maandag 27 januari 2020

Dutch light infantry in the French Revolution

In the beginning of the French revolutionary period the Dutch army lacked light infantry so after 1793 they added and expanded some units.
Information on the light units is below:


Van Bijlandt
The sole light infantry on the budget for 1792 was the jagerbattalion of Bijlandt (which was renamed from the jager unit of the disbanded Salm legion) consisting of a battalion staf and one grenadier and 4 jager companies.
In 1793 it received a second battalion (from the 2nd batalion of the disbanded Regiment infantry nr 11 Van Dam and so now the Van Bijlandt battalion was expanded to a regiment.
I do not know the theoretical strength of the 2nd batalion (which as Van Dam it would be 1 grenadier and 6 line companies) but probably it would be the same as the 1st battalion (1 grenadier and 4 light companies) as Van Dam had losses in the 1793 campaign.
Probably the first battalion was a real jager battalion while the second battalion was seen a a light battalion and dresed accordingly. 


5th Waldeck
Waldeck delivered to the Dutch 2 line regiments of 2 battalion but also a light battalion which as it first was on half pay in Waldeck, it was taken in service in 1793 and so arrived before the 1793 campaign.
As far as I know, the 5th battalion consisted of 1 jager company and 6 light infantry companies. The uniforms which are know show the difference between jager and light coompanies.

Jagers van Mathieu
This was raised on the 1st of January 1794 but as its commander, Louis Mathieu died in June 1794 its name changed into Korps Jagers Von Heydte. I dont know its strength but probably it had the same strength as the Van Bijlandt.

Garde Walen (Battalion de Perez)
According to Sabron this battalion was used as light troops. Being the former 3rd battalion of the regiment Walen (Walons) it became an independant battalion in 1793.

Field strength
According to Sabron the field strength of various light troops in the beginning of the campaign of 1794 were in officers and men:
Van Bijlandt jagers           198
5th Waldeck                      280
Walen van Perez               280
jagers van Mathieu           277

Some impressions of the uniforms of the various units:

Starting with the Van Bijlandt jager:

 

Strange is, that the officers of the Bijlandt jager show a more purple facings while the other ranks and the last picture of an officer show red.
The "jassenboekje" shows a dark red on collar, lapels, cuffs and epaulettes with coppper buttons. The trousers are grey.

The Van Bijlandt light battalion:
The 5th battalion Waldeck
The first picture underneath is in my opninion the "normal" Waldeck uniform in blue coat and yellow facings in the period the 5th was on half pay in Waldeck




















The uniform in blue and yellow in the pictures underneath are imho the light companies in campaign dress and I think was worn by all the other Waldck regiments

 What follows is the green jäger uniform of the jager company of the 5th battalion. The officer in the second picture wears a 'normal"bicorn; the ranks show a wide brimmed hat.



Jagers van Mathieu/Von Heydte
Raised in 1794 it shows almost the same uniform as Bijlandt, just the facing colour is blue (grey-blue ?) The black and white picture show in the middle an officer in jager uniform.
The "jassenboekje" don't show the bleu facing on the lapels but only blue cuffs. The rest of the uniform incuded trousers is plain green.





Garde Walen (or bataljon de Perez) 
As said earlier, although the picture underneath show a normal line infantry dress, according to Sabron this battalion was calssed as light troops. The normal line uniform is blue with white facings.


Geen opmerkingen: