View source for Battle of Bergen (1799)

{{Short description|Part of the War of the Second Coalition}}
{{For|the 1759 battle in Germany|Battle of Bergen (1759)}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Bergen
| partof            = the [[Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland]] ([[War of the Second Coalition]])
| image             = Dirk Langendijk Capture of the Russian General Fersen by the French 1799.jpg
| caption           = ''Capture of the Russian General Hermann by the French, Helder Expedition, 1799'' <br /> [[Dirk Langendijk]]
| date              = 19 September 1799
| place             = [[Bergen, North Holland|Bergen]], [[Batavian Republic]]
| coordinates       = {{coord|52.6700|N|4.7000|E|source:wikidata|display=inline}}
| result            = Franco-Batavian victory
| combatant1        = {{plainlist|
* {{flagcountry|French First Republic}}
* {{flagcountry|Batavian Republic|size=20px}}}}
| combatant2        = {{plainlist|
* {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Great Britain}}
* {{flagcountry|Russian Empire}}}}
| commander1        = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} '''[[Guillaume Brune]]'''
* {{flagdeco|Batavian Republic|size=20px}} [[Herman Willem Daendels]]}}
| commander2        = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|Kingdom of Great Britain}} '''[[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany|Prince Frederick]]'''
* {{flagdeco|Russian Empire}} [[Johann Hermann von Fersen]]{{POW}}}}
| strength1         = 22,000 (10,000 French and 12,000 Batavians{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=45}})
| strength2         = 47,000{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=43}} ({{circa|23,300}} engaged, inclusive of 13,200 British and 10,100 Russians{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=43}})
| casualties1       = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|France|1794}} 836: 815 killed or wounded, 21 captured
* {{flagdeco|Batavian Republic|size=20px}} 2,591: 1,539 killed or wounded, 1,052 captured
* '''Total''': 3,427<ref>Micheal Clodfelter. Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Encyclopedia of Casualty and other figures. p. 109</ref><br/>More info: {{slink|#Losses}}}}
| casualties2       = {{plainlist|
* {{flagdeco|Kingdom of Great Britain}} 1,017: 117 killed, 410 wounded, 490 captured
* {{flagdeco|Russia}} 3,010: 1,785 killed, 1,225 wounded
* '''Total''': 4,027{{efn|There is an approximate estimate of 4,000+ casualties, inclusive of 3,075 Russians, with up to 1,800 killed and missing and 1,275 wounded among them, as well as 925+ British.{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=56}}}}<br/>More info: {{slink|#Losses}}}}
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Second Coalition}}{{Campaignbox Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland}}
}}

The '''Battle of Bergen''' was fought on 19 September 1799 and resulted in a Franco-Batavian victory under Generals [[Guillaume Brune]] and [[Herman Willem Daendels]] (Brune commanded both French and Batavians) against the landed in [[North Holland]] Anglo-Russian forces under the [[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany|Duke of York]] as supreme commander and Lieutenant General [[Johann Hermann von Fersen|Ivan Hermann]].{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|pp=42-43}} The battlefield is marked by the Russisch Monument (1902).

== Order of battle ==
The Duke of York landed on 15 September, and assumed the command of the army, which now amounted to about 30,000 men with 1,200 light cavalry. On 19 September the forces, under the Duke of York, formed in four columns, moved forward from [[Schagerbrug]].

At this period the Allies possessed a superiority of force with which it was decided to strike a decisive blow as early as possible.  The Dutch, numbering 12,000, were in a strong position around [[Langedijk]], somewhat in advance of the French, who, by drawing in all detachments, had raised their field strength to 10,000 men, who were positioned in [[Alkmaar]], [[Bergen, North Holland|Bergen]], [[Schoorl]], and [[Egmond aan Zee]].

