Sachsen-Gotha Infantry
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Contents
Origin and History
This regiment was raised in the Austrian Netherlands in 1725 from contributions of the Walloon infantry regiments Maldeghem, Lannoy and Julius Marquis de Pancarlier. The new regiment was given to Johann Anton Marquis de Prié-Turinetti. In 1753, he ceded the regiment to Wilhelm Prince von Sachsen-Gotha.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, the regiment took part in the campaigns in Flanders and, on June 27 1743, fought in the battle of Dettingen.
As per the Etat nouveau des Troupes de sa Majesté Impériale Royale comme elles se trouvent effectivement l'an 1759 and Etat général des Troupes qui servent sa Majesté Impériale et Royale Apostolique sur pié en 1760, the regiment counted 4 battalions (2 grenadier coys and 16 fusilier coys) for a total of 2,300 men. This was the administrative organisation of the regiment. However, the tactical organisation differed: 2 field fusilier battalions, each of 6 companies; 2 grenadier companies (usually converged with grenadiers from other battalions into an ad hoc unit); and 1 garrison battalion of 4 companies (see Austrian Line Infantry Organisation for more details).
During the Seven Years' War, the chef of the regiment was:
- since 1753 to 1771: Wilhelm Prince zu Sachsen-Gotha
During the Seven Years' War, its colonel-commanders were:
- from ???: Colonel von Langlois
- from at least 1759: Colonel de Navarra
Regimental numbers were introduced only in 1769 when this regiment was designated as "I.R. 30".
Service during the War
In 1757, the regiment contributed its 3rd Battalion (garrison battalion) to the Austrian Contingent sent to the assistance of the French Army during the invasion of Hanover. The four battalions strong Austrian Contingent assembled at Ruremonde. At the beginning of April, the Prince de Soubise ordered the Austrian Contingent to move into the Cleve and Gueldre Duchies and occupy them. On April 6, 3 battalions of the Austrian Contingent, under the Comte de Dombasle, entered into Cleve. In June, the 3rd battalion was in the camp of Bielefeld with the French Lower Rhine Army under the [[Estrées, Louis Charles César Le Tellier, Comte d'|Comte d'Estrées. On July 26, the 3rd battalion was at the battle of Hastenbeck where it was part of the right wing under d'Armentières. After the victory, the 3rd battalion encamped at Grosselsen near Hameln with the main body of the French Lower Rhine Army from July 31 to August 2. At the end of the year, this 3rd battalion took its winter quarters in the first line of the French Army at Duderstadt.
Meanwhile, on June 18 1757, another battalion of the regiment took part in the battle of Kolin. It was part of Müffling’s brigade in the corps of Count Colloredo held in reserve behind the centre. On September 7, when General Nádasdy attacked the isolated corps of Winterfeldt during the combat of Moys, this same battalion was deployed in the third line of the infantry left division under the command of Lieutenant-general Clerici. On November 22, one battalion of the regiment took part in the battle of Breslau where it was part of the Reserve Corps in Baron Wolff's brigade. On December 5 at the battle of Leuthen, one battalion of the regiment was deployed in the first line of the far right Reserve under Major-general von Luzinsky.
In April 1758, when the Comte de Clermont redeployed the French army along the Rhine, the third battalion remained in Wesel. A few days later, this battalion was recalled to reinforce the Austrian army in Bohemia. On October 10, two battalions of the regiment took part in the battle of Hochkirch where they were deployed in the left column (under Duke d'Ursel) of Arenberg's corps on the Austrian right wing to the east of Rodewitz.
In July 1760, a detachment of the regiment formed part of the garrison of Dresden and took part in the defence of Dresden.
To do: more details on the campaigns from 1759 to 1762
Uniform
Privates
 Uniform in 1757 - Source: Kronoskaf |
 Uniform in 1762 - Source: Kronoskaf |
| Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
| Neckstock | one red and one black (for parades the regimental commanders agreed before on the colour of the neckstocks) | ||||||||||||
| Coat | white lined ultramarine (lined white in 1762) with 3 yellow buttons under the right lapel and 1 yellow button in the small of the back on each side
| ||||||||||||
| Waistcoat | ultramarine (white in 1762) with 2 rows of yellow buttons and with horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | ultramarine (white in 1762) | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | one pair of black (for winter) and one pair of white gaiters (for summer and parade) | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Troopers were armed with a musket (Model 1745 for fusiliers, Model 1754 for grenadiers). Grenadiers carried a sabre and a bayonet while fusiliers carried only a bayonet.
Other interpretation
Muhsfeldt mention red as the distinctive colour in 1757. Furthermore, he mentions that the uniform was white lined red with red cuffs and that the waistcoat was red...
NCOs
no information found yet
Officers
The officers wore the same uniform as the privates with the following exceptions:
- tricorne laced gold with white plumes, a white and green cockade
- black neckstock
- a golden aiguillette on the left shoulder
- no turnbacks
- yellow and black silk sash around the waist
- red sash across the right shoulder (worn under the coat)
Senior officers carried sticks identifying their rank:
- lieutenant: bamboo stick without knob
- captain: long rush stick with a bone knob
- major: long rush stick with a silver knob and a small silver chain
- lieutenant-colonel: long rush stick with a larger silver knob without chain
- colonel: long rush stick with a golden knob
Sergeants carried a halberd and a wooden stick.
