Hanoverian Regimental names 1789-1815
Hannover (Hanover) 1789-1815
To produce the following lists covering 1789 to 1815 I have drawn on L von Sichart “Geschichte der Königlich-hannoverschen armee” (unable to cross-check later information as no access to volume 5 covering 1803 onwards), Otto von Pivka "Armies of the Napoleonic Era", Philip Haythornthwaite "The Napoleonic Source Book", Peter Hofschröer “The Hanoverian Army of the Napoleonic Wars” from the Osprey Men-at-Arms series, George Nafziger "Napoleon's German Enemies - Armies of Hanover, Brunswick, Hesse-Cassel & Hanseatic Cities (1792-1815)”, Richard Partridge & Michael Oliver "Napoleonic Army Handbook - The British Army & Her Allies", Knotel "Uniforms of the World", W J Rawkins “The Hanoverian Army 1814-15: Infantry”, N Ludlow Beamish “History of the King’s German Legion”, Mike Chappell “The King’s German Legion (1) 1803-1812” & “The King’s German Legion (2) 1812-1816” from the Osprey Men-at-Arms series, various magazines, articles & websites including http://www.kgl.de/ & http://www.kgl-linie.de/index.html.
Hanover’s military was firmly linked to Great Britain from 1714 when the Elector of Hanover became King George I of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. From 1 February 1814 the Hanoverians were no longer considered part of the British Army.
During the Napoleonic Wars Prussia briefly occupied Hanover in 1801. France invaded Hanover in spring 1803 becoming the ruling state and dissolving the army in July. Under great pressure from Napoleon Prussia accepted Hanover in exchange for territories for Murat & Bavaria. Britain declared war on Prussia’s occupation in March 1806 – though it wasn’t prosecuted with any vigour. Following Prussia’s catastrophic defeat in 1806-07 much of Hanover was incorporated into the Kingdom of Westphalia; in 1810 the northern territory became part of Metropolitan France. Many Hanoverian soldiers fled to Britain and joined the King’s German Legion, fighting with distinction in the Peninsular War.
Following the French defeat in Russia, and the liberation of Northern Germany in 1813 a number of Hanoverian units were raised to serve with the Allied Armies. They fought as part of Wallmoden’s Corps in Bernadotte’s Army of the North
Note: While nearly all sources consulted give just regimental numbers for the early Army, Nafziger does include regimental titles – I have included the latter as well in case any wants to “personalise” further their troops. Titles in brackets are those in Sichart.
1789
Infantry
Garde-Regiment
1st Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Stockhausen
1794 von Scheither
2nd Infanterie-Regiment (Prinz Friedrich)
1789 von Reding (Nafziger has Prinz Friederich)
1792 von Isendorff
1794 von Dincklage
3rd Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Redden
1792 von Scheither
1794 von Steding
4th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Mutio
1793 Bothmer
5th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von der Beck
1797 von Hugo
1800 von Geyso
1802 von Hassell
6th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Bessel
1792 von Hammerstein
7th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von dem Bussche
1794 du Plat
8th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 Prinz Ernst von Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1802 Prinz von Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen
9th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Wurmb (Nafziger has von Quernheim)
1793 von Wagenheim
1794 von Duering
1796 von Hugo
1798 disbanded
10th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 de Polier
1791 von Diepenbroick
1801 von der Wense
1802 became 9th Infanterie-Regiment
11th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Taube
1795 von Diepenbroick
1802 became 10th Infanterie-Regiment
12th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Linsingen
1795 von Walthausen
1798 disbanded
13th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Ahlefeld
1792 von Bessel
1795 von Scheither
1802 became 11th Infanterie-Regiment
14th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 von Wagenheim
1791 disbanded
15th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 untitled
1791 disbanded
14th Leichtes Infanterie-Regiment formed 1791
1793 Thies
1794 von Diepenbroick
1802 became 12th Infanterie-Regiment
1789 - Each regiment comprised 2 battalions - each of 1 grenadier & 5 musketeer companies. Regimental HQ had 11 men; the 12 companies combined had 144 officers, NCOs & musicians, 152 grenadiers and 480 musketeers.