=== Anglo-Russian Forces ===
[[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
!colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|'''Left Column''' {{ndash}} LTG Sir [[Ralph Abercromby]]
|-
! width=25% | Division
! width=25% | Brigade
! Regiments and Others
|-
| rowspan=5 |
| 4th Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG Sir [[John Moore (British Army officer)|John Moore]]
|
* [[Royal Scots|2/1st Foot]]
* [[King's Own Scottish Borderers|25th Foot]]
* [[49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot|49th Foot]]
* [[Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders|79th Foot]]
* [[92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot|92nd Foot]]
|-
| 6th Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[Richard Lambart, 7th Earl of Cavan|the Earl of Cavan]]
|
* [[Lancashire Fusiliers|1/20th Foot]]
* 2/20th Foot
* [[63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot|63rd Foot]]
|-
| 7th Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham|the Earl of Chatham]]
|
* [[King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)|4th Foot]]
* [[31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot|31st Foot]]
|-
| Reserve
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Col. MacDonald
|
* [[53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot|53rd Foot]]
* [[55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot|55th Foot]]
* Provisional Grenadier Battalion
* Provisional Light Infantry Battalion
|-
| Cavalry
|
* [[18th Light Dragoons]] (2 squadrons)
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
!colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|'''Right Column''' {{ndash}} [[Johann Hermann von Fersen]]
|-
! width=25% | Division
! width=25% | Brigade
! Regiments and Others
|-
| rowspan=2 |
1st Division
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
LTG {{ill|Mikhail Alekseevich Zherebtsov|ru|Жеребцов, Михаил Алексеевич|lt=Mikhail Zherebtsov (Jerepsoff)}}
| 1st Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Col. Count Fersen
|
* Zherebtsov Musketeer Regiment (1 battalion)
* Fersen Musketeer Regiment (2 battalions)
|-
| 2nd Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Col. Dubiansky
|
* Combined Grenadiers (3 battalions)
|-
| rowspan=2 |
2nd Division
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
LTG [[Ivan Essen]]
| 1st Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG {{ill|Alexander Karlovich Sedmoratsky|ru|Седморацкий, Александр Карлович|lt=Alexander Sedmoratsky}}
|
* Sedmoratsky Musketeer Regiment (2 battalions)
* Combined Grenadiers (1 battalion)
|-
| 2nd Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Col. Arbenev (d'Arbénief)
|
* Arbenev Musketeer Regiment (2 battalions)
* Combined Grenadiers (1 battalion)
|-
| rowspan=1 |
3rd Division
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[Ivan Fyodorovich Emme|Ivan Emme]]
|
|
* Emme Infantry Regiment (2 battalions)
* Combined Grenadiers (2 battalions)
|-
|
| 9th Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[Robert Manners (1758–1823)|Robert Manners]]
|
* [[Royal Norfolk Regiment|1/9th Foot]]
* 2/9th Foot
* [[56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot|56th Foot]]
|-
|
| Advance Guard
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Gen. Southoff (Sutgov)
|
* St. Petersburg Grenadier Regiment (1 battalion)
|-
|
| Artillery
|
* Kaptzevitch Artillery Regiment
|-
|
| Cavalry
|
* Gladki & Shladoff Hussar Regiments (4 squadrons)
* Don & Ural Cossacks (6 squadrons)<ref>Gachot, E., ''Les Campagnes de 1799, Jourdan en Allemagne et Brune en Hollande'' 1906, Paris, Perrin et Cie.</ref>
|-
|
| Unbrigaded
|
* [[7th Queen's Own Hussars|7th Light Dragoons]] (2 squadrons)
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
!colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|'''Left-Centre Column''' {{ndash}} LTG Sir [[Sir James Pulteney, 7th Baronet|James Pulteney]]
|-
! width=25% | Division
! width=25% | Brigade
! Regiments and Others
|-
| rowspan=3 |
| 3rd Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG Sir [[Sir Eyre Coote, GCB|Eyre Coote]]
|
* [[27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot|2/27th Foot]]
* [[29th Regiment of Foot|29th Foot]]
* [[85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers)|85th Foot]]
|-
| 5th Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[George Don (British Army officer)|George Don]]
|
* [[Royal Leicestershire Regiment|1/17th Foot]]
* 2/17th Foot
* [[40th Regiment of Foot|1/40th Foot]]
* 2/40th Foot
|-
|Cavalry
|
* [[11th Hussars|11th Light Dragoons]] (2 squadrons)
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top"
!colspan="9" bgcolor="white"|'''Right-Centre Column''' {{ndash}} LTG [[David Dundas (British Army officer)|David Dundas]]
|-
! width=25% | Division
! width=25% | Brigade
! Regiments and Others
|-
| rowspan=4 |
| 1st Guards Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[Francis D'Oyly (British Army general)|Francis D'Oyly]]
|
* [[Grenadier Guards|3/1st Foot Guards]]
* Provisional Grenadier Guards Battalion
|-
| 2nd Guards Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[Sir Harry Burrard, 1st Baronet, of Lymington|Harry Burrard]]
|
* [[Coldstream Guards|1/Coldstream Guards]]
* [[Scots Guards|1/3rd Foot Guards]]
|-
| 8th Brigade
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;
MG [[Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh|H.R.H. Prince William]]
|
* [[Royal Northumberland Fusiliers|1/5th Foot]]
* 2/5th Foot
* [[35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot|2/35th Foot]]
|-
| Cavalry
|
* [[11th Hussars|11th Light Dragoons]] (2 squadrons)
|}

== Battle plan and terrain ==
The British and Russian commanders noticed that the Republicans had left their right uncovered, and a very strong position unoccupied. This would have been difficult to correct if the attack on that flank had been vigorously carried out. They had also left [[Amsterdam]] undefended on the only side by which it was accessible.

