The Seven Weeks' War
Page 14
The cavalry of the first levy of the Landwehr consisted of twelve regiments:—
The remainder of the Landwehr of the second levy, after the battalions above mentioned had been filled up to war strength, was only called out in special cases, and by particular orders. The men were then either sent to increase the strength of the battalions under arms, or could be formed in independent regiments, which could consist of one hundred and sixteen battalions of infantry, and one hundred and forty-four squadrons of cavalry.
The regiment of infantry consisted of three battalions, each of four companies. Each company consisted of two divisions. The formation for parade was in three ranks; in action the third rank men of the whole battalion acted as skirmishers, or three of each company formed a third two-rank deep division of the company.
Each squadron of cavalry was formed of four divisions; the formation was always in double rank.
The Prussian fleet, which till within the last few years has never aspired to any very distinguished place amongst those of the great maritime powers, consisted at the beginning of the war of eight screw corvettes, namely—
Of also eight gunboats of the first-class, each of which had three guns, and was of 80 horse-power; of fifteen gunboats of the second class, each of which mounted two guns, and was of 60 horse-power; of also four steam despatch-boats, namely—
Of also two paddle-wheel steamers—
Thus the whole steam-fleet mustered altogether only 245 guns. Of sailing-vessels Prussia possessed the frigates Gepin, 48 guns; Thetis, 36; and the Niobe, 26: the brigs Rover, 16 guns; Mosquito, 16; Hela, 6: the schooners Ilitis and Leopard, and the guard-ship Barbarossa, of 9 guns, as well as thirty-four sloops of 2 guns each, and four yawls of 1 gun each.
The personnel of the fleet was formed of a ship’s complement division of 1,882 men, among whom are included officers, officials, and boys; of a dockyard division of 589 men; and of the marines (infantry and artillery), who numbered 952 men.
CHAPTER 2: The War Strength of Austria
Since its last war the government of Austria has decided upon a total reorganisation of its army. It is therefore only necessary here to show as briefly as possible the organisation of the Austrian Army as it existed at the beginning of the campaign, more with a view to deduce therefrom the actual number engaged, than to take any special notice of a system which the most bitter experience has proved to be grievously faulty. (The new organisation of the Austrian Army since 1866, has been shown in some able letters which have appeared at intervals in the Times during the last three years, (as at 1867).
The empire of Austria had at the beginning of the war an area of about 294,000 square miles, and a population of about 35,000,000 inhabitants, of many nationalities, such as German, Slave, Magyar, and Czech. Its annual receipts amounted to 48,850,000l., its annual expenditure to almost 52,100,000l., so that every year there was a considerable deficit. To the army and navy 11,700,000l. were annually devoted. The national debt amounted in April 1864 to 309,600,000l., and must since that time have increased by at least 20,000,000l.
The Austrian Army consisted of—
INFANTRY
80 Infantry regiments of the Line (1—80)
1 Imperial regiment
32 Battalions of Feldjägers (1—32)
14 Border Infantry regiments (1—14)
(Grenz Infanterie-regimenter)
1 Border Infantry battalion (Titler).
CAVALRY
12 Cuirass regiments (1—12)
2 Regiments of Dragoons (1—2)
14 Regiments of Hussars (1—14)
13 Regiments of Uhlans (1—13)
ARTILLERY
12 Regiments of Artillery (1—12)
1 Regiment of Coast Artillery
SPECIAL TROOPS
2 Regiments of Engineers
6 Battalions of Pioneers
TROOPS OF ADMINISTRATION
10 Sanitary companies
48 Transport squadrons
Besides other Administration troops and departments.
TROOPS FOR PROVINCIAL DEFENCE.
10 Regiments of Gens-d’armes
A military police corps
The Tyrolean Provincial corps
Againsal Provincial Rifle battalions
Volunteer Companies of Sharpshooters and Landsturm
Each regiment of infantry of the line consisted in peace of four battalions and a depot. The fourth battalion to which the depôt was attached remained in peace in the district to which the regiment belonged, and served as a depôt battalion, while the three first battalions were, as a rule, quartered in a totally different province than that from which their recruits were drawn. In time of war the depôt was formed into a depôt division, and the fourth battalion was sent into some fortress as a garrison battalion, while the three first battalions were sent into the field to join the army of manoeuvre.
Each battalion mustered, or ought to have mustered, in war, 1,018 combatants, divided among six companies. Every two companies formed the so-called division: each company consisted of two subdivisions.
The Imperial regiment of Jägers had in war six battalions and one depôt battalion. Each battalion mustered in six companies 1,011 combatants, as did also each battalion of Feldjägers.
The whole of the duty of the Military Borderers was divided into three portions. The first levy formed the regular border infantry regiments and the Titler battalion: the second, the armed population, was only formed for service in its own particular province, and consisted of, in all, 22,000 men. The third levy was only specially called upon in cases of urgent necessity, and formed a force of about 28,000 men.
