Prussian Army Order of battle 1806-danke Kai Kunze
James E. Bufkin
The Prussian army of 1806
Historical deployment
Main army
Commander: GFM Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Herzog von Braunschweig
Chief of Staff: Oberst Scharnhorst
Advance guard division: GdK Karl August, Herzog zu Sachsen-Weimar
1. Brigade: Oberst v. Frankenberg
Infantry Regiment Kunheim Nr.1 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Borcke Nr.30 1.600 men, 4 guns
2. Brigade: Oberst v. Kaminsky
Infantry Regiment Owstien Nr. 7 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Braunschweig-Oels Nr.12 1.600 men, 4 guns
6pdr Battery v. Thadden Nr. 5 8 guns
Cavalry: GM v. Pelet
Koenig von Bayern Dragoons Nr.1 700 horse
Pletz Hussars Nr.3 620 horse
Horse battery v. Wegener Nr.16 8 guns
Light troops: GM v. Rudorff
Fusileer Bataillon Wedell 650 men
Jaeger 480 men
Rudorff Hussars Nr.2 1.240 horse
Total: 7.530 infantry, 2.560 cavalry, 16 field guns, 16 bataillon guns
Right wing division: GL Prinz von Oranien
1. Brigade: Oberst v. Lutzow
Grenadier Bataillon Knebel 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Mollendorf Nr.25 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Wartensleben Nr.59 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Lehmann Nr.23 8 guns
2. Brigade: Oberst Prinz Heinrich
Grenadier Bataillon Rheinbaben 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Prinz Ferdinand Nr.34 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Puttkammer Nr.36 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Riemer Nr.2 8 guns
Cavalry: Oberstlt. Prinz Wilhelm
Leib-Cuirassiers Nr.3 700 horse
Leib-Karabinier Cuirassiers Nr.11 700 horse
Horse battery Willmann Nr.18 8 guns
Light troops: GM v. Oswald
Fusileer Bataillon Oswald 650 men
Weimar Jaeger Bataillon 650 men
Wuerttemberg Hussars Nr.4 620 horse
Total: 9.300 infantry, 2.020 cavalry, 24 field guns, 20 bataillon guns
Center division: GL Graf v. Wartensleben
1. Brigade: GM v. Renouard
Grenadier Bataillon Alt-Braun 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Prince Louis Ferdinand Nr.20 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Braunschweig Nr.21 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery v. Heuser Nr.22 8 guns
2. Brigade: GM v. Wedell
Grenadier Bataillon Hanstein 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Renouard Nr.3 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Kleist Nr.5 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Wilkens Nr.1 8 guns
Cavalry: GM v. Quitzow
Quitzow Cuirassiers Nr.6 700 horse
Reitzenstein Cuirassiers Nr.7 700 horse
Horse battery Meerkatz Nr.19 8 guns
Light troops: Oberst v. Kloch
Fusileer Bataillon Kloch 650 men
Irwing Dragoons Nr.3 700 horse
Total: 8.650 infantry, 2.100 cavalry, 24 field guns, 20 bataillon guns
Left wing division: GL Graf v. Schmettau
1. Brigade: GM v. Alvensleben
Grenadier Bataillon Krafft 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Malschitzky Nr.28 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Schimonsky Nr.40 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Stanckar Nr.12 8 guns
2. Brigade: GM v. Schimonsky
Grenadier Bataillon Schack 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Alvensleben Nr.33 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Prinz Heinrich Nr.35 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Roehl Nr.24 8 guns
Cavalry: GM v. Buenting
Heising Cuirassiers Nr.8 700 horse
Buenting Cuirassiers Nr.12 700 horse
Horse battery v. Schorlemmer Nr.17 8 guns
