Questionable Images

I agree, showing again the weakness of secondary sources, look that the light blue of the Prussian Dragoon uniform coat and how it looks like on the portrait.

I am not aware of online archives for images of the Liberation Wars, but google may help in that way, or just look at battles and don't snub Wikipedia, not necessarily because of the quality of the article but often you will find very high quality illustrations and links.

Markus Stein, in his excellent site Napoleononline has an extensive section on period uniforms, including Prussian:

Uniform series | Uniformen der Epoche 1792 bis 1815 (uniformenportal.de)

Excellent helpful advice from Roger Forthoffer for anyone interested in period uniforms should be taken to heart:

'There are three sorts of uniforms for every period of history: those described in the uniform regulations; those shown by the artists of that period; and what the soldiers really wore!'

I believe that the usual practice after a battle is that it is named by the winner.

I was under the impression that the usual practice is to name the battle according to the place where it was fought or at least at key positions, I will use Groß Görschen, ok yes I sympathize, ß and ö, not on the key board, so Lutzen much easier, an interesting battle was fought at the 30 YW there.

@Hans - Karl Weiß if you depress the letter 'o' on your keyboard and keep it pressed you will find all accent opportunities appear in a panel e.g -ö- simply press the relevant number as I have just done- '2' in this case. Same for all other relevant letters of the alphabet. e.g - ß-

@john fortune Or use ASCII letters (hold down ALT while entering the numbers on the numerical keypad). Below are commonly use French characters, but you can look online foe the complete list.

ASCII

136=ê 148=ö

138=è 147=ô

130=é 150=û

144=É 151=ù

137=ë 140=î

133=à 156=£

131=â 0128=€

155=¢ 135=ç

159=ƒ 155=¢

139=ï

Prince Wilhelm at Groß Görschen.

Here the death of Hessen Homburg also at Groß Görschen

here the monument, the original had to be pulled down due to rust in 1974 but a copy was re erected in 1999

Boney named this battle in due propaganda fashion battle of Lützen - or in French Lutzen (u is pronounced in French like an ü) of 30YW fame - where Gustavus Adolphus was killed, there is a good song by Sabaton about this, nicely "illustrated" as well.

and in full

Von Lettow - in case you use such renowned Prussian nome de guerre, I hope you find that interesting.

Senarmont obtained the permission of Victor to employ the entire compliment of the corps artillery. He didn't ask Victor for permission on how to deploy the artillery.

Dupont was already committed with his division artillery, but Senarmont took the initiative and advanced on the Russian center on his own initiative. He passed Dupont's infantry division and attacked the Russian center. And that initiative turned the main attack over to Senarmont and the artillery with Dupont now supporting Senarmont's advance. Senarmont had in fact gained and taken ground which he not only held during the action but but had in actuality gained ground.

Napoleon was surprised at what had happened and sent Mouton to find out what Senarmont was doing. He didn't send him to ask Senarmont's corps commander, Victor, for information.

Senarmont bluntly told Mouton to leave them alone, which Mouton did and reported such to Napoleon. Napoleon backed up Senarmont.

This action was a case of Senarmont 'converting' a supporting arm-artillery-into a supported arm. It was the decisive decision and action of the battle.

For primary source evidence of the action, see Grands Artilleurs: Drouot-Senarmont-Eble by Maurice Girod de L'Ain, 133-239. Drouot is covered from 1-132.

There are plenty documents and primary sources and not just the one book as above, the more words are repeated the more neurons are activated and the stronger the connections between them get, beware of those physiological mechanism and try to gain a multi perspective point of view and then form an opinion. Only by repetition - regardless of facts or evidence, the brain gets influenced, hence scourge of repetition.

Hence for that reasons myths and propaganda stories of Nabulieone are entrenched due to repetition.

Drouot's large battery performed the same task at Lutzen that Senarmont did at Friedland. The difference was that Napoleon ordered Drouot to the task whereas Senarmont did it on his own initiative. It was by then a standard artillery tactic in the Grande Armee. The results of Drouot's action was quite definite:

'The Emperor ordered four Imperial aides to accompany the troops of the Guard selected for the attack. I accompanied General Berthezene at the head of the Fusiliers of the Guard. This brave general and his fine troops had earlier attacked and routed the enemy from their positions around Kaja; the men comprising the Fusiliers were all veteran soldiers, and their discipline and elan were no match for our adversaries: The Fusiliers were supremely confident of victory.'

'The signal to advance being given, our brigade moved out, and eventually passed by the left flank of the grand battery. The discharges of these pieces was deafening, and the smoke covered the field, obscuring our view. Our battalions were formed in attack column of two pelotons width and rapidly traversed the ground already devastated by the day's fighting. We passed over the wreckage of entire regiments which had been cut down by our guns. At times the enemy dead and wounded were so thick that our men's feet did not touch the ground. My horse hesitated often as it looked for firm footing.'

'The enemy could not withstand our advance. They fired a few, sporadic volleys, broke ranks, and fled before our bayonets. His Majesty can be pleased with the soldiers of the Guard who carried this attack into the heart of the enemy line.'-General Count Auguste Charles Joseph Flahaut de la Billardie.

Drouot's artillery action lasted between twenty and thirty minutes and clearly demonstrated what massed, close-range artillery fire could do to formed troops.

The Old Guard companies wore the visored bearskin cap. This replaced the original shakos that were worn during the 1809 campaign in Austria.

When the Young Guard companies were raised, they indeed wore the shako.

Three veteran companies that would be rated Old Guard were first raised and then three companies of 'conscript artillerymen.' These companies were raised in 1808-1809.

The Guard Artillerie a Pied developed into a 'fully organized regiment' from 1810-1812. The three companies of conscripts were sent to Spain and then later became the Young Guard artillery. The regiment of Old Guard artillery had its own band, sapeurs, and visored, grenadier-style bearskin caps.

The stand and fall plume didn’t look right for 1st Empire

See page 17

archive.org

NY3

"but the Shrapnel Poodle?" "The poodle (named) 'Mitraille," I suspect.

@vonlettow Comes up as "Le général Drouot à Hanau" Although he may have done two illustration on this topic.

@vonlettow

Indeed - no Austrians there but Bavarian Chevaulegers - who almost captured the guns but a timely counter attack by French cavalry prevented this.

Drouots ADC notes :
The Emperor gave order to the General Drouot to gather thirty or forty cannon of the Guard, to silence the enemy artillery (nota bene – counter battery fire – which so some world famous artillery expert never existed) (…) Never the less the General Drouot reached it and took position on edge of the forests with a marvelous speed; a quarter of an hours was enough for him to extinguish the enemy fire (nota bene – counter battery fire with effect). But then the prince Wrède made a charge on our batteries, which were supported by no infantry (nota bene – lack of support troops were noted); the general Drouot loaded his guns with canister shot and waited till the cavalry charge was nearly upon him till he fired … the enemy horsemen who followed, arrived almost on our guns it was a critical moment; he general Drouot who was on foot, had drawn his sword, gunners had armed themselves with ram rods and with trail spikes (nota bene – the effect of canister was not enough to stop the Bavarian cavalry and the French gunners readied themselves for hand to hand combat).
Fortunately the General Nansouty had cleared the wood behind us and emerged on our right; overturning everything which was in his way.(so the French cavalry had the credit to save the artillery)”
(Vie de la Planta, cited in Dawson : Les Brutal The Guard Foot Artillery 1797 to 1815, p.197 / 198

The enemy soldier didn’t look very Spanish, Portuguese or Spanish.