Bavarian Army

“ MY LORD:—The plan of the campaign of the Austrians is incomprehensible to all our military men—not on account of its profundity, but on account of its absurdity or incoherency. In the present circumstances, half-measures must always be destructive, and it is better to strike strongly and firmly than justly. To invade Bavaria without disarming the Bavarian army, and to enter Suabia and yet acknowledge the neutrality of Switzerland, are such political and military errors as require long successes to repair, but which such an enemy as Bonaparte always takes care not to leave unpunished. ”

“ The Bavarian army is in a sense independent of Prussia, but is modelled on the same system.
For years officers of the army, both in the discharge of their duties and outside, have behaved in a very arrogant way toward the civil population. Time and again, while I was in Germany waiting in line at some ticket office, an officer has shoved himself ahead of all others without even a protest from those waiting. On one occasion, I went to the races in Berlin with my brother-in-law and bought a box. ”

“ But the chief of the Bavarian army, under some pretence or other, but in reality because he had entered into an understanding with the enemy, remained constantly inactive, and thus paralyzed the efforts of the Viceroy, who had to oppose the great bulk of the Austrian force. It has already been stated that the open defection of the Bavarians, at the most critical moment of the campaign, mainly contributed to bring about our disasters. ”

“ With small pressure he might have regained the principality in 1866 in place of the miserable few millions of thalers as war indemnity that the Bavarians had to pay. We could have made Bayreuth-land an armed camp, a second Heligoland, as it-is-to-be!"
The "collars and epaulettes affair," to which the War Lord referred, cropped up in November, 1870, during the pourparlers for the Bavarian-Prussian treaties. King Ludwig insisted that Bavarian army officers should continue to wear the badge of their rank on their collar, while King Wilhelm said their shoulder straps were the correct place. ”

“ The difficulty of the ground,—the formidable preparations of the enemy,—and the steady bravery of the Bavarians, occasioned this to prove a particularly severe contest; but the determined assaults of the British soldiers shook the strength and weakened the resistance of the enemy; and eventually the soldiers of the allied army overpowered all resistance, captured the heights, and pursued the French and Bavarians across the Danube, capturing sixteen pieces of artillery, a number of standards and colours, with the enemy's tents, and the equipage and plate of the Bavarian commander. ”

“ I need not admonish soldiers who were so firm under the attack of the whole of the Bavarian army of the necessity for steadiness. I have no doubt that if we are attacked it will be in considerable force; but it will be by half armed peasants, and there probably will not be a gun among them. But even peasants, when worked up into a state of excitement are not to be despised. My orders are: The front rank shall continue firing until they are close at hand, and shall then fix bayonets. ”

“ The Bavarians, too, are very industrious, and take great pains to bring their army organisation up to our standard, in spite of certain hostile elements whose aim it is to frustrate this object, and who have succeeded in preventing Prussian instructors from being sent there, and Bavarian soldiers from coming to us to learn their work, which Württemberg has done for the last eight years. ”

“ Die, with advanced posts about Ramberville, and a strong wide-stretching cordon of cavalry still further forward, the Third German Army, consisting of the 13th Würtemberg, and 1st 65and 2d Bavarian Army Corps, under the command of Leopold, Prince Regent of Bavaria, is to take up its position. The Prince is to make demonstrations from time to time to hold in position the French field-forces on its flanks and rear. If threatened in palpably overwhelming strength, the army has a line of retreat across the Middle Vosges open, striking back in the passes as it retires. ”

“ During the war with France he had distinguished himself by his gallantry and other high qualities. Therefore, in spite of the pleasure caused in Germany by his betrothal, it would be a matter for regret if he were to be lost to the German, and particularly to the Bavarian army. Up to the present, there had not been any such [p. 195] intimate personal connection between the Bavarian army and the dynasty as existed for instance in Prussia and Saxony, and it must therefore be hoped that the rumour would not be confirmed, or that the decision might still be altered. ”

