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Subject: Oldenburg-L digest, Vol 1 #993 - 1 msg
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1. Re Infantry Regiment No. 91 (Article #1) (Fred Rump)
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Message: 1
From: "Fred Rump" <fredrump@earthlink.net>
To: Dewcbia@aol.com
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 00:56:16 -0400
Cc: oldenburg-l@genealogy.net
Subject: [OL]Re Infantry Regiment No. 91 (Article #1)
Reply-To: oldenburg-l@genealogy.net> My grandfather is Frederick "George" Ehlers b 31 Dec 1852 at
> Hullstede bei Westerstede (near Oldenberg).I was asked some time ago to do a little recap of the Oldenburg
Infantry especially it's involvement in the Franco-Prussian war of
1870/1 as many genealogists have ancestors who served in that war.Up to 15 Jul 1867 the Oldenburger troops had always been, well
Oldenburgers and under local command. The creation of the North
German Bund changed all that. The precursor to this was the
continuing rivalry between Austria and Prussia over the future
leadership of Germany. Prussia basically declared an end to the old
system with its declaration of war in 1866 against Austria, Bavaria,
W�rtemberg, Baden, Saxony, Hannover and Hessia. By the end of June
and Within a month Prussia was master of northern Germany to
eventually set up the North German Bund. It took so long for the
Oldenburgers to get ready that they and their Hanseatic city friends
did not get to join the Prussian Armee of the Main (river) until July
20 in Frankfurt. The Oldenburger troops were joined into the Weltzien
Brigade of the Goeben Division. The troops were just arriving after a
36 hour train trip and received orders to move out in the morning
towards W�rzburg and the Bavarians. Typically they had to cover about
30 km per day. There was no water and food was scarce. On the 25 the
von Goebel Division arrived at Wolferstetten vor a moment's rest.
People were too exhausted to keep going and many had to be picked up
on medical support wagons. But before they could sit down it was
ordered to cross the river Tauber as it was found to be undefended.
One hour's rest followed and they moved on again. It came time to
attack and the wagons emptied of the sick. Only 13 soldiers from the
brigade actually couldn't make it. I won't go into the entire
sequence of events but mainly wished to point out that the systems
wasn't functioning properly and Prussian knew it.So after the war was over the Oldenburgers were integrated into the
Prussian army command system on July 15, 1867 as the 91st Inf. Reg.
New uniforms were issued and Prussian military rules began to take
affect. Col. Lehmann stayed on as commander of the regiment but most
other officers were switched out so that Prussian military discipline
could be taught. The regiment along with the East Frisian Inf. Reg.
78 now belonged to the 37th Inf. Brigade, under Maj Gen von Fabeck,
with headquarters in Oldenburg. The brigade in turn was part of the
19th Div under Lt Gen Schwartzkoppen part of the 10th Army Corps in
Hannover.In 1869 the King came to inspect the progress of these troops and was
so satisfied that he decorated Col. Lehmann with the Order of the
Crown. Strict training continued through 1870 for the whole 10th
Corps under the watchful eyes of the king. On July 19th France, under
Emperor Napoleon III, declared war on Prussia. By August King Wilhelm
I of Prussia had 500,000 troops ready for defense or attack against
France.The 10th Army Corps was part of the II Army under Prince Friedrich
Karl and was held in reserve in the middle of the three army groups
Wilhelm was commanding.The 91st was composed of three infantry battalions. Additional
reserve and training companies became active upon the threat of war
and possible losses in strength. Initially the 1st Batt. was ordered
to protect Wilhelshaven under miserable living conditions. They were
replaced by the II and after a few days by a Landwehr Battalion. This
process interfered with the preparations to march which had been
sceduled for 11 days hence but the Oldenburgers managed to be ready
time by July 27. The commanding general von Fabeck was left to defend
the coast with the substitute Oldenburger Landwehr troops and Col.
Lehmann became brigade commander. Col. v. Kameke replaced him at the
regiment level. On Jul 30 three trains left for the front filled with
Oldenburgers. That afternoon the Grand Duke had invited all the
officers over to his palace for a fare well ceremony. On the 4th of
August German troops stepped on French soil without any troops in
their way. The French my have declared war but they couldn't get
ready for it so quickly.The 10th Corps reached the last German village, Habkirchen, on the
7th of August and moved into France to rest at first in Saargem�nd
and then in the area of P�ttlingen in Lorraine on the 9th.to be continued
26 Warren St.
Beverly, NJ 08010
FredRump@earthlink.net
609-386-6846
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and
free, it expects what never was and never
will be." Thomas Jefferson--__--__--
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Thank you for that interesting history of the Oldenburg participation. My interest in the Oldenburg area concerns my mother who was born and lived there in her early years. I have traced some of my family lines in that area such as the Harms and von Hagemanns who lived in that area and I don'know if they had any connection with that military effort. Again thank you George Poch