Georg Krauchenberg

Thanks Thomas,

We referenced Poten earlier in the thread. The three companies were more conventionally troops, so one and a half Squadrons.

Now the 2nd Hussars on similar frontier duty did not get the medal at all. However these three troops, and Krauchenberg were included in the 3rd Hussars medal roll.

As the CO was mortally wounded, once he had rejoined Maj Krauchenberg’s name would have been listed as in command. Horseguards then include him on the “Waterloo brevet” and gets a CB despite him not having been there at all! Understandable though as the 3rd Hussars adjutant, like a number of staff officers, was a casualty. The resulting dislocation of staff work, coupled with perhaps amnesia about the order detaching him means that it was taken at face value.

As the KGL were in the process of being disbanded it seems no one pointed this out. Undoubtedly his subsequent career as a Hanoverian Maj Gen would have precluded anybody mentioning it?

It's Lewis/Louis/Ludwig Krauchenberg. It must be. He left the 1st Hussars after his wounding at Fuentes d'Onor. Beamish does not say Georg was in North Germany until 1814 (although that would not be in combat), claiming he was in Southern France 1813-14 and then in the Netherlands after N.G. . Augustus (2nd Hussars) is only mentioned as in the Netherlands in 1814. Georg may have been furloghed or recovering from illness. After all he has been campaigning in the Peninsula for four years and been wounded three times in battle.

Of course Georg was only a Major in the legion from 20th June 1813 but had been a Major in the army from 30th May 1811

I am still hung up on the source that says Georg joined Wallmoden's staff in October 1813. Lewis or Georg appear to be on MG Lyons' staff in Wallmoden's Korps in September 1813. If it's Lewis (1st Hussars) then he is seconded from the detachment that went to Denmark as instructors in April 1813, if it's Georg then he is detached from that part of his regiment (3rd Hussars) which is serving in the field. As we both agree Georg's status until June 20, 1813 had been a brevet, and it appears he was still referrred to as Captain (leading a squadron?) in July/August 1813. The assumption of the duties and privileges of a Major might not come his way until even later, altho as Bvt Major he might more than qualify as adc to a MG. Two Krauchenbergs on the staff in Wallmoden's Korps seems one too many. Beamish and Challis could both be wrong, mixing the three Krauchenbergs up. As you know "Present" at Gohrde means he (Georg, Lewis) did not see combat in the battle which would explain why neither co-signs the recommendations for bravery. A staff officer would not be present at the actions. Captain August Krauchenberg (2nd Hussars) is serving as adc to Gen. Dornberg when he is captured by the French on 17 June 1815. The easy option would be that no source states Lewis was on Wallmoden's staff ergo - it's Georg.😀

https://library.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/archive/waterloo-medal-roll/1800261 from the medal roll he appears to be the regiments 2nd-in-command therefore the death of Meyer would promote him, at least, temporarily to regimental commander. I wonder was this appointment (as 2-i-c) dated 4 June 1815?

That would make sense as his CB was ‘back dated’ to the 4th.

At some later point though Lt Col Maydell from 2nd Light Dragoons KGL was appointed and was in command in Paris, so Georg did not permanently inherit command

My sons and I have been debating how our Georg managed to get a ‘Waterloo Brevet’, despite not having been there. One of them is a medal collector, one a history teacher and I have, in my time, been a staff officer compiling and submitting medal lists.

Our likely scenario goes like this:

16 June Georg and 3 troops detached to border

18 June 3 troops under Capt Kerssenbruch charge

18 June Remaining 4 troops operate under direction of Col Arentsschildt

20th or 21st?? Georg and the 3 troops rejoin Regt

Some time later a consolidated list is submitted to Headquarters with Georg at the top.

Crucially, the staff had taken considerable casualties and been through a significantly traumatic event. Many are acting up or out of position, papers have been lost or not handed over. The person(s) handling this list may have been completely unaware of Georg’s detachment. The assumption is then made that like many others he was “the last man standing” commanding the Regt at the close of the day. He is then submitted for the ‘Waterloo Brevet’ as Lt Col.