Light troops: GM v. Greiffenberg
Fusileer Bataillon Greiffenberg 650 men
Wuerttemberg Hussars Nr.4 620 horse
Total: 8.650 infantry, 2.020 cavalry, 24 field guns, 20 bataillon guns
Reserve: GdK Graf v. Kalkreuth
1. Reserve division: GL Graf v. Kunheim
1. Brigade: GM v. Hirschfeld
Grenadier Guard Bataillon 800 men, 2 guns
Life Guard Bataillon 800 men, 2 guns
Guard Infantry Regiment Nr.15 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Faber Nr.4 8 guns
2. Brigade: Oberst v. Pletz
Grenadier Bataillon Prinz August 800 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Rabiel 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Koenig Nr.18 1.600 men, 4 guns
7pdr Howitzer battery Alkier Nr.1 8 guns
Cavalry: GM v. Beeren
Beeren Cuirassiers Nr. 2 700 horse
Gensd'armes Nr. 10 700 horse
Garde du Corps Nr.13 700 horse
Horse battery v. Scholtau Nr.1 8 guns
Horse battery Lange Nr.46 8 guns
Total: 6.400 infantry, 2.100 cavalry, 32 field guns, 16 bataillon guns
2. Reserve division: GL v. Arnim
1. Brigade: GM v. Zenge
Grenadier Bataillon Gaudi 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Arnim Nr.13 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Pirch Nr.22 800 men, 2 guns
12pdr battery Heiden Nr.33 8 guns
2. Brigade: GM v. Malschitzky
Grenadier Bataillon Huelsen 800 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Schlieffen 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Pirch Nr.22 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Zenge Nr.24 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Bychelberg Nr.26 8 guns
Cavalry: GM v. Irwing
Koenigin Dragoons Nr.5 1.400 horse
Horse battery Graumann Nr.2 8 guns
Total: 7.200 infantry, 1.400 cavalry, 24 field guns, 18 bataillon guns
Prusso-Saxon army
Commander: GdI Friedrich Ludwig, Fuerst zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen
Chief of Staff: Oberst v. Massenbach
Advance guard division: GL Prinz Ludwig von Preussen
1. Brigade: GM v. Bevilaqua
Infantry Regiment Kurfuerst (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Clemens (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Mueffling Nr.49 1.600 men, 4 guns
6pdr battery Niemann Nr.3 8 guns
4pdr battery Hoyer (Saxons) 8 guns
2. Brigade: GM v. Pelet
Fusileer Bataillon Rabenau 650 men
Fusileer Bataillon Ruehle 650 men
Fusileer Bataillon Pelet 650 men
Hussars (Saxons) 840 horse
Light troops: GM v. Schimmelpfennig
Jaeger 240 men
Schimmelpfennig Hussars Nr.6 1.240 horse
Horse battery Gause Nr.20 8 guns
Total: 6.190 infantry, 2.080 cavalry, 24 field guns, 12 bataillon guns
Right wing division: GL v. Grawert
1. Brigade: GM v. Mueffling
Grenadier Bataillon Hahn 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Hohenlohe Nr.32 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Sanitz Nr.50 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Glasenapp Nr.7 8 guns
2. Brigade: Oberst v. Schimonsky
Grenadier Bataillon Sack 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Grawert Nr.47 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Zastrow Nr.39 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Wolframsdorf Nr.8 8 guns
Cavalry: GL v. Holtzendorff
Henckel Cuirassiers Nr.1 700 horse
Holtzendorff Cuirassiers Nr.9 700 horse
Krafft Dragoons Nr.11 700 horse
Horse battery Steinwehr Nr.9 8 guns
Light troops: Oberst v. Erichsen
Fusileer Bataillon Erichsen 650 men
Gettland Hussars Nr.1 1.240 horse
Horse battery Studnitz Nr.14 4 guns
Total: 8.650 infantry, 3.340 cavalry, 28 field guns, 20 bataillon guns
Left wing division: GL v. Niesemeuschel
