My surviving reader will remember that last year I expanded my Napoleonic Württemberg contingent in anticipation of a few games for which they would be required. I covered the new infantry regiments in Part 1. This time I’m looking at the new cavalry and generals. As usual, these are all AB Figures 15mm figures.
Chevauléger-Regiment #1 ‘Prinz Adam’ (below, with the yellow facings) was painted around 25 years ago by Neil Mullis for Mike Hickling’s collection and then found its way to me. I must confess that I profiled this regiment in an earlier article, but I include it here again as I’m focusing on the Württemberg cavalry. AB Figures have never produced a Jäger-zu-Pferd figure in short ‘Hessian’ boots or later cavalry in shako, so I haven’t done any of those, but Tony Barton recently said that late Württembergers were in the pipeline, so perhaps the Jäger-zu-Pferd will appear with those releases?
Above: Chevauléger-Regiment #1 ‘Prinz Adam’. Württemberg’s cavalry arm had long been a neglected part of the army and in 1793 had to be stripped of manpower just to raise a single regiment to send into the field with the Reichsarmee. However, in 1800 the cavalry arm began to be reorganised and expanded, with the creation of a new Chevauléger-Regiment of three squadrons.
Above: Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2. In 1805 the regiment was expanded to five squadrons, though in 1805 the Leib (1st) Squadron was split off to form the cadre of a second regiment, which was given the title ‘Kurfürst’ (‘Prince-Elector’). The first regiment still didn’t have an inhaber (colonel-proprietor), so was often referred to as the ‘Vacant’ (‘Unbesetzt’) Chevauléger-Regiment.
Above: Chevauléger-Regiment #1 ‘Prinz Adam’. Both chevauléger regiments now consisted of four squadrons and in 1806 the Chevauléger-Regiment ‘Kürfurst’ was re-titled as the Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment. This at first glance seems strange, as in most armies, the senior regiment would be the ‘Leib’ regiment, but in this case it stems from the fact that the junior regiment had been formed from the senior squadron of the senior regiment. In 1807 the ‘Vacant’ Chevauléger-Regiment was finally given an inhaber and adopted his title, thus becoming Chevauléger-Regiment ‘Herzog Heinrich’.
In the meantime, two new light cavalry regiments were raised; the Jäger-Regiment-zu-Pferd ‘Prinz Paul’ was raised in 1805 and in 1807 was re-titled ‘Herzog Louis’. The Jäger-Regiment-zu-Pferd ‘König’ was raised in 1807.
Jäger-Regiment-zu-Pferd #3 ‘Herzog Louis’ (yellow facings) & #4 ‘König’ (pink facings)
All four regiments by 1807 had four squadrons in the field and each squadron comprised 126 men of all ranks. So including the regimental staff, each regiment in the field had 515 men at full strength. In 1807 this changed to 98 men per squadron and a large regimental staff of 58, for a total of 450 men. The squadron strength went back up again in 1811 to 125, for a total of 511 and increased slightly again in 1813 to 127, giving us a total of 519. All regiments also formed a fifth (depot) squadron, though when the regiments were sent to war in 1809 the depot squadrons were used to form the cadre of a new fifth regiment, the Dragoner-Regiment-zu-Pferd, which was eventually given the title ‘Kronprinz’.
