Saturday, December 8, 2018

Tiroler Landsturm #3 Freiherr Karl Montag

The first of the green coated Landsturm,Freherr Karl Montag's men bear long axes.


Dark green coats with hats in shades of grey and pants in shades of brown is their order of dress, with shirts in yellow and braces in red - quite colorful!



Resuming our romanticized account of the Tyrolean uprising, The Patriots of the Tyrol,
by Charles Morris (1893):

    Speckbacher, the other patriot named, was no less active. No sooner had the signal of revolt appeared in the Inn than he set the alarm-bells ringing in every church-tower through the lower valley of that stream, and quickly was at the head of a band of stalwart Tyrolese. On the night of the 11th he advanced on the city of Hall, and lighted about a hundred watch-fires on one side of the city, as if about to attack it from that quarter. While the attention of the garrison was directed towards these fires, he crept through the darkness to the gate on the opposite side, and demanded entrance as a common traveller. The gate was opened; his hidden companions rushed forward and seized it; in a brief time the city, with its Bavarian garrison, was his.



    On the 12th he appeared before Innsbruck, and made a fierce assault upon the city in which he was aided by a murderous fire poured upon the Bavarians by the citizens from windows and towers. The people of the upper valley of the Inn flocked to the aid of their fellows, and the place, with its garrison, was soon taken, despite their obstinate defence. Dittfurt, the Bavarian leader, who scornfully refused to yield to the peasant dogs, as he considered them, fought with tiger-like ferocity, and fell at length, pierced by four bullets.

    One further act completed the freeing of the Tyrol from Bavarian domination. The troops under Colonel [ed: in checking Gill's account, this is oberst-leutnant Wreden] Wrede had, as we have related, crossed the Brenner on a temporary bridge, and escaped the perils of the pass. Greater perils awaited them. Their road lay past Sterzing, the scene of Hofer's victory. Every trace of the conflict had been obliterated, and Wrede vainly sought to discover what had become of Bäraklau and his battalion. He entered the narrow pass through which the road ran at that place, and speedily found his ranks decimated by the rifles of Hofer's concealed men.




    After considerable loss the column broke through, and continued its march to Innsbruck, where it was immediately surrounded by a triumphant host of Tyrolese. The struggle was short, sharp, and decisive. In a few minutes several hundred men had fallen. In order to escape complete destruction the rest laid down their arms. The captors entered Innsbruck in triumph, preceded by the military band of the enemy, which they compelled to play, and guarding their prisoners, who included two generals, more than a hundred other officers, and about two thousand men.

    In two days the Tyrol had been freed from its Bavarian oppressors and their French allies and restored to its Austrian lords. The arms of Bavaria were everywhere cast to the ground, and the officials removed. But the prisoners were treated with great humanity, except in the single instance of a tax-gatherer, who had boasted that he would grind down the Tyrolese until they should gladly eat hay. In revenge, they forced him to swallow a bushel of hay for his dinner.


-to be continued.

23 comments:

  1. Very cool! I have never seen troops with long axes like that.

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    1. I presume they used them for hacking off limbs on trees. That's how they came from Eureka. I debated trimming them down to a more "normal length, but decided to use them as supplied.

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  2. I am enjoying your history lesson on the revolt, Peter. Your latest rebels look good! If these lads can find no Bavarians to hack up, you have supplied them with an alternative endeavor as lumberjacks. What is the German term for "lumberjack?" Holzfäller?

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    1. Glad you're enjoying it. It is a pretty decent and entertaining read on the big picture of the revolt; Gill (With Eagles to Glory) will be the source for serious military information.

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  3. I really like the bases you are making for these units; they really add to the figures.

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    1. Thanks; love the handle by the way! I checked out your blog, which I am now following - you are doing awesome work with your terrain!

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  4. I’ll second Jonathan’s comment, thoroughly enjoying the history lesson into this campaign. Loving the Oktoberfest uniforms, unit histories and eclectic weaponry too.

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    1. Thanks, Peter - the project has a certain almost fairy-tale like aspect to it... but it was very real, and Napoleon became thoroughly exasperated by the actions and repeated successes of the stubborn mountaineers!

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  5. Handsome additions Peter, lovely unit (impressive axe!) and historical background, well done!

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  6. Up one for melee, with the polearms?

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    1. Yes definitely; the Schutzen will be up one for shooting but down one for melee! I am thinking of using Piquet: Les Grognards for at least one of the Tirolese actions. I think those rules are better suited to irregular actions!

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    2. "Sneaky (non) Heathens" would definitely be relevant to them on their home ground. They used snowshoes to traverse high mountain areas where the snow lingered into late May.

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  7. I'm loving all these strange looking Napoleonic units and the history behind them. Keep it up!

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    1. Thanks, Ray! There are another 8 -9 units to go, and quite a bit more of Morris' tale to come.

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  8. It's great seeing these figures come to life, and the Charles Morris rendition is quite stirring stuff. Most enjoyable.

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    1. I am glad you're enjoying both, Lawrence. Thanks for stopping by!

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  9. Can only amplify the appreciation, another great post Peter!

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  10. Wow! These guys look very interesting - modern looking outfits but wielding Medieval weapons! Very cool and intimidating!

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    1. Yes, the Landsturm in particular have a certain fairy-tale like look. The schutzen companies were a Tyrolean institution; as part of the special exemptions given by the Hapsburgs, the Tyrolese were exempt from conscription, but had to maintian the schutzen companies,. which were exclusively for use defending their territory. Thus, they are a bit different from the 1809 Landwehr, most of whom had little or no training. The institution continued up to the first World War. They still exist, but largely as maintainers of traditional Tirolese dress and customs, and are seen at almost all civic events in the Tyrol.

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  11. Great looking unit and entertaining history! Long old axes!
    Best Iain

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