1791 – Leichtes Infanterie-Regiment formed with 11 men HQ, 2 battalions each of 4 companies of 176 men. Attached to the Regiment were 2 Jäger companies, of 101 men.
1792 - On active service Combined Grenadier battalions had a staff of 7 men, and 4 companies each of 158 men; Musketeer battalions had a staff of 9 men, and 4 companies each of 156 men. Leichtes Infanterie-Regiment companies had 100 men, and the regimental HQ had 13 men.
1793 - Expeditionary force sent to Holland – 6 Infantry Regiments of 2 battalions of 4 musketeer companies; regimental HQ of 23 men, musketeer companies of 156 men. Three Combined Grenadier battalions of 4 companies each of 176 men, plus battalion HQ of 4 men.
1794 –2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 12th & 13th Regiments reinforced from the disbanded Land-Regimenter. These Regiments now comprised 2 battalions, each of 1 grenadier and 4 musketeer companies; plus a regimental depot company. They had a regimental HQ of 15 men; all companies were 100 men strong.
1796 – Combined Grenadier battalions comprised battalion HQ of 7 men, 4 companies each of 158 men. One Grenadier battalion had 6 companies each of 104 men and battalion HQ of 7 men. Musketeer battalions comprised headquarters of 9 men, and 4 companies each of 156 men.
1798 – Garde-Regiment had regimental HQ of 23 men, where as Line regiments had HQ of 22 men. All regiments (except the Leichtes) comprised 2 battalions of 1 grenadier and 5 musketeer companies. A grenadier company had 108 men, while a musketeer company had 106 men. Leichtes Infanterie Regiment did not have grenadier companies.
1800 - Each battalion formed Scharfschützen unit of 65 men.
1801 – End of June Leichtes Infanterie Regiment’s Jäger companies disbanded.
1802 - Infantry battalions comprised 4 companies (1 grenadier & 3 musketeer).
Garde-Regiment HQ 23 men, Grenadier companies 108 men & Musketeer companies 106 men. Leichtes Infanterie-Regiment had 8 companies of 106 men.
Note: Grenadier companies were often stripped out of parent regiments to form combined Grenadier battalions: e.g. in 1793 three Grenadier battalions were mobilised for service in Holland.
Garrison Regiments
Lüneburg Garnison Regiment
Ratzeburg Garnison Regiment
1st Hameln Garnison Regiment
2nd Hameln Garnison Regiment
1789 – A garrison regiment was in effect a battalion and comprised 550 men.
1798 – Two new garrison regiments raised; each had a Regimental HQ of 11 men and 2 battalions of 4 companies each of 118 men.
1800 – New garrison regimentsdisbanded.
Militia
Hanover Land-Regiment
Celle Land-Regiment
Calenberg Land-Regiment
Lüneburg Land-Regiment
Grubenhagen Land-Regiment
Wend Land-Regiment
Hamel Land-Regiment
Hoya Land-Regiment
Göttingen Land-Regiment
Diepholz Land-Regiment
1789 – Each Regiment comprised a battalion of 5 companies, each of 110 men.
1794 - Landregimenter disbanded and their personnel incorporated into the line.
Cavalry
Leib-Garde Regiment
1st Cavallerie Regiment – also known as Leib Regiment
1789 von Jonquières
2nd Cavallerie Regiment
1789 von Hammerstein
1793 Prinz August, Herzog von Cumberland
1798 von Bülow
3rd Cavallerie Regiment
1789 von Bremer
1793 von Hammerstein
1795 von Maydell
1802 von Pflüg
4th Cavallerie Regiment
1789 von dem Bussche
1795 von Wangenheim
1799 von Schulte
5th Cavallerie Regiment, Dragoner
1789 von Ramdohr
1797 Bremer
6th Cavallerie Regiment, Dragoner
1789 von Dachenhausen (Nafziger has 1789 Schmiedchen; 1793 von Dachenhausen)
1803 van Hattorf
7th Cavallerie Regiment, Dragoner
1789 Graf von Oeynhausen (Nafziger has Friederichs; and then 1793 Graf von Oeynhausen)
8th Cavallerie Regiment, Dragoner
1789 von Estorff
1795 Niemeyer
9th Cavallerie Regiment, Leichte Dragoner
1789 von Freytag (Nafziger has von Mannschaften)
1795 became 9th Cavallerie Regiment, Königin Leichte Dragoner
1798 von Hattorf
1803 von Linsingen
10th Cavallerie Regiment, Leichte Dragoner
1789 von Minnigerode
1794 von Linsingen
1795 became 10th Cavallerie Regiment, Prinz Wallie Leichte Dragoner
Note: 1st to 4th Cavalerie Regimenter were classed as Reuter (Heavy Cavalry).
