Neumark Land-Battalion I

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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.

The present battalion was established in August 1757 by Lieutenant-Colonel von Heiderstädt (from IR Brandenburg-Schwendt) in Bärwalde. It assembled for service at Frankfurt on the Oder, from men recruited in Soldin, Landsberg and Königsberg districts and comprised four musketeer companies. By October 5, it was at Soldin and counted 13 officers, 40 NCOs, 8 drummers and 492 privates.

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

• from August 1757: Lieutenant-Colonel von Heiderstädt

The battalion was disbanded after the Seven Years' War.

Service during the War

In 1758, the battalion was in action against the Russians, stopping a Russian force from setting fire to Frankfurt an der Oder.

In the Spring of 1759, the battalion joined the garrison at Küstrin and remained in this town until the end of the war.

Uniform

Uniform from 1757 to 1759

Privates

Uniform in 1757 - Source: Dal Gavan

Uniform Details as per Bleckwenn

Headgear	Personnel had to supply their own hats. It is expected that dark brown, dark grey and black felt tricorns predominated.
Neck stock	no information found
Coat	pale Grey, single breasted coat with six cloth-covered buttons Collar blue Shoulder Straps n/a Lapels none Pockets none Cuffs blue Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	Personnel supplied their own waistcoat, where they could
Breeches	Personnel supplied their own breeches. These would most likely be light coloured browns and greys.
Gaiters	Personnel who could afford to purchase their own gaiters would have used those. Personnel who could not would only wear hose.
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt one belt over the left shoulder for the cartridge box Waistbelt n/a Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard n/a Footgear Personnel supplied their own footwear.

NCOs

no information found

Officers

no information found

Musicians

no information found

Uniform from 1759

Privates

Uniform in 1759 - Source: Dal Gavan

Uniform Details as per Bleckwenn

Headgear	unlaced, black felt tricorne with coloured pompoms and corner bobs. Single pewter button on left front.
Neck stock	n/a
Coat	Prussian blue with 3 white metal buttons on the coat breast and 1 white button on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks Collar n/a Shoulder Straps n/a Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets piped red, each with 2 white buttons Cuffs black (in the Swedish pattern), each with 2 white buttons Turnbacks red fastened with a white button
Waistcoat	white with white buttons
Breeches	white
Gaiters	black (if supplied)
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt one belt over the left shoulder for the cartridge box (and maybe one narrower belt over the right shoulder for the haversack). Colour believed to be white, but may have been buff or natural leather. Waistbelt n/a Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard n/a Footgear black shoes

NCOs

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

• tricorne with a broad band of silver lace
• lapels edged with a broad band of silver lace

Officers

Officers wore the same uniforms as the men, but their hats were laced in silver, with silver pompoms and side-bobs. Their buttons were silver.

Musicians

no information found

Colours

Colours 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. 6 Leuthen, Berlin, 1904, Appendix 6

Acknowledgments

Dal Gavan and TheBaron for the initial version of this article