SCHEFFER, JOHAN GEORGE HENDRIK

by Geert van Uythoven

Scheffer was born in Lent near Nijmegen (present day Netherlands) on 15 July 1766. On 11 February 1776, Scheffer started his military career as a gunner with the Dutch artillery. He was promoted to bombardier on 25 March 1780. On 1 January 1785 he became a 2nd lieutenant. He became an ordinary master fireworker on 22 February 1793. He refused to transfer to the Batavian army, but it is not clear if he eventually joined the Dutch Brigade. In any case, at some moment he received a British allowance, so probably he did. He joined the Netherlands army in 1814.

Scheffer received command of the ‘northern’ 4th company of the 1st Line artillery battalion, which was ordered to make mobile a foot artillery battery. Battery ‘Scheffer’ was one of the first batteries that was made mobile, on paper being part of the ‘occupation army’ in the southern Netherlands that was commanded by Prince Frederick of Orange. On 20 January, the battery was in Namur. When after the return of Napoleon the Netherlands Mobile Army was formed, the battery was assigned to the 2nd Brigade (d’Eerens) of the 1st Division (Stedman). On 20 April the battery had a total strength of 160 men. Apparently it took much to long before this battery was able to take the field properly, and therefore on 20 May 1815 it was relieved by the Foot artillery battery ‘Wijnands’ and returned to Breda.

Scheffer died on 7 July 1817, only 51 years old.

© Geert van Uythoven