Re-formed after the debacle of 1806/7, the 1st West Prussian Infantry Regiment was also known as Infantry Regiment Number 6. In German the title was Erstes Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nummer 6 (abbreviated as "1. Westpreuß IR Nr 6").
The musketeer battalions of 1. Westpreuß IR Nr 6 were raised as the "Füsilier-Regiment v. Langfeld Nr 52" on 4 April 1773. This regiment took part in the 1794 invasion of Poland, seeing service at Rawka and Warsaw. In 1806 the regiment was brought up to strength for the war against France, fighting at Dirschau before withdrawing into the fortress at Danzig. It was distinguished by its service in the siege of Danzig (where LT von Hanstein and LT von Hanemann were awarded the Orden Pour le Merite) and when the regiment was used to form the grenadier companies and musketeer battalions of 1. Westpreuß IR Nr 6, the new regiment retained the colours of the old.
Fusilier Battalion von Wakenitz Nr 3 became the Fusilier Battalion when 1. Westpreuß IR Nr 6 was formed in 1808. This fusilier battalion was originally raised as a garrison company in 1714. In 1787 it was reformed as a fusilier battalion under Major von Thiele. The battalion also served in the Polish campaign, seeing action at Modlin and Stanislavova (where the unit captured 500 Polish troops and two guns). It saw action in 1806/7 at Biezun, Waltersdorf, Braunsberg and Königsberg before the survivors gathered at Baumwalde after the treaty of Tilsit.
In 1808 these units were combined to form 1. Westpreuß IR Nr 6, with the standard organisation for a Prussian infantry regiment of the time. It had two grenadier companies (detached to the West Prussian Grenadier Battalion, later the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Grenadier Regiment "Kaiser Franz"), two musketeer battalions and one fusilier (light infantry) battalion. From 1813 a company of volunteer rifles (Freiwilliger Jäger) was also attached.
In 1812 the regiment provided its 1st musketeer battalion to form the 5th Combined Regiment by amalgamation with battalions from 2. Westpreuß IR Nr 7. It saw action against the Russians at Dahlenkirchen, Kiopen and Linden (where it captured a Russian battalion of 400 men and Major von Stechow was awarded the Orden Pour le Merite). The regiment returned to Prussia under the Treaty of Tauroggen in early 1813.
Leibfahne (or 1st Battalion's colour)
In early 1813 the regiment fought as both part of the "5th Combined Infantry Regiment" and as the 2. Westpreuß IR Nr 7, the regiment's 2nd Reserve Battalion taking the place of the 1st Musketeer Battalion in the line. The 1st battalion of the regiment, still part of the "5th Combined Infantry Regiment", fought at Danikow, Königswartha and Bautzen. The regiment's other battalions were engaged at Gross Görschen and Bautzen (where the 2nd Musketeer and Fusilier battalions lost 219 men).
On 10 August 1813 the regiment's battalions were recombined and it took to the field as part of 10 Brigade, II Armee Korps. In the coming year it would fight at Dresden, Kulm (where the Fusilier Battalion captured a General and 350 enemy), Wachaw and finally Leipzig, where the regiment sustained 857 casualties.
In 1814 the regiment fought at Thionville, Montmirail, Chateau-Thierry and Laon, where the regiment captured four cannon and a howitzer. The regiment was part of the force that entered Paris, forcing Napoleon's first abdication.
Regimentsfahne (or 2nd Battalion's colour)
In 1815 the regiment fought at Charleroi, Marchienne-au-Pont and Ligny (where the regiment lost 13 officers and 474 men) as part of 2 Brigade in I Korps. At Villers-Cotterets the fleeing French were caught and 14 cannon and 20 ammunition wagons were captured from them.
The regiment won the following decorations from 1808:
After the Napoleonic Wars the regiment was redesignated the 1st West Prussian Grenadier Regiment in 1860. The regiment was destroyed on the Western Front in World War 1.
A musketeer of the 4th company, 1st Battalion, attacking the Great Gardens at Dresden. (From Knötel)
The 13. Infanterie-Regiment was formed on 1 July, 1813. The regiment was formed from the 1st Musketeer (officer and NCO cadre) and 3rd Reserve battalions of the 1st East Prussian Infantry Regt (Nr 1), the 2nd East Prussian Reserve Musketeer Battalion and the 3rd Lithuanian Reserve Musketeer and 1st Lithuanian Reserve Fusilier battalions. It was titled 1st Reserve Infantry Regiment at this time and was considered to be an ad-hoc and temporary unit. With the reorganisation of the Prussian army in March 1815, the unit was made a part of the new regular army, taking the title 13th Infantry Regiment on 25 March 1815. The regiment was not officially granted the title "1. Westfälisches IR Nr 13" until 10 March 1823.
The regiment had no grenadier companies. However the organisation of three battalions (two musketeer and one fusilier, or light, battalion) was the same as the other infantry regiments. The regiment had no colours until 18 October 1815, when new colours were presented to the unit in Mainz.
The pattern of flag issued in 1815.
The regiment first saw action as a regiment at Magdeburg, Königsborn and Hagelsberg, where it captured a flag (battalion fanion?) of the French 18e Ligne, 3 cannon and 7 wagons. It was also present at Stettin, Torgau, Wittenberg and Dessau.