1789 - All regiments comprised 4 squadrons totalling 373 men. Garde & Reuter Regiments had a regimental staff of 9 men; whereas Dragoner & Leichte-Dragoner regiments had a regimental staff of 12 men.
1793 - Expeditionary force sent to Holland – 4 combined cavalry regiments, each with HQ of 22 men (Light dragoons had 21 men); 4 squadrons each of 150 men. Regiments were combined as follows: Leibgarde & 2 Cavallerie Regiment; Leibregiment & 4 Cavallerie Regiment; 5 & 7 Cavallerie Regiments; and 9 & 10 Cavallerie Regiments, Leichte Dragoner. In addition all the individual constituent regiments maintained a depot of 100 men.
1795 - All regiments reduced to 2 squadrons of 140 personnel each; Reuter with 13 Regimental staff and Dragoner with 20 regimental staff.
1798 – Garde had a regimental staff of 16 men, whereas Reuter, Dragoner & Leichte-Dragoner Regiments had a regimental staff of 14 men. All regiments had 2 squadrons each of 182 men.
1802 – All regiments had Regimental staff of 16 men; & 2 squadrons each of 182 men.
Artillery
1789 – The artillery was organised into a regiment of 2 battalions each of 5 companies.
Two companies were horse artillery batteries, known as “geschwinder artillerie”. Each horse battery had 2 x7pdr howitzers & 4 x 3pdr cannon; serviced by 78 men.
The remaining 8 companies were used to form 4 heavy batteries. Each heavy battery had 3 x 7pdr howitzers & 6 x6pdr cannon; serviced by 72 men.
1802 – reorganised into 2 horse batteries (each of 2 x 7pdr howitzers & 6 x 6pdr cannon; each battery serviced by 140 men), 3 Line artillery batteries (2 x 7pdr howitzers & 6 x 6pdr cannon; each line battery serviced by 88 men), 1 heavy battery (6 x12pdr cannon), and 2 fortress batteries.
1803 – Königlich Teutschen Legion (King’s German Legion)
In August 1803 Baron Decken was commissioned to raise a corps of light infantry with the title “The King’s Germans”, shortly afterwards titled ‘King’s German Regiment’. At the same time major Colin Halkett was empowered to raise an infantry battalion. ‘All foreigners, but preferably gallant Germans, are hereby invited to take service in this corps....’. Copies of this proclamation were circulated in Hanover, resulting in many former Hanoverian soldiers taking passage to Britain to enlist. In December the numbers resulted in the proposal for a force of all arms be raised and to be known as “The King’s German Legion”.
By January 1805 the Legion comprised:
1 Heavy Dragoon Regiment
1 Light Dragoon Regiment
4 Line Battalions
2 Light Battalions
2 horse artillery batteries
3 foot batteries
By February 1806 the Legion comprised:
2 Heavy Dragoon Regiments -converted to Light Dragoons at the end of 1812.
3 Light Dragoon Regiments - called Hussars from late 1808 though not officially converted until end of 1812.
8 Line Battalions
2 Light Battalions
2 horse artillery batteries
4 foot batteries
In 1813 a Foreign Veteran Battalion was formed for worn out soldiers of the KGL.
Each of the battalions had 10 companies each of 111 men; and a sharpshooter detachment of 58 men armed with rifles. Battalion HQ was 13 men.
Cavalry regiments had a HQ of 17 men, and 4 squadrons each of 178 men.
Batteries had 225 personnel.
In 1815, battalions had 6 companies each of 112 men, HQ of 14 men – light companies were rifle armed as were the light battalions. Cavalry Regiments had HQ of 15 men and 4 squadrons each of 176 men. Horse batteries had 230 men & foot batteries 231 men.
