1813 Wachau - Leipzig

THE NEUMARK DRAGOON REGIMENT

AT WACHAU

(BATTLE OF LEIPZIG)

16 October 1813

translated by Geert van Uythoven

“The fighting around Wachau – a link in the chain of the great Battle of the Nations [i.e. Leipzig] – has been depicted by an eye-witness in ‘Militair-Wochenblatt’ No. 38, 39 and 40 of this volume. The publisher has expressed his wish that this description would provoke additional reports and articles about this subject. Therefore it is believed to be the right time to commemorate the role the Neumark, present-day 3rd Dragoon Regiment, played in this battle. Even more because until now its role was never mentioned before, although one cannot state it was insignificant for the outcome and the results of the day.

How this regiment, on the previous day of Liebert-Wolkwitz, at that moment with the advance-guard of the huge Bohemian army under the Russian General Count Pahlen, fought hard, and again an again fought uneven combats against far superior French cavalry under Murat, maintaining them with several other Russian and Prussian cavalry regiments arriving during the day, fighting them victoriously while the day passed, is commonly known. It would however be reserved at Wachau for the regiment, to aid in giving destiny a lucky turn during the occurring disadvantageous crisis. The squadrons had suffered heavily during the cavalry combat just mentioned, and especially on 16 October by having to hold out without interruption a six-hour lasting artillery fire, from eight o’clock in the morning until two o’clock in the afternoon, to cover several artillery batteries. Now at this so critical moment, in which the French cuirassiers had unstoppable pushed forward, the already very depleted squadrons were called on to leave their present position and to fight these brave enemy horse. Adjutants rushed on yelling: “Dragoons! Up at those cuirassiers, save the battle!” The enemy was already moving in the left flank of the regiment in their victorious advance, advancing in closed formation on the plain under Güldengossa village.

The regiment, at this time the only cavalry available, wheeled in their direction and, despite the great superiority of their armoured opponent, charged the enemy with their usual determination, in addition having to cross during their charge fairly difficult terrain intersected by hollow roads, which hampered the formation in gaining the necessary speed. The enemy halted and wheeled to confront the charging regiment, preparing to receive it at the halt, pointing their long swords straight forward, relying on their dense and numerical superior formation.

Despite that and against the odds, the Neumarkers charged this wall, and were lucky in not only bringing it to wavering, but to throw them back completely, surely when at the decisive moment the Russian Guard Cossacks, released by the highest army commanders, also charged. Together with the [Neumark] Regiment the cuirassiers were routed and pursued with the sabres in their backs.

Seldom, light cavalry fought a more satisfactory result against superior heavy cavalry in such circumstances. The cuirassiers were pursued back to the French batteries which, to protect themselves, fired at the disordered mass, bringing down friend and enemy altogether. They managed however to stop the pursuit, as the weak squadrons were in no condition to gain even greater results after such a strain. The regiment reformed near the Russian guns which had just been recaptured from the enemy, taken up by the Silesian Cuirassier Regiment which had just arrived.

Often this day of glory was remembered, when General Count Zieten, under who’s orders it [i.e. the Neumark Dragoon Regiment] mostly was before and after this engagement and during these memorable times, and later in France, having the honour to serve under him for several years, always welcomed them with the distinctive title: “Dragoons of Wachau”.”

Note:

- This account is somewhat contradicted by George Nafziger’s “Napoleon at Leipzig”, who on p.124 states that: “Pahlen threw the Neumärk Dragoon Regiment and the Silesian Cuirassier Regiment into the east flank of the French cavalry, but this had little effect on the French attack”.

Source: “Das Neumärkische Dragoner-Regiment bei Wachau am 16ten October 1813”, in Militair-Wochenblatt, 22. Jahrgang (Berlin 1837), p.176.