Hanoverian Army - Quatre Bras 1815

 

Hanoverians at Quatre Bras

My main project this past month has shifted to Hanoverians as the Ouest France Napoleonic Gamers are planning a Quatre Bras game at the end of October. As my mate gifted me three battalions of Hanoverians line for my birthday a few years ago,  I have taken it upon myself to paint another 5 battalions for the big game. Three of the battalions are from the Perry miniatures range of Hanoverians for the specialist light battalions and the remaining two will be Warlord miniatures with metal commands in Belgic shako. I have also purchased the Black Hussar Kielmeansegg jager also to be painted, and Perry Hanoverians artillery, ADCs and generals. As none of the cavalry were present at Qauter Bras or fought at Waterloo they will be on the back burner for the moment, but I do plan on adding them in the future.

I have assembled six battalions of Warlord plastic figure battalions with a mix of soft cap. Belgic shako and stovepipe shako, then undercoat them all in the last four weeks, I have then cracked on with the paintwork. 

I have collected what information is out there including some new stuff I have translated from German from the Celle collection and the Sichart, L. von and A. and R. von Sichart. Geschichte der Königlich-Hannoverschen Armee Hannover; 1898. Plus found some artwork from the German national library from the Celle collection also, I doubt many have seen as they have only become available this year. I also have Sibormes letters in my collection and have never opened it as Waterloo has never really been an interest for me, however I purchased a full Napoleonic library last year and it was in the collection along with a number of French and German original documents I am yet to translate.

I have noted that a number of flags have come to light since 2022 so I will be following the white kings colour and colonels standards that were issued in 1815. Each battalion also had different packs, predominantly English and it is noted that at Waterloo by Siborne's Waterloo Letters stating that the Hanoverian battalions had British Trotter packs that were painted yellow in the 3rd brigade. Could this have been true of all Hanoverian battalions as it was common for foreign army trotter packs to be issued as yellow (Portuguese, Spanish, India Company). Several battalions also had Austrian or French captured stock in 1813 so May of still been present at Waterloo (Kielmansegge jager had Austrian for example). I plan to paint the majority of mine with yellow packs, I also plan to make a transfer for the kings moniker that I will add to the packs at a later date, as per the surviving example at Boman museum Celle collection. 

Order of battle 1815 

1st Hanoverian Brigade  Major-General Graf von Kielmansegge 

A scarlet red coat featuring double-breasted gold buttons.
Facings: dark blue facings (collars and cuffs) with gold embroidery.
Epaulettes & Accessories: Heavy gold epaulettes on both shoulders to signify general officer rank, a gold silk waist sash, and a bicorne hat with white and red plume.

1st Field Battalion of the Bremen Regiment (Leichte) - Lt-Col. William Langrehr (KIA) 552 men 

Officer Field Battalion Bremen 1813 Celle Collection 

Light Battalion Bremen Verden 1813 Celle Collection 

1816 uniform according to Celle

Different sources disagree concerning its uniform

Celle Collection

Officer

Red coat, black light infantry pointed cuffs laced in gold, black collars, laced in gold, black belt, gold sash,  light infantry sword, white sword tassel, dark blue trousers with gold single stripe. Light infantry shako, black cords, green plume, brass hunting horn.

NCO 
A original non commissioned officers uniform in Celle museum.
Red coat with black velvet light infantry pointed cuffs, black collars, epaulettes, white lace button edging, double row gilt buttons, black  epaulettes with brass mail shoulder tufts. What laced bottom lace of front of jacket and white turnbacks button holes laced in gold, 

Other ranks

Dark green coat, black facings, epaulettes and tufts, double row brass buttons, black belts brass buckles, conical shako with green plume and brass plate, white cords, black chinstrap, very dark blue trousers. Sharpshooter Chosen men carried baker rifles. 

Haythornthwaite
Red jacket, black facings, white buttons, white lace with some had Light infantry cuff details. Austrian slung packs


Hofschröer
Green jackets faced black with very dark blue trousers giving way later to red jackets faced black and dark blue trousers.


Colonel Hugh Halkett
green jackets, black facings, white buttons dark blue trousers, Belgic shako, yellow packs

Standard

The Bremen battalion has no known flag, staff, cords and finial are all guess work. It was gifted a flag by the city but of unknown design.

