Ancestors serving in the Napoleonic Wars

[Hadhod]

I recently found out that one of my ancestors served in the Saxon Army during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the family tree I found at my grandparents house it was remarked that he served in the Regiment "Prinz Max" (I assume an abbreviation for Prinz Maximilian) from 1807-1817, so 10 years in total. It was especially noted that he fought in Wargram, Russia and France.

After doing some research I found out the Regiment Prinx Maximilian is the 5. Königlich Sächsiches Infanterie Regiment "Prinz Maximilian" which was garrisoned mostly in Chemnitz and Freiberg, bigger towns roughly 20 kilometres from the town where my ancestors grew up and lived for more than 3 centuries.

As already mentioned he was part of the Saxon contingents in Napoleon's Army in 1809 (fought at Wagram) and followed him into Russia in 1812. As only the two Grenadier companies joined Napoleon on his Russia campaign (the normal line infranty was garrisoned in Northern Germany) he must have been part of them. He was one of only 50 survivors that made it back to Saxony alive.

One of the many unclear issues is whether he fought at the Battle of Nations too, but I didn't find any sources on the 5tes participating in there. After the Battle however Saxony switched sides and from then on they joined the allies against Napoleon. After the Waterloo campaign the 5. was assigned as garrison troops in France where he stayed apparently until 1817.

If anyone has any sources on this regiment or where I could find more information (like muster rolls, battle history etc.) to see what rank my ancestor had and so forth it would be greatly appreciated.

And now I am of course thrilled who else knows about his ancestors serving in the Napoleonic Wars. 

[ClearlyInvsible]

Well, I had a family member act as a naval trainer for the Americans during the war of 1812.

That's the best I got.

[Mr T]

I know of none of my ancestors actually serving in the wars, its a little hard for me to find out in the UK since I have little time to do family research now and I think I'd need to dedicate a lot of time on ancestry sites again to find out.

I do know however, that 3 of my great grandfathers were part of a Levee en Masse kind of thing in between 1798-1801 called the Posse Comititatus which meant that anyone signing would be required to enter militia style service in the event of an invasion from France.

[Duuring]

Someone with my rather unique last name was commisioned captain in the 5th batallion of Amsterdam Garde Nationale, late 1813. They fought against the French in the siege of Naarden. I'm not directly related though, I know that much.

Still, pretty cool. He was also a Freemason.

[Hadhod]

Cool stuff guys, how did you find out information about your ancestors specifically? I am trying my best but I didn't find him in any muster rolls or something similar so far. My last hope is State Archive in Dresden where a list of 6000 Saxons in the Grande Armee is storaged. 

[Duuring]

I just saw the name in a newspaper article where the raising of the 5th Batallion was made public.

There were a few Saxons that served in the Dutch army in 1813-15. Deserters from the Etranger-regiments. 

[Walko]

Well I had French ancestors at the time, so I'm sure it is inevitable that at least some of them served in Napoleon's army, but sadly I have virtually no information regarding that part of the family, I would love to learn more though.

[Bear]

I have roots back to the Prussian military but no direct form of records to trace back to see who my ancestors were. Off topic from Napoleonic wars I have an ancestor named Elijah who served in a cavalry regiment during the American Civil war, thats the best I got. 

[Duuring]

Well I had French ancestors at the time, so I'm sure it is inevitable that at least some of them served in Napoleon's army, but sadly I have virtually no information regarding that part of the family, I would love to learn more though.

It's really not that inevitable. You could buy your way out of conscription, and that's even if you were called up and were unlucky enough to be that seventh person that has to join the army.

[Kleist]

Hmh sounds interesting, i should start doing some research about that, so far i only know that one of my grandfathers served as pilot in WW2. 

[Mr. Kochi]

Well, I know very little of my family, being adopted and all. The oldest records I have are those of my great grand father, who was the son of a prominent Italian nobleman from Naples, and the first in the family to move to Argieland.

Chances are my ancestors fought against the French in the Italian campaigns, though I can't be certain if they fought for Murat or Ferdinand.

[kpetschulat]

There were two related Petschulat's in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Westfalian Landwehr. One was a Major the other a Gefreiter. They were supposedly at Waterloo with Blucher. But, that's about all I know about them. My last name is very unique. My family is the only known people with this last name, so it's a very heavy possibility that these two men are ancestors of mine.

[Duuring]

Aaah, the Westphalian landwehr...

I find it somewhat hard to believe two men of the same family would hold two vastly different ranks. Especially in the Landwehr. How were they related to each other?

[kpetschulat]

They were brothers, apparently. The Major was a Max Petschulat, the Gefreiter was Hans-Juergen Petschulat.

[ClearlyInvsible]

Did the younger brother not get into Cadet school?