Neumark Kammer Hussars
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Origin and History
In June or July of 1757 the Chamber President of Neumark, von Rothenburg, personally requested Berlin for permission to recruit a militia force for the defence of the province. On August 10 1757 permission was granted to raise the units, which were to come under supervision of Department 6 of the General Directory.
One squadron was raised in Cüstrin in August 1757, from the local peasantry. It comprised:
- 1 Rittmeister
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 cornet
- 1 Wachtmeister
- 6 NCOs
- 1 trumpeter
- 100 troopers
- 1 ensign
On September 10, 1757, Captain Carl Ludwig von Maltitz assumed command of the unit.
In November 1759, Maltitz was succeeded by Captain Georg Sigmund Schmidt, who had served as a sergeant in Markgraf Carl Infantry, then as a lieutenant in the Land-Battalion Nr. I von Heiderstädt. The squadron comprised 3 officers, 7 non-commissioned officers, a trumpeter and 100 hussars.
In Spring 1762, the squadron was absorbed by the battalion of Land-Hussars von Hohendorff and deployed in Silesia.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:
- since August 1757: Captain Carl Ludwig von Maltitz
- from December 1759: Captain Georg Sigmund Schmidt
Service during the War
In July 1758, the squadron was stationed at Driesen on the Netze to defend against the Russians, along with Frei-Infanterie von Hordt, a detachment of the von Reusch Hussars (including 41 Bosniaks), and the Land-Battalion Nr. II de Rège.
In Spring 1762, the squadron was absorbed by the battalion of Land-Hussars von Hohendorff and deployed in Silesia.
Uniform
Privates
Source: Dal Gavan from a template of Not By Appointment
| Headgear | a black mirliton with a black wing and with white cords, knots and tassels | ||||||||
| Pelisse | ultramarine with seams piped with white thread and terminated with "Hungarian knots"
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| Dolman | white with 12 rows of blue cords with white metal buttons
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| Trousers | buff with ultramarine Schalavary (overtrousers) edged white | ||||||||
| Barrel Sash | red cords with white barrels | ||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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| Horse Furniture |
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Troopers were armed with a musket.
Officers
Officers had silver cords and lace to both the pelisse and dolman, with the pelisse cords extended at the end of each cord to form a zig-zag border. Silver "Hungarian knots" in silver lace on the pelisse cuffs. Pocket on the pelisse outlined with white fur and silver lace. Silver and black sash.
NCOs
NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the troopers with the following distinctions:
- silver lace on cuffs of both dolman and pelisse
- black and white cords on mirliton
Musicians
Trumpeters had blue swallow nests on the shoulder of the pelisse, laced in blue and white. Mixed blue and white cords on pelisse and dolman. Cuffs and collar of dolman piped with mixed blue and white cord.
Guidons
Guidons were not carried by militia units.
References
Bleckwenn, Hans: Die friderzianischen Uniformen 1753-1786, Osnabrück 1984
Cremer, Peter: Die Preussischen Landregimenter & - milizen, die Stettiner Haff-Flotille und das Verpflegungswesen der Armee 1756-1763, KLIO-Arbeitsgruppe 7jähriger Krieg, Friderzianische Epoche, Manuskript, o.J.
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II, Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763
- Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin, 1901, Appendix 1
- Vol. 6 Leuthen, Berlin, 1904, Appendix 6
Acknowledgments
Dal Gavan and TheBaron for the initial version of this article
