|
|
| auf Deutsch |
(Click on the images to enlarge.)
|
| Just before the attack on the Prussian camp. Meanwhile, the rest of our troops is on its way to secretly outflank the Prussians. |
|
|
|
|
|
Berlepsch: snow, ice and cold. Bitter cold. However, in the afternoon, the sun became curious and glanced at us for some while. Two weeks later, in Valençay in France, capitaine Schmidt directed the drill instruction for officers and NCOs of the bataillon réuni. He happened to be instructed by some excellent chasseurs à cheval himself. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the way to Großgörschen we were presented with the alleged keys of Cologne. We remained sceptical. In Großgörschen, we eagerly approached the big battle which was awaiting us. While the men were firing and loading their muskets, the officers acting as serre-files behind the ranks, found some time for a little chat. |
||||
|
|
|
|
Plenty of soldiers' songs shortened our long way back into the camp. Weapons were cleaned and the soup prepared. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
Our capitaine caused some astonishment. Besides other things, we also learned to see the world through the eyes of a cup. The rest of the evening was passed with mirthful discussions and conversations. |
|||
Our escouade, composed of sergent Sans-Souci, caporal Rôtisseur and grenadiers Champagne, La Cravate, La Feuillette, Bras de Fer, Pas Perdu, Le Rouge, Robert, Le Romain and Le Russe, was quartered in the village Kiekeberg, in order to assist a commissaire de guerre with his requisitions. We profited from the occasion to repair and clean our equipment.
Grenadier La Cravate had been sent there one day before, and everything was well prepared for us. The peasants were intelligent and voluntarily gaves us everythig we wanted, so that we did not have to use brute force. In the village inn we were permanent guests. The innkeper, Gunkel, stored some contraband and knew that free beer was cheaper than a house search. When we had to depart from the village after the weekend, we were stuffed and fed as seldom before.
|
|
|
|
|
Sergent, caporal and appointés studied the drill regulation, our belts got a new white paint coat, our cartridge pouches were covered with fresh wax, our uniforms were repaired and also our shoes received a new polish. |
|||
|
|
|
|
| Ready for duty, off duty inside and outside the inn, and our sleeping room in a barn. | |||
|
|
|
|
|
Caporal Rôtisseur enjoys his pipe. We were watched wherever we went, even when we were drilling. Finally, nine different ways to look just great. |
|||
After their depart from Kiekeberg, Sans-Souci and Pas Perdu marched from Lauenburg to Damnatz, and from there to a camp at the Göhrde, where Le Tabac rejoined us. We took part in the bicentennial of the battle.
|
|
|
|
|
On our way along the river Elbe we passed romantic lakes, huge boulders (one of them we designated as pedestal for a monument), ancient barrows and thousand years old lime trees. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
For comparison: on the left Pas Perdu and Sans-Souci before, on the right after the march. In the camp at the Göhrde we could finally dry our footwear. And in our luxurious house of straw in the morning even coffee was served. |
|||
Together with the French 1er, 4e, 12e, 14e, 18e, 67e de ligne and the 17e léger, the Belgian 6e und 7e de ligne, the Italian 40e and 111e de ligne and the 3e régiment suisse from Switzerland we formed the bataillon uni, with a total strength of 130 men.
|
| Our bataillon uni seen from the distance. Thanks to Markus Hofmann: white-photo.com. |
|
|
| We advanced in colonne serrée par peloton, and en bataille par le troisième rang we retreated. | |
|
|
|
|
Our shelters during and after their completion, void and inhabited. The major contribution constructing them came from grenadiers Rôtisseur, Champagne und Le Saxon. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
Our battalion commander was enchanted by the steadiness of the structure. The highest joy of the grenadier: rest (after having attended his duties, of course). |
|||
|
|
|
|
| Preparing for battle, spirits lifted by last instructions of our sergent. | |||
|
|
|
|
|
And forward into battle, we grenadiers in our rightful place at the front. We advanced and pushed back countless hosts of enemies. But in the end, the mistakes of our generals forced us to retreat. |
|||
|
|
|
|
| Short rest during the battle: tired but with high spirits. And on we went and fired ! | |||
|
|
|
| After the battle: tired but happy. | ||
|
| And thus the day ended in mirthful company. |