Thursday 16 February 2012

Taking inventory of the infantry



Colour companies of the Infantry Regiments Wahlheim and Driebrucken parade in Driebrucken StadtPlatz before embarking with the French fleet

The French barges were spotted this morning coming down the Fluss, and a messenger moved quickly to Driebrucken where the forces are being assembled to embark. 

With much pomp and ceremony, the bands and colours of the two Saxe-Märchen regiments going to war have paraded in the town square while sergeants make sure all the troops are roused, dressed and ready to go.

Later in the day, Duke Werther will have an Official Farewell Ceremony, but he is still riding down the North Way with the Malthus Lieb-Dragoons and his Garde.

As well as the excitement though, there is a certain amount of irritation and apprehension among the Driebruckeners - as they have the only regiment that was in any way organised (being on the main river, that is the one the parsimonious Duke keeps operational) they feel they are paying the price. The Wahlheim regiment has been rapidly re-constituted but some of the young men in it have scarcely seen a musket, never mind fired one in years. 

"Who is going to protect the river-front now?" they wonder. The Gendarmerie are scarcely large enough to cope with a busy Saturday night, never mind a world soon to be at war.

4 comments:

  1. They look good and proud, and the Roman Catholic nature of Saxe-Märchen well in evidence!

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    1. Indeed, the Blue Nun of HoheKirchen is famous throughout the region....as is the Onion dome on the SchonbergsDom

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  2. Like the look of your Saxe-Marchen troops

    -- Allan

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  3. Thanks....as you know, Reichsarmee troops usually have white trousers and maybe gaiters, but I rather liked the all blue effect with black gaiters, it looks a bit different.

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