Wednesday 4 January 2012

Disturbing Daguerrotypes from Dragonica


Our spies have sent worrying pictures of Hungarians massing over the border....Grenz, Line and Honved (Militia) forces have been seen moving up to the Trans Syldavian border. More worrying, we have in our possession another  Telegram To Vienna:

Gruss Gott!

I have some bad news for You Sir! Our enemies have foreign support! Some Polish mercenaries arrived in Hungary. I heard gossip about a Polish Prince Woroniecki, recruiting a Jager-Rifleman battalion, from his own budget, as a gift for the revulotional brothers. He is recruiting hunters and foresters, with hunting rifles, they have their own uniform, the battalion is now around 250 strength. Mieczyslaw Woroniecki served in the Austrian Army as an artillery cadet, then infantry cadet in the rebellious Dom Miguel regiment. Finally He was a lieutenant in a dragoon regiment. Well trained man, about all arms. Meszaros, the Hungarian military minister give him a rank major, and a post to be a battalion organizer.
   
I met an English born mercenary as well! Richard Debaufre Guyon from Bath (Somerset), after receiving a military education in England, Guyon fought against Dom Miguel in Portugal. In 1832 Guyon entered the Austrian service joining the Hungarian Hussars; and on being attached as aide-de-camp to Baron Splényi (he was the leader of the noble bodyguard, and owner of the 2. Hussar Regiment), married the daughter of that general in 1838. He was a lieutenant, than lived as a noble. But now he became a major of the Home Guard near the big fort Komarom, he may be send to the South Front as well.


The Hungarians are semi trained artillery officers, but they have plenty of 6pdr guns. Also the local horses are much smaller than the horses what the Austrian Army use, so they have a different organization for the batteries. All the batteries have 6 guns and 2 howitzers, and all the guns have 6 horses instead of the normal four. In this case the batteries are quicker and have more firepower, than the Austrians.


The Hungarian hussars are escaping from the other part of the Empire! They all travelling back to Hungary following the national call to arms. That’s very bad news Sir, we  have got no light cavalry at all. They have trained light cavalry 13 regiments. 2 regiments are locked in Italy, they are too far away, and busy on the Italian front. But the rest are going back, bits and pieces. 

Please pay more attention and pay some money to David Krautner Von Thantemburg ,colonel of the imperial army. He is the commander of the local Uhlans. And if I can suggest try to organise more Serezan or Bashi-Bazouk units on horseback, friom the other Balkan states.


This has sent alarm bells ringing in TransSyldavia, and the Grand Duke and his council are debating deep into the night! But it does look as if some Austrian aid may be possible to pay for TransSyldavian cavalry

1 comment:

  1. Interesting times ahead!
    An auspicious beginning for the New Year...

    Best wishes,
    Jean-Louis

    ReplyDelete