KGL Light battalions - mixed rifles and muskets?

[photocrinch]

Hello all,

I hope to benefit from a bit of group wisdom here with this question.

I'm trying to identify appropriate figures to use in constructing either the 1st or 2nd light infantry battalions of the King's German Legion during 1811-12.

During the 1811-12 period of the Peninsular war, I am interested in if there is a consensus on whether the entire battalion was armed with bakes rifles, or if just the flank/light companies of the Battalion were so armed.  Hamilton smith seems to show a KGL uniform with socket bayonet, indicating the use of a musket.  Knotel as well illustrates both the musket and the rifle.  By Waterloo Haythornthwaite indicates all were rifle armed.

I'm hoping in 1811-12 I could reasonably have the majority of the battalion with muskets and one or two companies with rifles (because I have appropriate figures for that).

Does anyone know of sources that would help shed any light on how the KGL light battalions were armed in 1811-12 and what proportion (if not all) would have been rifle armed?

Thanks in advance for your help.

David (miniatureminions)

[Jemima Fawr]

They were definitely mixed.  It's been a long time since I looked at it, but I remember the ratio being roughly 2 muskets to 1 rifle. 

[Jemima Fawr]

I'm still looking for the Peninsular War ratios, but in 1815 there is primary evidence for the 2nd Light Battalion having 50/50 rifles/muskets and the 1st Light Battalion having 100% rifles.

In the Peninsular Wat the KGL Line Battalions had 12 sharpshooters per company armed with rifle.  These were then massed in 1812 into the Light Company.  They still had this organisation in 1815.

[photocrinch]

Thanks Jemima Fawr.  That is very reassuring!  Do you mind if I ask if you recall the source of that info?  I'd love to do a little further reading.

Thanks!

David

[Jemima Fawr]

It was a note I copied and saved from the old Napoleon Series forum many years ago.  I tried to find the link, but it seems that the forum has gone!  It was still there a few months ago!

Here's the full text:

The collections under Hann. 38 D in the "Niedersächsisches Hauptstaatsarchiv Hannover" (HStA) are the original KGL papers. Nr. 180 contains several returns of clothing, equipment and weapons which were given over to the Royal Hannoverian Army on the disbandment of the KGL in 1816. These are the returns with dates nearest to Waterloo I could find in the HStA.

Page 8 is the "Return of Arms of the 2nd Light Battn. Kings German Legion at Steierberg the 5th February 1816" written in English and signed "Geo Baring, Lt Colonel". The return is in the form of a table with the columns "Rifles" and "Musquets" and the following information:

"In possession with the Battn. [last 4 words underlined]
belonging Originally to the Battn. | 228 | 67
received from the 3rd Line Battn. | | 26
received from the 5th Line Battn. | | 4
Total | 228 | 97

In Store at Ostend [last 3 words underlined]
belonging Orginally to the Battn. | | 85
received from the 3rd Line Battn. | | 28
received from the 5th Line Battn. | | 24
Total | | 137

In possession of Men Sick absent and on Command | 12 | 14

Gran Total | 240 | 248

Recapitulation [underlined]
belonging Originally to the Battn. | 240 | 166
1st Decbr 1815 received from the 3rd Line Battn. | | 54
2nd Do. 1815 received from the 5th Line Battn. | | 28
Total | 240 | 248"

HStA Hann. 38 D, Nr. 179, Pag. 3 is a report from the 1st Light Battalion KGL in German, dated 14 February 1816. It gives the result of a committe meeting inspecting all firearms returned from the companies and is signed by the president of the committe Captain Schaedtler. The report lists 300 rifles ["Büchsen mit Hirschfänger"] as serviceable, 20 rifles needing repairs and 25 rifles unserviceable; no muskets are mentioned.

HStA Hann. 38 D, Nr. 180 has also reports from the line battalions of the KGL in English:
Pag. 11: 1st Line Battalion, 1 February 1816, 65 rifles, 469 muskets
Pag. 16: 2nd Line Battalion, 13 February 1816, 84 rifles, 401 muskets

The report of the 5th Line Battalion is in German and signed on 27 January 1816 by Captain Georg Nölting of Wheatley fame:
Pag. 25: 49 rifles ["Büchsen"], 234 muskets ["Gewehre" !!!]
Pag. 28 is a report on the accoutrements in possession of the 5th Line Battalion and signed on 9 February 1816 by Lt.-Col. von Linsingen. The table is divided in several main columns: "Serjeanten", "Tambourn", "Pioniers", "Schützen" [riflemen], "Soldaten". The undercolumns under "Schützen" give "Koppel" [waistbelts] and "Pulverhörner" [powderhorns] for 50 men, clearly indicating that these were really riflemen.

