Moldavskiy Hussars

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Origin and History

During the war against Turkey, from 1736 to 1739, many Moldavians and Wallachians entered Russian service and settled in the southern regions of Russia. Additional recruits joined their ranks, after deserting from the Turkish service, when the Russian army invaded Wallachia.

At the beginning of the war with Sweden, on October 14 1741, the unit was transformed into a regular hussar regiment known as Moldávskiy Hussarskiy (Moldavian Hussar). In theory, it then counted 10 companies for a total of about 1,000 men. However, until July 1759, most Russian hussar regiments counted only 6 squadrons. Tielke specifically mentioned this regiment as counting 600 men during this period.

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

• in 1760: Colonel Podgorichani

Service during the War

In 1756, at the outbreak of the war, the regiment was stationed at Belgorod and Pskov. During the winter of 1756-57, the regiment joined the Russian field army.

In 1757, the regiment took part in the campaign in East Prussia under General-in-Chief Count Apraxin. On August 30, at the Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf, it was part of the vanguard and belonged to Dolgoruki's Brigade. When the Russian army deployed, it was placed in the second line of the left wing.

In January 1758, the regiment took part in the Russian invasion of East Prussia. On July 31, during the invasion of Brandenburg, the regiment along with 3 pulks of Cossacks was sent to General Braun to be used at outposts on the frontiers of Brandenburg and Silesia. On August 25, the regiment fought in the Battle of Zorndorf where it was part of the second line of the cavalry left wing. Around mid-November, the regiment took up its winter-quarters in Liebstadt (present-day Milakowo) as part of Rumyantsev's 3rd Division.

At the beginning of October 1760, during the campaign in Brandenburg, the regiment formed part of Totleben's Corps who captured Berlin.

At the beginning of 1761, the regiment was attached to Tottleben's Corps during its campaign in Pomerania. After a fight against Werner's Corps near Konitz (present-day Chojnice), it took up its winter-quarters.

To do: more details on the campaign of 1762

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1757
Source: David at Not By Appointment

Uniform Details

Headgear	black kolback with a red bag and red cords, knots and tassels
Neck stock	black
Pelisse	blue Fur trim black Lace 8 red braids Buttons brass
Dolman	red with 8 blue braids and brass buttons Collar red edged blue Cuffs red edged with a blue chevron
Breeches	red decorated with intricate blue loops
Cloak	unknown colour
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt black leather Waist-sash black and red barrel sash Scabbard black leather with iron fittings Boots black Hungarian boots
Horse Furniture	Saddlecloth blue with yellow wolf tooth edging Sabretache blue, wearing a red “EP” monogram and bordered with a red lace

Troopers were armed with a short, curved sabre and two pistols (no carbine). Zweguintzov mentions that Russian hussars also carried a carbine.

Officers

Officers wore uniforms identical to those of the troopers with the following differences:

• gold cords and lace
• yellow Hungarian boots
• pelisse trimmed with grey fur

NCOs

NCOs wore uniforms identical to those of the troopers with the following differences:

• gold cords, knots and tassels on the kolback
• gold lace
• a golden braid on the border of the collar
• golden braids on the sleeve (2 for the vakhmistr, 1 for quartermaster)

Musicians

There was 1 kettle-drummer for the regiment and 1 trumpeter for each of the 10 companies. They wore uniforms identical to those of the troopers with the following differences:

• small wings on the shoulders
• braids of an unknown colour

Trumpets and kettle drums were made of copper and decorated with red (maybe blue) lace and cords.

Colours

Russian hussar regiments carried no standards during the Seven Years' War.

References

Gromoboy, Vlad: The Russian Pandours - Pandour Hussars (1741-61), Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. XII No. 1

• Großer Generalstab, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher). Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen. Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. Vol. 4 Groß-Jägersdorf und Breslau, Berlin 1902
  • chapter A: Das Kaiserlich Russiche Heer, page 1-46
  • appendix: supplement 1, Das Kaiserlich Russiche Heer, page 3-18

Karpiński, Tomasz: Kampania 1761 r. na Pomorzu Zachodnim, manuscript

Konstam A. & Younghusband B.: Russian Army of the Seven Years War, Osprey, London, 1996

Maslowskij, D.: Russkaia armija, vol. 3, p. 43

Schirmer, Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, hrsg. von der KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, überarb. u. aktual. Neuauflage 1989

Tielke, J. G.: An Account of some of the most Remarkable Events of the War between the Prussians, Austrians and Russians from 1756 to 1763, Vol. 2, Walter, London, 1788

Vial, J. L.: Nec Pluribus Impar

Zweguintzov: L'Armee Russe, 1973

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