength. Remember, these are theoretical.
For campaign purposes, the grenadier companies of various regiments were combined to form separate grenadierbattalions, how they were combined is given later. In the 1793 campaign these grenadier battalions were mostly of 8 companies; in the 1794/1795 campaign they went down to 6 companies.
Guard infantry
In 1792 there existed a regiment Hollandse Garde, a Swiss Guard regiment and from 1/1/1793 a battalion Garde Walen (Guard Walloon) de Perez (although this battalion was on the budget of 1792 already).
There existed also 2 seperate guard companies (although these were no battlefield troops) of 202 men (Garde Friesland) and 75 men (Garde Groningen).
Line infantry
In 1792 there were 39 line infantry regiments of which:
- 26 Dutch (of which two were called marine-regiments),
- 7 German,
- 5 Swiss and
- 1 Walloon regiment.
All except the Walloon regiment had 2 battalions.
The Walloon regiment had 3 battalions but on 1/1/1793 the Walloon regiment (named Nassau-Usingen) lost its third battalion which became the battalion "Garde Walen de Perez" so in fact all regiments now had two battalions.
A new German regiment (Baden) was formed in april 1793 and one regiment (Van Dam, or 11th) was disbanded at the same time (its 1st battalion went to the new Baden regiment and its 2nd battalion to the Bijlandt Jagers which now became a regiment with a light battalion (ex-Van Dam 2nd battalion) and a jager battalion.
For the names of the regiments see the Uniform table underneath.
The Dutch, German and Walloon regiments had a regimental staff and 2 battalions; each of 1 grenadier and 6 musketeer companies.
The Swiss regiments had a regimental staf and 2 battalions each of 6 musketier companies but no grenadier companies. The grenadiers were included in the musketeer companies but the amount of grenadiers is not known. This also meant, that the grenadiers of the Swiss regiments were not combined into seperate grenadier battalions (and so the campaign strength of Swiss battalions were higher).
Light infantry
The sole light infantry on the budget for 1792 was the Jager battalion of Bijlandt (renamed from the jager unit of the disbanded Salm Legion) consisting of a battalion staf and a battalion of 1 grenadier and 4 jager companies. The Bijlandt battalion received in april 1793 a second battalion (from the 2nd battalion Van Dam or ex-11th line-see above) and now became a regiment. The second battalion functioned as a light battalion (not as jagers) with a strength of 6 musketeer and one grenadier company).
The 5th Waldeck battalion was added in the beginning of 1793 by recalling it from Germany were it had been on half pay with a strength the same as the Garde Walen battalion.
In januari 1794 was added the jager unit of Matthieu. As Louis Matthieu died in june 1794 the name changed into Korps Jagers von Heydte. I don't know it's strength but probably theoretical the same as a Bylandt jager battalion.
1793 Augmentation
As the army strength seems too low, the Prince of Orange proposed an addition to the army which was granted in the beginning of 1793. Almost all companies were added to (mostly around 15 to 18 men) although the Swiss received 50 men per company and the staff of the line regiments received 5 musicians.
Remark I: the Hollandse Garde received 96 men for the total regiment but how this is divided amongst grenadier and musketier companies is not known to me, so I have divided them amongst the musketier companies in the table.
Remark II: the same for the jagers van Bijlandt; added were 18 for the regiment so I have divided them among the companies.
Remark III: with the augmentation of 1793 the 5th battalion Waldeck was recalled to the Netherlands and received the same strength as the battalion Walen de Perez, these are added in the (a) column.
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The infantry of this period can be divided into infantry of the line and light infantry. The Dutch army had, as far as is known, no integral skirmishers in the line infantry, but had some separate light units. When the war broke out, new light units (national, German and émigré) were created and/or taken into service.
The infantry also can be divided into the nationality of the units; there were National (Dutch), German, Walloon and Swiss troops. Up to 1783 some Scottish regiments existed but these were turned into National regiment in that year (which ended a long period of almost 200 years of Scottish service in Dutch pay).
Also, some contracts were signed with German rulers (eg with the Dutch Stadtholder as ruler of the principality of Nassau) and foreign regiments and/or battalions were hired in Germany in the 1792-1795 period.
When the revolution broke out, French émigré units were also taken into the Dutch service.
3.2 INFANTRY ORGANISATION
The strength of the regiments given are of course theoretical. The real strength was mostly far lower as is shown in the 1793/94 battlefield organisation where of the 12 musketeer companies of a national regiment a field battalion of 8 companies (1793) or even 6 companies (1794/95) was formed. Of the remaining companies a weak depot was formed.
The theoretical given strength underneath is based on H.Hardenberg: "Overzicht der voornaamste bepalingen betreffende de sterkte, samenstelling, betaling, verzorging en verpleging van het Nederlandsche leger" (The Hague 1858).
In table 3.2.1 underneath is given:
- the strength for the 1792 budget,
- the 1793 augmentation (a) or reinforcements at the beginning of 1793 and the new 1793 strength.
In the table are the strength of the regimental staff, grenadier and musketier companies, the amount of battalions in the regiment and the amount of companies (grenadier/musketeer) in the battalion and at last the battalion and regimental total strength. Remember, these are theoretical.
For campaign purposes, the grenadier companies of various regiments were combined to form separate grenadierbattalions, how they were combined is given later. In the 1793 campaign these grenadier battalions were mostly of 8 companies; in the 1794/1795 campaign they went down to 6 companies.
Guard infantry
In 1792 there existed a regiment Hollandse Garde, a Swiss Guard regiment and from 1/1/1793 a battalion Garde Walen (Guard Walloon) de Perez (although this battalion was on the budget of 1792 already).
There existed also 2 seperate guard companies (although these were no battlefield troops) of 202 men (Garde Friesland) and 75 men (Garde Groningen).
Line infantry
In 1792 there were 39 line infantry regiments of which:
- 26 Dutch (of which two were called marine-regiments),
- 7 German,
- 5 Swiss and
- 1 Walloon regiment.
All except the Walloon regiment had 2 battalions.
The Walloon regiment had 3 battalions but on 1/1/1793 the Walloon regiment (named Nassau-Usingen) lost its third battalion which became the battalion "Garde Walen de Perez" so in fact all regiments now had two battalions.
A new German regiment (Baden) was formed in april 1793 and one regiment (Van Dam, or 11th) was disbanded at the same time (its 1st battalion went to the new Baden regiment and its 2nd battalion to the Bijlandt Jagers which now became a regiment with a light battalion (ex-Van Dam 2nd battalion) and a jager battalion.
For the names of the regiments see the Uniform table underneath.
The Dutch, German and Walloon regiments had a regimental staff and 2 battalions; each of 1 grenadier and 6 musketeer companies.
The Swiss regiments had a regimental staf and 2 battalions each of 6 musketier companies but no grenadier companies. The grenadiers were included in the musketeer companies but the amount of grenadiers is not known. This also meant, that the grenadiers of the Swiss regiments were not combined into seperate grenadier battalions (and so the campaign strength of Swiss battalions were higher).
Light infantry
The sole light infantry on the budget for 1792 was the Jager battalion of Bijlandt (renamed from the jager unit of the disbanded Salm Legion) consisting of a battalion staf and a battalion of 1 grenadier and 4 jager companies. The Bijlandt battalion received in april 1793 a second battalion (from the 2nd battalion Van Dam or ex-11th line-see above) and now became a regiment. The second battalion functioned as a light battalion (not as jagers) with a strength of 6 musketeer and one grenadier company).
The 5th Waldeck battalion was added in the beginning of 1793 by recalling it from Germany were it had been on half pay with a strength the same as the Garde Walen battalion.
In januari 1794 was added the jager unit of Matthieu. As Louis Matthieu died in june 1794 the name changed into Korps Jagers von Heydte. I don't know it's strength but probably theoretical the same as a Bylandt jager battalion.
1793 Augmentation
As the army strength seems too low, the Prince of Orange proposed an addition to the army which was granted in the beginning of 1793. Almost all companies were added to (mostly around 15 to 18 men) although the Swiss received 50 men per company and the staff of the line regiments received 5 musicians.
Remark I: the Hollandse Garde received 96 men for the total regiment but how this is divided amongst grenadier and musketier companies is not known to me, so I have divided them amongst the musketier companies in the table.
Remark II: the same for the jagers van Bijlandt; added were 18 for the regiment so I have divided them among the companies.
Remark III: with the augmentation of 1793 the 5th battalion Waldeck was recalled to the Netherlands and received the same strength as the battalion Walen de Perez, these are added in the (a) column.
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Regiment Hollandse Gardes
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Regiment Hollandse Gardes
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