In war, each regiment of the Military Borderers of the first levy consisted of three battalions, each of six companies. The first eight regiments formed, at the outbreak of a war, one battalion of four companies as a depôt; three others formed an independent division for the same purpose. Of these eleven regiments three battalions could be put into the field in war; of the remaining three of the fourteen border regiments two battalions could only be put in the field; the Titler battalion sent one battalion into the field, so that forty battalions of Military Borderers were with the field army.
For the defence of fortresses there were left, after the army of operation took the field, eighty-four battalions of infantry regiments, and eleven Border battalions, in all about 100,000 men.
The Tyrolean Provincial corps, as well as the Border troops which did not join the army, were retained in their own particular provinces.
The principal weapon of the Infantry of the Line and of the Border regiments was a rifled musket on Lorenz’s system, with a bayonet The Jägers had a rather shorter musket, the rifling of which had a slightly sharper twist than that of the line.
Cavalry,—The cuirass regiments, which were originally cuirassiers, but had previously to the war of 1866 laid aside the cuirass, formed the whole of the heavy cavalry. Each cuirass regiment, with the exception of the eighth, the old Dampier Cuirassiers (which, on account of privilege derived as early as 1619, had never been reduced, and still contained six squadrons), consisted of five squadrons. Every light cavalry regiment consisted of six squadrons. At the outbreak of the war each regiment of cavalry left one of its squadrons as a depôt squadron at home. The squadron contained one hundred and forty-nine mounted men. The whole cavalry mustered 29,000 sabres.
Artillery.—The field artillery consisted of twelve regiments, of which nine were formed to accompany the corps d’armée of infantry; the remaining three were intended to form the army artillery of reserve, and to be attached to the cavalry of reserve.
The regiment of coast-artillery was divided into four battalions, of which the first and second battalion had in war each five active companies, two mountain batteries of eight guns, and one depôt company. The third and fourth battalions each had six active companies and one depôt company.
The heavy batteries of the field artillery were armed with muzzle-loading rifled 8-pounder guns
; the light with muzzle-loading rifled 4-pounder guns; the mountain batteries with rifled 3-pounders. Garrison artillery of the latest pattern consisted of rifled breach-loading guns, 6-, 12-, 24-, and 48-pounders; but there are still many smooth-bored guns and howitzers in the armaments of the fortresses.
An Austrian corps d’armée, as a rule, consisted of four brigades of infantry, four squadrons of cavalry (one attached to each infantry brigade), four 4-pounder field batteries (one attached to each infantry brigade), a reserve artillery, two companies of engineers, and two companies of pioneers, with four bridge-trains, besides administrative services. To an army which would be formed by the amalgamation of several of these corps d’armée, would be attached several brigades of light cavalry, each of which consisted of two regiments; therefore ten squadrons, and one 4-pounder battery of horse-artillery, some divisions of reserve cavalry, an army reserve of artillery, a reserve of engineers, and all necessary administrative services.
Recruiting,—In each year in Austria from 80,000 to 85,000 recruits were called into the army. The time of service was ten years, of which the last two were spent in the reserve.
In the Infantry the recruit was kept from one to three years with the colours, in the cavalry seven or eight years, in the engineers and artillery three years: he was, after his period of actual presence with his corps expired, dismissed to his home on furlough, and called out annually for military exercise till he had accomplished eight years’ service, when he was transferred to the reserve.
In case of war the men on furlough were called in to fill up the ranks of the army of operation, the men of the reserve to join the depôt and garrison corps.
The tactical unit in the infantry was the division of two companies, in the cavalry the squadron, in the artillery the battery of eight guns. It was laid down as a rule by the Austrian regulations, that in action every division of troops was to retain a dependent reserve.
The Austrian Army was divided according to nationalities, thus—
Subjoined is a summary, calculated from the best available authorities, of the Austrian troops available for the army of operation at the commencement of the war:—
Austrian Navy,—Austria had done more for her navy within the few years which immediately preceded the war, than would have been anticipated from the small extent of her sea-coast, and her little interest in European commerce. The Austrian Navy mustered twenty-eight screw-vessels, namely—
1 line-of-battle ship,
5 frigates,
7 armour-plated frigates,
2 corvettes,
7 second-class gunboats,
3 third-class gunboats
3 schooners,
12 paddle-wheel steamers,
. . . besides sixteen sailing-vessels, of which two were frigates, three corvettes, three brigs. The above formed the Austrian fleet of seagoing vessels; but for the navigation of interior waters, and for the defence of the coast, there were ten screw-steamers, sixteen paddle-wheel steamers, and thirty-five guard-ships.
The steam fleet of seagoing ships numbered forty vessels, which carried 651 guns, amounted to 11,475 horse-power, and were manned by 7,772 men.
The sailing fleet of seagoing vessels, which was only practically valuable for purposes of transport, consisted of eighteen vessels, with 225 guns, and 1,804 men.
The twenty-six vessels on the inner waters had together 72 guns, 1,511 horse-power, and 961 sailors; while the thirty-five guard-ships mounted 115 guns, and bore 1,060 sailors.
