The grave of Major Francis Stupart of the 2nd or (Royal North British) Dragoons, more famously known as the Scots Greys.
As seen in Warriston Cemetery in Edinburgh by myself and my Wife last weekend.
Major Stupart or Lieutenant as was the position he held at Waterloo was in Cheney’s Troop at the battle in which he was also wounded. At the Museum of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Edinburgh Castle you can see the pattern 1797 heavy cavalry officers’ sword wielded by Lieutenant Stupart at the great clash of 1815.
‘The British Military Library or Journal: comprehending a complete body of military knowledge; and consisting of original communications; with selections from the most approved and respectable foreign military publications’. 1798 – 1801.
This two volume set consists of the issues of The British Military Library produced from 1798 – 1801 and subsequently bound together.
The British Military Library is a fantastic resource bringing together studies on particular military figures, case studies of battles complete with compositions on pull out sheets and articles on various topics relevant to a British army officer of the time.
i – The title page.
ii – Left an officer of the 7th (or Queen’s Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons. Right an officer of the 16th (or Queen’s Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons.
iii – Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Abercromby K.B. Here dressed as Colonel of the 2nd (or Royal North British) Dragoons.
iv – A list of the rates of pay for the various ranks of cavalry in the British Army.
As seen at the Lyon & Turnbull rare books and manuscripts auction viewing back in early May, 2016.
Cool painting I came across of the 95th Rifles. One of the most distinguished Regiments in the British Army it fought in the Napoleonic Wars from Copenhagen to Waterloo and earned many battle honors. They wore green coats in an army of red and this lead to their nickname of “Green jackets”. The famous Baker rifle and the sword bayonet were there weapon and they were the elite soldiers of their day and were some of the best British soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars.
1812 Smolensk, Napoleon and troops - Eduard Detaille
I believe from the helmet and breastplate in the ground from a Russian cuirassier this scene is from a battle against the Russians. The character in the green coat must be Murat and the other marshal is obviously Ney. I discarded Heilsberg and Jena as these marshals didn’t coincide in the field in either battle, so it’s the 1812 campaign. Smolensk in Augustt is the most likely choice due to the dry grass
The actor known under the stage name Mademoiselle Mars (1779-1847), a member of one of the oldest theatre companies in the world, the Comédie-Française, seen in “Muscovite” costume in this 1814 portrait by Baron Gérard, a family friend.
Her real name was Anne-François-Hippolyte Salvetat and she chose her stage name after her unmarried mother, actor Madame Mars (Jeanne-Marguerite Salvetat). After debuting on the stage at the age of fourteen, she became one of the era’s favourite actors. She was also a staunch Bonapartist who along with the most distinguished members of the Comédie-Française was selected to give special performances in Dresden (Kingdom of Saxony, now in Germany), one of the theatre-loving Napoleon Bonaparte’s headquarters during the Napoleonic Wars and, that same year, 1813, the site of a major battle victory. She gave her farewell performance in 1841.
This post is about the experiences of Jan Bakhuizen, my fourth great grandfather. Jan was born on 9th december 1790 in Zaltbommel, Gelderland as a child of Hendrik Bakhuizen and Hendrijntje Hanegraaf. I have found the document stating his birth but sadly I do not know a thing about his childhood. Jan Bakhuizen was 1,62 meters tall, slightly shorter than average for the time period, and had blond hair and blue eyes.
Like so many other young Dutch men of his time, Jan got dragged in the Napoleonic wars but in his case not through conscription. Jan was barely an adult when he volunteered, becoming a Dutch hussar serving under king Louis Bonaparte. It didn’t take very long before he saw his first combat action. During the same year that Jan joined the army, 1809, Jan was deployed to Walcheren to repell the English who attempted their second invasion into the low countries.
The British deployed 40,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses, field artillery and two siege trains which arrived at Walcheren on 30th july. Even though this was a large British expedition, surprisingly little fighting was done between the French/Dutch and the British. Thankfully, for the Dutch and French at least, the British got struck with the ‘Walcheren fever’, probably malaria, which cost the lives of over 4,000 British soldiers. To put in comparison, only 106 died in combat. The campaign eventually ended in failure for the British and Jan Bakhuizen managed to remain unscathed.
In 1810, Napoleon annexed the kingdom of Holland, which now became part of the French empire. Not only did the country itself change, some military units transformed as well. Jan Bakhuizen’s hussar regiment was turned into a completely new unit: 2e régiment de chevau-légers lanciers de la Gard Impériale or better known as the red lancers. Their uniforms changed drastically, they wore scarlet red uniforms, received new weapons and a new commander, Colonel Edouard Colbert. The regiment was then included in the prestigious old guard, the elite corps of Napoleon, basically an army inside an army made up of the most skilled soldiers.
