(after the Belgian and Dutch
forces had been united on 21 April 1815)
by Geert van Uythoven
Events unfolded
at a fast pace when Napoleon returned to France. Without waiting for the outcome
of the Congress of Vienna, on 16 March 1815 the Prince of Orange proclaimed
himself King William I of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Duke of
Luxembourg. On 1 April the armies of the Southern and Northern Netherlands were
united, and on 21 April the units were reorganised and renamed. From this date
on there was officially no difference anymore between northern and southern
units. However, until this day the difference is still made by many, and
therefore I will continue this at the appropriate places beneath. below ar
listed the units as the existed on 21 April 1815, although that does not mean
they were all on full strength already! The cities listed, are those were the
specific unit was based in 1815.
INFANTRY
New
|
Previous |
City |
|
1e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.1 [south] |
Brussels |
|
2e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.2 [north] |
Rotterdam |
|
3e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.2 [south] |
Bergen [Mons] |
|
4e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.4 [south] |
Namen [Namur] |
|
5e
Regiment Oost-Indische Infanterie (2 bats) |
Regiment infanterie
van Linie voor Oost-Indië No.5 (2
bats)[north] |
|
|
6e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.6 [north] |
The Hague |
|
7e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon Infanterie
van Linie No.7 [south] |
Brugge |
|
8e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.8 [north] |
Zutphen |
|
9e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.9 [north] |
Coevorden |
|
10e
Bataljon West-Indische Jagers |
Bataljon
West-Indische Jagers No.10 [north] |
|
|
11e
Bataljon West-Indische Jagers |
Bataljon
West-Indische Jagers No.11 [north] |
|
|
12e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.12 [north] |
Arnhem |
|
13e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.13 [north] |
Leiden |
|
14e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.14 [north] |
Leiden |
|
15e
Bataljon van Linie |
Bataljon
Infanterie van Linie No.15 [north] |
Amersfoort |
|
16e
Bataljon Jagers |
Bataljon
Jagers No.16
[north] |
Geertruidenberg |
|
17e
Bataljon Jagers |
Bataljon
Jagers No.17
[north] |
The Hague |
|
18e
Bataljon Jagers |
Bataljon
Jagers No.18
[north] |
Doesburg |
|
19e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.19 [north] |
|
|
20e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.20 [north] |
|
|
21e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.21 [north] |
|
|
22e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.22 [north] |
|
|
23e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.23 [north] |
|
|
24e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.24 [north] |
|
|
25e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.25 [north] |
|
|
26e
Bataljon Oost-Indische Infanterie |
Bataljon
Oost-Indische Infanterie van Linie No.26 [north] |
|
|
27e
Bataljon Jagers |
Bataljon
Jagers No.27
[north] |
Breda |
|
28e
Regiment Oranje-Nassau (2 bats) |
Regiment
Oranje-Nassau No.28 (2 bats)[Nassau] |
Namen [Namur] |
|
29e
Regiment Zwitsers van Kirchberger (2 bats) |
29e
Regiment Zwitsers van Kirchberger (2 bats)[Swiss] |
‘s Hertogenbosch |
|
30e
Regiment Zwitsers van Ziegler (2 bats) |
30e
Regiment Zwitsers van Ziegler (2 bats)[Swiss] |
Luik [Liège] |
|
31e
Regiment Zwitsers van Sprecher (2 bats) |
31e
Regiment Zwitsers van Sprecher (2 bats)[Swiss] |
Maastricht |
|
32e
Regiment Zwitsers van de Roomsche kantons (2 bats) |
32e
Regiment Zwitsers van de Roomsche kantons (2
bats)[Swiss] |
Antwerp |
|
33e
Depôt-bataljon voor de Koloniën |
Depôt-bataljon voor de Koloniën No.33 [north] |
|
|
34e
Garnizoens-bataljon |
Garnizoens-bataljon No.34
[north] |
|
|
35e
Bataljon Jagers |
Bataljon
Jagers No.5
[south] |
Gent |
|
36e
Bataljon Jagers |
Bataljon
Jagers No.10
[south] |
Gent |
|
Regiment Nassausche Lichte Infanterie [no number] |
Regiment
Nassausche Lichte Infanterie [Nassau] |
|
Notes:
- Each national infantry battalion
consisted of 6 companies (two flanker- and four centre-companies), and a
depot-company.
- For more information about
the units destined for the Dutch West- and East-Indies, see: The Dutch Indian Brigade
- For more information about
the Nassauers in Netherlands service, see: Nassauers
in Netherlands service 1815, part 1 and part 2
- For more information about
the Swiss regiments in Netherlands service, see: Swiss
troops in Netherlands service 1814-1829
- The Depôt-bataljon
voor de Koloniën was raised in 1814, to serve as a general depot for the
units serving in the colonies. On 15 January, 1815 it received the number “33”.
