Putting on the Uniform: An archaeological investigation into the uniforms of Batavian soldiers found in the dunes of Noord-Holland (1795-1806)

In recent years, the remains of Napoleonic soldiers have been found with some regularity in the Dutch archaeological record. These range from large mass graves, such as Vianen and Den Bosch, where the remains of 60-80 individuals were found, to individual field graves. Surprisingly, the mass graves have produced little material culture. Interestingly, both mass graves can be connected to military hospitals, which explains why the dead were buried without any personal affects. In contrast, the dune region of Noord-Holland has brought forth about fifteen shallow field graves where the skeletal remains were accompanied with a large amount of artefacts. These graves were hastily dug nearby where the soldiers had died. The graves have been connected to the Anglo-Russian Invasion of 1799, which was part of the War of the Second Coalition. During which the British and Russian tried to invade the Batavian Republic, which had been founded in 1795 with the aid of Revolutionary France. However...Show moreIn recent years, the remains of Napoleonic soldiers have been found with some regularity in the Dutch archaeological record. These range from large mass graves, such as Vianen and Den Bosch, where the remains of 60-80 individuals were found, to individual field graves. Surprisingly, the mass graves have produced little material culture. Interestingly, both mass graves can be connected to military hospitals, which explains why the dead were buried without any personal affects. In contrast, the dune region of Noord-Holland has brought forth about fifteen shallow field graves where the skeletal remains were accompanied with a large amount of artefacts. These graves were hastily dug nearby where the soldiers had died. The graves have been connected to the Anglo-Russian Invasion of 1799, which was part of the War of the Second Coalition. During which the British and Russian tried to invade the Batavian Republic, which had been founded in 1795 with the aid of Revolutionary France. However, this assistance came at a cost, which meant that the Batavian Republic was actually a vassal state of France. However, while the soldiers of Noord-Holland were found with large amount of material culture, it has become clear that it is difficult to properly identify the soldiers, as very specific artefacts need to be preserved for the possibility of any identification. This includes buttons, dress accessories and insignia with the number of the military unit. In the case-studies, the cases of five Batavian soldiers found at sites Grote Kaap and Drooghe Weert are discussed. Multiple individuals were found with buttons with a ‘3’, which has previously been identified as belonging to Batavian soldiers of the 3rd Half Brigade. However, due to changes in uniform regulations, the number might also signify the number of the battalion instead, which makes the identification more complicated. Thus, a new methodology was created to help identify the remains of the Batavian soldiers (and Napoleonic soldiers in general), with specific focus on their nationality and military unit. The methodology combined uniformology and surviving uniforms from the collection of the Dutch National Military Museum, which were then compared with the historical sources of the Anglo-Russian Invasion of 1799. In summary, the combination of historical sources, uniformology, and surviving uniforms made it possible to make an accurate reconstruction of the circumstances surrounding the death of the Batavian soldiers. By using the Napoleonic collection of the Dutch National Military Museum as a reference, it was possible to identify the remains of several clothing items. This gave new ideas about the process of looting the dead as clear evidence was found, as several items were surprisingly missing. Furthermore, it revealed new insights on the mentality of Batavian soldiers surrounding death, burial and mortality.Show less

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Putting on the Uniform: An archaeological investigation into the uniforms of Batavian soldiers found in the dunes of Noord-Holland (1795-1806)