1. Brigade: GM v. Burgsdorf
Infantry Regiment Friedrich August (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Thuemmel (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Xavier (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
8pdr battery Ernst (Saxons) 8 guns
8pdr battery Hausmann (Saxons) 8 guns
2. Brigade: GM v. Dynherrn
Infantry Regiment Bevilaqua (Saxons) 600 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Low (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Niesemeuschel (Saxons) 1.200 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Bonniot (Saxons) 8 guns
Cavalry: GL v. Zezschwitz
Carabiniers (Saxons) 660 horse
Kochtitzky Cuirassiers (Saxons) 660 horse
Albrecht Dragoons (Saxons) 600 horse
Horse battery Grossmann (Saxons) 8 guns
Light troops: GL v. Polenz
Fusileer Bataillon Boguslawski 650 men
Polenz Dragoons (Saxons) 600 horse
Horse battery Studnitz Nr.14 4 guns
Total: 7.250 infantry, 2.520 cavalry, 36 field guns, 22 bataillon guns
Reserve division: GL v. Prittwitz
1st Brigade: GM v. Sanitz
Grenadier Bataillon Hund (Saxons) 600 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Metzsch (Saxons) 600 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Lichtenhain (Saxons) 600 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Lecoq (Saxons) 600 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Thiollaz (Saxons) 600 men, 2 guns
Grenade battery Thuellmann (Saxons) 8 guns
2nd Brigade: GM v. Sanitz
Grenadier Bataillon Kollin 400 men
Grenadier Bataillon Dohna 800 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Losthien 800 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Yorcke 800 men, 2 guns
12pdr battery Schulenburg Nr.? 8 guns
Cavalry: GM v. Krafft
Clemens Dragoons (Saxons) 600 horse
Prittwitz Dragoons Nr.2 700 horse
Horse battery Hahn Nr.5 8 guns
Total: 5.800 infantry, 1.300 cavalry, 24 field guns, 16 bataillon guns
Independent division: GL v. Tauentzien
Advance guard: GM v. Bila II
Fusileer Bataillon Kosen 650 men
Jaeger 240 men
Bila Hussars Nr.? 620 horse
Battery Hose (bataillon guns) 8 guns
Gros: GM v. Zweiffel
Infantry Regiment Maximilian (Saxons) 1.200 men
Infantry Regiment Rechten (Saxons) 1.200 men
Infantry Regiment Zweiffel Nr.45 1.600 men
Battery Dietrich (bataillon guns) 6 guns
Reserve: GM v. Schoenberg
Grenadier Bataillon Winckel (Saxons) 600 men
Grenadier Bataillon Herwarth 400 men
Johann Dragoons (Saxons) 600 horse
Grenade battery Kotsch (Saxons) 8 guns
Total: 5.890 infantry, 1.220 cavalry, 8 field guns, 14 bataillon guns
Independent corps Ruechel
Left in Hanover:
Infantry Regiment Prinz von Oranien Nr.19 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Graevenitz Nr.57 1.600 men, 4 guns
Fusileer Batallion Kaiserligk 160 men
Total: 3.360 infantry, 8 bataillon guns
Detachment: GM v. Winning
Infantry Regiment Tschammer Nr.27 1.600 men, 4 guns
Jaeger 120 men
Koehler Hussars Nr.7 620 horse
6pdr battery Schienert Nr.? 4 guns
Total: 1.720 infantry, 620 cavalry, 4 field guns, 4 bataillon guns
Detachment: GM v. Pletz
Fusileer Bataillon Bila 650 men
Fusileer Bataillon Kaiserligk 490 men
Jaeger 120 men
Pletz Hussars Nr.3 620 horse
Horse battery Heidenreich Nr.? 4 guns
Total: 1.260 infantry, 620 cavalry, 4 field guns
Main body: GL v. Ruechel
Infantry Regiment Alt-Larisch Nr.26 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Treuenfels Nr.29 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Tschepe Nr.37 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Strachwitz Nr.43 1.600 men, 4 guns