1813
Following the disastrous defeat of the French in Russia, and the liberation of Northern Germany in 1813 a number of Hanoverian units were raised to serve with the Allied Armies. Each battalion comprised 4 companies of 120 men, and each Hussar Regiment of 3 squadrons (later increased to 4) of 150 men.
Leichtes-Bataillon Lüneburg
Leichtes-Bataillon Bremen-Verden
Feld-Bataillon Lauenburg
Feldjägerkorps – initially 2 then 4 companies (disbanded September 1814).
Husaren Regiment Bremen-Verden
Husaren Regiment Lüneburg (later Prinz Regent Husaren Regiment)
In May/June 1813 the army was joined by:
Feld-Bataillon Bennigsen
Feld-Bataillon Röhl (later called Langrehr)
By August 1813
1 foot artillery battery
By the end of 1813
Husaren Regiment Herzog von Cumberland (Duke of Cumberland’s)
2 artillery batteries (1 horse & 1 field or both field – sources contradict)
At the beginning of 1814 the following units joined the army:
Leichtes-Bataillon Grubenhagen
Leichtes-Bataillon Osnabruck
Feld-Bataillon Calenburg
In January 1814 thirty Militia battalions (Landwehrbataillon) – each of 4 companies of 160 men, there were no elite companies - were raised:
Landwehrbataillon Alfeld (later Einbeck)
Bentheim
Bremerlehe (later Osterholz)
Bremervörde
Celle
Gifhorn
Goslar (later Salzgitter)
Hameln
Hannover
Harburg
Hildesheim
Hoya
Iburg (later Melle)
Lüchow
Lüneburg
Meppen
Münden
Nienburg
Northeim
Osnabrück
Osterode
Ottendorf
Peine
Quakenbrück
Stade
Uelzen
Verden
Diepholz
Ratzeburg
Springe
1815
Infantry
On 4 February 1815 all Feld & Landwehr-Battalionen were combined into regiments. Although 1 Feld-Battalion & 3 Landwehrbattalionen formed a regiment, they continued to operate separately.
Nr 1 Bremen Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Bremen (formerly Leichtes-Bataillon Bremen-Verden)
Landwehrbattalion Ottendorf
Landwehrbattalion Stade
Landwehrbattalion Bremervörde
Nr 2 Verden Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Verden (formerly Feld-Bataillon Bennigsen)
Landwehrbattalion Verden
Landwehrbattalion Bremerlehe
Landwehrbattalion Harburg
Nr 3 Hoya Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Hoya (formerlyFeld-BataillonLangrehr)
Landwehrbattalion Hoya
Landwehrbattalion Nienburg
Landwehrbattalion Diepholz
Nr 4 Osnabrück Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Osnabrück (also known as Feld-Battaillon Herzog von York)
Landwehrbattalion Osnabrück
Landwehrbattalion Quackenbrück
Landwehrbattalion Melle (formerly Landwehrbattalion Iburg)
Nr 5 Lüneburg Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Lüneburg
Landwehrbattalion Lüneburg
Landwehrbattalion Celle
Landwehrbattalion Gifhorn
Nr 6 Lauenburg Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Lauenburg
Landwehrbattalion Ratzeburg
Landwehrbattalion Bentheim
Landwehrbattalion Lüchow
Nr 7 Calenburg Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Calenburg
Landwehrbattalion Hannover
Landwehrbattalion Hamlen
Landwehrbattalion Neustadt
Nr 8 Hildesheim Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Hildesheim
Landwehrbattalion Hildesheim
Landwehrbattalion Uelzen
Landwehrbattalion Peine
Nr 9 Grubenhagen Regiment
Feld-Bataillon Grubenhagen
Landwehrbattalion Alfeld
Landwehrbattalion Salzgitter (formerly Landwehrbattalion Goslar)
Landwehrbattalion Springe
Nr 10 Göttingen Regiment
Feldjägerkorps (formed in 1815)
Landwehrbattalion Osterode
Landwehrbattalion Münden
Landwehrbattalion Northeim
Cavalry
Each regiment comprised 4 squadrons of 150 men.
Husaren Regiment Bremen-Verden
Husaren Regiment Lüneburg (later Prinz Regent Husaren Regiment)
Husaren Regiment Herzog von Cumberland
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