Duchy of Warsaw Horse Artillery

The first unit of Horse Artillery in the army of the Duchy of Warsaw was raised in 1809, and paid for by a wealthy Polish nobleman; by 1810, there were 4 such companies. 

The earlier uniform had Czapskas for headgear, but by 1810, it was replaced by dark brown fur colpacks for all but the first company, who retained the Czapska until 1812. 

The original uniform also had black lapels piped red, but by 1810 it was being replaced by the habit Kinsky, which had none. 

Both uniforms had black collars, cuffs, and turnbacks, all piped in red. 

The pants were dark green with a wide black stripe, piped red. 

Red aigrettes were worn on the right shoulder.

Brass scale epaulettes with red fringes were worn on the shoulders. 

Several uniforms are known for trumpeters; the one depicted has a white fur colpack with a green bag piped yellow, a white jacket with black facings piped red, and red pants with gold stripes. 

Officers had black fur colpacks with a green bag, piped gold, and gold stripes on the seams of the pants. 

These figures and guns are by Murawski miniatures, sculpted by Paul Hicks.  Polish artillery used the same olive drab color for their gun carriages, equipment, caissons, limbers, etc.,  as the French. 

Bad-ener Generals

The Murawski Miniatures order that brought the Light Dragoons and the Artillery also included some new mounted officer figures. 

The line infantry officer on foot wears a greatcoat, and is a reassigned figure from the ephemeral Pontoonier miniatures Baden range. 

All the Baden officers wear the silver, red, and gold sash common to their nationality. 

Look sharp men, here comes the "Emperor of Battles"!

The third of the Murawski Baden officers is paired with a Light Dragoon figure wearing the fatigue cap. 

The higher officers all wore dark blue coats with red collars, cuffs, and turnbacks. 

Epaulets, as well as the lace on the collars and cuffs for higher officers, were all silver. 

Dark blue saddle cloths with silver trim were regulation for higher officers as well. 

Both of these are re-based Pontoonier figures.

Note the red within yellow cockade of Baden.

My Baden contingent is thus well supplied with Leaders!

Badeners that go BOOM! - Foot and Horse Artillery

In 1804, the Army of Baden included 2 Foot batteries, rather logically designated as batteries number 1 and battery number 2.  A Horse Artillery battery was raised in late 1806, and became the new battery number 1, with the foot batteries now being designated as numbers 2 and three; a third foot battery, designated as battery number 4, was added in 1808. 

Until 1806, the carriages were painted yellow ocher with black fittings (rather like the Austrian ordinance), but thereafter the carriages became dark grey with black metal fittings.

The Foot artillery wore dark blue jackets with black facings and brass buttons, and red turnbacks. Until 1806, the button holes were decorated with yellow lace, but thereafter they were left plain. 

The breeches were supposed to be white for parade and grey for campaign, with dark blue overalls with a red stripe down the outside seam introduced in 1811. In Spain, like everyone else, brown pants made of local cloth would be common as well. 

So, of course, I just painted mine with worn dark blue trousers!  :-) These are Murawski figures (and guns)  once again. 

I use 3 crew figures per gun (OK, four for 12 lbers), and 8 figures for my cavalry units. Murawski come with 8 artillery crew per pack and 3 Cavalry per pack.

So, what to do with the extras?  Why make a section of Horse Artillery, of course!

The horse artillery wore essentially the same uniform as the Foot did, except with white plumes on the Raupenhelm. I couldn't be bothered with adding plumes, so I just gave most of them white pants so that they would stand out. 

For some reason, my Murawski order had SIX Baden Dragoon trumpeters in it (but no extra horses, darn!). So, the mounted figure is a trumpeter, and a nice uniform he has, too! 

Anyone needing a spare Baden Dragoon trumpeter rider (or 4...), please feel free to contact me...

The officer, like all Badener officers, wears the silver sash interwoven with gold and red threads. 

Baden Dragoons

I have long waited for a manufacturer to do the Baden (Light) Dragoons in 28 mm, and Murawski finally obliged last year.The regiment was originally raised as Dragoons circa 1803 - 1804, but was soon converted to light cavalry, or Light Dragoons. The official title of the regiment remained "Dragoner" (Dragoons) throughout the era, however. The regiment had a theoretical strength of a little over 500 men, in 4 squadrons. A second regiment was raised in 1813, and a 5th and 6th (depot) squadron was added to both regiments in 1814.