Corporals carried a halberd.
Musicians
Until 1760, despite the new regulation of 1755, musicians wore a reversed colour uniform:
- ultramarine coat with white distinctives
- white swallow nests edged yellow
- white cuffs edged yellow
From 1760, they wore uniforms identical to those of the privates with swallow nests on the shoulders.
The drum had a brass barrel decorated with black flames at the bottom and with a black double headed Eagle on a yellow field. Rims were decorated with red and white diagonal stripes. The bandolier was white.
Colours
All German infantry regiments carried identical colours: a white Leibfahne (colonel) and yellow Regimentsfahne. The hand painted colours were made of silk and measured Size 178 cm x 127 cm. The 260 cm long flagpoles had golden finial and were decorated with black and yellow spirals of cloth.
The colonel colour was carried by the first battalion.
Colonel flag (Leibfahne):
- field: white
- border: alternating white and yellow outer waved triangles pointing inwards, red and black inner waved triangles pointing outwards
- obverse (right): the Immaculate Mother of God (which had been declared the patroness of the army by kaiser Ferdinand III) on a cloud, crushing a snake under her foot and surrounded by rays
- reverse (left): crowned and armed Imperial double-eagle with the "Lothringen-Toscanian" arms on a shield and the initials of the Emperor CF (Corregens Franciscus) on the left wing and IM (Imperator Magnus) on the right
Regimental flags (Regimentsfahne):
- field: yellow
- border: alternating white and yellow outer waved triangles pointing inwards, red and black inner waved triangles pointing outwards
- obverse (right): crowned and armed Imperial double-eagle with the "Lothringen-Toscanian" arms on a shield and the initials of the Emperor CF (Corregens Franciscus) on the left wing and IM (Imperator Magnus) on the right
- reverse (left): unarmed and crowned Imperial double-eagle with the arms of Hungaria and Bohemia on a shield and the initials M on the left wing and T on the right
In fact, the situation on the field was slightly more complex than this, since colours were usually replaced only when worn out. It is fairly possible that some regiment who had been issued colours of the 1743 pattern were still carrying them at the beginning of the Seven Years' War. For more details, see Austrian Line Infantry Colours.
References
This article contains texts from the following sources, which are now in the public domain:
- Seyfart, Kurzgefaßte Geschichte aller kaiserlich-königlichen Regimenter zu Pferde und zu Fuß, Frankfurth and Leipzig, 1762, p. 33
Other sources
Accurate Vorstellung der sämtlichen KAYSERLICH KOENIGLICHEN ARMEEN zur eigentlichen Kentnis der UNIFORM von jedem Regimente. Nebst beygefügter Geschichte, worinne von der Stiftung, denen Chefs, der Staercke, und den wichtigsten Thaten jedes Regiments Nachricht gegeben wird., Nürnberg auf Kosten der Raspischen Buchhandlung. Ao. 1762
Bilderhandschrift Delacre: Militair Etat der Ganzen Kayl., Königl. Armee Wienn 1757
Bleckwenn, Hans; Die Regimenter der Kaiserin, Gedanken zur "Albertina Handschrift" 1762 des Heeresgeschichtlichen Museums Wien, Köln: 1967
Dihm, Dr. Hermann; Oesterreichische Standarten und Fahnen zur Zeit des 7 jährigen Krieges, Die Zinnfigur, Klio
Donath, Rudolf; Die Kaiserliche und Kaiserlich-Königliche Österreichische Armee 1618-1918, 2. Aufl., Simbach/Inn 1979
Etat nouveau des Troupes de sa Majesté Impériale Royale comme elles se trouvent effectivement l'an 1759
Etat général des Troupes qui servent sa Majesté Impériale et Royale Apostolique sur pié en 1760
Friese, Ulf-Joachim, Quellen zur Uniformierung der österreichisch-ungarischen Armee 1740-1763
Funcken, Liliane and Fred , Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
Hausmann, Friedrich, Die Feldzeichen der Truppen Maria Theresias, Schriften des Heeresgeschichtlichen Museums, vol. 3, Vienna: 1967
Knötel, Herbert d.J.; Brauer, Hans M.: Heer und Tradition / Heeres-Uniformbogen (so-called “Brauer-Bogen”), Berlin 1926-1962, Österreich-Ungarn – 1756-63
Kornauth, Friedrich, Das Heer Maria Theresias: Faksimile-Ausgabe der Albertina-Handschrift, "Dessins des Uniformes des Troupes I.I. et R.R. de l'année 1762", Wien: 1973
Muhsfeldt, Th.; Abzeichenfarben der K. und K. Regimenter zu Fuss im Jahre 1757 und früher, in Mitteilungen zur Geschichte des militärischen Tracht, No. 12, 1904
Schirmer, Friedrich, Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, hrsg. von der KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, überarb. u. aktual. Neuauflage 1989
Rogge, Christian; The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Service historique de l'armée de terre - Archives du génie, article 15, section 1, §5, pièce 23.
Seidel, Paul; Nochmals österreichische Standarten und Fahnen zur Zeit des 7 jährigen Krieges, Die Zinnfigur, Clio
Thümmler, L.-H., Die Österreichiches Armee im Siebenjährigen Krieg: Die Bautzener Bilderhandschrift aus dem Jahre 1762, Berlin 1993
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
Acknowledgments
User:Zahn for gathering most of the information about this regiment