The Brevet is published, but by September there are other concerns. Even if there are questions raised, it was a fait accompli. When he went on to become Maj Gen in the Hanoverian Army it was definitely “less said, soonest mended”!

No evidence for certain, just a hypothesis

Curiously, the London Gazette of the 18th July 1815 awards Maj George Krauchenberg a brevet “for conduct at the battle of Waterloo”. So was he perhaps on the staff? Arentschilds’ perhaps?

It was in this brevet rank on the 16 September 1815 he was published as a Companion of the Bath. This might be construed by the casual observer of his Beamish entry that he ended the battle commanding his unit. However, the Gazette entry was back-dated to the 4th of June, so is presumably for his peninsular or subsequent service.

Perhaps Poten’s “detached” ie not present with the regiment became Wikipedia’s “did not take part”?

Can anyone help clear up where he was?

The very chap.

He seems to have been present at the Pyrenees because he recommends a Hussar (of the 1st KGL) for an award after he volunteered for a mission. On the chronology I doubt it took weeks to travel from the south of England to Germany. 8th August is possible but I don't think there was more than a squadron landed and that was not led by Krauchenberg. More must have arrived later. Either way I think he was at Gohrde, perhaps on the cavalry division staff, although one account puts him with Wallmoden (who he probably knew from service in the Hanoverian army). He seems to have been present at Gohrde therefore his appointment to the staff would be in August or September. Later service appears to show him on Bernadotte's staff in the Netherlands. He wasn't on the field at Waterloo and wasn't wounded. August Krauchenberg was there as an adc and I think he was severely wounded, this possibly leading to his death in 1818.

Another source has him in Lynedoch's army in the Netherlands in 1814 but this may mean he has rejoined the 3rd H KGL.

Interestingly Georg Krauchenberg married Ludwig Meyer's (his commanding officer) widow, Caroline. They had a daughter (b.1823).

Yep. I know this. Challis is interesting and provided the spine for a lot of my early reseach, but there are errors among the entries. However that does not answer my question. I know from most sources that he was at Vittoria and in the Pyrenees. He was not with the 2nd Hussars KGL unless he accompanied them back to England in the Spring of 1813 (therefore missing Vittoria and the Pyrenees), August Krauchenberg (who was possibly his younger brother) served in 2 Hussars KGL. Krauchenberg served with 1 Hussars KGL until gazetted to the 3rd Hussars KGL on 20 June 1813. It would be interesting to find if he was with them at the Battle of Vittoria on 21 June 1813, I suspect he was still with the 1st Hussars. The point I am making is if he was at Gohrde then it was not as part of Bernadotte's staff. The majority of the 3rd Hussars KGL were still in Spain at this time not leaving until January 1814. There was a squadron of the 3rd at Gohrde (it landed on 8th August) but it was led by Major Kueper (vice the death of LtCol Ulrich von Toebing). This would argue that Krauchenberg was not with the regiment (surely his promotion would have made him the senior squadron commander in the 3rd?). Therefore if he was at Gohrde then it was as a member of the General staff. The Hussars were not much in action at the Pyrenees battle but interestingly Cordemann who is gazetted Captain vice Krauchenberg on 20 June 1813 is still a Lieutenant on 29 July 1813 arguing that Krachenberg may still have been with the 1st Hussars at this time with his promotion and transfer still to be officially sanctioned in the field.

Just found a verification. In July 1813 during the Pyrenees campaign Captain Krauchenberg asked for a volunteer from the 1st Hussars. The volunteer is later decorated. His award is the result of recommendation by Baron Krauchenberg. I thought it might be Ludwig Krauchenberg but he is referred to as Lt. Col. not Baron in Beamish's book. So Georg is still a Captain in the 1st Hussars in July 1813. His promotion to Major was probably followed by his elevation to the staff. If he was at Gohrde he was probably on the staff. None of the later citations for 3rd Hussars at Gohrde are attributed to Krauchenberg.