Hanoverian Infantry at Hastenbeck

The Hanoverian infantry have been painted to conform with their new regimental details. All units wore straw coloured breeches, so that was my first task; the change from red to straw colour.

Some changes proved less a problem as these corresponded with the British units from which they came from. The majority of my British troops wore either yellow, buff or green facings which were similar to Hanoverian requirements.

There were a few oddities that certainly would compete with a Harlequin dress at an Italian carnival festival, but luckily these were few.

Lastly, like their British counterpart, Hannover also converged their grenadiers into temporary battalions. Hannover fielded three such units and these need to be ordered on Blue Moon (Old Glory UK) in a week or two.

Of the seven brigades listed below some show only two battalions of Hanoverian. These do not reflect the entire brigade strength as they list troops from Hesse-Kassel or Brunswick.

Photo one

von Block Brigade                                       

Druchtleben (1 bn), Knesebeck (1 bn), Scheither (1 bn),  Buckeburg  (1 bn),  Sachsen-Gotha  (1 bn), Stolzenberg  (1 bn), Post  (1 bn)                 

von Sporcken Brigade                    

Jung-Zastrow (1 bn), Diepenbroick (1 bn)                         

von Kielmansegg Brigade   

Kielmannsegg (1 bn), Oberg  (1 bn), Garde (2 bns)      

Photo two

                                                     

von Hodenberg Brigade                 

Wagenheim(1 bn), Hodenberg (1 bn)                                             

Detachment around the Afferde Watchtower under von Ledebur

Ledebour (1 bn), Fabrice (1 bn)                                          

Detachment on the Schecken Height                      

between Afferde and Diedersen under Breidenbach

Sporken (1 bn), von Hardenberg (1 bn), Zandre de Caraffa (1 bn)                                 

Detachments near Hameln  

Kommandierte Infanterie (2,000 men) converged from various regiments,

1st Garrison Battalion (1 bn)

Brigade von Behr                                        

Hanoverian Brunck(1 bn), Hanoverian Block(1 bn)

To be ordered:

von Hardenberg Brigade of converged grenadiers

Hanoverian Grenadiers (2 bns)

von Schulenburg Brigade                                       

Hanoverian Grenadiers (1 bn)

Flags

I add four or five regimental flags to the Hanoverians and two colonel colours for the Hanoverian Generals Zastrow and Kielmansegg. The flag here is of a colonel’s flag for Hanover. (Kronoskaf.com/Hannover)

Cheers, 

The German Allies - Hannover

In July 1758, the British force arrive on the continent. Over the years, this contingent grew from 8,000 to 18,000 by the Battle of Vellinghausen. Still relatively small numbers by comparison to the German forces.

“At Vellinghausen, the Hanoverians numbered 28,000 troops and Brunswick and Hessian, 16,000 and 7,000 respectively. Light troops totalled 8,500” – from Savory.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the British were grouped by brigades among the German “divisions”. This was in part to give them field experience, but we read from later battles, this system was to remain in effect at Vellinghausen, not because it was needed, but it worked well.

Hannover

Hannover supplied the largest contingent of troops and as their uniforms were nearly identical I began organizing these. Reviewing my notes, the remaining elements would following the order of battle for Hastenbeck (1757). 

I had thought about using the OB for Vellinghausen (1761) but this required the purchase far too many figures than I wanted to paint.  

The order of battle at Hastenbeck therefore was manageable as Hannover fielded 27 bns and 17 cavalry regiments or 44 elements excluding artillery and generals. There are enough elements for the infantry but I lack 8 elements of cavalry, however, these can be taken from excess Prussian and Austrian elements. My artillery park is bursting at the seams so no worries there, however I do lack generals. These will be added to my next order.

As for the uniforms, these were identical in cut and coats were red, with only the regimental distinctions, colour of breech and waistcoat to identify them as from Hanover. 

Painting these changes will be the first step and later I will add the sprig of oak leaves used as “”feldzeichen”.

The flags will offer the biggest challenge as each regiment had different emblems as well as field colour. 

