The Dutch Army: The Batavian Republic 1795-1806
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The outline of the Dutch historie in the period 1792-1815 is given in the earlier "Dutch Army in the French Revolution 1792-1795" so we point to that part .
In short we want to present the period 1795-1806 as follows: CONTENTS: 1. The Batavian Republic 1795-1806 2. The Army of the Batavian Republic 1795-1806 2.1. Introduction - From old to new army 2.2. Infantry 2.3. Cavalry 2.4. Artillery and auxiliary troops 2.5. Flags 2.6 Order of Battles 2.7. The end of the army 3. Bibliography |
Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck (1761-1825)
1. THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC 1795-1806
First must be stated, that the the period must formally be divided into two subperiods:
- The Batavian Republic 1795-1801
- The Batavian Commonwealth 1801-1806
As these two subperiods have almost no influence on the army, organisation or clothing, I will for now go no further in to this and call the whole period Batavian Republic.
The Batavian Republic was proclaimed on January 19th 1795, one day after the Stadtholder William V fled to England.
Its territory was almost the same as the old republic but it had to cede to France part of Zeeland (south of the Scheldt) and Maestricht and surroundings. Brabant, which was no part of the old republic but was governed directly by the States General as a "Generaliteitsland" (see Dutch army in the French Revolutionary period) in 1796 became part of the Batavian Republic.
In this period the republic was changed politically from a state of 7 more or less autonomous provinces (before 1795) to a central led unitary republic although this was only achieved in 1798. In the same year the departmental organisation (see map above) was finalised.
Several coups d'etat occured in the 1798-1801 period but these were without major unrest and without bloodshed; a much more civilised proces than in France.
First a National Assembly governed the republic, this changed by a coupt d'etat in 1798 to a governing body called "Uitvoerend Bewind" which in its turn was changed by coup d'etat in 1801 to a governing body of 12 people called "Staatsbewind".
The last change was that in 1805 the "Staatsbewind" were replaced by one person (Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck) as "Raadspensionaris" as head of the governement.
Although the 1805 change was influenced by Napoleon, he wasn't satisfied with the polical change and in 1806 the Kingdom of Holland was proclaimed; Louis Napoleon Bonaparte became the first king of the Netherlands.
As the Batavian Republic was a vassal of France for the whole period of its existance, it had to deliver money to the French treasury, feed French troops and take part in military campaigns to support French troops.
As a result Batavian troops fought in Germany in 1796, in Holland in 1799 against British and Russian troops and again in Germany in 1800, In 1803 a Batavian corps aided the French with the occupation of Hanover and once again in Germany in 1805.
Also the Batavian Republic had colonies where troops were stationed but these coloniew were lost to the British, mostly reclaimed at the peace of Amiens in 1802 but again lost after war broke out again in 1805.
2. THE ARMY OF THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC 1795-1806
Of course there existed an army in 1795 but it was in shatters after the campaings of former years and battalions had only few remaining men. Also, the regiments with connection to the ruling house of Orange were disbanded, foreign hired troops were mostly sent home to Germany and/or Switzerland.
What remained, was reorganised on the, then existing French model.
2.1. Introduction; from old to new army
According to the plan of reorganisation of the army of July 8th 1795:
For a compleet survey of the transformation of the old (Staats) to the new (Batavian republic) army see the "Dutch army in the 1792-1795 period, chapter 9.
First must be stated, that the the period must formally be divided into two subperiods:
- The Batavian Republic 1795-1801
- The Batavian Commonwealth 1801-1806
As these two subperiods have almost no influence on the army, organisation or clothing, I will for now go no further in to this and call the whole period Batavian Republic.
The Batavian Republic was proclaimed on January 19th 1795, one day after the Stadtholder William V fled to England.
Its territory was almost the same as the old republic but it had to cede to France part of Zeeland (south of the Scheldt) and Maestricht and surroundings. Brabant, which was no part of the old republic but was governed directly by the States General as a "Generaliteitsland" (see Dutch army in the French Revolutionary period) in 1796 became part of the Batavian Republic.
In this period the republic was changed politically from a state of 7 more or less autonomous provinces (before 1795) to a central led unitary republic although this was only achieved in 1798. In the same year the departmental organisation (see map above) was finalised.
Several coups d'etat occured in the 1798-1801 period but these were without major unrest and without bloodshed; a much more civilised proces than in France.
First a National Assembly governed the republic, this changed by a coupt d'etat in 1798 to a governing body called "Uitvoerend Bewind" which in its turn was changed by coup d'etat in 1801 to a governing body of 12 people called "Staatsbewind".
The last change was that in 1805 the "Staatsbewind" were replaced by one person (Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck) as "Raadspensionaris" as head of the governement.
Although the 1805 change was influenced by Napoleon, he wasn't satisfied with the polical change and in 1806 the Kingdom of Holland was proclaimed; Louis Napoleon Bonaparte became the first king of the Netherlands.
As the Batavian Republic was a vassal of France for the whole period of its existance, it had to deliver money to the French treasury, feed French troops and take part in military campaigns to support French troops.
As a result Batavian troops fought in Germany in 1796, in Holland in 1799 against British and Russian troops and again in Germany in 1800, In 1803 a Batavian corps aided the French with the occupation of Hanover and once again in Germany in 1805.
Also the Batavian Republic had colonies where troops were stationed but these coloniew were lost to the British, mostly reclaimed at the peace of Amiens in 1802 but again lost after war broke out again in 1805.
2. THE ARMY OF THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC 1795-1806
Of course there existed an army in 1795 but it was in shatters after the campaings of former years and battalions had only few remaining men. Also, the regiments with connection to the ruling house of Orange were disbanded, foreign hired troops were mostly sent home to Germany and/or Switzerland.
What remained, was reorganised on the, then existing French model.
2.1. Introduction; from old to new army
According to the plan of reorganisation of the army of July 8th 1795:
- the foot and horse guard regiments were disbanded
- the Swiss regiments were sent back in the years following 1795 to Switzerland
- "German" and emigre regiments and corps were partly sent home
For a compleet survey of the transformation of the old (Staats) to the new (Batavian republic) army see the "Dutch army in the 1792-1795 period, chapter 9.
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY about THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC
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Hardenberg, H.
Hoeven, M van der Kesman, J.H. Raa, F.J.G. ten Wilde, F.G. de |
Overzicht der voornaamste bepalingen betreffende de sterkte, zamenstelling, betaling ....etc , 's Gravenhage 1858
Van de Weser tot de Weichsel (Bataafsche Leeuw, Amsterdam 1994) "Beantwoording van de vraag: wat is van de oude armee geworden" in: Militaire Spectator 1837 De uniformen van de Nederlandsche Zee- en Landmacht hier te lande en in de koloniën (Den Haag 1910) De uniformen van het Nederlandse leger ten tijde van de Bataafse Republiek en het Koninkrijk Holland 1795-1810 (De Bataafsche leeew, Amsterdam 1999) |