Above: Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2. In 1810 Chevauléger-Regiment ‘Herzog Heinrich’ was briefly disbanded, though was reinstated in 1811 with the title ‘Prinz Adam’. All Württemberg regiments were given numbers at this time, with all regiments following a single numerical sequence regardless of type, much like the cavalry of the British and Duchy of Warsaw armies. The order of seniority looked like this:
Chevauléger-Regiment #1 ‘Prinz Adam’
Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2
Jäger-Regiment-zu-Pferd #3 ‘Herzog Louis’
Jäger-Regiment-zu-Pferd #4 ‘König’
Dragoner-Regiment #5 ‘Kronprinz’
Following the disastrous Russian Campaign of 1812, the Württemberg cavalry arm went through a reorganisation and all cavalry regiments were now designated simply as ‘Kavallerie’. Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2 was disbanded and the Chevauléger-Regiment ‘Prinz Adam’ became the new Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment #1. There was then a re-shuffle in the order of seniority and a new Kavallerie-Regiment #4 ‘Jäger-Regiment Prinz Adam’ was eventually raised in November 1813 to fill the gap in the order of battle, which now looked like this:
Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment #1 (the former #1 ‘Prinz Adam’)
Kavallerie-Regiment #2 ‘Jäger-Regiment Herzog Louis’ (the former #3 ‘Herzog Louis’)
Kavallerie-Regiment #3 ‘Kronprinz’ (the former #5 ‘Kronprinz’)
Kavallerie-Regiment #4 ‘Jäger-Regiment Prinz Adam’ (raised November 1813)
Kavallerie-Regiment #5 ‘Jäger-Regiment’ (vacant; the former #4 ‘König’)
Above: Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2. In terms of uniforms, the two Chevauléger-Regiments and latterly the Leib-Kavallerie Regiment #1 wore dark blue coats, while the Jäger-zu-Pferd and Dragoner-Regiment wore middle-green coats (also described as ‘grass-green’). I’ll just talk about the uniforms of the two Chevauléger-Regiments and Leib-Kavallerie Regiment #1 for now and will leave the Jäger-zu-Pferd and Dragoner-Regiment for another article, if/when I finally get around to painting some.
The coats were much like those worn by the infantry, having short tails and half-lapels, though unlike infantry coats they had metal contre-epaulettes in the regimental metal colour. The lapels were initially fully-coloured as per the facing colour, but as in the infantry, in 1811 they were changed to match the coat-colour, being edged with piping. Chevaulégers (and latterly Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment #1) also wore a cummerbund over the coat that matched the regimental facing-colour. Cuffs were originally round for chevaulégers, but in 1811 the chevaulégers’ cuffs became pointed to match the other regiments. The cuffs were in any case hidden by gauntlets, which were white for chevaulégers and black for chevaulégers and dragoons.
The distinguishing colours for the two Chevauléger-Regiments from 1805-1810 were:
Chevauléger-Regiment ‘Vacant’/’Herzog Heinrich’ – Blue coat with red collar, cuffs, lapels, piping & cummerbund, yellow turnbacks with red piping and yellow metal.
Chevauléger-Regiment ‘Kurfürst’/Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment – Blue coat with red collar, cuffs, lapels, piping & cummerbund, yellow turnbacks with red piping and white metal. The uniform was therefore identical for both regiments at this point in their history, except for the metal-colour. However, white buttonhole lace was added to this regiment’s uniform in 1807 (5 on each lapel, 2 on each cuff and 2 on each side of the collar).
The uniform changes in 1811 were:
Chevauléger-Regiment #1 ‘Prinz Adam’ – Collar, cuffs, turnbacks & cummerbund changed to yellow with yellow piping. Lapels became blue with yellow piping. Cuffs were now pointed. Officers may have retained red piping to the turnbacks.
Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2 – Lapels changed to blue with red piping. Buttonhole lace was removed from the lapels and reduced to one buttonhole on each cuff and each side of the collar. Cuffs were now pointed.
The coat colours from 1813 to 1815 were:
Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment #1 – Blue coat with Bavarian-style full lapels, which were blue with yellow piping (the shape of the lapels was in any case largely hidden by the cummerbund). Yellow collar, cuffs, turnbacks and cummerbund. The metal and lace colour now changed to white. There was a single lace buttonhole on each cuff and on each side of the collar.
Headgear for the chevaulégers was initially a helmet similar to the 1799 Pattern infantry helmet. This was made of black leather (sometimes shown with a rear peak), crested with a ‘comb’ and hanging black horsehair ‘mane’ and topped off with a tall black plume fixed to the front of the comb. The helmet was reinforced with ‘regimental metal’ around the edge of the visor, the front and top of the comb and with a ‘V’ on each side of the helmet-bowl. The helmet was further decorated with a crowned oval badge and chin-scales in the regimental metal colour and a yellow-red-black national cockade on the left side. Some sources also show a metal band across the front, along the top edge of the visor (like Bavarian helmets), but not all show this.
In 1811 the plume was ordered to be replaced in the field with a smaller houpette tuft in the style of French heavy cavalry, with the plume retained for parade dress. Faber du Four’s sketch (detailed here) showing the Leib-Chevaulégers in action during the 1812 Campaign, clearly shows the houpette being worn by the rank-and-file.