CHAPTER 3: War Strength of the Remaining States of Germany
Bavaria.—Population, 4,700,000; area, 34,750 square miles; revenue, 4,700,000l.; national debt, 34,300,000l. In Bavaria the time of military service was six years. It was allowed to find substitutes for military service. The time of actual presence with the colours is twelve months in the first year, eight in the second, three in the third, and fourteen days in the fourth. Except for this time, the soldier was sent home on furlough. (This organisation was modified after the war of 1866, and will probably be even more modified in consequence of that of 1870—71).
The army consisted of—
. . . armed with Podewil’s muskets and sword-bayonet, (in 1870, partly armed with the Werder rifle)
Cuirassiers armed with iron cuirass and helmet, straight sword, and pistol; the other regiments with bent sabre and pistol; Uhlans with lances.
The 6-pounders were rifled on the Prussian system; the 12-pounders were smooth-bore.
Engineers.—One regiment of eight companies, 1,380 men.
The army had divisions, brigades, regiments, and battalions. Tactical units were the company in two ranks, the squadron, and the battery. The formation for battle of the Bavarian infantry battalion was four Fusilier companies in line, and the two light companies in column in rear of the wings.
Saxony,—Area, 6,775 square miles; population, 2,225,000; revenue, 2,100,000l.; debt, 9,600,000l. The time of service in Saxony was six years in the line and two years in the reserve.
The army was divided into two divisions, each of which had two brigades. One brigade consisted of two regiments and one battalion of Jägers. Besides these divisions, there was a cavalry division of two brigades, each of two regiments, and a corps of artillery; the infantry fought in three ranks, with a reserve formation out of the third rank in rear of the wings.
Hesse-Cassel.—Area, 4,350 square miles; population, 740,000; revenue, 500,000l.; debt, 1,400,000l.
Military service was universal, and for a period of ten years, of which five years were spent in the line and first levy of reserve, five in the second levy. The time of actual presence with the standards varied from twenty-one to thirty-four months.
Würtemburg,—Area, 8,875 sq. miles; population, 1,720,000; revenue, 1,500,000l.; debt, 7,500,000l.
The contingent of Würtemburg formed the first division of the eighth corps of the Germanic Confederation.
Recruiting conducted by conscription, but substitutes allowed. Time of service twelve years, six of which were passed in the line, six in the Landwehr. Time of actual presence with the standards about eighteen months.
. . . . .armed with Podewil’s musket
Baden,—Area, 6,950 square miles; population, 1,400,000; revenue, 1,700,000l.; debt, 10,800,000l.
The contingent formed the second division of the eighth corps of the army of the Germanic Confederation.
Hesse-Darmstadt,—Area, 3,800 square miles; population, 860,000; revenue, 950,000l.; debt, 2,000,000l.
The army of Hesse-Darmstadt formed the third division of the eighth corps of the Germanic Confederation.
. . . . . .armed with Podewil’s musket
Nassau.—Area, 2,137 square miles; population, 460,000 inhabitants.
The contingents of the other minor states are so small that it would be tedious to enter into their composition in detail. The military of those which voted for the Austrian motion on the 14th June in the Diet were:—
Of those which voted against the Austrian motion:—
Brunswick, Lemburg, and Luxembourg also voted against Austria, but the two former put no contingents in the field; the contingent of the last took so much time in its mobilisation that it was not ready for employment until very nearly the conclusion of peace.
CHAPTER 4: War Strength of the Kingdom of Italy
The kingdom of Italy is at present, (1867), engaged in the reorganisation of its military forces, so that this chapter must be regarded solely as a record of the past.
The kingdom of Italy, had with an area of 116,750 square miles a population of about 21,775,000 inhabitants. Since the formation of this monarchy, in 1860, its finances had never been in anything but the most unsatisfactory condition.
Large armies and fleets had been maintained at a ruinous expense, and have both proved their incapacity to accomplish the purposes for which they were intended; large numbers of useless officials, who did no public work worthy of the name, and served as impediments more than as facilities to the t
ransaction of business, were suffered to live idly on the resources of the State. In the year 1864 the revenue of the country amounted to 27,000,000l., the expenditure of the government to nearly 37,000,000l., and since that year this annual deficit had remained about constant.
In the year 1864 9,280,000l. were spent upon the army, and 2,500,000l. upon the navy.
The Italian Army, according to the latest organisation previous to 1866, consisted of:—
INFANTRY.
8 Regiments of Grenadiers (Nos. 1—8).
72 Regiments of Infantry of the Line (Nos. 1—72)
5 Regiments of Bersaglieri (Nos. 1—5).
The regiments of grenadiers and of the line differed only in some slight details of clothing from each other. A regiment of either consisted of the regimental staff, four battalions, and a depôt. (According to the organisation of 1865).
Each battalion consisted of four companies, and each on a war footing mustered four officers and 149 men. Thus the effective strength of each regiment amounted to, with the staff, 81 officers and 2,453 men, or altogether 2,534 men; and the eighty regiments of Grenadiers and of the Line amounted in all to 202,720 combatants.
The depôts remained at home to find and drill recruits, and then forward them to the troops in the field. Each depôt consisted of 14 officers and 61 men.