The plan of operations was as follows: The left column was to turn the opponent's right, on the [[Zuiderzee]]; the right was to drive the opponent from the heights of [[Camperduin]], and to seize Bergen; the right-centre had to force the position at [[Warmenhuizen]] and [[Schoorldam]], and to cooperate with the right column; while the left-centre had to obtain possession of [[Oudkarspel]], on the main road leading to Alkmaar.

The opponent's left was advantageously posted on the high sand hills which extend from the sea, in front of [[Petten]], to the town of Bergen. The ground over which the centre columns had to move was intersected every three or four hundred yards by broad, deep, wet ditches and canals. The bridges across the few roads leading to the points of attack were destroyed, and obstacles had been carefully arranged.

== Battle ==
[[File:Sir Ralph Abercromby by John Hoppner.jpg|thumb|upright|1798 portrait of [[Sir Ralph Abercromby]] by [[John Hoppner]]]]

Contrary to all reasonable expectations, the force under [[Sir Ralph Abercromby]] took no direct part in this action; consequently the allied troops engaged amounted to no more than between 15,000 and 18,000 men. The corps under Sir Ralph Abercromby began their march on the evening of 18 September, but his advance was delayed by the bad state of the roads, and he arrived at Hoorn many hours later than was expected. The objectives that would have been gained by this column would have had a material effect on the result of the whole expedition, and could only be attempted while the Duke of York possessed the superior force.

The battle was commenced by Russian forces, which had by 8 am, September 19, obtained possession of Bergen. In vain did they expect support from their British allies, which had not even lined up for the battle, because the British and Russian commanders had neglected to synchronize their clocks. As a result, Russian forces were rapidly encircled by the French, Hermann was made prisoner and his second-in-command Jerepsoff killed,<ref>Mémoires historiques sur la campagne du général en chef Brune en Batavie, du 5 fructidor an 7, au 9 frimaire an 8</ref> while their troops were forced back through Bergen to Schoorl, which they also had to abandon. General I. Essen took over command of the Russians.{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=54}} The French stated the outcome could have been against them if the British had intervened in time.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |last1=Velichko |first1=Konstantin I. |last2=Novitsky |first2=Vasily F. |author-link2=Vasily Fedorovich Novitsky |last3=Schwarz |first3=Alexey V. von |last4=Apushkin |first4=Vladimir A. |last5=Schulz |first5=Gustav K. von |url=https://archive.org/details/bmk-brz-7/page/n290 |trans-title=Hermann, von Fersen, Johann (Ivan Ivanovich) |title=Герман(н), фон Ферзен, Иоганн (Иван Иванович) |encyclopedia=Военная энциклопедия Сытина |publisher=Типография Т-ва И. Д. Сытина |volume=7: Воинская честь – Гимнастика военная |location=Moscow |date=1912 |pages=290–91 |language=ru |access-date=25 August 2023}}</ref> The Duke of York would write to [[Emperor Paul I]] after the [[battle of Castricum]], pointing to the Russian "excessive" rapidity:<blockquote>I cannot praise enough the exploits of the Russian troops, although their ardor unexpectedly drew them into a [[pitched battle]] against forces far superior, and therefore could not be supported in time.{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|pp=82-83}}</blockquote>

This village (Schoorl) was retaken by Major-General [[Robert Manners (1758–1823)|Manners]]' Brigade, which was then reinforced by two battalions of Russians, by Major-General D'Oyley's Brigade of Guards, and by the [[35th Regiment of Foot|35th Regiment]], under [[Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh|Prince William]]. The action was renewed by these troops, who in their turn repulsed the opponent; but a lack of ammunition and the exhausted state of the corps engaged in that part of the field obliged them to retire on Petten and the Zijpe Canal.

The column under Lieutenant-General Dundas attacked the village of [[Warmenhuizen]] at dawn, where the opponent, with a large force of artillery, was strongly positioned. Three battalions of Russians, under Major-General Sedmoratsky, moving from [[Krabbendam]], bravely stormed the left of the village, with the 1st Regiment of Guards entering it on the right at the same time. The Grenadier battalion of Guards, the [[Scots Guards|3rd Regiment of Guards]] and the 2nd battalion [[5th Regiment of Foot|5th Regiment]] which had been previously detached to march upon [[Schoorldam]] to keep up the communication with Sir James Pulteney, were joined by the remainder of the column, which, after taking Warmenhuizen, had been reinforced by the 1st battalion 5th Regiment, and the whole moved forward and seized the village. They held it under artillery fire until the conclusion of the action.

