1. Introduction: Prussian Artillery.2. Equipment.
3. Organization.
4. Uniforms.
5. Tactics.
6. Engineers.
- - Fortress War After Waterloo.
The Prussian artillery had been a neglected branch of the army since the time of Frederick the Great. Promotions and advancement in the artillery were not as good as in cavalry and infantry.
Picture: Prussian artillery, by L.& F. Funcken. (Castermann Publishing 1969) - L'uniforme et les Armes des Soldats du Premier Empire
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Prussian Artillery.
The deliberate steadiness of the Germans adapts them especially for the artillery service. So this is quite surprising that the Prussian artillery had been a neglected branch of the army since the time of Frederick the Great who had underestimated its importance. Promotions and advancement in the Prussian artillery were not as good as in cavalry and infantry. It was in contrast to the French artillery, considered as th best in the World in that times. Before the Napoleonic wars the Prussian army was organized according to the 1792 regulations, with the artillery scattered amongst the infantry, each battalion having one 6 pdr cannon. In 1805 attempts were made to reorganize the artillery but it was too late. Until 1806 batteries were judged by the speed of unlimbering and the smartness of appearance rather than the speed or/and accuracy of fire. Many cannons and howitzers were lost in the disastrous Jena Campaign. In 1808 the Convention of Paris set the number of Prussian gunners and engineers at 6,000 men.
The regulations issued in 1812 simplified the drill and abolished the light cannons attached to infantry battalions. After Napoleon's defeat in Russia in 1812, Prussia made a massive effort to increase its field firepower. In mid March 1813 there were 213 field pieces, and by the end of August 400 field pieces. In 1815 the problem was not so much procuring the ordnance for the campaign, but in finding trained men to use them and horses to pull them. "The war cabinet had decreed that the army required 76 batteries, 20 more than had been available the previous year. ... The Prussian Commander of Artillery, Prince August of Prussia, even wanted to go as far as drafting in semi-invalids to make up numbers. The King overruled him, although a number of the least infirm were allowed to join the Laboratory Columns tasked with the manufacture of ammunition. Artillery recruitment was, however, opened up to volunteers from the infantry or cavalry, which provided uniformed manpower but not trained gunners." (Adkin - "The Waterloo Companion" p 301)
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Picture: Prussian horse artillery in 1805, one year before the
disastrous Jena Campaign. From left to right: officer, gunner and driver.
Picture: Prussian Guard artillery in 1810. Picture by Knoetel.
All guns, limbers and wagons were painted in medium-blue, and their metal parts were painted black. Much of Prussia's cannons and howitzers were lost in the campaign of 1806.
1. Prussian Artillery Brigade (Preußisches Artillerie-Brigade)
2. Brandenburg Artillery Brigade (Brandenburgische Artillerie-Brigade) 
3. Silesian Artillery Brigade (Schleßisches Artillerie-Brigade)
Foot gunner's uniform was similar to that of the infantryman.
He wore a "Prussian blue" coat with red turnbacks, yellow buttons and black facings. The breeches were white (for parade) or gray (for campaign).
The foot gunners carried the infantry backpacks and bread bags.
The drivers of artillery train (see picture) wore dark blue coatees with light blue cuffs and collars, red shoulder straps and white buttons.
The engineers formed an independent corps (Ingenieur-Korps) and were commanded by General-Major von Scharnhorst (between 1813 and 1815 by General-Major von Rauch).
Maubeuge was the strongest and most significant fortress on Sambre and was commanded by seasoned General Latour-Maubourg. The garrison consisted of 3,000 men (mostly National Guard) and 80 heavy cannons. The besieging Prussians had 7,700 infantry, 960 cavalry, 500 artillerymen, and 546 engineers. Prinz August decided to begin the bombardement as soon as possible. Eight 12pdrs cannons were deployed on the left bank of Sambre, 14 7pdr howitzers were placed behind the lines of the old fortified camp, and 4 10pdr howitzers were deployed further to the west, just behind the old camp. The artillery opened fire in the morning on the 29 June.