Bailliodz Cuirassiers Nr.5 700 horse
Katte Dragoons Nr.4 700 horse
Koehler Hussars Nr.7 620 horse
12pdr battery Schaefer Nr.? 8 guns
6pdr battery Schienert Nr.? 4 guns
6pdr battery Schmidt Nr.? 4 guns
6pdr battery Heidenreich Nr.? 4 guns
Total: 6.400 infantry, 2.020 cavalry, 20 field guns, 16 bataillon guns
Independent corps Blucher
Left in Wesphalia:
Infantry Regiment Lettow Nr.41 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Hagken Nr.44 1.600 men, 4 guns
Fusileer Bataillon Jvernois 650 men
Jaeger 120 men
Bruesewitz Dragoons Nr.12 700 horse
Horse battery Lehmann Nr.? 4 guns
Total: 3.970 infantry, 700 cavalry, 4 field guns, 8 bataillon guns
Left in Erfurt:
Infantry Regiment Kurfuerst von Hessen Nr.48 1.600 men, 4 guns
Total: 1.600 infantry, 4 bataillon guns
Detached to main army:
Bluecher Hussars Nr.8 1.240 horse
Total: 1.240 cavalry
Detached to Ruchel:
Grenadier Bataillon Hallmann 800 men, 2 guns
Grenadier Bataillon Borstell 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Wedell Nr.10 1.600 men, 4 guns
Infantry Regiment Winning Nr.23 1.600 men, 4 guns
Total: 4.800 infantry, 12 bataillon guns
Main body: GL v. Bluecher
Infantry Regiment Schenck Nr.9 1.600 men, 4 guns
Fusileer Bataillon Sobbe 650 men
Fusileer Bataillon Ernest 650 men
Jaeger 120 men
Wobeser Dragoons Nr.14 700 horse
12pdr battery Kirchfeld Nr.? 8 guns
Horse battery Neander Nr.? 8 guns
Horse battery Lehmann Nr.? 4 guns
Total: 3.020 infantry, 700 cavalry, 20 field guns, 4 bataillon guns
Reserve: GL Herzog Eugen von Wuerttemberg
Advance guard: GM v. Hinrichs
Fusileer Bataillon Hinrichs 650 men
Fusileer Bataillon Borell 650 men
Fusileer Bataillon Knorr 650 men
Herzberg Dragoons Nr.9 140 horse
Manstein Dragoons Nr.10 140 horse
Usedom Hussars Nr.10 248 horse
Horse battery Holtzendorff Nr.3 2 guns
Total: 1.950 infantry, 528 cavalry, 2 field guns
1. Division: GM v. Natzmer
1. Brigade: GM v. Tresckow
Grenadier Bataillon Schmeling 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Tresckow Nr.17 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Mayer Nr.27 8 guns
2. Brigade: Oberst v. Stangen
Infantry Regiment Natzmer Nr.54 1.600 men, 4 guns
3. Brigade: Oberst v. Kauffberg
Grenadier Bataillon Krety 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Kauffberg Nr.51 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Siekorski Nr.29 4 guns
Total: 6.400 infantry, 12 field guns, 16 bataillon guns
2. Division: GM v. Jung-Larisch
1. Brigade: Oberst von Vieregg
Grenadier Bataillon Vieregg 800 men, 2 guns
Infantry Regiment Manstein Nr.55 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Siekorski Nr.29 4 guns
2. Brigade: Oberst v. Werder
Infantry Regiment Jung-Larisch Nr.58 1.600 men, 4 guns
3. Brigade: Oberst v. Streithorst
Infantry Regiment Kalkreuth Nr.4 1.600 men, 4 guns
12pdr battery Harth Nr.3 8 guns
Total: 5.600 infantry, 12 field guns, 14 bataillon guns
Cavalry reserve:
1. Brigade: GM v. Heyking
Manstein Dragoons Nr.10 560 horse
Usedom Hussars Nr.10 496 horse
Horse battery Holtzendorff Nr.3 2 guns
2. Brigade: GM v. Usedom
Herzberg Dragoons Nr.9 560 horse
Usedom Hussars Nr.10 496 horse
Horse battery Holtzendorff Nr.3 4 guns
Total: 2.112 cavalry, 6 field guns
Infantry Cavalry Field guns Bataillon guns
Brunswick 47.730 12.200 144 110
Hohenlohe 33.780 10.460 120 84
Ruechel 12.740 3.260 38 28
Bluecher 13.390 2.640 24 28
Wuerttemberg 13.950 2.640 32 30
Grand total 121.590 31.200 348 280
Prussian army:
23 Grenadier Bataillons a 800 men, 2 guns
2 Grenadier Bataillons a 400 men
46 Infantry Regiments a 1.600 men, 4 guns
