So who was this Wallmoden, time to start using google. From Wikipedia came some basic biographic details. Ludwig von Wallmoden was the son of Johann Ludwig Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn (1736-1811), an illegitimate son of George II, King of England.
He was apparently born in Austria and served in multiple different armies through the Napoleonic era, including Hanover, Prussia and Austria. In 1813 he transfered to the Russian army and became the head of the Russian-German Legion. Soon as the War of the Sixth Coalition was developing he was given his own corps as a part of the Allied Army of the North. During the Battle of the Göhrde, he and his corps held out against not only General Davout's force but also the French division under Pécheux, later penetrating into Schleswig and forcing the Danes to make peace. He survived the Napoleonic wars, served with the Austrian army in Italy and finally retired in 1848. He died in Vienna in 1862.
He was apparently born in Austria and served in multiple different armies through the Napoleonic era, including Hanover, Prussia and Austria. In 1813 he transfered to the Russian army and became the head of the Russian-German Legion. Soon as the War of the Sixth Coalition was developing he was given his own corps as a part of the Allied Army of the North. During the Battle of the Göhrde, he and his corps held out against not only General Davout's force but also the French division under Pécheux, later penetrating into Schleswig and forcing the Danes to make peace. He survived the Napoleonic wars, served with the Austrian army in Italy and finally retired in 1848. He died in Vienna in 1862.I really do not have a good sense yet of how Wallmoden's Korps fit into the allied armies of 1813 and the major battles of this critical year in the Napoleonic Era. It does, however, look like an exciting army to paint so I made my plans. I could find enough information about the troop composition at Battle of Göhrde, so I decided to start there.
Wallmoden's Korps is an interesting unit. It was part of the Allied Army of the North but never served with the rest of the Army in protecting Berlin from the French advancing from the south. Its mission, apparently, was to tie up Davout's forces working out of Hamburg and to cover the open right flank of the rest of the Army of the North.
ReplyDeleteMight I recommend Michael Leggiere's book Napoleon and Berlin: The Franco-Prussian War in North Germany, 1813 which contains some information about the mission and formation of Wallmoden's Korps.
Jim
http://colcampbellbarracks.blogspot.com/
Thanks Jim I just noticed your comment. I will get the book. I also like the K in Korps.
ReplyDeleteJohn