Effern Infantry
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Contents
Origin and History
The regiment was raised in 1690. It garrisoned Mannheim.
At the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, the regiment was not at full strength, totalling only some 1,000 men. It consisted of 2 battalions. Theoretically, each of these battalions should count 1 grenadier coys (100 men) and 5 musketeer coys (each of 140 musketeers). The regimental artillery consisted of one 4-pdr gun per battalion, served by 20 artillerymen detached from the Palatine Artillery.
During the Seven Years' War, the chef of the regiment was:
- since May 23 1755 until August 17 1769: Major-general Johann Wilhelm Count von Efferen (aka Effern)
During the Seven Years' War, the successive commanders of the regiment were:
- since 1757: Colonel von Hanxleden
- from 1758: von Bischpach
- from 1759 to 1763: von Hohenhausen
Service during the War
From 1757 to 1763, Kurpfalz supplied 2 regiments, including this one, to the Reichsarmee.
In 1757, the regiment was with the Reichsarmee operating in Thuringia and Saxony. In August, this army combined with a French contingent under the Prince de Soubise for the planned reconquest of Saxony. By August 5, the regiment counted 1,055 men fit for duty out of a book strength of 1,145 men. On November 5, this army was defeated by Frederick II at the Battle of Rossbach. Soubise rated the regiment as "mediocre".
By mid-August 1759, during the Austro-Imperial campaign in Saxony, the regiment was attached to Zweibrücken's Corps. On September 21, it probably took part in the Combat of Korbitz where it would have been deployed in Stolberg's Division. On November 20, the regiment reinforced Stolberg's Brigade after the Battle of Maxen.
In 1761, the regiment took part in the campaign in Saxony. It still counted 2 battalions and 2 grenadier companies. In June the regiment comprised 678 men, in December 597.
To do: more details on the campaigns from 1760 to 1762
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
| Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | blue coat with 3 brass buttons under the lapels and 1 in the small of the back
N.B.: during summer, a linen smock was worn instead of the coat
| ||||||||||||
| Waistcoat | white with 15 brass buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | white | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | black with 22 brass buttons | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Privates were armed with a musket, a bayonet and a curved sword.
NCOs
no information available yet
Officers
The officers wore the same uniform with the following exceptions:
- scalloped tricorne with a black cockade and no pompoms
- gold gorget (since 1755)
- gold buttons and laces
- white and blue striped sash (silver and blue for staff officers)
- white and blue sword frog (silver and blue for staff officers)
- buff gloves
- black cane
Grenadier officers used a musket instead of a spontoon. Therefore, they wore a little cartouche (laced gold with a golden front plate) at the waistbelt.
Musicians
no information available yet
Colours
Colours before 1760
Colonel flag (Leibfahne): white field bordered with white and blue flames; centre device consisting of an image of the Madonna of Dorfen standing on a snake, surmounted by a white scroll carrying the motto “Sub Tuum Praesidium Virgo Gloriosa”; each corner monogram consisting of the yellow cypher of Karl IV Theodor surrounded by a wreath.
Regimental flags (Kompaniefahnen): blue field; centre device consisting of the yellow cypher of Karl IV Theodor surmounted by a red and gold Electoral cap; each corner monogram consisting of the yellow cypher of Karl IV Theodor surrounded by laurel branches bound with a red ribbon.
Colours from 1760
Each battalion carried 2 colours.
Colonel flag (Leibfahne): white field bordered with white and blue flames; centre device consisting of an image of the Madonna of Dorfen standing on a snake, surmounted by a white scroll carrying the motto “Sub Tuum Praesidium Virgo Gloriosa”; each corner monogram consisting of the yellow cypher of Karl IV Theodor surrounded by a wreath.
Regimental flags (Kompaniefahnen): blue or yellow field bordered with blue and white squares in a checker pattern; centre device consisting of the Electoral arms on a shield resting on clouds and flanked by a lion passant holding a sword and by a cannon and a flag; each corner monogram consisting of the yellow cypher of Karl IV Theodor surrounded by laurel branches bound with a red ribbon.
References
Becher, Johann Christian: Wahrhaftige Nachricht derer Begebenheiten, so sich in dem Herzogthum Weimar by dem gewaltigen Kriege Friedrichs II., Königs von Preußen, mit der Königin von Ungarn, Marien Theresen, samt ihren Bundesgenossen zugetragen, Weimar, ca. 1757-1760
- Original (Stiftung Weimarer Klassik - Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek Weimar)
- Copy (Bibliothèque nationale de France, De Ridder collection)
Bezel, Oskar: Geschichte des Kurpfälzischen Heeres ..., Bayrisches Kriegsarchiv, München, 1925
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 7 Olmütz und Crefeld, Berlin, 1909, Appendix 2
Kessel, E.: Das Ende des Siebenjährigen Krieges 1760-1763, Hrgb. von T. Linder, Anhang 41, p. 553, Padeborn – München – Wien – Zürich 2007
Pengel, R.D. And G. R. Hurt: Bavaria, Saxony & the Palatinate Supplement: Uniforms and Flags of the Senen Years War, Hopewell: On Military Matters, 1981
Rogge, Christian: The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Acknowledgments
rf-figuren for the initial version of this article.