Here is the regiment in all of its Azure glory. Although, perhaps regrettably, sculpted in Campaign Dress, I have painted them in their full dress uniforms.

For the coats, I used Delta Ceramcoat "Azure Blue", washed with Delta Ceramcoat "Opaque Blue", a medium dark blue hue.

The officers had silver epaulettes, azure blue saddle cloths with silver borders, and the silver interwoven with gold and red sash common to all Badener officers, and wore white breeches.

The trumpeters wore essentially the same uniform as the troopers, but with red plumes, and in dress uniform, had red, white, and  yellow lace on the lapels and cuffs. The trumpet cords were either plain red, or red mixed with yellow, as shown here. Trumpeters also had black sheepskins on their saddles instead of the white used by the rest of the regiment.

The Regiment in Line

Just a bit of the officer's shabraque can be seen. 

Note the encumbrances of troops on campaign hanging from the saddles. 

Charge!  The Baden Dragoons fought at Ebelsberg, Aspern, Wagram, and Znaim in 1809.

    Throughout the era the jackets of the regiment(s) were Azure blue in color. The headgear was a black bicorn with a white pom pom until 1806, when a black leather Raupenhelm, reminiscent of the Bavarian version,  with white metal decorations was adopted.

Baden Dragoons, Coat details

Years	Collars, cuffs, turnbacks	Lapels	Shoulder straps	Buttons	Special
1803 - 1808	Scarlet	Scarlet	Azure, left only	White	White buttonhole lace on cuffs and lapels
1809 - 1810	Scarlet	Scarlet	Azure piped Scarlet	White	White aigrettes, ? 1804 - 1809
1811 - 1813	Scarlet	None	Azure piped Scarlet	White	N/A
1813 - 1815	Scarlet	None	Azure piped Scarlet	White	White aigrettes Rgt #1 Yellow aigrettes Rgt #2

Baden Dragoons, Breeches

Years	Breeches
1803 - 1804	Buff
1805 - 1806	White
1807	Light grey, brown leather inserts piped scarlet
1808 - 1813	Azure blue w/ double scarlet stripe down seam, black leather inserts
1814 -1815	Dark grey w/ brown leather inserts and cuffs

(The above information is all condensed from "The Army of the Grand Duchy of Baden, 1806 - 1814", by W. J. Rawkins, the only decent source on the army of Baden in English that I am aware of)

New Baden Cavalry, Artillery, and Infantry from Murawski

Over the past several months, Murawski has been expanding their 28 mm Baden range. In addition to their existing Line Infantry and Jagers, they now have infantry in campaign dress (including grenadiers with covered bearskins?), a new Baden Foot Artillery set, and, joy of joys, the latest release, the long awaited Baden Light Dragoons.

As has been discussed, the Baden contingent makes a nice "pocket army - the entire army consisted of 1 Light battalion, 8 Line battalions, 3 batteries (one of horse artillery), and a regiment each of Light Dragoons and Hussars. There was also a squadron of Guard du Corps and a battalion of Foot Guards, but I don't believe either of them saw service in the field.

To make a Baden force even more attractive, they have a great deal available now through September 7th:

New Baden cavalry!
Just received the Baden cavalry - They are not on the website yet but are available at a cost of £12 for 3 command, or £12 for 3 troopers. Unit deals as per the website.

As a special introductory offer which I will run until Friday the 7th of September, the following:

Baden - campaign:

2 x 36 battalions
6 x skirmishers
2 x artillery crews and French 8lb guns
3 x mounted officers
12 x cavalry

SPECIAL PRICE (including shipping): £150

If you require a Polish deal the same, then please email and I am sure we can sort something out.

All orders must be placed and paid for in full by the 7th of September.

From posts on their facebook page, a mix and match using Baden and Polish units or all Polish is also possible - just email the owner! 

Baden Light Dragoon troopers

Light Dragoon Command

Pose variants

Rear view of Light Dragoons.

Artillery Crew

Rear view

Infantry in Campaign dress

More Campaign dress

Skirmishers

? Covered bearskins?

Grenadier or ? Footguards; note epaulettes. 

Maybe they really mean covered helmets?

For Baden Uniform information, see the following previous blog posts:

The Army of the Grand Duchy of Baden

More Baden uniform details

Sadly, I have enougbn Baden infantry, so I can't really take advantage of this deal... but I will certainly be buying a unit of  the Light Dragoons and a Battery by the end of the year anyway!