Mi appresto a realizzare i miei 4 battaglioni di fanteria prussiana della Wargames Foundry. Ho deciso di realizzare due reggimenti, ciascuno su 2 battaglioni. Ho iniziato a cercare documentazione non volendo affidarmi solo agli Osprey ed ai Funcken.
Testo tratto dal sito http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Prussian_infantry.htm
Tavole della Perry Miniatures ma trovato su Pinterest
"The infantry of Prussia in 1806 was 'a museum piece' reflecting the great days of Frederick the Great imposing in appearance but decidedly disappointing in performance. and outdated in training. This was evident as early as Valmy in 1792, but few improvements had been wrought 14 years later.
The cult of the past was unshakeable, the tactics rigid, the supply train enormous, and a day's march of over 10 miles was considered excessive. Its leadership was also antiquated, except for Prince Louis Ferdinand. The disasters of Jena and Auerstadt and the succeeding weeks, and the humiliations of Tilsit at length brought reform under the inspiration of Scharnhorst." (Chandler - "Dictionary of the Napoleonic wars" p 210)
The Prussian commanders preferred to move their battalions methodically and over open terrain. Unlike the French, they had to hold precision above speed and flexibility. Heavy dependence on magazines and enormous baggage trains following the troops further added to the army's inflexibility.
The Prussians broadly interpreted Frederick the Great's remark that the soldiers should fear their officers more than the enemy. The goal of the discipline was to transform the infantry into an instrument of single mind and will. Frederick writes, "If during a combat a soldier appears ready to flee, or so much as steps off the line, the NCO standing behind him will run him through with his bayonet and kill him on the spot." Many deserteres were executed, while those found guilty of less serious offenses ran the gauntlet.
"The Prussian Infantry who mobilised in 1806 were products of a system that had not altered since the Seven Years' War. They were immaculately dressed, drilled into unquestioning obedience, savagely punished if they fell foul of their commanders and were unfit for the new type of warfare in every possible way." (Robert Mantle - "Prussian Reserve Infantry: 1813-15")
The years of 1807-1812 were time of reorganization and reform of the army, and infantry in particular. In 1808 the Prussians reorganized their infantry and this was followed by the Exerzir Reglement fur die Infanterie der Koniglich Preussischen Armee of 1812.
The Prussian infantry that joined the Allies against France in 1813 was well-or model. The regular infantry wase well trained, well clothed and well armed. They were brave soldiers. The reserve infantry was formed from various troops, and might have each battalion in different uniform, and several types of muskets. Most of them however performed in combat quite well.
There were also volunteer units, they armed and uniformed themselves. The volunteers were enthusiastic but lacked training and physical toughness.
The Landwehr infantry was a national levy of all men betweem 17 and 40 capable of bearing weapons. They lacked weapons and uniforms. Many wore either captured French greatcoats or civilian clothes. The older men capable of bearing arms went into Landsturm. They were poorly armed and saw little duty.
Organization of 1806 Prussian Infantry



- Life Grenadier Battalion
- 2nd East Prussia Grenadier Battalion
- both musketier battalions of (3.) 2nd East Prussia Infantry Regiment
- both musketier battalions of (4.) 3rd East Prussia Infantry Regiment
- both musketier battalions of (9.) Life Infantry Regiment
- both musketier battalions of (10.) Kolberg Infantry Regiment
- both musketier battalions of (11.) 1st Silesia Infantry Regiment
(The battalions of Foot Guard changed the colour of their staffs from
white to yellow in January 1813. They also had silver pike heads.)
-
In December 1808 a regiment's strength was regulated at 2 musketier and 1 fusilier battalion. Peter Paret writes, "The process of familiarization was further advanced when the formerly self-contained fusilier battalions were made part of the infantry regiments. Officers and soldiers of the line, drilling side by side with their light battalion, were now regularly exposed to skirmish tactics.
It was, however, only natural that the pressure and authority of the line came at times to threaten the tactical characteristics of the light infantry. Until November 1807 the regimental commander had been master in a realm whose first law was the greatest attainable measure of uniformity in drill and appearance. The incorporation of the light infantry brought an alien body to the regimental organization. Friction between the line- and light commanders grew so high that in the last days of 1808 rules had to be issued to define and regulate their relations.
Overall tactical and administrative control was left to the regimental commander, but the chief of the light battalion received special rights beyond those of other battalion commanders - in particular greater disciplinary independence, and almost autonoums powers in matters of training and drill. It was a necessary and remarkably courageous break with tradition. The distinct position of the fusilier battalion commander was restated in Zieten's Instruction for Light Troops Attached to Line Infantry of 10 May 1810. (...)
Difficulties were also caused by the many new officers who had been transferred from line units and still knew little about their new duties. The later general von Schmidt, who at this time commanded a light infantry company, writes in his memoirs that 'the whole art of skirmishing consisted in madly running about,' and that they experienced the greatest frustrations in teaching their subordinates to fight as individuals, 'particularly without the use of the stick !"
(Peter Paret - "Yorck and the era of the Prussian reform ..." on pp 148 and 149)
The grenadiers were part of the line regiment but on campaign
they were detached and formed 6 grenadier battalions.
Line regiments in December 1808:
- [1.] 1st East Prussia Infantry Regiment
- [2.] 1st Pommerania Infantry Regiment
- [3.] 2nd East Prussia Infantry Regiment
- [4.] 3rd East Prussia Infantry Regiment
- [5.] 4th East Prussia Infantry Regiment
- [6.] 1st West Prussia Infantry Regiment
- [7.] 2nd West Prussia Infantry Regiment
- [8.] Guard Infantry Regiment
- [9.] Life Infantry Regiment
- [10.] Kolberg Infantry Regiment
- [11.] 1st Silesia Infantry Regiment
- [12.] 2nd Silesia Infantry Regiment
- - - - - - Normal Battalion
- - - - - - [1.] Guard Jager Battalion
- - - - - - [2.] East Prussia Jager Battalion
- - - - - - [3.] Silesian Schutzen Battalion
- - - - - - [1.] East Prussia Grenadier Battalion
- - - - - - [2.] East Prussia Grenadier Battalion
- - - - - - Pommerania Grenadier Battalion
- - - - - - Life Grenadier Battalion
- - - - - - West Prussia Grenadier Battalion
- - - - - - Silesia Grenadier Battalion
In December 1812 eight militia battalions were raised by Bulow in East Prussia. In January 1813 von Yorck raised 12 reserve battalions and 3 Lithuanian fusilier battalions. In February it was decreed that each grenadier battalion should form one reserve battalion and each infantry battalion should form two. In March 1813, the Prussian infantry consisted of 12 old regiments. Each regiment had two numbers; one was its precedence in the Line, and the other, precedence in the province it recruited from. There were also 12 reserve infantry regiments.
Infantry regiment in 1813:
- staff
- small detachment of volunteer-jagers
- 2 grenadier companies
(during the war they were detached from the
regiment and formed grenadier batalions)
- 2 musketier battalions
(each battalion had 4 musketier companies)
- 1 fusilier battalion
(it had 4 fusilier companies)


