Sunday 13 July 2014

Confederation of the Rhine Nr. 3 (Frankfurt) Battalion


The third component of GdB Balthazard Grandjean's brigade was the Frankfurt battalion, commanded by Oberstlieutenant von Welsch.

2nd [German] Infantry Division 
GdD Jean-Francois, Baron Leval,

Brigade
OB Heinrich, Freiherr von Porbeck,
Baden Infantry Regiment Gross-Herzog Nr. 4: OB Heinrich, Freiherr von Porbeck, 2 battalions
Nassau Infantry Regiment Nr. 2: OB August von Kruse, 1st Battalion
Nassau Infantry Regiment Nr. 2: OB August von Kruse. 2nd Battalion
Baden Foot Battery: 2 – 7pdr howitzers, MAJ Franz-Friedrich-Christian von Steinmetz

Brigade
GM David-Hendrik Chasse,
Composite Dutch Infantry Regiment: OB Baron de Grave, 2 battalions
Dutch Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 3: 6 guns, HPT Hendrik-Rudolph Trip

Confederation of the Rhine Battalion Nr. 3 (Frankfurt) OBL von Welsch,
Hessen-Darmstadt Foot Batterie: 4 – 6pdrs, LT Ludwig Venator


With the Treaty of Luneville in 1801 all territories of the Holy Roman Empire on the left bank of the River Rhine were ceded to France. This massive change to the map of Europe in time led to the creation of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt. Frankfurt was called upon to raise and maintain a battalion of infantry initially 968 all ranks, this was later increased to 1,500 men.


On the 4th of August 1808 Frankfurt was ordered by the Emperor Napoleon to mobilise its battalion. The battalion, 980 men strong was organised along French lines with a grenadier and voltigeur company and four fusilier companies.


The battalion when raised in 1808 wore white tunics faced red with white buttons. In March 1809, after the Battle of Medellin, large stocks of dark blue and brown cloth were captured and the ragged white tunics and breaches were replaced with the dark blue uniform as illustrated. All badges of rank and company followed the French model.


My battalion is composed of figures from the "Warmodelling" range, with von Welsch mounted on an "AB" steed. The Colour carried is speculative, and thank you to Stuart at Maverick Models for supplying me with two options. I decided on the plain white with the eagle as a suitable banner for my my battalion to tread the field of Talavera with.



Next up, the Dutch contingent.

19 comments:

  1. Lovely work, Jonathon! I like the little touches on these figures like the Leionnaire-style neck shade. Unique, I reckon!

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  2. Hi JR, thanks mate. I know what you mean, me too. They really have captured the Spanish campaign look with these sculpts.
    Thanks for your comment
    JJ

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  3. Once again, an excellent work, love your paint job and your bases!

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  4. Great uniot and nice background information!

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  5. Great job!
    Looking forward to seeing the Dutch units

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    1. Thanks Nigel, so am I. I'm hoping to get them done before going on holiday to France at the end of the month

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  6. Hello JJ,
    a very interesting post.
    As always, your figures are always very nice.
    See you soon
    Simmy

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    1. Cheers Simmy, thanks for your comment. The units take on a bit more character when you take the time to research them. It then hurts when they get badly shot up in a game.
      JJ

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  7. Another outstanding German contingent for the Peninsula. I would have been tempted to put them in their white jackets to really set them apart. Were you tempted?

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    1. Hi Jon, thank you. The white uniform is rather distinctive and Austrian in appearance. I couldn't find a suitable figure and then decided that as the unit was being constructed for Talavera the blue look would be more appropriate. The Dutch will provide a good splash of white.

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  8. Beautiful unit, off to the Spanish Ulcer they march! It's simply amazing to see what influence Knötel's plates still hold, a true testimony to his great work!

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  9. Cheers BP. The Knotel plates are a guide but only that and you will know that you can't take his versions too literally. I really like the "on the spot" pictures such as the Suhr Brothers pictures of the Dutch army in Hamburg in 1806 which I have been looking at for the next project.

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  10. Very enjoyable watching your put your armies together, lovely unit!

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    1. Hi Paul, thank you. It's even more fun when you know others have been following the project and gives added impetus to get on with it.

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  11. Very nicely done. What flags are you using for these units? Looking forward to your Dutch.

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    1. Thank you. The flags are from Maverick Models and I gather Stuart now has four different versions to choose from. As I said the flag is speculative as there are several possibilities as to its look. We cannot be certain the unit carried a Colour, but likewise I am not sure we can be certain they didn't.

      There is a link to Maverick in my Product Links on the right hand bar.

      I'm looking forward to the Dutch as I will then just have the Badeners and Poles to do plus the artillery.

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  12. You can find the flag of the grand duchy of Frankfurt here :
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchy_of_Frankfurt
    I don't know if it was the flag of the regiment or if the regiment had one...

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