A Waterloo Veteran's Portrait-- General From Nassau

[Guest Rick Research]

Not the best quality obviously, but a little faded sepia Carte de Visite from an 1860s album kept by the emigr? von Boos-Waldeck family. Identified on back as "Toni Baron Bridbach."

He was actually Generalmajor ? la Suite Anton von Breidbach-B?rresheim genannt von Riedt. Per the Nassau 1864 Court & State Handbook--

Tweaking color as best I can on the faded sepia

On his 6 awards medal bar, almost nothing is identifiable for sure, but from the awards listed in his 1864 C&S entry above these were

1) Nassau Waterloo Medal

2) unknown medal (or very small cross)

3) probably Nassau XXV Years Service Cross

4) Hanoverian Guelph Order 3rd Class

5) and 6) turned and too faded to tell which is which, but one was the Dutch Order of William 4th Class and the other a Russian St. Vladimir 4th Class.

I have no clue what the breast star is, given the assortment he had in 1864, which was presumably after this photo was made.

One thing that I find noteworthy is that with a half century of service to Nassau-- he has NO Order from his own state at all, while liberally decorated by the Tsar of Russia, prussia, etc.

I have no information on his life or career. :beer:

[Wild Card]

Hello Rick Research,

Great picture!

With regard to the star. If I am reading the Court and State Handbook correctly, it appears that he held the Russian St. Stanislas Order 1st class and the Russian St. Anna Order (with brilliants?) 2nd class. I believe that both of these awards have stars. Therefore, the star shown in the picture could likely apply to one of these awards.

Thank you for sharing this and best wishes,

Wild Card

[Glenn J]

Not much on this gentleman:

Anton Philipp Frhr. v. Breidbach-B?rresheim gen. v. Riedt was in Mainz in 1791 and died at Heddernheim (Frankfurt a.M.) in 1878. An Oberst since 1848 and Generalmajor in 1861 he had been ? la suite since 1836.

Regards

Glenn

[Laurence Strong]

What is "? la suite"?

[Guest Rick Research]

Thanks Glenn!

What that suffix indicated varied over time, but basically amounts to the British "Unassigned List." Got to wear a uniform, often invited to parties... but held no actually command. Which in a state as small as Nassau-- rather surprises me!

[Ulsterman]

Ransacking my Waterloo materials I find no mention of him-yet. Dig, dig, dig. Bear?

[Bear]

Looks like you'll need to buy a book. I'll check Google Books to see if its online.

Nobles and Nation in Central Europe

Free Imperial Knights in the Age of Revolution, 1750?1850

Index List the Baron on these Pages

Breidbach-Riedt, Baron Anton (1791?1878) 113, 114?15, 116

[Bear]

Nobles and Nation in Central Europe

pages 114-115

Though Anton went on to the Hapsburg military-engineering academy and in 1809 received a commission, a Napoleonic decree soon compelled subjects of the states of the Confederation of the Rhine to withdraw from Austrian service or suffer confiscation of their estates. Anton then returned to Nassau, where several decades later he reached the rank of general.

Google Books

Nobles and Nation in Central Europe

pages 113, 114?15, 116

http://books.google.com/books?id=fkBUgPQwE...MnXDw#PPA116,M1

I'll keep looking :D

Edited May 9, 2009 by Bear

[Bear]

The German readers can go through this list of books.

Leben des Freiherrn Max von Gagern 1810-1889 By Ludwig Pastor

http://books.google.com/books?id=tkMKAAAAI...mqDw&pgis=1

Hochzeit feiner Schwester Amalie mit dem Freiherr? Anton von Breidbach? ...

bei Waterloo gek?mpft hatten

Wedding sister Amalie fine with the Baron "by Anton Breidbach? ...

fought at Waterloo

Mise ? mort de l'Empire par Napol?on By Jean Pierre de Potter

http://books.google.com/books?id=HdFnAAAAM...nRBg&pgis=1

Adjutants Volontaires

Google Books

search - Breidbach waterloo

http://books.google.com/books?ei=nfwFSp-GO...nG=Search+Books

Edited May 9, 2009 by Bear

[Bear]

De Militaire Willemsorde (MWO)

(?Military Order of William?)

