The second Brandenburgisch were formed in 1808, during the 1808 reforms of the Prussian army; however, they did not see action until the Leipzig campaign of October 1813. They were place in the Prussian army 1st Corps under Generallieutenant von Yorck, in the 8th Brigade under Generalmajor von Hünerbein. Two battalions of the regiment (2/Fus) were there, and they mustered 1,433 men.
Battle of Möckern (Leipzig Campaign)
The Northern front was dominated by the battle of Möckern. A manor, palace, walled gardens, and low walls dominated the village. Each position was turned into a fortress with the walls being loopholed for covered fire by the French. Blucher sent Langeron’s Russian, and Yorck’s Prussian corp to attack Marmont's VI Corps. Due to the deep gradient, few of the Allied guns could come to bear and so the battle descended into man-to-man fighting. This was impeded wide swampy area that lay between the two forces, meaning the soldiers had to wade across in places with the water up to breast height. The battle lasted well into the night. Artillery caused the majority of the 9,000 Allied and 7,000 French casualties, and the French lost another 2,000 prisoners.
Hundred Days:
I Armee-Korps: GL Hans Ernst Karl Graf von Ziethen-II
Chief-of-Staff: Ob.Ltn. von Reiche (Mjr. Groben)
Commander of Artilery: Ob.-Ltn. Lehmann
Engineers: Ltn. Beyer and Ltn. Wittich
Topographical Section: Ltn. Krauser
Bakery Unit: Kpt. von Stromberg
1. Infanterie-Brigade - GM von Steinmetz
12. Infanterie-Regiment [2.027-2.330 men in 3 btns.] + 100 "Westfalisches" Landwehr Jägers
Battle of Ligny
The Prussians were not caught napping and set up a series of artillery/cavalry outposts whereby the cavalry patrolled the front and raced back to the artillery which would fire cannon in a prearranged signal. In this way the thinly stretched 1st and 2nd Brigades were promptly alerted and began rapid assembly [10] General Zieten's I Corps would begin a difficult delaying/fighting/withdrawal giving time for the Prussian Army to assemble. The post chain was a relay of towns, each set up as a fortified village. Each was commanded by a Prussian officer who made sure that the post kept enough horses, forage, and troops to move messages efficiently along. In addition these posts served as intelligence posts where surveillance would take place, stragglers would be collected up, and wandering civilians would be closely questioned. A post chain was set up all the way back to Blücher's command post so that the Headquarters was alerted from the first French deployment.[11] General Steinmetz' 1st brigade of the I Corps had been very active in touring his outposts on 12 May, 17 May, 21 May, and 9 June. Out posting and intelligence collection were given proper weight.
he I Corps was located in the foremost row and had support from the II Corps standing behind it – the task, the defence of the villages of Ligny, Brye, and Saint-Amand, while the III Corps formed the left wing and the routes of withdrawal while defending Gembloux and Namur. Blücher and Wellington had to avoid above all being separated
. Jagow's 3rd Prussian Brigade, defending Saint-Amand-la-Haye, could not withstand the pressure of Lefol's 8th Division and was forced to retreat. Shortly afterwards a counterattack by General Steinmetz with six battalions of the 1st Brigade recaptured the hamlet. A renewed attack by Vandamme's troops led to a bitter fight in which the Prussians lost approximately 2,500 men and possession of Saint-Amand-la-Haye
Waterloo:
Ziethen Advances on Papelotte
It was sometime between 7pm and 8pm also that the Middle Guard were repulsed, as the were repulsed, on the French right towards Papelotte, suddenly the Prussians appeared on the Anglo-Dutch left, marching to Papelotte, this was Ziethen's I Corps that had taken position on the Allied left earlier, it now advanced on the French assaulting Papelotte, the effect on the French troops fighting in this sector was catastrophic. The French were considerably outnumbered, it appears Durutte (who was a General in I Corps and who's division was still badly mauled from the attack earlier in the day but had been since attacking Papelotte farm) had been ordered to send one of his two brigades into the fight for La Haye Sainte, thus leaving him a single brigade to oppose the whole of Ziethen's corps.
At first they put up a strong fight and Jacquinot's cavalry even made some successful charges against the first Prussian manoeuvres. However, as more and more of the Prussians advanced the extent of their intervention became apparent and the French began an increasingly disorganised withdrawal. It is certain that the final rout of the French army started in the area of Papelotte as Ziethen's men flooded the battlefield. Lieutenant Pontecoulant of the Guard artillery describes the scene "Our line...was suddenly broken. The Prussian cavalry hurled itself into this breach and soon flooded the battlefield, sobering isolated soldiers and making it impossible for us to rally."
The panic that had sezed Durette's men spread itself down the French line, especially the troops in the centre, seeing the Middle Guard retire and now threatened by the Prussians on their right and the Anglo-Dutch to their front and left, they dissolved in panic.
The Fall of Planchenoit
It was between 8pm and 9pm, despite the heroics of the defenders in the village it was becoming clear that Planchenoit was in imminent danger of being overwhelmed. More Prussian troops were being committed and the village was in danger of being completely cut off by the Prussians deploying around the flanks. General Tromelin recalls:
"But towards 8 o'clock in the evening, decimated by the Prussian attacks that were constantly reinforced, outflanked on our right by Bluchers cavalry whose squadrons our own cavalry were not able to contain, and to our left by the English cavalry launched pursuit of the army, one sensed that our battalions were in danger of falling into disorder and the order was received to abandon Planchenoit in flames and retire towards the main road."
The heavily outnumbered and exhausted French were gradually abandoning the village. "In flaming Plancenoit, General Pelet, Golzio, and Colomban with their 600 guardsmen - 'all very pale' according to the General - and the Tirailleurs and Voltigeurs still held out.
Photo of the church in Plancenoit In the cemetery and the church the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr and the Pomeranians were shooting it out with the French at point-blank range when the units, suddenly outflanked, took to their heels. Pelet rallied his chasseurs around him, but it was so dark they could no longer recognize one another at 10 paces. The confusion was complete."
According to Historian Alessandro Barbero "... entire groups of the Young Guard were starting to raise their hands in surrender, although the Prussians maddened by the stubborn defence the French put up, were not always disposed to take prisoners."