On 28 December 1816, its composition was fixed on six infantry companies and an
artillery company. On 28 February 1822, it is renamed Algemeen Depôt der
Landmacht No.33 (‘General Depot of the Army’), divided in three divisions:
the 1st Division, composed of five infantry companies and an artillery company,
still serves as a depot-battalion for the units serving in the colonies. The
2nd and 3rd Division, each of three companies, are penal division, composed of
those that have to be maintained under severe discipline, something that until
now took place within their own units. On 17 February 1823, a 4th (penal)
Division was added. On 22 February 1827 the 3rd Division was disbanded, the 4th
Division becoming the new 3rd Division. With the Belgian Rising, from the men
of the 2nd and 3rd Division a march battalion was formed, with a strength of
four companies. The march battalion was disbanded on 27 November 1831, the men
distributed among the various units.
- The Garnizoens-bataljon
was raised on 24 January 1814, with the purpose of: “opening a way of
honourable retreat for all officers as well as others, who has served our
fatherland in a distinguished way, which are not able to continue active
service because of old age or sustained wounds on the battlefield, but still
are able to do garrison duty”.
The 1st company
was formed out of the former Guard of the Prefect (Colonel van Doorn), the 2nd
company out of the former Guards Veteran Company, which in 1814 had placed
themselves immediately under orders of the new Netherlands Government. The
battalion had an initial strength of four companies, holding garrison in the
cities Delft, Woerden, Zwolle, and Nijmegen. That same year on 22 December
1814, total strength of the battalion was fixed on 10 companies, with every
company having a permanent location appointed as garrison. Final strength of 12
companies was fixed on 14 May 1816. All these companies were destined for, and
did garrison duty in the Netherlands. On 16 May 1816, six companies are
disbanded. On 28 February 1822, the artillery-company of the Luxemburg
Bataljon No.35 is added. On year later on 17 June, the 4th company is
disbanded; the 5th company is renumbered to 4th, the 6th company to 5th. On 7
July 1829 the battalion is reorganised into four companies. On 8 September
1840, the battalion is renamed Garnizoenstroepen (‘Garrison forces’). It
was completely disbanded by Royal Decree No.39 of 25 September 1843.
Uniform was the
same as for Line infantry, with the following exceptions: dark blue collar,
turnbacks and lining; yellow buttons with the company number; 'Dutch' shako.
NATIONALE MILITIE
There were 45
militia battalions, which on 15 June 1815 were augmented with an additional six
battalions to be raised in the regions along the river banks of the Meuse,
newly added to the Netherlands. Cities were the battalions were based on, were
as follows:
Battalion
|
City |
|
1e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Leeuwarden |
|
2e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Groningen |
|
3e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Kampen |
|
4e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Zutphen |
|
5e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Arnhem |
|
6e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Nijmegen |
|
7e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Amsterdam |
|
8e bataljon Nationale Militie |
The Hague |
|
9e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Rotterdam |
|
10e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Leiden |
|
11e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Alkmaar |
|
12e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Alkmaar |
|
13e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Utrecht |
|
14e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Amsterdam |
|
15e bataljon Nationale Militie |
The Hague |
|
16e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Goes |
|
17e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Breda |
|
18e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Zaltbommel |
|
19e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Heusden |
|
20e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Utrecht |
|
21e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Brugge |
|
22e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Brugge |
|
23e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Gent |
|
24e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Gent |
|
25e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Gent |
|
26e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Antwerp |
|
27e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Antwerp |
|
28e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Leuven [Louvain] |
|
29e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Leuven [Louvain] |
|
30e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Leuven [Louvain] |
|
31e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Bergen op Zoom |
|
32e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Bergen op Zoom |
|
33e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Willemstad |
|
34e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Geertruidenberg |
|
35e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Breda |
|
36e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Breda |
|
37e bataljon Nationale Militie |
’s Hertogenbosch |
|
38e bataljon Nationale Militie |
‘s Hertogenbosch |
|
39e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Grave |
|
40e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Nijmegen |
|
41e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Arnhem |
|
42e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Venlo |
|
43e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Maastricht |
|
44e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Maastricht |
|
45e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Maastricht |
|
46e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Luik [Liège] |
|
47e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Namen [Namur] |
|
48e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Roermond |
|
49e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Marche |
|
50e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Neufchâteau |
|
51e bataljon Nationale Militie |
Luxemburg |
Note:
- The same as the national infantry, each national militia battalion consisted of 6 companies (two flanker- and four centre-companies), and a depot-company.