[[File:Slag bij Bergen, 1799 Bataille bij Bergen den 19 September 1799 (titel op object), RP-P-1891-A-16626 (cropped).jpg|thumb|1799 illustration of the battle]]

The left-centre column, though opposed by the bulk of the Batavian army, under General Daendels, had overcome all opposition and taken possession of Oudkarspel, thus securing the direct line of advance on Alkmaar. Sir Ralph Abercromby had equally well accomplished his task by capturing the town of [[Hoorn]], on the coast of the Zuiderzee, and placing himself in a favourable position for completing the turning movement. However, in consequence of the partial failure on the right, it was considered necessary to recall all the troops and re-occupy the former position.

The strength of the column which attacked Bergen would have been more than sufficient if it had been employed correctly. This column was numerically superior to the opponent, but it moved in mass in an intersected country, did not cover its flanks, and its operations having, contrary to order, been commenced long before daylight, its fire was probably more destructive to itself than to the opponent. That the other columns were not too weak for their tasks is shown by their having taken and held, until recalled, the points against which they had been directed.

== Losses ==
{{more citations needed|date=July 2025}}
The losses on both sides were considerable:

'''British''': 6 officers, 2 sergeants, 109 rank-and-file killed; 43 officers, 20 sergeants, 2 drummers, 345 rank-and-file, wounded; 22 sergeants, 5 drummers, 463 rank-and-file, missing.<br>
'''Russians''': 1,741 non-commissioned officers, rank-and-file, and 44 officers, killed or captured; 1,225, including 49 officers, wounded; 12 guns taken.{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=57}}<br>
'''French''': 815 killed or wounded, 21 prisoners, 1 gun taken by the Russians.{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=57}}<br/>
'''Batavian''': 1,539 killed or wounded, 1,052 captured, 15 guns taken by the British.{{sfn|Milyutin|1853|p=57}}

== Aftermath ==
The newly appointed Russian Commander-in-Chief, [[Mikhail Kutuzov]], who was rushing from [[St. Petersburg]] to assume command of Russian forces, learned about the debacle at [[Hamburg]] and, deeming the campaign to be doomed, promptly returned to Russia.

The Republicans re-occupied all the positions from which they had been driven, and their general line of defence was now covered on the right by inundations, the only roads across which were covered by field works. The space between Alkmaar and the Zuiderzee was thus rendered defensible by small numbers, and Amsterdam was secured on the land side. The remainder of the army, which had been reinforced, was concentrated between the [[Langedijk]] and the sea, and the post of [[Oudkarspel]] was strengthened by additional works, and by inundations. [[Schoorldam]] and [[Koedijk]] were also fortified. The next major engagement took place [[Battle of Castricum|at Castricum]] on 6 October.

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{more citations needed|date=September 2012}}
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* The above text is an extract from an article compiled by the British Army's ''Intelligence branch of the Quartermaster-General's department'' in 1884.
* [[Digby Smith|Smith, Digby]]. ''The Napoleonic Wars Data Book.'' Greenhill, 1998.
* {{cite book|last1 = van Uythoven |first1 = Geert  |year= 2018 |title   = The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799 |series  = From reason to revolution 1721–1815 |volume   = 19 |publication-place    = [[Warwick]] |publisher  =  Helion and Company}}
* The above text is an extract from an article compiled by the British Army's ''Intelligence branch of the Quartermaster-General's department'' in 1884.
* {{Cite book |last=Milyutin |first=Dmitry |author-link=Dmitry Milyutin |url=https://runivers.ru/bookreader/book28683/#page/48/mode/1up |publisher=Типография штаба военно-учебных заведений |date=1853 |title=История войны России с Францией в царствование Императора Павла I в 1799 году |volume=5 |location=[[St. Petersburg]] |language=ru |trans-title=The history of Russia's war with France during the reign of Emperor Paul I in 1799 }}
* [http://wars175x.narod.ru/mp_brg01.html Flash-map of the Battle of Bergen-Binnen. 19 September 1799.] D. Milyutin. ''History of the War of 1799.'' SPb, 1857

* [https://www.napoleon-series.org/nafzigger/799JMC.pdf Russian Casualties Battle of Bergen 2 October 1799] by D. Milyutin. ''Geschichte des krieges Russlands mit Frankreich under der Regierung Kaiser Paul's I. im Jahr 1799.'' Munich, 1856. ''The Napoleon Series'' (1998). The Waterloo Association

==External links==
*{{commons-inline}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergen 1799}}
[[Category:1799 in the Batavian Republic]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1799]]
[[Category:History of North Holland]]
[[Category:Bergen, North Holland]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Batavian Republic]]
[[Category:Battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving Great Britain]]
[[Category:Battles of the War of the Second Coalition involving Russia]]