Lancers of the Grand Duchy of Berg, 1809–1813

A regiment of chevau-légers of the Grand Duchy of Berg was raised by decree of 21 May 1807 from a cadre of German-speaking officers and NCOs drawn from various French cavalry regiments in France and Italy. The regiment was organized à la française, with one depot company and four combat squadrons (escadrons) of two companies of 87 men each. The first squadron received the titel of Garde du Corps.

In the spring of 1808, the Garde du Corps deployed to Spain. When Joachim Murat became King of Naples on 1 August 1808, and relinquised his titel of Grand Duc de Berg, Napoleon took the Garde du Corps de Berg into his Imperial Guard. On 11 January 1809, the Garde du Corps was disbanded, its remaining officers and men were taken into the Chasseurs and Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard, or transferred to the newly raised Chasseurs à Cheval of the Grand Duchy of Berg.

By decree of 28 August 1808, the new governor of the Grand Duchy de Berg had raised a new régiment de chasseurs à cheval de Berg from the three squadrons of the regiment which had remained in Berg. This regiment participated in the 1809 campaign of the Armée d’Allemagne. By decree of 17 December 1809, the unit was armed with lances and re-designated as the régiment de lanciers de Berg.

In the Spring of 1810, the regiment deployed to Spain. From 1811, the Lanciers de Berg consisted of six squadrons, three of which fought in Spain, and three were stationed in Germany. By Decree of 4 March 1812, the three squadrons in Germany formed a new 2e régiment de lanciers de Berg. Both regiments were later known as régiment de chevau-légers de Berg. The 2nd regiment participated in the Invasion of Russia in 1812, while the 1st regiment continued to fight in Spain.

In 1813, survivors of the Russian campaign were augmented by 750 men from Hamm (Westphalia), and combined with the returned squadrons from Spain to form the brigade des lanciers de Berg, commanded by Oberstleutnant Ludwig Ernst Philipp von Toll. The Berg lancer brigade participated in the Battle of Dresden and the Battle of Leipzig. For the duration of the campaign, the lanciers de Berg and the Dutch lancers of the Imperial Guard formed the Brigade Colbert, commanded by Général Pierre-David (Edouard) Colbert de Chabanais.

The Grand Duchy of Berg was disbanded in November 1813, and placed unter Prussian administration. Remnants of the Lanciers de Berg and of Saxon cavalry regiments formed a new hussar regiment of four squadrons and a volunteer Jäger detachment, which became the Prussian 11. (Berg und Sachsen) Husaren-Regiment on 20 April 1815. The 11. Husaren-Regiment served in the 2. Kavalleriebrigade des II. Armeekorps during the 1815 campaign.

Available Miniatures

• 1re Chevau-Légers Lanciers du Grand-Duc de Berg, 1812, 1:30 del Prado 009
• Guard Lancers
  • Officer, 25mm Hinchliffe FNC21
  • Trumpeter, 25mm Hinchliffe FNC22
  • Trooper, 25mm Hinchliffe FNC20
• Dutch/Polish Lancers
  • Officer, 25mm Essex Miniatures FN108
  • Eagle-Bearer, 25mm Essex Miniatures FN109
  • Trumpeter, 25mm Essex Miniatures FN110
  • Trooper, 25mm Essex Miniatures FN107
• Polish Lancers, 1:72 ESCI P-218
• Polish Lancers, 1:72 Italeri 6039
• Polish Lancers (Peninsular War), 1:72 Falcata FE-12
• Guard Lancers, 1:72 Hinton Hunt BB20
• Guard Lancers with Lance and Command, 15mm Old Glory FOG7
• Guard Lancers with Sword and Command, 15mm Old Glory FOGl1
• Guard Lancers Command (Polish), 15mm Minifigs 55NFC
• Guard Lancers (Polish), 15mm Minifigs 5NFC
• Polish Uhlan, 15mm Minifigs 4NWC
• Polish Uhlan Command, 15mm Minifigs 14NWC
• French Guard Lancers (Polish), 1:300 Heroics & Ros MFN02

French Guard Lancers or Polish Lancers of the Grand-Duchy of Warsaw may be painted to represent the Chevau-Légers Lanciers de Berg, if no dedicated miniatures are available. Professionally designed lance pennons for your regiment of Chevau-Légers Lanciers de Berg may be downloaded from the Miniatures Forum.

Campaign History

• Spain, 1808–1809
• Germany & Austria, 1809
• Spain, 1810–1813
• Russia, 1812
• Battle of Dresden, 1813
• Battle of Leipzig, 1813

Bibliography

• Knötel-Sieg: Handbuch der Uniformkunde, p. 132
• Haythornthwaite, Philip: Uniforms of 1812, Plate 40

Frequently Asked Questions

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Napoleonic Minatures of the Grand Duchy of Cleve-Berg

– Published: 05.04.2007 – Updated: 17.06.2008
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