18 Fusilier Bataillons a 650 men
1 Weimar Foot Jaeger Bataillon a 650 men
12 Jaeger companies a 120 men
12 Cuirassier Regiments a 700 horse
9 Dragoon Regiments a 700 horse
1 Dragoon Regiment a 1.400 horse
8 Hussar Regiments a 1.240 horse
1 Hussar Regiment a 620 horse
17 12pdr batteries a 8 guns
1 7pdr Howitzer battery a 8 guns
2 6pdr batteries a 8 guns
4 6pdr batteries a 4 guns
14 Horse batteries a 8 guns
1 Horse battery a 4 guns
Total: 106.590 infantry, 26.640 cavalry, 292 field guns, 230 bataillon guns
Saxon army:
6 Grenadier Bataillons a 600 men, 2 guns
9 Infantry Regiments a 1.200 men, 4 guns
1 Infantry Regiment a 600 men, 2 guns
2 Cuirassier Regiments a 660 horse
4 Dragoon Regiments a 600 horse
1 Hussar Regiment a 840 horse
2 Grenade batteries a 8 guns
1 12pdr battery a 8 guns
2 8pdr battery a 8 guns
1 4pdr battery a 8 guns
1 Horse battery a 8 guns
Total: 15.000 infantry, 4.560 cavalry, 56 field guns, 50 bataillon guns
This is the historical OOB as of the start of the campaign. Not included
are immobile forces (fortress garrisons and the troops from East Prussia)
and the forces Saxony kept around Dresden (ca. 5.000 men). Included are
outlying detachments like Westphalia, Erfurt and Hanover. I my fictional
OOB i have assumed that they can be called in as well.
I can't vouch for the numbers of men per regiment or bataillon. They were
only given as general approximates in the OOBs i had. The total sums seem
plausible though. My source was Treuenfeld, 'Auerstaedt und Jena' (published
about 1900).
For reference, he gives a total of 117.718 infantry, 26.811 cavalry and
246 guns for the French, based on a rapport from IV corps and extrapolation
thereof. When in doubt, i would judge his Prussian figures as better
researched than his French though.
Below is a list of the nominal and assumed strenghts of the Prussian
formations. I have no information about the nominal strenght of the Saxons
but it stands to reason that the relations were similar.
I was also not able to find out what the heck a 'Granat-Batterie' is supposed
to be, of which the Saxons fielded two. I assume that it would be normal 7pdr
howitzers, but i can't say for shure.
Formation nominal assumed
Infantry bataillon 833 800
Fusilier bataillon 680 650
Jaeger company 137 120
Garde du Corps 773 700
Other Cuirassiers 847 700
Dragoon regiment 847 700
Hussar bataillon 755 620
Daniel I. Radakovich
It would also be of use to reflect that, from September through
the fight at Halle to the campaign's end with Blucher's surrender
to Bernadotte et al. beyond Lubeck, the 1806 Prussian Army was
struggling with a MAJOR tactical change in its attempt to "learn the
lesson of Maida" as the forces they fielded were, by Royal order,
forced into a 2-rank-line scheme...not the 3-rank one of the Saxons.
Several things seem to have been overlooked in this action-like
the inadvisable aspect of such a major change just before a life-or-
death campaign, the difference in handling a 3-500 man British foot
unit versus a 1,600 man Prussian amalgamated regiment in line with
audible or drum/bugled/fifed orders, and the fact that the Brits did
not carry along 6-pounders every interval in march led to quite a
difference in performance between expectation and reality.
Cf. Ruchel's instructions for a good precis of this. Also note this
explains the odd fractional regiments found in later Orders-of-Battle
for the Prusso-Saxon armies in the Jena-Auerstaedt messes...best found
in Foucart or other studies of the campaign.
Best regards, Dan Radakovich