All these numbers, compared with the strength of the battalions at Waterloo, clearly show that the light companies of the line battalions were riflemen, at least at Waterloo. A large proportion of the 2nd Light Battalion men was armed with muskets, whereas the men of the 1st Light Battalion seem to have been all riflemen.

The 1813 drill instructions were not used by KGL light infantry but written by KGL officers for the use of the newly formed Hannoverian Levies, the later field battalions, because of the lack of any standardised drill instructions in 1813. The title is misleading! In the HStA are many propositions for altering the pre 1803 Hannoverian drill to fit into the British drill system. Unfortunately the end product, of which some handwritten adjutant's versions may be found in the HStA, was never printed. The 1802 Hannoverian drill had a large part on the exercises of the sharpshooters which was incorporated in the KGL drill. The new Hannoverian formations of 1813, however, had no use for this. The weapons for them were sent from England and in HStA Hann. 38 D, Nr. 182, Pag. 8 is an "Account of Small Arms and Accoutrements received and issued by Dpy. Asst. Commissy. Taylor in and for the Service of Hanover" dated 8 October 1814 and countersigned by Lt.-Gen. Baron Decken. All weapons received from 6 September 1813 until 23 July 1814 were "Muskets with Bayonets". These were distributed to the Hannoverian battalions including the Lüneburg FB! Memoirs of officers from the so called light battalions never mention rifles but always bayonets, not "Hirschfänger".

All battalions of the Hannoverian Army were re-equipped (partly changing their uniforms) before the Waterloo campaign. It is possible that their sharpshooters received rifles at that point. According to the memoirs of Lieutenant and Adjutant Carl von Berckefeldt, Landwehrbataillon Münden, his battalion used the pre 1803 Hannoverian regulations and so had sharpshooters, but all men were equipped with the British musket. The "sharpshooters" of the Hannoverian units at Waterloo seem to have been the equivalent of the British light companies. The only exception was the Jäger Corps, which of course was armed with (hunting) rifles.

[Jemima Fawr]

On a semi-related note, the 1st, 4th and 6th Portuguese Cacadores are recorded as receiving 200 rifles apiece, which would be enough to equip one-third of the battalion, with the remainder having muskets.

[photocrinch]

You are the best!  Many thanks!

That will take some time to digest in full.  Really appreciate you taking the time to reply so thoroughly.

All the Best,

David

[Jemima Fawr]

I was bored, so decided to do a little light Googling and found this:

"Rifles were issued to the KGL Light Battalions on the following dates:

1st Battalion:

18/12/1804 – 132 rifles
14/08/1809 – 136 rifles
27/10/1807 – 60 rifles
30/10/1811 – 26 rifles
15/04/1812 – 76 rifles
30/07/1813 – 11 rifles
20/11/1813 – 22 rifles
23/08/1814 – 338 rifles

2nd battalion:

14/08/1806 – 129 rifles
27/10/1807 – 60 rifles
02/01/1808 – 16 rifles
30/10/1811 – 24 rifles
15/04/1812 – 76 rifles
10/06/1812 – 12 rifles
30/07/1813 – 21 rifles
25/10/1813 – 25 rifles
20/11/1813 – 25 rifles
10/09/1814 – 358 rifles

A good indication of the mix of weapons within the battalions comes from an inspection carried out on 5th May 1814 at St Etiennne:

The 1st KGL Light Battalion was equipped with 392 rifles and swords and 253 muskets and bayonets.

The 2nd KGL Light Battalion was equipped in an identical manner with 392 rifles and swords and 253 muskets and bayonets."

My notes:

Going by the initial issue, that would tend to confirm the ratio of roughly 2 muskets to 1 rifle through the Peninsular War, then there seems to be a complete re-issue of new weapons at the conclusion of hostilities in 1814 (which would make sense), bringing the ratio up to around 3 rifles to 2 muskets.  That may well have changed again in 1815, following the removal of men from the KGL to form the nucleus of the new Hanoverian Army.

[photocrinch]

I'm going for roughly 1811 so will have more muskets than rifles.  I only have nine rifle armed figures, but that can get close to the 2-1 ratio.   In any event it seems within the realm of possibility.  In terms of figures that would be 9 rifles, 23 muskets and 4 command figures for a 36 figure battalion, or 2.5 rifles per musket.  Maybe I'll get lucky and find a few riflemen before I get underway.

Thanks again!

David

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

I'd like to add my thanks to JF for posting this.  My interest in the KGL Light Battalions in the Peninsula are as rifle support (only 6 figures, but let's get it right) for my Brunswick "Owls" Sharp Practice force for 1811/1812.  During this time, the "Owls" were brigaded with the 1st and 2nd Lights KGL as part of the 7th Division, and I think also had elements of the 2nd KGL Hussars attached, as during this period it was intended that the 7th became a second Light Division (the original of which had the 1st KGL Hussars attached).