RIDDER VIERDE KLASSE (?4TH CLASS KNIGHT?)

http://home.wanadoo.nl/g.vanuythoven/MWO/M...4th%20Class.htm

Breidbach-Bűrresheim, Major ? la suite Anton Philipp von; Adjutant-Volunteer Nassau contingent; wounded 18 June 1815 (1791- )(KB No.7, 25 February 1816)

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: Good Lord! You astonish me, you do!

While these CdVs have come to live with me, and I am delighted to have items of this vintage pass through on Traveling Museum visits...

if youze thinks I have ANY more space in the Schloss for an entire century earlier than my existing "patch"-- fuggedaboudit!!!! :cheers:

[Ulsterman]

wow!!

Googlebooks I love, except over zealous library gnomes have copyrighted/snippeted materials well over 150 years old! Argh!

That book of Nassau Annuals is VERY interesting.

Thanks,

[Guest Rick Research]

I've got Nassau Court and State: 1855, 1861, and 1864.

Need-new-house!!!!! :cheeky:

[Bear]

It seema that this fella picked up his commission at the worst possible time. The 1809 Austrian campaign was a hard fought war for both the French & Austrians.

[Bear]

Just too many from Nassau. Where are you in this mess.

Nassau at Waterloo

Nassau Contingent - Major-General A.H.E. von Kruse - 2,880

1st (Duke of Nassau) Infantry Regiment - Colonel Ernst von Steuben

1st Battalion / 1st (Duke of Nassau) Infantry Regiment - Major Wilhelm von Weyhers

2nd Battalion / 1st (Duke of Nassau) Infantry Regiment - Major Adolph von Nauendorf

2nd Nassau Regiment - Major Friedrich Sattler - 2,709

1st Battalion / 2nd Nassau Regiment - Captain B?sgen

2nd Battalion / 2nd Nassau Regiment - Major Philipp von Normann

3rd Battalion / 2nd Nassau Regiment - Major Gottfried Hegmann

Regiment of Orange-Nassau - Colonel The Duke of Saxe-Weimar - 1,591

1st Battalion / Orange-Nassau Regiment - Lieutenant-Colonel W. Ferdinand von Dressel

2nd Battalion / Orange-Nassau Regiment - Lieutenant-Colonel Philipp Schleyer

1 Company Nassau Volunteer J?gers - Captain E. Bergmann

Edited May 10, 2009 by Bear

[Bear]

Geschichte der K. Und K. Technischen Milit?r-akademie By Friedrich Gatti

Eingetheilt am 24. Sept. Kostgeben p.r. 520 fl. Am 9 Mai 1809 F?hnrich im Inf. Reg. Gyulai (Nr. 60)

Eingetheilt on 24 Sept. Kostgeben p.r. 520 fl. On May 9, 1809 Ensign in Inf Reg Gyulai (No. 60)

Their were two General Gyulai who fought in 1809. One in Italy and one in Austria.

I wonder if he participated in any action during 1809.

The 1809 campaign is my FAVORITE.

[Bear]

If I had any money I'd put it on this guess. Anton served under General Kruse at Waterloo. This brigade was stationed at the Ch?teau d'Hougoumont(farmhouse) and took heavy casualties on the 18 of June 1815. I believe this is where Anton was wounded.

The only problem with this guess is that the Nassua soldiers at the farmhouse was commanded by Captain B?sgen and Anton was a major. However the Captain was an infantry officer while Anton was an engineer. I think Anton was sent along with brigade not to command but to check the fortication.

The only place an engineer could have been used at Waterloo would have been the farmhouse.

Breidbach-Bűrresheim, Major ? la suite Anton Philipp von; Adjutant-Volunteer Nassau contingent; wounded 18 June 1815 (1791- )(KB No.7, 25 February 1816)

Edited May 10, 2009 by Bear

[Guest Rick Research]

Ahhh, sort of a Chard-and-Bromhead at Rorke's Drift situation.

Decades ago I saw one of the epic movie versions and Hougoumont has always stuck in my mind.

[Ulsterman]

Actually, the English engineers were reprimanded for not "doing their duty" the day of the battle 9it wasn't their fault). they did build some barricades and loopholes, but did not construct some of the works Wellington wanted them to do on the 18th.

I think you're right about the Nassau contingent above Hougemont, although they also took heavy casualties before and after the cavalry charges from artillery while they were square.

Oh for a complete run of the Waterloo Journal!