Alt Zastrow Infantry
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Origin and History
This regiment shares the same origins as Scheither Infantry. These two regiments initially formed the two battalions of the Zellische Leib-Regiment and shared the same regimental history until 1692.
It is only in 1692, during the Nine Years' War (1688–97), that the two battalions were separated to form two distinct regiments. The present regiment was then sent to Brabant where it took part in the Battle of Steenkerque. In 1693, it served in the lines of Flanders under the Prince of Württemberg. In 1695, it took part in the siege and capture of Namur. It then returned to Hanover.
In 1700, a dispute arose between Denmark and Holstein-Gottorp. The king of Denmark seized Gottorp, Schleswig, Friedrichsburg and besieged the Fortress of Tönning. Duke Georg Wilhelm came to the rescue of Holstein-Gottorp with his army.
In 1702, during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–13), the regiment was in Dutch pay and took part in the storming of the Citadel of Liège. In 1703, it joined the army of the Hereditary Prince of Hessen on the Rhine just after the Combat of Speyerbach. In 1704, it fought in the Battle of the Schellenberg where it suffered heavy losses. In 1705, it took part in the siege of Sytloh (?); in 1706, in the Battle of Ramillies and in the capture of Menin and Ath; in 1708, in the Battle of Oudenarde and in the Engagement of Wijnendale; in 1709, in the siege of Mons; and in 1710, in the capture of Béthune.
In 1714, the regiment returned to Hanover but was soon redirected towards Pomerania as part of a contingent of 6,000 men for the capture of Wismar where it remained until 1718.
In 1718, the regiment garrisoned Stade.
In 1719, the regiment went to Mecklenburg as part of an Imperial Contingent. It took part in the actions at Wallsmühlen before returning to Hanover.
In 1733, the regiment was once more sent to Mecklenburg but it soon returned to Hanover.
In 1738, the regiment took part in the capture of Steinhorst.
In 1741, at the outbreak of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48), the regiment joined the Observation Corps at Nienburg. In 1742, it campaigned in Brabant. In 1743, it joined the Army of the Main near Frankfurt and took part in the Battle of Dettingen and in the demolition of the Lines of Landau. In 1744, the regiment was posted at Lille. In 1745, it fought in the Battle of Fontenoy where it suffered heavy losses. In 1746, it took part in the Battle of Rocoux; in 1747, in the Battle of Lauffeld.
In 1749, the regiment took post at Ratzeburg. In 1755, it was transferred to garrison Stade.
During the Seven Years War the regimental inhabers were:
- from 1737: Colonel Ludewig von Zastrow (designated as Alt-Zastrow from 1756 to 1761)
- from 1761 to 1768: Colonel Christian von Otten
Service during the War
In June 1759, the regiment was part of the main Allied army under the command of the Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick. On July 27 in the afternoon, the Hereditary Prince set off from Petershagen, near Minden, with 6 bns, including this regiment, and 8 dragoon sqns, totalling some 6,000 men, and marched south-westward towards Lübbecke to threaten the French left flank and the supply line between Minden and Paderborn. On August 1, the regiment was part of the centre of the corps of the Hereditary Prince who attacked and defeated Brissac's French corps in the Engagement of Gohfeld. During this engagement, the regiment repulsed the French cavalry. The regiment later took part in the siege and blockade of Münster which surrendered on November 22. On November 27, the regiment joined the expedition against Elberfeld. From there, it marched on Kassel by Eschwege and Wanfried. On December 15, it effected a junction with the corps of the Hereditary Prince. This corps then marched by Erfurt, Altenburg and Chemnitz to Freyberg to make a junction with the Prussian army of Frederick II on December 27.
In February 1760, the regiment marched back to rejoin the Allied army. On July 10 1760, it was present at the Combat of Corbach where it formed part of Lieutenant-General von Gilsa's Reserve. It was not engaged in any fighting. On September 19, the regiment joined the force destined to the siege of Wesel. On October, it drove back a sortie of the French garrison of Wesel. On October 13, it formed part of the corps of the Hereditary Prince who marched towards the Rhine between Wesel and Xanten. On October 16, it was at the Battle of Clostercamp but was attached to the containing force, under Major-General von Bock, posted north of Rheinberg.
In March 1761, the regiment took part in the unsuccessful siege of Kassel. On July 16, the regiment took part in the Battle of Vellinghausen where it was attached to the reserve.
By May 23, 1762, the regiment was attached to the main Allied army in Major-General von Bock's Brigade. On June 24, the regiment took part in the Battle of Wilhelmsthal. In October, it took part in the siege and capture of Kassel. In November, it occupied Hanau.
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neck stock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | red with 2 brass buttons and 2 yellow buttonholes under the lapels (hidden by the sleeve in our plate)
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| Waistcoat | white with 2 horizontal pockets, each with 3 brass buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | straw yellow | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | white | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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During the war, Hanoverian uniforms were gradually simplified.
Troopers were armed with a musket and a sword (brass hilt) and carried a dark brown haversack with a metal canteen on the left hip.
Officers
Officers had gold lace lining the cuffs and lapels, a black cockade hat, a gold gorget with the arms of Hanover in the centre and carried a yellow sash slung over the right shoulder. Sergeants wore straw gloves. Partizans were carried.
Musicians
Drummers wore a red coat with swallows nest and lace in yellow.
The drum pattern had hoops in alternating white and red diagonal stripes, white drum cords over a brass drum with the Arms of Hanover in the centre.
Colours
Colonel Colour: white field bearing the arms of Hanover (common to all Hanoverian infantry regiments).
Regimental Colours: red field with a lion couchant on a mound surrounded by pale green palm wreaths, bounded together by a ribbon. Scroll above reads VIGILANTIA VINCIT. Hereafter, we present an illustration from the Reitzenstein Sammlung, dating from circa 1761 (left) and our own interpretation (right).
 Regimental Colour - Source: Interpretation of the Reitzenstein Sammlung (circa 1761) |
References
This article incorporates texts from the following books which are now in the public domain:
- Wissel, Friedrich v. and Georg von Wissel: Geschichte der Errichtung sämmtlicher Chur-Braunschweig-Lüneburgischen Truppen, sammt ihren Fahnen, Standarten und Pauken-Devisen ...], Zelle, 1786, pp. 354-366
Other sources
Biles, Bill: The Hanoverian Army in the 18th Century, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. VI No. 3
Gmundener Prachtwerk, circa 1761
Knötel, and Hans M. Brauer: Heer und Tradition
Pengel & Hurt: German States in the Seven Years War 1740 to 1762, Imperial Press
Reitzenstein Sammlung, Bomann Museum, Celle
Vial J. L.: Nec Pluribus Impar
