THE FRENCH GARRISON OF FLUSHING, 1809

 

by Geert van Uythoven

 

In 1809, the Zeeland province was still part of the Kingdom of Holland under King Louis [‘Lodewijk’], brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. The strategically important fortress city of Flushing [‘Vlissingen’] however, with an important harbour, was part of France, with a French commanding officer and garrison. The garrison consisted of French units of a lesser quality, augmented with some Dutch auxiliary forces, because the defence of this place was of course also of great importance to the Kingdom of Holland. When the English invaded Zeeland, the garrison of Flushing consisted of the following units and strength [officers/others]:

 

French
Foreign in French pay

Dutch

 

Etat-Major:

Commander in Chief: GD Louis-Claude Monnet

         ADC’s:       Chef de Bataillon Series

                            Capitaine Rocquez

                            Capitaine Desmarquet

 

GB Pierre-Jacques Osten

         ADC’s:       Capitaine Lemeunier

                            Capitaine Gelibert

 

Chief of Staff: Major Weikel (later Petrezoli, interim)

Commander of the city: Colonel Thory

Commander of the engineers: Capitaine Levesque

Commander of the artillery: Capitaine Moussonnet

Sous-inspecteur de revenues: De Lahais

Commissary of war: Raffroy

 

- 1er Régiment de Prusse (in French service)(Colonel Bockmann?)[49/1,540] 1)

- 1er Bataillon Irlandais (also known as ‘Légion Irlandaise)(Chef de Bataillon William Lawless)[15/449]

- 1er Bataillon Colonial [14/768] 2)

- Battalion of the Régiment Chasseurs Rentrés de l’étranger [15/996] 3)

- 6me Comp. 1er Régiment d’Artillerie [4/116]

- Vétérans [4/41]

- Vétérans d’Artillerie [4/42]

- 5de, 6de, and 7de Kompagnie Hollandsche Kanonniers (Dutch gunners)[7/150] 4)

- Gardes-Côtes (‘Kompagnie Kustbewaarders’, artillerymen)[2/125] 5)

- French military labourers (‘Militaire Werklieden’)[30] 6)

- Kompagnie Burger-Kanonniers (Civilian gunners)(Adjutant-Major J. Fraser)[110]

- Gewapende Burgermagt 7)

 

During the siege and despite the English blockade, the French managed to reinforce the garrison with a total of 2,638 men from the following units:

- 8me Régiment Provisoire [21/1,112] 8)

- 48me Régiment de Ligne (1 battalion)[12/629]

- 65me Régiment de Ligne (1 battalion)[16/639]

- 72me Régiment de Ligne (detachment)[3/266]

Overall the latter men behaved outstandingly well, in addition in many instances protecting civilians against excesses of others, especially foreigners in French service.

 

The garrison of Flushing, with so many unreliable elements, had no means of maintaining order within the city and fighting the English at the same time. The ‘Gewapende Burgermagt’ or ‘Burgerwacht’ was much to weak to prevent plunder, rape, etc. Therefore, on 6 August the Burgerwacht was augmented with all citizens able to bear arms, a clear sign of how much trust Monnet had in the citizens of Flushing, and the hatred against the English and their blockade which had ruined many of them. The Burgerwacht was now over 400 men strong, with every company about 100 men, and had the following organisation:

 

Gewapende Burgermagt / Burgerwacht

Staff

Colonel Mr. A.F. Clement

Adjutant-Major J. Fraser (also commanding the Kompagnie Burger-Kanonniers)

Lieutenant-Adjutant Gs. van Bel (replacing Fraser)

Adjutant-NCO A. Eliassen

Surgeon-Major P.A. Nolson

Kompagnie Grenadiers (Captain J.I. Corbelijn)

1e Kompagnie (Captain G. van Bel)

2e Kompagnie (Captain F.J. van Maldegem)

3e Kompagnie (Captain C. van der Swalme)

 

When Flushing capitulated, about 4,000 French and Dutch troops became prisoners of war of the English. They were embarked in Breezand and transported to various destinations in Britain.

 

 

Notes about specific units:

1) How unreliable the 1er Régiment de Prusse was, is shown by its behaviour already during the first days of the English invasion. After the landings at Breezand, General Osten executed a fighting retreat to Flushing. Two Dutch guns were captured when the Prussian support left them; two whole companies defected and went over to the English. Part of the regiment took part in the plunder that took place in suburbs of Flushing.

2) The 1er Bataillon Colonial consisted of conscripts that had not appeared with their assigned units. Therefore, they had been placed in this ‘penal’ battalion. As can be imagined, quality and reliability of this battalion was low. Part of the battalion took part in the plunder that took place in the suburbs of Flushing. Its commander was taken prisoner by the English during the sortie on 7 August.

3) The Régiment Chasseurs Rentrés de l’étranger was composed of foreigners which had deserted to the French.

4) The Hollandsche Kanonniers did good service. When their battery at Dishoek could not be held against the advancing English, they still took the time to make their guns unusable or to throw them into the sea, after which they retreated to Flushing in good order.

5) The ‘Gardes-Côtes also behaved well, and took the time to nail their guns in the Vijgeeter battery before they retreated to Flushing in good order. Further they did good service in repairing the damage to the batteries under constant fire.

6) The French military labourers, called ‘Militaire Werklieden’ in Dutch, did good service by throwing up and repairing batteries under constant fire of the English.

7) The Gewapende Burgermagt or Burgerwacht was the Dutch equivalent of the National Guard. Training and armament was not sufficient to be used in battle, the men saw service for guard and auxiliary duties. They distinguished themselves when retrieving wounded soldiers under fire, after a failed sortie on 7 August; further by aiding in extinguishing the many fires caused by the English bombardment.

8) Composed of soldiers of various regiments (including some of the 21me Régiment de Ligne), as well as depots.

 

 

Main sources:

- Dijkshoorn, J. van, “De landing der Engelschen in Zeeland” (Vlissingen 1809)

- Hoek, S. van, “Geschiedkundig verhaal van de landing der Engelschen in Zeeland. In het jaar 1809” (Amsterdam 1820)

- Lammens, Adriaan François (Maire de la ville), “Rapport des évenements qui ont eu lieu avant pendant et après le bombardement, de la ville de Flessingue. Depuis le 29 Juillet jusqu’au 26 Septembre 1809. Delivré au Gouvernement” (Flessingue 1810)

- Trinkle, N.C., “Fiasco, 1809” (1984, unpublished)

 

© Geert van Uythoven