Hanoverian troops at Hastenbeck

Infantry:

Druchtleben (1 bn), Knesebec (1 bn), Scheither (1 bn), Buckeburg (1 bn), Sachsen-Gotha(1 bn), Stolzenberg (1 bn), Post (1 bn), Jung-Zastrow (1 bn), Diepenbroick (1 bn), Kielmannsegg (1 bn), Oberg (1 bn), Garde (2 bns), Wagenheim (1 bn), Hodenberg (1 bn), Ledebour (1 bn), Fabrice (1 bn), Sporken (1 bn), von Hardenberg (1 bn), Zandre de Caraffa (1 bn), 1st Garrison Battalion (1 bn), Brunck (1 bn), Block (1 bn), Converged Grenadiers (3 bns), and Fuss Jäger (3 cos.)

Cavalry:

Busche Dragoons (4 sqns), Breidenbach Dragoons  (2 sqns), Grenadier zu Pferde 

(1 sqn), Dachenhausen Dragoons  (2 sqns), Leibgarde zu Pferde (1 sqn), Hammerstein (2 sqns), Schollen (2 sqns), Reden (2 sqns), Gilten (2 sqns), Jäger zu Pferde (2 cos.), Bock Dragoons (4 sqns), Dachenhausen Dragoons (2 sqns), Breidenbach Dragoons 

(2 sqns) Hussars (1 sqn), and Leib-Regiment (2 sqns)

Dachenhausen Dragoons (2 sqns) and Breidenbach Dragoons (2 sqns) are listed twice as half of each regiment were deployed over two locations. Dragoon regiments fielded four squadrons, while Horse regiments were of two squadron strength.

Cheers, 

His Britannic Majesty's Army in Germany - the British

From Kronoskaf.com the Battle of Vellinghausen, I am now able to organize elements in their historical groupings. In the next few days, correct details will be painted so each element will look correct and add a flag for the Guards brigade. 

Missing from the photos are the converged grenadier battalions of Welsh and Maxwell plus the Guards brigade.

Center

 Lieutenant-General Prince von Anhalt's Corps 

            Major-General Elliot's Brigade 

            British 1st Royal Dragoons (2 sqns) under Conway 

            British 10th Mordaunt's Dragoons (2 sqns) 

            British 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (2 sqns) 

Lieutenant-General Howard's Corps 

            Major-General Cavendish's Brigade 

            British 11th Bocland's Foot (1 bn) 

            British 33rd Griffin's Foot (1 bn) 

            British 51st Brudenel's Foot (1 bn) 

            British 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1 bn) 

            Major-General Pembroke's Brigade behind the left wing 

            British Royal Horse Guards (3 sqns) aka "The Blues" 

            British 4th Regiment of Horse, or The Black Horse (2 sqns) under Honeywood 

            British 3rd Regiment of Horse (Carabiniers) (2 sqns) 

            Major-General Braun's Reserve Brigade 

            British Light Artillery 

 Lieutenant-General Conway's Corps 

            Major-General Caesar's Brigade 

            Converged Grenadiers of the British Guards (1 bn) 

            British II./1st Regiment of Foot Guards (1 bn) 

            British II./3rd Scots Regiment of Foot Guards (1 bn) 

            British II./2nd Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards (1 bn) 

            Major-General Townshend's Brigade 

            British 8th King's (1 bn) under Colonel Barrington 

            British 25th Edinburgh (1 bn) under Colonel Erskine 

            British 50th Carr's Foot (1 bn) 

            British 20th Kingsley's Foot (1 bn) 

            Major-General Douglas' Brigade 

            1st (The King's) Regiment of Dragoon Guards (3 sqns) 

            3rd Regiment of Dragoon Guards (2 sqns) 

            2nd (The Queen's) Regiment of Dragoon Guards (2 sqns) 

Left wing 

Lieutenant-General Marquis of Granby's Corps, assisted by Lieutenant-General Waldegrave 

            Colonel Beckwith's Brigade 

            Welsh's Converged Grenadiers (1 bn) 