On 31th july, the men of the red lancers were ordered to travel to Paris to join the other royal guards. Before they left for France, they were inspected by marshall Oudinot in Amsterdam. On the place d'armes near the Versailles they listened to a speech given by French officers of other imperial guard regiments. After this speech, they were invited to join the officers for a feast in order to fraternize with the French units. On the 23th of september in the same year, the unit was inspected by Napoleon himself in the courtyard of the Tuileries, 895 men were present during this inspection, (including Jan Bakhuizen) the unit itself consisted of 1,038 men. During the end of September of the following year, 1811, Napoleon Bonaparte visited the Netherlands, some of the Dutch lancers, like my ancestor Jan, acted as Napoleon’s personal bodyguard while he toured through the country.
During the winter of 1811, the red lancers took part in ceremonies and parades around Paris and Versailles which lasted two weeks. Many of the officers in the regiment took this time to enjoy the sights of Paris such as the theaters and monuments. Several French officers joined the regiment as well in order to really engrain French influence and culture inside the mostly Dutch regiment. The regiment was expanded the following year to five squadrons with men from French regiments and from a Dutch hussar regiment that served in Spain. There was a big reason for the expansion, the biggest ever campaign in military history until 1812, the infamous Russia campaign.
Unfortunately my ancestor, Jan Bakhuizen, didn’t write any of his experiences down during the 1812 campaign (and even if he did, his words got lost) so I have used the experiences of his regiment to reconstruct his journey to Russia. The regiment left France in February 1812 and arrived in the Netherlands in March. Many of the Dutch men took advantage of this opportunity to visit their family members and for almost all of them, it was also the very last time that they would ever see their families. On 14th of June they arrived at Königsberg, most of them men still did not know the destination of their march. The regiment was also tasked with finding translators and guides for Napoleon.
After crossing the rivier Niemen on 24th of june, the regiment was ordered to march towards Vilna and catch up with Murat’s cavalry to provide cover to his right flank. The lancers marched through Russia with success, they defeated several Russian units and captured settlements but it came with a human price. At the start of the campaign around 1127 men were marching but by the time they reached Smolensk, only 700 of them were fit enough to parttake in battle. The other 500 were either dead, captured or sick inside a hospital.
On 7th of September the red lancers witnessed the battle of Borodino although they did not have an active part in it. Two days later the regiment was on the march again towards Moscow but on the 17th of September, an unfortunate accident took place. One of the lancers was killed after colliding with a group of Kozaks. The next day, 12 more lancers died after falling in a trap near Borovsk but the rest of the regiment managed to reach Moscow. On 11th of October, only 556 were still fit enough to fight.
One week later, the red lancers got the order to retreat from Moscow. Napoleon ordered all wagons and equipment between Moscow and the river Desna to be destroyed, the red lancers guarded the banks of the Desna river, providing safe passage to the rest of the imperial army. After the army passed the bridge, the lancers crossed the bridge themselves and set it on fire to prevent the Russians from chasing them.
On the 25th of October, the Dutch and Polish lancers faced a regiment of Russian Kozaks which resulted in a skirmish which lasted for several hours. The lancers managed to drive off the Kozaks but they lost 4 officers and 24 men during the skirmish. After this battle, it began to snow and the infamous Russian cold struck the army without mercy. They managed to reach Smolensk where they got 130 reinforcements. The red lancers now only had 330 fit men of which only 130 still had a horse, the others were killed by the cold or captured/killed by the Russians.
Then the most horrible part of the Russian campaign occured, the crossing of the Berezina river. While several other family members of mine died during this crossing, Jan Bakhuizen simply vanished and was reported by the French as 'missing in action’. This usually means that the person in question had either been killed, captured or deserted. Initially I thought that Jan, like the others, didn’t survive the Russian campaign but the child that would become another ancestor of mine wasn’t born until 1814 so he must have made it out of Russia alive. In fact, Jan Bakhuizen died in 1845 back in his old home town after fathering a few more children. It is therefore very likely that Jan deserted the army and with an incredible amount of luck, made it back home to be reunited with his family, without this decision, I wouldn’t be alive and able to write this.
Of all the red lancers that left for Russia, only 20 officers and 40 cavalry men survived the entire ordeal, the fact that my ancestor managed to reach home again is quite amazing and the thought that my entire existence depends on this extreme hardship is stunning.
Here are images of: Birth paper of Jan Bakhuizen, Jan Bakhuizen’s military record, Napoleon inspecting the red lancers, Red Lancers near the Versailles, Red lancer at the Berezina crossing, Portrait of a red lancer,
An engagement during the Napoleonic Wars, the Battle of Cape Finisterre was fought on this day in history, 22 July 1805. The battle took place off Galicia, Spain, where the British fleet under Admiral Robert Calder fought an indecisive naval battle against the combined Franco-Spanish fleet which was returning from the West Indies. Although both sides claimed victory, Admiral Calder failed to strike the shattering blow that would have freed Great Britain from the danger of an invasion. Calder was later court-martialled and severely reprimanded for his failure on 22 July, in addition to his refusal to renew the engagement on 23 and 24 July. In the end, the French naval commander also blundered, electing not to continue on to Brest, where his fleet could have joined with other French ships to clear the English Channel for an invasion of Great Britain.
