Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Régiment Royal Deux-Ponts, (ZweiBrucken/Two Bridges) was a German-French infantry regiment created under the Ancien Regime in 1757.
The regiment was raised on April 1 1757 by the duc de Deux-Ponts in his estates as well as in Alsatian bailiwicks. This family owned the Petite-Pierre county, the bailiwicks of Bischwiller, Guttemberg, Seltz and Hagenbach. Outside France, it also owned the bailiwicks of Neucastel, Barbelroth, Cleeburg and Weylenbourg in Alsatia.
The regiment initially counted 2 battalions but was soon increased to 3 battalions.
In February 1758, the regiment was increased to 4 battalions.
On January 18 1760, when the German Infantry was reorganised, the regiment was reduced back to its original strength.
Commanded by Baron de Clozen in 1758. from February 20 1761 to February 21 1765: baron de Scheidt
[edit]
Service during the 7 Years War:
Somewhere between August 23 and September 6 1757, the joined the Army of Saxony, led by Soubise, in the area of Erfurt and Eisenach. Soubise considered the regiment as being of a particularly bad quality. On September 27, it was brigaded with Royal Roussillon Infanterie in the first line of the left wing of the Franco-Imperial Army. On November 5, the regiment was at the battle of Rossbach where it was still brigaded with the Royal Roussillon Infanterie in the first line of the centre. At the end of the year, it took its winter quarters on the Kinzig River in Hessen.
At the end of January 1758, the regiment was assigned to the army that Louis XV planned to send to Bohemia for joint operations with the Austrian Army. However, when Ferdinand of Brunswick launched his surprise offensive in West Germany, the regiment retreated towards Düsseldorf and Deutz with the bulk of Broglie's army. It passed the Rhine on April 3 and 4. In the first days of June, Soubise's army assembled near Friedberg in Hesse for an offensive in Hesse, the regiment was part of a detachment under the command of Broglie who followed up Ysenburg during his retreat. On July 23 1758, the regiment took part to the battle of Sandershausen where one of its battalion was placed in the first line of the centre to support Royal Bavière Infanterie, while another battalion guarded the defiles at Sandershausen and the two remaining battalions guarded the town of Kassel. Three of its grenadier companies fought against the Hessian occupying the Ellenbach woods on the French right wing.
On April 13 1759, the regiment took part to the battle of Bergen where it was part of the troops occupying the town of Berge.
In 1761, the regiment was at Frankfurt am Main.
In 1762, the regiment served in Western Germany.
Kronoskaf: http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Royal_Deux-Ponts_Infanterie
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In the time of the American War of Independence, the Regt was commanded by Comte Christian de Forbach (son of Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
, deputy commander was his brother Philippe Guillaume (later renamed to Wilhelm), but due to their mother's forthcome not their father's successors) and was one of the four regiments that arrived at Newport with Rochambeau
in 1780 and went on to participate in the Battle of Yorktown
on the side of the Americans in 1781.
The "Royal Regiment of Two Bridges", commanded by the Comte Christian de Forbach, was part of the Expédition Particulière
(French Expeditionary Force) that was sent to the United States
to help it fight for its independence. Many of the soldiers came from the region around the city of Zweibrücken
(German for "Two Bridges"), an independent duchy within the Holy Roman Empire
whose territories are now parts of Germany
or France
.
The regiment was raised on April 1 1757 by the duc de Deux-Ponts in his estates as well as in Alsatian bailiwicks. This family owned the Petite-Pierre county, the bailiwicks of Bischwiller, Guttemberg, Seltz and Hagenbach. Outside France, it also owned the bailiwicks of Neucastel, Barbelroth, Cleeburg and Weylenbourg in Alsatia.
The regiment initially counted 2 battalions but was soon increased to 3 battalions.
In February 1758, the regiment was increased to 4 battalions.
On January 18 1760, when the German Infantry was reorganised, the regiment was reduced back to its original strength.
Commanded by Baron de Clozen in 1758. from February 20 1761 to February 21 1765: baron de Scheidt
[edit]
Service during the 7 Years War:
Somewhere between August 23 and September 6 1757, the joined the Army of Saxony, led by Soubise, in the area of Erfurt and Eisenach. Soubise considered the regiment as being of a particularly bad quality. On September 27, it was brigaded with Royal Roussillon Infanterie in the first line of the left wing of the Franco-Imperial Army. On November 5, the regiment was at the battle of Rossbach where it was still brigaded with the Royal Roussillon Infanterie in the first line of the centre. At the end of the year, it took its winter quarters on the Kinzig River in Hessen.
At the end of January 1758, the regiment was assigned to the army that Louis XV planned to send to Bohemia for joint operations with the Austrian Army. However, when Ferdinand of Brunswick launched his surprise offensive in West Germany, the regiment retreated towards Düsseldorf and Deutz with the bulk of Broglie's army. It passed the Rhine on April 3 and 4. In the first days of June, Soubise's army assembled near Friedberg in Hesse for an offensive in Hesse, the regiment was part of a detachment under the command of Broglie who followed up Ysenburg during his retreat. On July 23 1758, the regiment took part to the battle of Sandershausen where one of its battalion was placed in the first line of the centre to support Royal Bavière Infanterie, while another battalion guarded the defiles at Sandershausen and the two remaining battalions guarded the town of Kassel. Three of its grenadier companies fought against the Hessian occupying the Ellenbach woods on the French right wing.
On April 13 1759, the regiment took part to the battle of Bergen where it was part of the troops occupying the town of Berge.
In 1761, the regiment was at Frankfurt am Main.
In 1762, the regiment served in Western Germany.
Kronoskaf: http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Royal_Deux-Ponts_Infanterie
___________________________________________________________________________________________
In the time of the American War of Independence, the Regt was commanded by Comte Christian de Forbach (son of Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1735 to 1775. He was the son of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.In 1751 he married, morganatically, Maria Johanna Camasse...
, deputy commander was his brother Philippe Guillaume (later renamed to Wilhelm), but due to their mother's forthcome not their father's successors) and was one of the four regiments that arrived at Newport with Rochambeau
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau
Marshal of France Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau was a French nobleman and general who participated in the American Revolutionary War as the commander-in-chief of the French Expeditionary Force which came to help the American Continental Army...
in 1780 and went on to participate in the Battle of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
on the side of the Americans in 1781.
The "Royal Regiment of Two Bridges", commanded by the Comte Christian de Forbach, was part of the Expédition Particulière
Expédition Particulière
Expédition Particulière was the code name given by the French government for the plan to sail French land forces to North America to support the American rebel forces against Britain in the American Revolutionary War. In English they were known as the Special Expedition.The expedition of 5,000...
(French Expeditionary Force) that was sent to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to help it fight for its independence. Many of the soldiers came from the region around the city of Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
(German for "Two Bridges"), an independent duchy within the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
whose territories are now parts of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
or France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.