Prussian Landwehr Jager

[gorgarrak]

Hi all,
I have been looking at different sources for the Prussian OOB at Waterloo, and have noted that the 1st Brigade was supported by the Westfalen Landwehr Jager, but i can find no references to the uniform worn by these men. Was it the normal Jager Uniform or did the cap have the white embroidered Landwehr Cross. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Mike

[NTM]

Fairly sure Osprey Prussian Light infantry includes a contempary (or nearly) plate of this unit. I'm away from my copy at the moment so can't check for a few days.

[Invisible officer]

The Westfälischen Landwehrjäger had been volunteers with enough money to equip themselves. The men surely wore green tunics, not the Landwehr blue.
Even the arms had to be bought themselves, they used everything rifled and some just shortened muskets or carbines.

[NTM]

The plate I was referring to is of a Paderborn Volunteer (5. West Ldw was from Paderborn) Uniform description; "Dark green cap with light green band [no Ldw cross] Light grey greatcoat with light green collar and shoulder straps. Black belts, yellow fittings. Blue-grey trousers." Similar uniforms 'may' have been warn by 1. Regt. I suppose.

[gorgarrak]

Many thanks, i have just found the plate myself as well.

thanks again

Mike

[Invisible officer]

Under the following adress you find a picture showing the Westfälische Jäger in green in a contemporary print.

http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http ... 29,r:4,s:0


The plate NTM is referring to shows a normal Landwehr Freiwilligen.

Volunteer / Freiwillige are not the same as Freiwillige Jäger or Landwehrjäger! The Landwehr Freiwilliger had a arm or collar sign to denote the volunteer status but wore ordinary Landwehr dress, just what was available. The Jäger was different in being a man with money to equip himself. Treated much better than the normal OR. Many later became officers.

[NTM]

There is no arm or collar sign shown and his cap is dark green which suggests Jager status does it not?

[Invisible officer]

The Landwehr used all types of clothing, a green cap does not denote Jäger status.

There are many variants of volunteer badges, white bands, small patches, crosses worn on tunic or litevka, but not on the coat. So the Ludwig Scharf picture gives no clue for that.

He may be a Jäger but we can't be sure. The powder horn and the prick on the belt the would indicate a Jäger, but the coat and cap are unusual, he should wear a shako and a green Uniform in battle. Some Landwehr men wore Büchsen, just because they had been available. And some Jäger wore carbines just because no Rifles had been available.
The horn is of no type used by the Jäger and he has no Hirschfänger. The cap looks like having a cover.

May be that he has a green tunic under the coat. p.32 of the booklet gives the order that Landwehr Jäger should dress as the Line Jäger.

The wargamers problem is that he want units, not emergency dressed individuals. 1814/15 Prussian forces wore everything they could get. Uniformity was intended but hardly achieved. And the Scharf picture was hardly typical for a Jäger.

The picture given on the Website mentioned show Westfalian Jäger as they should have looked. Clad in Green with shako. Many would have worn that, but how many? 75% 50% 25%

[tomrommel1]

I only found information that the 1st brigade had the 2nd batt Schlesische Jäger included no landwehr Jäger!
look here: http://centjours.mont-saint-jean.com/de ... &unite=107

hope that helps

[gorgarrak]

Many thanks to all who have replied, of course the difficulty is representing the rag tag look of the Prussian infantry in 1:20 it may just be best for me to paint all miniatures in regulation uniform.

Gorgarrak