In 1814 the regiment fought at Magdeburg again but was mainly held in reserve, guarding lines of communication and providing garrisons.
1815 saw the regiment still reforming and it thus missed the battles of June, 1815. Instead it was involved in the blockade of Mainz and the action at Landau, before garrisoning Mainz when Napoleon again capitulated.
For its service the unit was awarded the following decorations:
Formed from reserve battalions, the unit wore a number of different uniforms in its ranks. Illustrated is that of the 1st Battalion (from Knötel's Uniformekunde). The regiment went on to give distinguished service, finally being disbanded in 1919.
The 1. Westpreußisches Dragoner-Regiment Nummer 2 was formed on 19 April, 1717 after being brought into Prussian service from Saxony. Originally termed Dragoner-Regiment von Docqum Nr 6, it consisted of 10 squadrons in 1744, operating as two battalions. The regiment was very active in the Wars of the time, being present at Neustadt, Leipzig, Torgau and Kesseldorf during the War of the Austrian Succession. In the Seven Year's War the regiment was present at most of the major battles. Two squadrons of the regiment was captured by the Russians at Kray in 1757 but the regiment redeemed itself at Zorndorf, repeatedly charging the Russian line and capturing a colour.
In 1806 the regiment was engaged in a number of actions, before withdrawing into the fortress of Königsberg. Because of the unit's proud record, the unit was not disbanded in the reorganisation of 1808. The first battalion (Leib, 3, 5, 7 and 9 Squadrons) became the basis of the Ostpreußisches Kürassiere-Regiment Nr 2 with the second battalion (2, 6, 8 and 10 squadrons) becoming the 1. Westpreußisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr 2. The depot of Graf Herzberg Dragoner-Regiment Nr 9 was also used in reforming the regiment.
In 1812 the 1st and 3rd squadrons were merged with squadrons from the 5th Brandenburg Dragoons (Prince William) and sent to Russia, as part of the Prussian force accompanying Napoleon on his invasion of Russia. The regiment saw minor action in the campaign though at Eckau the 1st squadron rode down a semi-formed square of the 26th Russian Jäger.
In 1813, the regiment saw far heavier fighting. Part of 1. Brigade, I Corps Reserve Cavalry, it was present at Dannigkow, Groß-Gorschen (where it rode down a square of French infantry), Bautzen and was present for MacDonald's defeat at the Katzbach. The regiment captured 9 guns, 8 ammunition wagons and a field forge in the pursuit. The regiment was then present at Möckern, where it charged a French battery and captured a howitzer, a cannon and 8 ammunition wagons.
In 1814 1. Westpreußisches Dragoner-Regiment was again active, charging the French 2ème Régiment de Carabiniers in the flank at la Chaussée and later capturing three guns and an ammunition wagon. Present at Montmirail and Chateau-Thierry, the regiment clashed with the French Dragoons of the Guard at the latter battle, being roughly handled. It fought again at Laon and was present for the entry into Paris.
1815 saw the regiment as part 1. Brigade, I Korps Cavalry reserve, fighting in Belgium and France. Gefreiter Seidel rescued Feldmarschall Fürst von Blücher when he was unhorsed leading a charge against the final French breakthrough at Ligny. During the pursuit of the French following La Belle Alliance, the regiment captured two guns at Nanteuil.
The regiment was awarded the following decorations for its service in the Napoleonic Wars:
The standard of the 2nd Dragoons, formerly a Regiments-Fahne of the 6th Dragoons.
On 27 May 1819 the regiment was converted to a Kürassiere regiment, taking the designation Westfälisches Kürassiere-Regiment Nr 4.
The 24. Infanterie-Regiment was formed on 1 July, 1813. The regiment was formed from 3rd East Prussian Reserve Battalion and the 4th and 5th Reserve Battalions of the Leib-Infanterie-Regiment. It was titled 12th Reserve Infantry Regiment at this time and was considered to be an ad-hoc and temporary unit. With the reorganisation of the Prussian army in March 1815, the unit was made a part of the new regular army, taking the title 24th Infantry Regiment on 26 April 1815. The regiment was not officially granted the title "4. Brandenburgisches IR Nr 24" until 10 March 1823.
The organisation of three battalions (two musketeer and one fusilier, or light, battalion) was the same as the other infantry regiments. The regiment had no colours until 3 September 1815, when new colours were presented to the unit in Paris. The Duke of Wellington was one of those who was invited to nail the new colours to the colour pike.
The regiment first saw action as a regiment at Goldberg, where it captured two 8lb guns. It was present at all the major battles of the latter half of 1813. At Möckern it captured another gun but lost 12 officers and 773 men in the fighting.
In 1814 the regiment fought through France, being engaged at St-Avold, Metz, Laon (captured three guns) and finally Paris.
In 1815 the regiment was part of 1. Brigade, I Korps and was present at Gosselies, Ligny (where the regiment lost 14 officers and 340 men)and finally La Belle Alliance, where another 7 officers and 137 men fell fighting the French.
For its service the unit was awarded the following decorations:
Formed from reserve battalions, the unit wore a number of different uniforms in its ranks though the officers, NCOs and some men wore the correct uniforms (with scarlet facings and sky blue shoulder straps) in 1815.