In 1812 the helmet’s hanging mane was officially replaced by a woollen raupe crest of the style already being worn by the jäger-zu-pferd regiments. This was coloured black, though that of the 1st Regiment ‘Prinz Adam’ was topped with a yellow stripe. The plume was now worn on the left-side of the helmet, above the cockade. Officers purchased their own helmets and quickly adopted the new style, but it seems that supply was slow getting to the rank-and-file in time for the 1812 Campaign. In Faber du Four’s sketch above, it can clearly be seen that in the Leib-Regiment the new style was only worn by the officers, while the rank-and-file wore the old style of helmet. Other evidence tends to suggest that all ranks in the ‘Prinz Adam’ Regiment by contrast wore the new style of helmet in 1812. In 1813 the Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment #1 adopted a plain black raupe.
Above: Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2. This brings us to the figures; the AB Figures Württemberg range is aimed squarely at the 1812 Campaign and the models are based largely on Faber du Four’s sketches. The two regiments are therefore separated by helmet-style. The ‘Prinz Adam’ Regiment are wearing the new style of helmet, while the Leib-Regiment are wearing the old style of helmet with the full-dress plume, but you could happily cut them short to make houpettes if you prefer. The Leib-Regiment figures would be absolutely fine for both regiments in 1809, though you’d need to do a head-swap to give the officers the earlier pattern of helmet. On the subject of officers, the AB Figures officer models are inexplicably separated by regiment, but are dressed identically, so you can use either figure for both regiments (I used the waving officer as a standard-bearer). The figures with raupe crests can happily be used for the 1813-1815 Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment #1.
One curious piece of additional headgear was allegedly a bearskin, which is described by one source as being worn by the Leib-Eskadron of the original Chevauléger-Regiment, which then went on to be the nucleus of the Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment and allegedly continued to be worn by the Leib-Eskadron of that regiment. This is not supported by any other sources and was certainly gone by 1810. The bearskin is described as having a black plume and white cords.
Breeches were white for both regiments, worn with tall heavy cavalry boots. This remained unchanged in the Leib-Kavallerie-Regiment of 1813. Pale buff breeches were initially worn for campaign wear, but these were changed in 1807 to grey woollen breeches and were later supplemented by grey overall trousers.
Belts and gauntlets were white. A waist sabre-belt was worn over the coat, but this was hidden by the cummerbund. They are often depicted as wearing cross-belts over both shoulders, like the infantry, but this was only done when on dismounted duty; the sabre-belt was worn over the right shoulder instead of around the waist, in order to keep the scabbard from dragging on the floor. On mounted duty the only cross-belt was the carbine-belt, which was worn over the left shoulder. Cartridge-pouches were black, decorated with the same badge as the helmet. Sabres had steel hilts and scabbards and black sword-knots.
Horse-furniture was blue for both regiments. However, sources are extremely contradictory regarding the details of horse furniture and now that I’ve got my hands on the Rawkins book, I see that both my regiments disagree with his version. He says that the 1st Regiment had white lace edging edged with blue piping, while the officers had gold lace edged with blue piping. The 2nd Leib-Regiment had red lace edged with blue piping, while the officers had silver lace edged with red piping. Cyphers were white for the 1st Regiment and red for the 2nd Leib-Regiment, or the regimental metal for officers. Valises were plain light grey for all ranks and secured with black straps.
Above: Leib-Chevauléger-Regiment #2. Officers wore the same coat-colourings as the rank-and-file, with the addition of metallic lace, French-style fringed epaulettes and contre-epaulettes depending on rank and the standard Württemberg officers’ sash, which was silver, worked through with red and gold threads. Officers’ plumes were white for senior officers and white with a black base for junior officers. Officers’ belts were black with regimental metal edging, buckles and decoration.
General of Infantry
Trumpeters initially wore the same uniform as the rank-and-file, with the addition of ‘swallows’ nests’ on the shoulders. These were edged with white lace and were decorated with two overlapping white Vs, creating a W. In 1811 the coats changed to yellow for both regiments; those of the 1st Regiment had blue collars, cuffs and piping around the lapels and tail-turnbacks, while those of the 2nd Regiment had the same in red, with the addition of a white lace buttonhole on each side of the collar and on each cuff. Cummerbunds were the same as the rank-and-file. Swallows’ nests were meant to be replaced by contre-epaulettes in the regimental metal, but many sources show the swallows’ nests still in use. Helmets, horse-furniture and equipment were the same as the rank-and-file.
