Blanckensee Fusiliers

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Origin and History

On October 15 1756, when the Saxon Army surrendered to Frederick II near Pirna, the Saxon infantry was forcefully incorporated into the Prussian Army, former Saxon Garde zu Fuss thus becoming Infanterie-Regiment (Nr. 52) Blanckensee established in Magdeburg.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:

• since October 15 1756: B. S. von Blanckensee
• from February 27 1757 till July 26 1757: Major-General J. F. von von Oldenburg

The regiment was disbanded on July 26 1757.

Service during the War

During the winter of 1756 and 1757, the regiment had a very high desertion rate.

For the campaign of 1757, the regiment accompanied Frederick's Army in its invasion of Bohemia. On July 26 at Pirna, Frederick disbanded this Saxon regiment and distributed the remaining men among his other regiments.

N.B.: the grenadiers from the wing grenadier companies were put together with the grenadiers of Hauss Fusiliers, forming the S-52/S-55 Kahlenberg Grenadier Battalion (please refer to this article for the details of the service of the grenadiers during the war).

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1756 - Source: Dal

Uniform Details

Headgear	Fusilier black tricorne laced white with a red pompom and red tassels and a small white button Grenadier 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
Neckstock	black
Coat	Prussian blue lined red, 6 white buttons grouped 2 by 2 on the chest and 3 white buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks Collar none Shoulder Straps n/a Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets edged in red, each with 3 white buttons Cuffs straw (in the Swedish pattern) with 2 white buttons Turnbacks red, each fastened with a small white button
Waistcoat	straw
Breeches	straw
Gaiters	black
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt white Waistbelt white Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard brown Scabbard brown Footgear black shoes

Privates were armed with a short musket, a bayonet and a sabre with a curved blade.

NCOs

NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:

• black tricorne laced silver with black and white quartered pompom and black within white tassels
• no shoulder straps
• silver laced cuffs
• yellowish leather gloves
• black and white sabre tassel

NCOs were armed with a sabre and a half-pikes measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.37 m.) in the fusilier companies and 13 Rhenish feet (4.10 m.) in the grenadier companies (carried by the 3 most senior NCOs while other grenadier NCOs were armed with rifled muskets since 1744).

NCOs also carried canes (normally attached to a button at the top of the right front while carrying the half-pike).

Officers

Officers wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following differences:

• black tricorne laced with a wide silver braid with a black cockade fastened with a silver clip; black within silver tassels
• no shoulder strap
• no turnbacks

Officers carried spontoons measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.36 m.).

Musicians

n/a

Colours

Colonel Colour (Leibfahne): White field with dark crimson corner wedges. Centre device consisting of a dark blue medallion surrounded by a golden laurel wreath and surmounted by a gold crown. The medallion is decorated with a black eagle surmounted by a white scroll bearing the golden motto "Pro Gloria et Patria". Corner monograms (crowns, laurel wreaths, ciphers) and grenades in gold.

Regimental Colours (Kompaniefahnen): dark blue field with dark crimson corner wedges. Centre device consisting of a white medallion surrounded by a golden laurel wreath and surmounted by a gold crown. The medallion is decorated with a black eagle surmounted by a dark blue scroll bearing the golden motto "Pro Gloria et Patria". Corner monograms (crowns, laurel wreaths, ciphers) and grenades in gold.

Colonel Colour - Source: rf-figuren from elements by Hannoverdidi

Regimental Colour - Source: rf-figuren from elements by Hannoverdidi

References

Gavan, Dal: Colours of the Saxon regiments in the Prussian service

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

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.