I have elected to follow a discussion on a German forum and give mine flags as per 1816, Hanoverian Kings colour, Battalion colour, blue staff, brass finial, and red and gold cords. 

1st Duke of York Field Battalion Osnabruck (Leichte) - Maj. Baron Karl Friedrich Bulow (647)

Celle collection 

Green light infantry jackets faced black and grey trousers. Green pom-poms, black cords, (green tufts and epaulettes for sharpshooter coy) white belts, stovepipe Shako green plume, white metal plate, white metal buttons. Officers white pom-poms and gold sash, light infantry dolman with pointed cuffs and hussar lace, hussar lace on rear of dolman.

Standard

The Osnabruck field battalion has no known flag, staff, cords and finial are all guess work. There is a record of the Landwehr receiving a flag. 

I have elected to follow a discussion on a German forum and give mine flags as per 1816, Hanoverian Kings colour, Battalion colour, blue staff, brass finial, and red and gold cords. 

Field Battalion of the Lüneburg Regiment (Leichte) - Lt-Col. August von Klencke 635 men 

Siborne 

The Light Battalion Lüneburg received the coats of the two light KGL battalions in 1813, all coats were fitted though with three rows of buttons characteristic of the 2nd KGL; green trousers are documented by Suhr, but incorrect. Shakos for the light KGL battalions were distributed in 1814. 

Haythornwaite 

The uniform was green jackets faced black and green or grey trousers. Green pom-poms, black cords, (green tufts for sharpshooter coy) black belts. Officers gilt buttons,  gold silk sash, light infantry dolman with pointed cuffs and hussar lace, hussar lace on rear of dolman King's German Legion officer, yellow plume, cornflower blue trousers. NCOs were attached KGL light infantry, green jackets faced black with grey trousers. Field caps were green with a cornflower blue band. 

Celle collection 

images below corresponds to Haythornwaite 

Standard

The Luneberg field battalion has no known flag, staff, cords and finial are all guess work. 

I have elected to follow a discussion on a German forum and give mine flags as per 1816, Hanoverian Kings colour, Battalion colour, blue staff, brass finial, and red and gold cords. 

Lüneburg Light Regiment (Celle)

Field Battalion of the Grubenhagen Regiment (Leichte) - Lt-Col. Friedrich Wurmb (KIA) 661 men

Siborne
red coats, dark green facings, black belts, and stovepipe shako.
Celle Colllection & Richard Knotel 
Green jackets faced black, white metal buttons, black epaulettes (green tufts for sharpshooter coy) and grey trousers. Light infantry conical shako, Green pom-poms, black cords, with silver Jager horn badge. Black belts. NCOs yellow sash, silver epaulettes and cord. Officers white pom-poms and gold sash, light infantry dolman with pointed cuffs and black hussar lace, hussar lace on rear of dolman.

Standard

The Grubenhagen field battalion has no known flag, staff, cords and finial are all guess work. 

I have elected to follow a discussion on a German forum and give mine flags as per 1816, Hanoverian Kings colour, Battalion colour, blue staff, brass finial, and red and gold cords. 

 

Verden Field Battalion - Maj. Julius von Schkopp 573 

Field Battlion Verden Sargeant 1815 Celle collection 

Siborne
Red, grass green facings, grey trousers, white belts, stovepipe shako, yellow trotter packs
Celle collection
The Line battalion red coat, white buttons and buttonhole lace, green facings edged white, Belgic shako, The battalion was supplemented by officers and sergeants from the KGL line battalions with dark blue facings.
Hofschröer
Belgic Shako was red jacket faced dark blue and grey trousers.

Standard

The Verden battalion has no known flag, staff, cords and finial are all guess work. It is known that they were issued colours. 

I have elected to follow a discussion on a German forum and give mine flags as per 1816, Hanoverian Kings colour, Battalion colour, blue staff, brass finial, and red and gold cords. 