            Maxwell's Converged Grenadiers (1 bn) 

            Major-General Sandford's Brigade 

            5th Hodgson's Foot (1 bn) 

            24th Cornwallis' Foot (1 bn) 

            37th Stuart's Foot (1 bn)

            12th Napier's Foot (1 bn) 

            Colonel Beckwith's Brigade 

            88th Campbell's Highlanders (1 bn) 

            87th Keith's Highlanders (1 bn) 

            Harvey's Reserve Brigade 

            Scots Greys Dragoons (2 sqns) 

            11th Ancram's Dragoons (2 sqns) 

            7th Queen's Own Dragoons (2 sqns)

A photo of all three commands.

Cheers, 

Next are the Hanoverian troops.

His Britannic Majesty’s Army in Germany

While placing the finishing touches to my map for the Northern campaign 1812 the list of projects has swung back like a pendulum to the Seven Years War. With the French army complete and organized as per order of battle for Hastenbeck I decided to work on the opposition.

One problem here, with the exception of the Duke of Cumberland there were no British present at the Battle of Hastenbeck. It was not until later in the war, that the British arrived in sufficient numbers. Even the British force at the Battle of Minden were small compared to the later battles of 1761. This left the German allies of Hannover, Brunswick and Hessen-Kassel to carry the weight of the early campaigns against the French.

Looking at my collection, I divided this into three parcels, one British, the second would become the troops of Hannover and lastly those for Hessen-Kassel. The British would have enough elements for a big battle game and Vellinghausen (1761) worked quite well. This turned out to be 13 horse, 17 foot, 3 cannon and 3 generals.

The following order of battle was taken from BritishBattles.com with description and map: Vellinghausen. 

  

Horse

Royal Horse Guards (3), King’s Dragoon Guards (3), 2nd Dragoon Guards, 3rd Dragoon Guards, the Carabineers, 7th Dragoon Guards; now the Royal Dragoon Guards.

Dragoons

1st Royal Dragoons, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, 2nd Dragoons, 7th Dragoons, 10th Dragoons, 11th Dragoons, 15th Light Dragoons (3).

Royal Artillery.

Guards

First Guards, Coldstream Guards, and the third Guards.

Infantry

5th Foot, 8th Foot, 11th Foot, 12th Foot, 20th Foot, 23rd Foot, 24th Foot, 25th Foot, 33rd Foot, 37th Foot, 50th Foot, 51st Foot, Welsh and Maxwell's converged grenadiers.

Auxiliaries

87th Highlanders and 88th Highlanders,

Total strength: 29 sqds. 17 bns.

Useful online references for the British

Kronoskaf.com/British army

NYPL/Britain

Warflag.com/British flags

Drapeaux de Frederic Aubert  

A final note.

During the Seven Years War, permanent organizations such as Corps and Division were not known. Units were grouped by brigades and the army under Ferdinand of Brunswick distributed the British infantry and cavalry brigades among his generals, with a number having troops from Hannover, Brunswick, Hessen and Britain.

The following list for the Battle of Vellinghausen is taken from Colonel H.C.B. Rogers’ book, the British Army of the Eighteenth Century.

Commander: Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick

The Erbprinz of Brunswick, four large brigades of Hanoverian infantry, cavalry and artillery.

General Conway, two British brigades of infantry and one of cavalry.

General Howard, one each brigade of British infantry and cavalry, two German battalions, British and Hanoverian artillery.

General Prinz von Anhalt, three infantry brigades (Hessian, Brunswick and Hanoverian) and a British cavalry brigade.

General von Watgineau, two infantry brigades of Hessian, Brunswick and Hanoverian troops and a Hanoverian and Brunswick cavalry brigade.

General the Marquis of Granby, a number of infantry and cavalry brigades composed of British, Brunswick, Hanoverian, Prussian, Hessian and British “foreign legion” troops.

For the DBA player, this would mean a multinational army without separate “allied” commands.

Next

The German Allies - Hannover