The painting of these figures has been a long time in completion. I needed to paint the 84 infantry that made up the three Light Battalions, 12 Hussar figures, and 11 artillery figures (foot and horse), plus assorted wagons and Leader figures. I then had to touch up those that had bee painted twenty years ago and then re-base all of the figures with mdf ones. The old cardboard originals had become quite battered and most of the flocking had fallen off.

Most of the figures are Miniature Figurines 25mm originals with the odd other manufacturer thrown in.

The real challenge was trying to match the old painting style but going retro is not that hard for me!

The Duke of Brunswick and his ADC

Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

The Duke was killed by a gunshot wound at the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June, the night after he had attended the Duchess of Richmond’s ball in Brussels and left it happy to have a chance to show his fighting ability.

He was rescued by the men of the Leib Regiment, who carried him back using their muskets as a stretcher. He died shortly afterwards. The Duke’s final words, to his aide Major von Wachholtz, were: Mein lieber Wachholtz, wo ist denn Olfermann? (My dear Wachholtz, where is Olfermann?)

Major General Elias Olfermann was the Duke’s adjutant general, who assumed immediate command of the corps.

Tod des Schwarzen Herzogs (German: “Death of the Black Duke”) at the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815. An 1835 painting by Friedrich Matthäi now displayed in the Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum.

The Duchess of Richmond’s Ball by Robert Alexander Hillingford (1870s)

Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

ADC Lt Colonel von Heinemann

ADC Lt Colonel von Heinemann

Lt Colonel von Heinemann died two days later at Waterloo. I am unable to find the circumstances of his death.

“The Black Band”

The contingent consisted of a Leib or Garde Battalion, an Advance Guard Battalion, 3 Line Battalions, 3 Light Battalions, a regiment of Hussars, a troop of Lancers, and a Horse and Foot artillery battery together with associated baggage and train .

Advance Guard and Leib Battalion

The Leib Battalion with its distinctive horse hair plume on its shako.

A close up of the horse hair plume.

The Leib Battalion and Advance Guard

The Advance Guard was led by Major von Rauchenplatt

The Gelernte Jager of the Advance Guard

The Advance Guard consisted of 2 companies of Jager armed with musket and two companies of Light Infantry armed with rifle. The Light Companies wore a black uniform like the Leib Battalion but with the same exaggerated Corsican hat as the Jager.

Close up of the Corsican hat.

Brunswick Line Infantry Battalions

There were three Brunswick Line Infantry battalions. They were the only units other than the Hussars pennant to carry flags.

The Line Infantry brigade was lead by Colonel von Butler

Brunswick Light Infantry Battalions

There were also three Light Infantry Battalions led by Major General Olfermanns

Major General Olfermanns

Major General Olfermanns took over the command of the contingent when the Duke was killed at Quatre Bras.

The Brunswick Cavalry Brigade

The cavalry consisted of a Regiment of Hussars and some troops of Lancers led by Major von Cramm. The Horse Artillery battery was often attached.

Major von Cramm.

Brunswick Lancers

Brunswick Lancers

Brunswick Hussars

Horse Artillery unlimbered

Note the horse hair plume on the shako, similar to the Leib Battalion.

Horse Artillery unlimbered

Horse Artillery Limber

Horse Artillery limbered

Brunswick Artillery and Train

Brunswick Artillery consisted of an 8 gun Horse artillery battery and an 8 gun foot artillery battery (no howitzers). The Artillery was led by Major von Lubeck.

Major von Lubeck.

Major von Lubeck.

Foot Artillery Limbered

Foot Artillery unlimbered

Foot Artillery unlimbered

Foot Artillery Limber

Artillery Caisson

Horse Artillery unlimbered

Horse Artillery unlimbered

Horse Artillery limbered

Brunswick train supply wagon (baggage)

The 1809 March to the sea

After the 1809 armistice the Brunswick contingent (former Austrian clients) were in effect unwanted and in a foreign land. The Duke decided to fight his way to the north German coast, where he hoped he would get his force to England in British warships. In a feat reminiscent of Xenephon they reached their goal on the 6th of August, and were able to sell off their horses and unneeded equipment at Elsfleth before embarking for England.

The enormity of this feat was the stuff of romance for decades to come.

The Black Brunswicker (1860), by John Everett Millais was inspired in part by the exploits of the “Black Band”. The painting is currently hung in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, Merseyside.