Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Austrian Cavalry

There were two wings of cavalry in Daun's main army, under two of the most-famed austrian generals, Buccow and O'Donnell.
The General der Kavallerie Adolph Nicolaus, Baron Buccow was reputed by Daun as "an admirabily active and versatile commander". Anyway he was disliked by Lacy. At Torgau he commanded the right-wing cavalry and directed some important counterattacks, suffering a wound which contribuited to his removal from active service.
The first line was formed by the Brigade Voghera, CR3, Erzherzog Leopold, CR 27 Benedikt Daun


and one of my favorite regiments, DR 9 Aspremont-Linden, better known as "Savoyen":

The second line was formed by Brigade Wiese, with DR 7 Batthyany and CR (ii) Buccow:


The left wing was under the command of the General der Kavallerie Carl O'Donnell of irish descent, which at Torgau distinguished himself repelling the Holstein attack. He took the control of the Army after Daun's wound.
According to Duffy "...was of an amiable disposition, he played the flute, and he enjoyed the company of a young mistress named Augusta. Daun describes him as being something of a showman".


Here is in front of CR4 Erzherzog Ferdinand from the Brigade Lobkowitz:


the other two regiments of the Brigade, DR 19 Hessen-Darmstadt (red-coated) and CR 25 Anhalt-Zerbst:


The second line was formed by Brigade Zollern, CR 14 O'Donnell and CR 26 Emanuel von Portugal:







Sunday, March 6, 2011

Ried Light Corps

Ried light corps, 3686 infantry and cavalry: during the battle Ried did his best to slow Frederick advance in the woods and later counterattacked the Prussian in the flank.

Ried himself with the Deutsche Feldjager Corps:



Grenz Regiment 66, Slavonische Broder:



The husaren: I painted HR24 P.A.Hesterhazy, but at Torgau there was the HR32 Szecheny. Indeed, the first (wrong) OOB I was able to find gave HR24: moreover they have a colorful uniform:



HR 24 Paul Anton Esterhazy (from Brauer Bogen, Tafel 71):


HR 32 Szecheny (from Brauer Bogen, Tafel 71):

The Staff Dragoner and Infantry Regiments:



the blue coat of the Staff regiment allowed the outfit to evade capture in the confused final stages of the battle: they were mistook for Prussians!

Prussian second and third columns

The second column was under the command of General Lieutenant Von Hulsen, a doughty commander who fought at Lobositz, Kolin, wounded at Kunersdorf and again here at Torgau.


Later in the day he lead the final push of infantry. All his horse being shot under from him and since his age and his wound prevented him from going on foot, he set himself on a cannon and had himself dragged into the enemy fire. The scene according to Menzel:


Hulsen and IR 7 Bevern:


The Brigade Braun and Queiss:


A close-up of the Grenadier battalions from the Brigade Braun:


IR 25 Ramin, IR19 Markgraf Karl and the Fusilier Regiment 35 Prinz Heinrich from Brigade Queiss:


The last column to arrive on the field was the cavalry column under the command of the General der Kavallerie Georg Ludwig, Herzog von Holstein-Gottorp:


according to Duffy, his late arrival was causated by his "long breakfast". Anyway his cavalry nearly won the day for Frederick, before being repelled by the Austrian cavalry furious counterattacks.

The cavalry column:


The Herzog von Holstein with his infantry brigade, IR 16 Dohna and IR 22 Alt-Schenckendorff with a battery of 12 pdr heavy guns:


The cavalry, under the command of Count von Finckenstein, who fell into austrian hands in the later stages of the battle; Brigade Aschersleben (CR3 Lentulus and CR4 Schmettau):


Brigade Meinecke, C1 Schlabrendorff, CR5 Prinz Friederich and CR12 Spaen:


The Dragoon brigades: DR11 Jung Platen, DR12 Wurtemberg and the super large DR5 Bayreuth: