The
Russian Army of the Napoleonic wars
The Rusian Army of the Revolutionary
and Napoleonics wars was alongside the Austrians the main provider of cannon
fodder. Up until the early 1800's the army was both organised and dressed
in imitation of the Prussian army of Fredrick the Great. By the time of the
1805 campaingn though the organisation remained Prussian the dress had been
updated with the introduction of a shako and closed lapel jacket. Russian
armies were renowed for their ability to withstand great hardships, firce
disicpline and an officer corps that can only be described as appalling.
INFANTRY
FORMATIONS
Up to 1810 the Russian infantry Regiment consisted of two battalions each
having four companies which in turn had two platoons. One of theses companies
was of Grenadiers. Each battalion had a book strength of 738 men.
A small depot unit was left at the base for training and recriutment purposes.
There were 13 Grenadier Rgts and 83 Musketeer Rgts at this time.
The Jaeger Rgts had three battalions organised in the same fashion.
The exceptions to this were the Lieb grenadiers with three batts and the Preobrazhensk
Rgt with four batts.
CAVALRY FORMATIONS
The heavy cavalry ( Currasiers and Dragoons) had five squadrons each having
150 men.
The light Rgts ( Uhlans and Hussars) had ten 120 man squadrons.
Note the Grand Duke Constantines Uhlans were in fact Dragoons and did not
carry lances.
ARTILLERY
The artillery was organised into batteries of 12 guns, the horse artilley
and heavies having 6 horse teams the others ussually four horse teams.
Batteries were organised into Heavy, 4 licornes and 8 12pdrs and light with
4 licornes and 8 6 pdrs.The Horse artillery had 6 licornes and 6 6pdr guns.
There were ten Horse artillery companies.
Each Artillery Rgt was organised into two battalions each with consisting
of 10 heavy batteries and two light batteries.
There was no higher organisation than the Rgt at this time units being assigned according to the whim of the commanding general
The defeat of Austerlitz led to a
divisional structure being introduced and the 1807 campaigns led to major
revisions in organisation.
THE
REFORM OF 1807
Permant Divisions were formed consisting of on average 1 Grenadier Rgt, 1
Jeager Rgt, 4 musketeer Rgts, 2 Heavy cavalry Rgts 1 light cavaly Rgt 2 heavy
batteies and 3 light and one of horse artillery.
The artillery was reorganised into a brigade structure. Each brigade had 1-2
heavy, 2-3 light and one Horse artillery batteries. These brigades were assingned
to the Divisions.
THE REFORNS OF 1810/1811
Infantry rgts were now of three battts, the second one being a depot battalion
the Grenadier companies from which were formed into 'composite grenadier batts
of four companies. Theses ussually served as a part of the Division to which
their parent units was assigned.
The Divisions consisted of six inf Rgts two heavy cavalry Rgts and one light.
An artillery Brigade was assigned to each Division.
Later the cavalry were organised into new Divisions, ussually 4 Currasier
Rgts or 4 dragoon and one uhlan/hussar Rgt each with a battery of Horse Artillery.
In 1811 the cavalry was reorganised into 2 currasier divs and 8 Divisions
of 4 Dragoon Rgts and two Hussar/Uhlan rgts. Further the Heavy Rgts now had
4 field squadrons and a depot and the Light Rgts 8 squadrons and a depot one.
Artillery was now formed into 27 field brigades and 10 reserve ones. Each
brigade had 1-2 heavy batteries and 2 light batteries. The Horse artillery
was now seperate and assigned to the Divisions as required.
THE 1812 CAMPAIGN
For this campaign the Russian army was formed ionto Corps for the first time
on a semi permant basis. Each Corps had 2 Infantry Divisions 1 cavaly division,
2 Brigades of foot artillery and one of horse artillery.
An old type of cavalry was revived at this time eight Rgts of Chassuer a Cheval
being raised.
THE 1813-14-15
CAMPAIGNS
No major changee to organisation were introduced during this period though
the crops structure became fairly fixed.
THE GUARD
For the 1805 campaign the Guard consisted of 3 grenadier Rgts( each of three
Batts) and 1 Jeager batt
2 currasier Rgts
1 Hussar Rgt
1 Cossack Rgt
one battalion of foot artillery
and one company of Horse artillery.
For the 1806/07 campaign the Guard
Jeagers were upgraded to a two battalion Rgt.
For the 1812 Campaign the Guard now
consisted of
4 Guard Inf Rgts ( 3 batts)
Finland Rgt ( 2 batts)
Jeagers ( 3 batts)
2 Heavy and one light batteries
4 Gaurd Cavalry Rgts
1 Currasier Rgt
1 gaurd horse Artillery battery
For the 1813 Campaign
The Lieb and pavlov grenadier Rgts were taken into the guard also one
currasier Rgt was taken into the Guard as the Garde du corps and one heavy
and two light batteries were added to the artillery.