Württemberg cavalry regiments were not authorised to carry standards until 1811, when each squadron of the two chevauléger regiments was authorised to carry a standard. These were yellow for the 1st Regiment and red for the 2nd Regiment and were fringed and embroidered with gold for both regiments. However, they were not actually issued until 1813, so it’s possible that the 2nd Regiment never received its standard before disbandment. However, the ‘Rule of Cool’ most definitely applies and as I already had the standards going spare, both regiments HAD to carry them. AB Figures don’t do a Württemberg standard-bearer, but it’s very easy to convert the ‘waving’ cavalry officer into a standard-bearer.
Note that an ‘honour standard’, resembling the vexillum of the Prussian Garde du Korps was also issued to the 4th Jäger-zu-Pferd in 1813 for actions carried out in 1809. However, this does not appear to have ever been carried on campaign.
Above: General of Infantry. Connoisseurs of AB Figures will know that they don’t yet have Württemberg generals in their lovely range of figures. However, Bavarian generals’ uniforms are very similar, apart from the fact that the Bavarians lack the bullion fringed epaulettes required for Württemberg generals. Nevertheless, I decided to go with the Bavarian generals and paint on the epaulettes (their broad 1980s ‘power-shoulders’ help). I think they look pretty good. My Württemberg corps commander was already a French general in greatcoat; a handy figure for almost any French-allied nationality, as the coat hides any uniform discrepancies.
Above: General of Infantry. From 1806 Württemberg generals wore a coat that was similar to that of infantry officers (with long tails), though with lapels that extended all the way down to the waist, like Bavarian coats. However, the broad officers’ sash concealed the lower half of the breast in any case. Buttons, epaulettes and metallic decoration was coloured by branch; gold for infantry and silver for cavalry. Collar and cuffs were scarlet, edged in metallic lace and liberally covered with metallic oakleaf ‘scrambled egg’. Lapels were blue, edged in metallic or possibly scarlet lace, with an inner border of metallic oakleaf scrambled egg. Tail-turnbacks were scarlet and there was more scrambled-egg on the tail-pockets. Some sources show gold edging to the lapels (instead of scarlet) and turnbacks.
Above: General of Infantry. Generals’ hats were edged in metallic lace and decorated with the national cockade of yellow (or possible gold), red and black. This was secured with a double-strap of metallic lace, which was superimposed with the silver star of the Militär-Verdienst-Ordens. Some sources show this as matching the branch metal-colour, but Rawkins is adamant that it was silver with an enameled centre for both branches. Full-dress plumes were white with a black base. Rawkins doesn’t mention ostrich-feather edging, but other sources show white feather edging. There was no known differentiation in uniform between Major Generals and Lieutenant Generals, so did Major Generals perhaps have black feather edging and Lieutenant Generals have white, like most French allies?
Above: General of Cavalry. As mentioned above, Generals of Cavalry had silver distinctions, but were otherwise identical to Generals of Infantry. The sharp-eyed will however, note that this chap has an aiguillette on his right shoulder, instead of an epaulette, which should mark him out as a pen-pushing General-Adjutant of Cavalry instead of a General proper. This was essentially because he was my only spare figure. However, as a General-Adjutant he should really have black facings (possibly piped red) and yellow tail-turnbacks with all the same metallic scrambled-egg, though I’ve blatantly painted him in the colourings of a General.
Above: General of Cavalry. Breeches were white for generals of both branches. I couldn’t find any information on campaign over-trousers, but it seems likely that some sort of campaign-wear would have been worn, so I’ve given my General of Infantry plain blue overalls. Sword-belts were black with metallic edging and fittings. Generals of Infantry had a straight sword, while Generals of Cavalry had a curved sabre. Scabbards were black leather with gold or silver fittings.
Above: General of Cavalry. Horse furniture was blue with metallic lace edging in the branch colour; a broad outer band and a narrow inner band. The holster-covers and the rear corners of the shabraque were decorated with the royal crowned ‘FR’ cypher.
That’s it for now. Apologies for it being a slow month, but I was on my holidays. Plenty more to come, including more Core Space adventures, a couple of Seven Years War battle reports and a small-scale scenario for the Combat of Mehr 1758 (below).