“ In the parlor were seated a dozen Bavarians, quarrelling with as many Prussians seated round the deal tables. They had laid their helmets on the window-seats, and were enjoying themselves away from their officers; no doubt on their return from some marauding expedition.
A Bavarian was exclaiming: "We are always put in the front, we are. The victory of Woerth is ours; but for us you would have been beaten. And it is we who have just taken the Emperor and all his army. You other fellows, you do nothing but wait in the rear for the honor and glory, and the profit, too!" ”

“ The Bavarian army will be directed from Nancy on Ligny, Vetry, Les-Franeves, and Fere-Champenoise.
The Russian army follows in two columns; the right on Chateau Salinet, by Pont a Monsson, St. Michael, Chalons, and Epernai. The left and the head-quarters of the Sovereigns, by Ligny, St. Dizier, Vetry, and Montmiral.
The Austrian or left wing of the army operates also in two columns. The 1st corps d’armée supports the Russian left, and follows La Courbe from Befort towards Langres and Chaumont, or whatever direction he may take. ”

“ It is essential to a comprehension of the whole scheme to understand that before the march to the Danube the whole weight of the alliance against the French lay in the north, upon the frontier of Holland, the valley of the Meuse, and the Lower Rhine. The successes of Bavaria in the previous year had given the Bavarian army, with its French contingent, a firm grip upon the Upper Danube, and the possibility of marching upon Vienna itself when the campaign of 1704 should open. ”

“ Bavaria had with great loyalty supported Prussia through the war and performed very valuable services, and now he proposed to reward their friendship by compelling them to accept terms by which the independence of the King and the very existence of the State would be endangered. The last request which the King of Bavaria had sent to the Crown Prince as he left Munich to take command of the Bavarian army was that nothing might be done to interfere with Bavarian independence. Of course Bismarck refused to listen to these suggestions ”

“ VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. The 30th Bavarian Reserve Division is a sector division, as it has occupied the front either in Lorraine or Alsace since its formation. Its offensive value is mediocre.
In the 8th Bavarian Landwehr and the 4th Bavarian Ersatz Regiments, the average age of the men is 38 years. The men of the machine gun companies are younger, according to the ordinary rule. In the 15th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment the majority of the men are more than 30 years old. ”

“ But that he was sufficiently alert as the principal adviser of the elector the results of his labours in that capacity amply prove. He reorganized the Bavarian army; he immensely improved the condition of the industrial classes throughout the country by providing them with work and instructing them in the practice of domestic economy; and he did much to suppress mendicity. The multitude of beggars in Bavaria had long been a public nuisance and danger. ”

“ A new German national government is born today in Bavaria, here in Munich. We will form a German national army at once. I therefore propose that until the final reckoning with the criminals in Berlin -- the criminals that are destroying Germany -- I will assume the leadership of the provisional German national government. His Excellency Ludendorff will head the German national army; General Lossow will become Minister of the Reichswehr; and Colonel Seisser will be Minister of the Reich police. ”

“ The story of the Bohemian regiment trapped in the Army of Leopold of Bavaria is generally known in Austria. When the staff learned that this regiment planned to cross to the Russians on a certain night, three Bavarian regiments, well equipped with machine-guns, were set to trap it. Contrary to usual procedure, the Bohemians were induced by the men impersonating the Russians to lay down their arms as an evidence of good faith before crossing. The whole regiment was then rounded up and marched to the rear, where a public example was made of it. ”

“ The two Bavarian corps are on the right of the hill above Donchery. The 1st corps of the Bavarians is the only one which has to take part in the great battle. Beyond them are the troops commanded by the Crown Prince of Saxony, the 6th Saxon, the 4th Prussian, and the corps of Prussian Guards. The circle is steadily closing around Sedan, and before the battle begins in full vigor, the ring will be complete. As there are two German armies present, the Third Army of the Crown Prince of Prussia, and the "combined army" of the Crown Prince of Saxony, King William takes the supreme command. ”

