Battle of Bergen April 1759

I finally got a black powder game going again. This action is a small scale version of an allied attack on a French battery outside the main action of Bergen

Period piece movies: Barry Lyndon

This film another by Stanley Kubrick, while not about a specifically historical personality, does show how mid 18th century society operated at the middle class, then upper class levels.
Major themes in this film show the Anglo-Irish establishment, the role the Seven Years War played in Ireland, and Britain, as well as central Europe.

Battle of Minden August 1, 1759

This is one of the most famous battles of the British Army. Private 20th Regiment of Foot  (britishbattles.com) Below are some of the British Grenadier companies.

(britishbattles.com)


(britishbattles.com) One of the Grenadier companies of the British Army.


 The Hanoverian Regiments of Sporcken's
brigade : von Hardenburg's and the Foot Guards
(britishbattles.com)


 The 25th Regiment of Foot fires volleys on the French horse (britishbattles.com)

Drummer, Brunswick Infanterie-Regiment von Specht, 1776-1777

Infanterie-Regiment von Specht was one of the regiments of German mercenaries hired from the duchy of Brunswick that arrived at Quebec in 1777. It accompanied General Burgoyne's expedition south in 1777. Amongst the various German states of this period, it was still common for infantry drummers to wear a uniform in the colour of their colonel's livery. This drummer wears the yellow and red livery of the von Specht family, whose patent of nobility from the Holy Roman Empire dated from 1662. The use of this uniform in Canada is proved by surviving tailors' bills submitted by the regiment to the British authorities. Reconstruction by Derek Fitzjames. (Parks Canada)


More shots to follow of this battle refought coming soon.

The Battle of Krefeld June 23, 1758

This was another Allied force sent against the French. Some of the visual date from the German mercenaries sent to aid Britain in the American Revolution.

Guidon bearer, Brunswick Dragoner-Regiment Prinz Ludwig, 1776-1777

Among the German mercenary troops arriving at Quebec in 1776 was a unit of cavalry from Brunswick. Dragoner-Regiment Prinz Ludwig (or 'Prince Ludwig's Dragoon Regiment') was supposed to be given horses in North America, and wore high leather riding boots. Still waiting for horses, they marched south with General Burgoyne's army in 1777 and were captured after the British defeat at Saratoga. Recruits sent from Brunswick allowed the regiment to be reformed at Quebec in 1781. This man's uniform is in the traditional cornflower blue of the Brunswick dragoons. He holds a swallow-tailed cavalry flag called a guidon. Its pole is made in the form of a joisting lance, a fashion of the time. In the centre of the guidon is white horse of Niedersachsen, the crest of the Dukes of Brunswick. Confusingly, a very similar white horse of Hanover was used on British flags at this time. Reconstruction by Gerald A. Embleton. (Parks Canada)

Sapper, Brunswick Infanterie-Regiment von Riedesel, 1776-1777

Infanterie-Regiment von Riedesel was one of the Brunswick units that marched south with General Burgoyne in 1777. The sappers were tough, elite soldiers whose task was to clear obstacles laid by the enemy. They wore the mitre, the emblem of elite German soldiers, and their uniform was protected by a leather apron; they were equipped with an axe and a saw. Reconstruction by Gerald A. Embleton. (Parks Canada)

Battle of Hoya February 23, 1758

This little battle was a Hanoverian-Hessian and Brunswickian battle against a French force holding a bridge. All unit information courtsey of Project Seven Years War www.koronoskaf.com and www.britishbattles.com


(britishbattles.com)


The first move by the Allied force was to advance their horse towards the French outer trenches Guarde Lorraines (blue) covering the bridge.
 The inital Grenadier advance was cut about by the French artillery. The French grenadiers (Bretange Regt, white, white, red)  holding the trench traded volleys with them but were then charged by hussars supported by artillery.


The second line of trenches was approched by an allied composite battalion. Using the Jagers and artillery, they cleared the way. The French-German and Swiss troops traded volleys while the French horse (Mestre de Camp General Dragons, red/white)  advanced over the bridge to dive back the Allied advance. This was met by an infantry advance and a volley of musketry and guns. The French horse became a jumble of torn flesh and bones.


The French sent over another battalion to hold one line of the trenches while they strengthened their side of the river. The Brunswick Regiments (Brunswick Leib Guards, blue/red)  then advanced. The Allied horse then took the left of the line while the Hessian Artillery held the advance trench at the head of the bridge.


The French horse attempted to then charge into the Allied horse on the French right, their carbine volley emptied the saddles of the Allies, but then the French were hit by a Hanoverian
(HauB Regt, red/white) volley. The Hessian gun then attempted to drive out the French from their second trench. Only one company was was hit. The Hessian regiment then went for the bridge. The Brunswickers were stung by the Franco-Swiss but pressed ahead.


Eventually, the French-Swiss were forced to retire over the river. However, when the Brunswick Guards forced the crossing, they met with a tremendous volley from the remaining French.
With their numbers shattered, the Allies withdrew. The French had saved their river crossing.

Battle of Hastenbeck 1757

This battle was where the Duke of Cumberland led an Allied force against a French force. However, the French completely defeated him, forcing him to disband his army and retire.

This battle, is the first one whereby I have used all of my 18th figures. It made quite the table.

At first, the French deployed with their Grenadiers and horse to the front, leaving their guns and infantry to follow. The French decided to try and smash the allied line by striking at an angle. However, the angle they choose to strike at was right at the main allied gun battery!
Upon losing many grenadiers from cannon and musketry from the Highland brigade of the 87th and 88th Highlanders, the Grenadiers fell back. It was then that the French brought up their artillery to silence the battery.

The Allied horse charge into the French left flank.

 

The Prussian, Brunswick and Hessian charge into the French. By this point, the French had brought up sufficient guns to halt the Prussian Hussar charge, but were unable to stop the infantry from forming. The battle then degenerated into a musketry duel which the French infantry were ground down.

 

So not a historical win for the French, a win for the Allies. The Duke of Cumberland saved his reputation this time.