52/55 Kahlenberg Grenadiers
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Origin and History
In October 1756, after the Prussian invasion of Saxony and the surrender of the Saxon Army at Pirna, Frederick II forcibly incorporated the Saxon regiments into his army. Each Saxon infantry regiment remained intact but received new uniforms and new commanders, and was designated as a fusilier regiment. In the spring of 1757, the grenadier companies of these fusilier regiments were converged into elite battalions. Thus the grenadiers from Blanckensee Fusiliers (2 coys) and Hauss Fusiliers (2 coys) were converged into the Grenadier Battalion S-52/S-55 counting four companies.
During its short existence, the battalion was commanded by:
- since February 11 1757: Major von Kahlenberg
On August 1 1757, at the camp of Bautzen, Frederick disbanded this Saxon battalion and the remaining 200 men were distributed among his other regiments.
Service during the War
This converged grenadier battalion first assembled at the end of March 1757. For the campaign of 1757, the battalion accompanied Frederick's Army in its invasion of Bohemia. In the night of July 20 to 21, near Schönlinde in Bohemia, the largest part of the regiment deserted. On August 1, at the camp of Bautzen, Frederick disbanded this Saxon battalion and the remaining 200 men were distributed among his other regiments.
Uniform
The grenadiers wore the uniform of their respective regiments. For details about these uniforms, please refer to the articles related to regiments Blanckensee Fusiliers and Hauss Fusiliers.
N.B.: For NCOs of the grenadier companies, the long pike (4,10 m long) was introduced in 1756 just before the war. This long pike was not very popular and was often shortened. At the beginning of the Seven Years' War and throughout the conflict, NCOs carried a mixture of M1713 (2,37 m long), M1755 (3 m long) and M1756 (4,10 m long) pikes.
Mitre Caps
Blanckensee Fusiliers: mitre with polished brass front plate (even though the regiment had white as metal colour); straw headband with a red braid and polished brass ornaments, straw backing with a similar braid, red pompom
Hauss Fusiliers: mitre with polished brass front plate; white headband with a celadon green braid and brass ornaments, white backing with a similar braid, celadon green pompom
Colours
The converged grenadier battalions did not carry any colour.
References
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin, 1901, p. 125, App. 2