“ It may be proper to observe, that, not the whole army of the Elector, but only the fifteen Bavarian regiments, are furnished with clothing from the Military Work-house at Munich. The troops of the Palatinate, and those of the Duchies of Juliers and Bergen, receive their clothing from a similar establishment at Manheim. ”

“ The morale of the 14th Bavarian Division appears to be high. No deserter has been found since the arrival of the division on the Western Front (December, 1917) . The 14th Bavarian Division has always been a good division (January, 1918) .
1918. Champagne. 1. The 14th Bavarian Division embarked at Tarnopol on December 19 and traveled via Kalicz-Posen-Leipsic-Frankfort-Kreusnach-Thionville-Wassigny (north of Rethel) , where it detrained on the 23d. On January 12 it relieved the 7th Reserve Division in the Mont Haut sector. It was relieved by the 80th Reserve Division on April 22. ”

“ Lorraine. 4. The 3d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from the Messines sector June 8, 1917, and taken to the Conflans area. After a short period of repose, during which it 82was partially reconstituted, it was put into the line in the sector of the Bezange forest (south of Château-Salins) July 18.
5. The 3d Bavarian Division received a reinforcement of 4,500 men—convalescents, exclusively—between June 8 and the end of August. (At the end of August the personnel averaged only 120 men who drew rations (80 combatants) per company in the 17th Battalion.) ”

“ The division had suffered casualties amounting to 30 per cent of its total effectives, and so when it was withdrawn, it moved to the region south of Roye to refit. Here each company received between 40 and 50 1919-class recruits, after which the division was trained. On June 12 it reinforced the front near Courcelles (south of Montdidier) . It suffered heavy losses in the fighting that followed, and was withdrawn about the 22d.
Champagne. 4. During the night of June 28–29 the division relieved the 1st Bavarian Division astride the Souain-Sommey road. ”

“ Dixmude. 4. April 4 it relieved the 214th Division south of Dixmude. A very elaborate attack against the Belgians was planned to take place here April 17, and it was to be made by the 6th Bavarian Division and some elements of adjoining units. It was presumed that the German successes at Mount Kemel had shaken the line to the north and that the whole Ypres salient could be captured. Preparations were made, and the attack attempted, but it failed completely, and the Belgians not only threw the enemy back but took a great many prisoners. ”

“ Infantry were then thrown forward—some Bavarian regiments. To their intense astonishment they were received with a most murderous fire from Russian rifles, and machine guns. The first attack failed and many were killed, few getting beyond the wire entanglements. Cautiously other troops advanced to the battered Russian trenches cut off from the rear by the artillery screen behind. Yet here again they met with strenuous resistance in the Zamczysko group of hills. The Austrian artillery shelled the heights, and the Bavarians finally took possession. ”

“ In March, 1915, the 8th Reserve Infantry was transferred from this division to the 10th Bavarian Division.
Artois. 1. September 26, 1915, some of its units fought on the Loos-Hulluch front at the time of the British attack. In the counter attack, during which these troops retook ditch No. 8, they suffered severe losses.
In November the whole division was in the region of Loos south of Hulluch, where it stayed until August 16. In this sector it carried on mine warfare. About the end of April, 1916, it lost 1,100 men while attempting a gas attack. ”

“ It seems much less to be feared than most of the Prussian organizations that do not have the “Litze” (braiding) , less, too, than the Wurttemburgers of the 13th Corps District and the better Bavarian troops. (British document, February, 1918.)
1918. Lens. 1. The 1st Guard Reserve Division was relieved in the Lens sector by the 220th Division the first of the year and was withdrawn, remaining at rest in this region until it relieved the 220th Division, February 4. ”

“ After this review the brigade advanced with the army to invade Bavaria, and on the 26th of March it appeared before Donawerth on the Danube, when the King posted part of the troops on the heights above the town. On the following day, a battery having been constructed to command the bridge, the enemy made a furious sally, and, having driven back some Swedish troops, captured the guns; but a number of Hepburn's veterans rushing forward sword in hand, the Bavarians were repulsed and driven back into the town. ”