The cutting-out of the French corvette La Chevrette took place on this day in maritime history, 21 July 1801. This once famous incident occurred during the Napoleonic Wars, at a point when Britain feared a French invasion. Four British frigates were watching the enemy fleet at the entrance to Brest Harbour, Brittany. On the night of 21 July, their boats, manned by volunteers and with oars muffled, set out to board La Chevrette but the French were armed and waiting. After a fierce battle the smaller British force captured the ship, her captain was killed in one-to-one combat, and La Chevrette taken in triumph to Plymouth. The fact that the British were able to take La Chevrette is perhaps evidence of the futility of their feat. After all, how could a French fleet unable to guard its own ships in its own harbor mount a successful invasion?
The painting above is ‘The Cutting-Out of the French Corvette La Chevrette’ by Philip James de Loutherbourg. (1802).
The Action and Capture of the Spanish Xebeque Frigate El Gamo by Clarkson Frederick Stanfield (3 December 1793 – 18 May 1867)
Painting depicting the capture of the Spanish xebec frigate El Gamo on 6 May,1801 off the coast of Barcelona by the Royal Navy brig HMS Speedy commanded by Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald.
Painted for Commander Ricketts RN who served as midshipman in the action.
O'Brian readers must wonder if this Commander Ricketts’ father was the purser on the Speedy.
The Polish Czapka (literally “cap”) started life as a simple, square-topped variation on the shako. Then, as Polish lancer tactics acquitted themselves on the field of battle in the late 18th century, they (along with said cavalry formations) found themselves in use in armies the world over. Once they spread across Europe, they became more and more elaborate. During the 19th century, as leather and metal helmets began to replace the shako in cavalry combat dress, the czapka slowly became a blend of a helmet and shako. By the first World War, the czapka’s square top and plume was as elaborately decorated as it was vestigial. Much like horse cavalry itself would soon prove.
Elizabeth Thompson’s painting The 28th Regiment at Quatre Bras. The painting depicts the 28th Regiment (North Gloucestershire) of Foot formed into a square to hold against cavalry attack at Quatre Bras, two days before the Battle of Waterloo. The painting is wonderful, save for the shakos, which ought to be stovepipe, but are depicted as false-fronted Belgic.
February 26, 1815: Napoleon escapes from Elba. Feeling safe after his exile the previous April, France’s clowns emerged from their underground lairs and chased the mimes from the streets. First viewed as liberators, the nation’s populace soon regretted their elation as they became constantly harassed by clowns, who stalked France’s citizens with big, floppy, honking shoes; flowers that squirted wine; and too-large pants that bobbed up and down on rubber suspenders. Hearing of his nation’s plight, an enraged Napoleon escaped to retake France. Realizing the Emperor was on his way, the clowns ran for it, bandy-legged and with flapping arms, into Belgium with Napoleon hot on the heels of their enormous shoes. While in Belgium, Napoleon was attacked by a coalition of nations at Waterloo.
Emmanuel de Grouchy, later Marshal Grouchy, as Colonel of 2nd Dragoons in 1792, by Georges Rouget, 1835
Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy was a skilled cavalry officer who had a long career of service in the French army. This record has been overshadowed by accusations – originating with Napoleon and his followers on Saint Helena – that Marshal Grouchy was in large part responsible for Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. After Waterloo, Grouchy went into exile in the United States, where he began the frustrating process of defending himself against allegations of incompetence, cowardice and treachery. For details, see “Marshal Grouchy in America.”
The army takes an oath to the Emperor after the distribution of eagle standards on 5 December 1804, by Jacques-Louis David, 1810
What is it with Napoleon and eagles? Napoleon’s troops carried an eagle standard into battle; his son was nicknamed the eaglet; Napoleon’s return to France in 1815 was called the flight of the eagle. For a look at how the eagle became a symbol of Napoleonic France, and what those Napoleon eagle standards were all about, see “Why is Napoleon associated with eagles?”
Following on from my posts on sword grips, here is a size comparison between the heavy and light cavalry trooper swords of the French and British Napoleonic armies.
From top to bottom:
French Model An XIII Sabre of the line, - used by Dragoons and Cuirassiers
Originally this blade would have been issued with a hatchet point making it slightly longer. However, by 1814 field modifying them into spear points became common and in 1816 this became an official modification, getting retroactively applied to swords in service.
