Neumark Land-Battalion I
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Contents
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
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
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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 |
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NCOs
no information found
Officers
no information found
Musicians
no information found
Uniform from 1759
Privates
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
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Waistcoat | white with white buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | white | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | black (if supplied) | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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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