Kielmansegge Feldjäger-Korps (2 Companies)– Capt. von Reden 340

1. Companie Hauptmann von Reden
2. Companie Hauptmann Johann Christian d.J. von Düring

Knotel Plate of the Kielmansegge Jager

Westphalia Miniatures painting guide 1814

Kielmansegge Jager Officer 1813

The uniform consisted of a dark green coat with light green facings, grey trousers with a light green stripe on the side, black shoes with grey gaiters, a dark green peaked feldmutze cap with a light green laced band, and a silver Bugle as a badge. Officers wore English light infantry shako, sashes and sword knots, later supplied with gold shoulder wings (Schulterstucke) and gold sash. The belts was black, with the Royal monogram of King George III emblazoned on a plate. The riflemen were mostly armed with their own rifles and carried a hirschfänger (large deer hunting knife) as a sidearm on their belts. Men of the Corps carried their equipment in a leather satchel (Dachsholster), with some also bearing a small cartridge pouch on their waist. In 1815, most of the hunting rifles were replaced by English-supplied baker rifles.

4th Hanoverian Brigade – Best 

Verden Landwehr Battalion 661 Colonel August Friedrich Phillip Bussch

Landwehr Battalion Bennigsen/Verden 1813 Celle Collection 

Originally the Bennigsen Field Battalion, they were issued white tropical covers for their Belgic shakos, as noted at the battle of Gherode, however by 1815 I suspect they were blackened, 

Siborne

Red coats, dark green facings, green epaulettes laced white, white tufts, white lace edging to collar, white turnbacks, brass metal buttons, grey trousers, white belts, Belgic shako. NCOs yellow sash’s, silver rank chevrons green backing on right arm, short sword, spontoon or musket. Officers yellow silk sash, white belts, gilt buttons, gilt epaulette and single fringe, brass hilt on a silver scrabbled, white belts and white sword tassel. 

Braunschweig-Lüneburg  Landwehr Battalion 664 

Red coats, dark blue facings, blue epaulettes laced white, white tufts, white lace edging to collar, white turnbacks, white metal buttons, grey trousers, white belts, Belgic shako. NCOs yellow sash’s, silver rank chevrons green backing on right arm, short sword, spontoon or musket. Officers yellow silk sash, white belts, gilt buttons, gilt epaulette and single fringe, brass hilt on a silver scrabbled, white belts and white sword tassel. yellow trotter packs 

Osterode Landwehr Battalion 717 

Celle Collection 

Red coats, grass green facings, grass green epaulettes laced white, white tufts, white lace edging to collar, white turnbacks, gilt metal buttons, grey trousers, white belts, Belgic shako with heart shaped shako plate, green cords or red feldmutze with yellow band are recorded in Paris 1815. NCOs red sash, silver rank chevrons green backing on right arm, short sword, spontoon or musket. Officers yellow silk sash, white belts, gilt buttons, gilt epaulette and single fringe, brass hilt on a silver scrabbled, white belts and white sword tassel. yellow trotter packs 

 

Münden Landwehr Battalion 700

Landwehr battalion Münden 1815 Celle Collection

Siborne

Red coats, dark blue facings, blue epaulettes, white tufts, white lace edging to collar, white turnbacks, white metal buttons, grey trousers, white belts, Belgic shako. NCOs yellow sash’s, silver rank chevrons green backing on right arm, short sword, spontoon or musket. Officers yellow silk sash, white belts, gilt buttons, gilt epaulette and single fringe, brass hilt on a silver scrabbled, white belts and white sword tassel. 

Artillery 

A dark blue, single-breasted coatee featuring a red collar and red cuffs. The coat was trimmed with yellow worsted lace for enlisted ranks , gold lace lace and sash for officers 

Sources

Haythornthwaite, Philip. Uniforms of Waterloo London : Blandford;1979.
Hofschröer, Peter. The Hanoverian Army of the Napoleonic Wars London : Osprey; 1989.
Bomann-Museum, Celle collection - Schirmer, Friedrich; Koch, Paul Ferdinand
Poten, B. von. Die Generale der Königlich Hannoverschen Armee Militar-Wochenblatt; 1903.
Sichart, L. von and A. and R. von Sichart. Geschichte der Königlich-Hannoverschen Armee Hannover; 1898.
Siborne, H.T. The Waterloo Letters London : Arms & Armour Press; 1983.
Zeitschrift für Heereskunde 1959