Total Length: 1120mm
Blade Length: 960mm
Sword Weight: 1300 grams
British 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry Sword
Based on the Austrian model 1769 the British sword was originally issued with a hatchet tip. However, like their French opponents, field modification into a spear point became common practice to make the sword more effective in the thrust.
Total Length: 1020mm
Blade Length: 890mm
Sword Weight: 1020 grams
French model An XI, - used by ‘Hunters on horse’, Hussars, Lancers, and Mounted Artillery
Introduced in year eleven (1802) of the Revolutionary calendar the AN XI came about as a rationalisation of the different models of light cavalry sabres in service to meet the supply demands of near constant warfare the new French state found itself in.
Total Length: 1010mm
Blade Length: 870mm
Sword Weight: 1190 grams
British 1796 Pattern Light Cavalry Sabre, - used by Light Dragoons and Mounted Artillery
Designed by John Gaspard le Merchant with cooperation from Henry Osborn in response to complaints of British cavalry troopers on the poor performance of their 1788 pattern sabres. Based loosely on Eastern European sabres the 1796 LC proved to be a hard hitting sword and immensely popular.
This is just a fraction of the illustrations of Richard Knötel on wikimedia commons. They aren’t all French uniforms, they are from all the European nations and different eras.
The Osborn ‘Flank’ Officer’s Sabre of the Georgian Period. Henry Osborn (C.1785-1807) is one of the most famous sword cutlers in Georgian Britain. They partnered with Gunby in 1808, becoming Osborn & Gunby (C.1808-1820). These sabres have an average of a 10cm curve. Used by Officer’s of the Light Cavalry and Infantry as a frock/dress/fighting sword. A 10cm curved blade is one of the most curved styles of sabre in British Regiments, being highly irregular, rare and practically unusable in fighting circumstances. These sabres were based off the famous, well-liked and popular 1796 Pattern Light Cavalry Sabre, but sized-down for infantry/dress. Also highly inspired by Shamshirs, following the 1798-1801 Egyptian Campaign, copying the Mameluke-style, being unfullered and highly curved. Most have stirrup-hilts or D-guards
A wonderful graphic compiled by Dynogone showing the variation in a style of sabre that became hugely fashionable with British Officers of the late 18th to early 19th Century. These curved sabres which incorporate features of Middle Eastern and Hussar swords came into popularity in the 1790s and would have persisted until the mid 1820′s when new patterns of swords for infantry and cavalry officers resulted in changes to dress regulations.
Among the diplomatic gifts presented to Alexander I during his visit to England in 1814, was the saber, stored now in the Arsenal of the State Hermitage Museum .
The inscription on the left side of the blade :
“This Iron having fallen from the Heavens was, upon his visit to England, presented to His Majesty ALEXANDER EMPEROR of all the RUSSIAS, who has successfully joined in Battle, to spread the Blessings of PEACE throughout EUROPE By James Sowerby FLS GS Honorary Member of the Physical Society of Gottingen &e, June 1814”
Sword, presented to Alexander I, forged from a meteorite Sarah of Good Hope, was found in 1793, at the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape of Good Hope.
The inscription on the right side of the blade:
“PURE METEORIC IRON found near the Cape of Good Hope”
Fantastic example of a Georgian presentation sabre with a lot of interesting quirks going on. To begin the style of sword is more for show than function, with the very curved and light un-fullered blade. Then there is the style, which modern collectors often attribute to infantry ‘Flank officers’ but could just as easily be used for a cavalry officers dress sword.
Finally there is the use of meteoric iron in the forging. The use of meteoric iron for making blades is as old as history, and occurred across multiple cultures. A dagger made of meteoric iron was discovered in the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamun, and the kriss short sword of Southeast Asia are said to use it in their forging. And the symbolism of using iron from the heavens was quickly seized upon. However on this blade the multiple imperfections caused by additional impurities clearly illustrate the inherent challenges faced when using this material.
Georgian officers sword with rotating guard or ‘attack hilt’
The rotating guard is an interesting but short lived attempt at solving an issue officers faced when carrying their swords.
As a symbol of authority and a sidearm, most swords spent the majority of their service life in their scabbards at the officer’s side. Even when on active duty, the majority of an army’s time is spent garrisoned or on the move rather than in actual combat. So officers were drawn to swords that were as un-intrusive as possible. But doing so the sacrificed performance, by taking a lighter blade or a less protective hilt.
More commonly seen on French sabres, the rotating guard hoped to solve the issue of hand protection by having the side bars swivel out when in use and rotate forward so when not, so that it had a flatter, less obtrusive profile when sheathed.
In French service this style of hilt only lasted from 1784 to 1798 and presumably for a similar time in British service. In part because this is around the time that nations began introducing their own standard patterns or models and also because the design introduces an inherent weakness in the guard reducing its’ effectiveness.
The idea did however persist into the early 19th Century with the Austrian army who even used it in one of their standard models.