CAVALRY
New
|
Previous |
City |
|
Regiment
Karabiniers No.1 |
Regiment
Karabiniers No.1 [north] |
The Hague |
|
Regiment
Karabiniers No.2 |
Regiment
Karabiniers No.1 [south] |
Brussels |
|
Regiment
Karabiniers No.3 |
Regiment
Karabiniers No.3 [north] |
Leeuwarden |
|
Regiment
Lichte Dragonders No.4 |
Regiment
Lichte Dragonder No.2 [north] |
Utrecht |
|
Regiment Lichte Dragonders No.5 |
Regiment
Chevau-légers [south] |
Namen [Namur]/Luik [Liège] |
|
Regiment
Huzaren No.6 |
Regiment
Huzaren No.4
[north] |
Amsterdam/Haarlem/Leiden |
|
Regiment
Oost-Indische Huzaren No.7 |
Regiment
Oost-Indische Huzaren No.5 [north] |
|
|
Regiment
Huzaren No.8 |
Regiment
Huzaren
[south] |
Ath |
|
Regiment
Karabiniers Landmilitie [no number] |
Regiment
Karabiniers Landmilitie [south] |
Doornik [Tournai]/Gent/Brugge |
ARTILLERY
New
|
Previous |
|
1ste bataljon
Artillerie van linie (6 coys) |
1ste bat.
Artillerie te voet (6 coys) [north] |
|
2de bataljon
Artillerie van linie (6 coys) |
2de bat.
Artillerie te voet (6 coys) [north] |
|
3de bataljon
Artillerie van linie (6 coys) |
3de bat.
Artillerie te voet (6 coys) [north] |
|
4de bataljon
Artillerie van linie (6 coys) |
Bataljon
Artillerie te voet (6 coys) [south] |
|
5de ‘East-Indian’
bataljon Artillerie van linie (6 coys) |
‘East Indian’
bataljon Artillerie te voet (6 coys) [north] |
|
6de ‘West-Indian’
bataljon Artillerie van linie (3 coys) |
4de bat.
Artillerie te voet (6 coys) [north] |
|
1ste bataljon
Artillerie nationale militie (6 coys) |
1ste bat.
Artillerie te voet landmilitie [north] |
|
2de bataljon
Artillerie nationale militie (6 coys) |
1ste bat.
Artillerie te voet landmilitie [south] |
|
3de bataljon
Artillerie nationale militie (6 coys) |
3de bat. Artillerie
te voet landmilitie [north] |
|
4de bataljon
Artillerie nationale militie (6 coys) |
4de bat.
Artillerie te voet landmilitie [north] |
|
5de bataljon
Artillerie nationale militie (6 coys) |
2nd bat.
Artillerie te voet landmilitie [south] |
|
6de bataljon
Artillerie nationale militie (6 coys) |
3rd bat.
Artillerie te voet landmilitie [south] |
|
Korps rijdende
artillerie (8 companies) |
Horse artillery: 6 ‘north’ and 2 ‘south’ companies |
|
1ste bataljon
Trein-soldaten (6 coys) |
Bataljon trein [north] |
|
2de bataljon
Trein-soldaten (6 coys) |
Train-companies [south] |
Notes:
- On 27 February 1815, the 2de bat. artillerie te voet landmilitie
[north] was disbanded;
- The remaining companies of
the 4de bat. artillerie te voet [north]
were incorporated in the 5de bataljon
artillerie nationale militie
Main sources used:
- Anonymous, “Memorie van
toelichting op het Genealogische overzicht der korpsen Infanterie en Cavalerie
van het Nederlandsche leger” (c. 1896)
- Bosch, J.L. ten, “Beknopt
overzicht van het ontstaan, de ontwikkeling en voornaamste krijgsbedrijven der
Nederlandsche Veld-artillerie, in het bijzonder van het 1ste Regiment”
(’s-Gravenhage 1900)
- Dam van Isselt, W.E. van,
“De vorming van onze artillerie te velde in 1815”, in ‘De Militaire Spectator’
(1926)
- Hardenberg, H., “Overzigt
der voornaamste bepalingen betreffende de sterkte, zamenstelling, betaling,
verzorging en verpleging van het Nederlandsche Leger” Part 1 (‘s Gravenhage
1858).
- Kuypers, F.H.W., “Geschiedenis
der Nederlandsche artillerie, van de vroegste tjden tot op heden” part IV
(Nijmegen 1874)
- Raa, F.J.G. ten, “De
uniformen van de Nederlandsche Zee- en Landmacht hier te Lande en in de
Kolonien (‘s Gravenhage 1900)
- Ringoir, H., “Afstammingen
en Voortzettingen der Artillerie” (s’-Gravenhage 1979)
- Wüppermann, W.E.A., “De
vorming van het Nederlandsche Leger na de omwenteling van 1813 en het aandeel
van dat leger aan den veldtocht van 1815” (Breda 1900)
© Geert van Uythoven