Serbelloni Cuirassiers
From Project SYW
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Origin and History
Colonel Christoph Wilhelm von Harrant, baron von Palschütz und Weseritz, who had distinguished himself by his circumspection and courage in the previous war, was allowed by emperor Leopold I to raise a new regiment of cuirassiers in 1672. The warrant issued on December 2 1672 ordered the raising of this regiment in the Holy Roman Empire and specified that it should count 10 companies well equipped with horses, pistols and carbines.
Recruitment continued in the vicinities of Eger until July 1673 when the regiment reached full strength. It was then assigned to the army of count Montecucoli. On August 16, it took his quarters with this army. It was part of the left wing under duke von Lothringen. By this time, the regiment counted 887 men. It was under the command of colonel von Harrant assisted by lieutenant-colonel count von Kuefstein and major count von Ilmen. Its other companies were under the following Rittmeister count Sternberg, Convost, von Venningen, baron Besra, von Angern, von Büngen and baron Kaltschmid. During the same year (1673), the regiment took part to the battle of Senef. During the five following campaigns, it served on the Rhine. After the peace of Nijmegen (1678), it took its quartiers in Bohemia.
In 1683, the regiment left Bohemia to join the Reichsarmee assembling under duke Karl von Lothringen to relieve Vienna besieged by the Turks. The Austrian army of Karl von Lothringen made its junction with Sobieski's army. The combined armies defeated the Turks on September 12. During the campaign of 1684, the regiment was deployed on the left flank of the army and participated to the siege of Ofen. In 1685, it took part to the battle of Gratz. In 1686, the regiment was part of count Scherferberg's corps sent to the Siebenbürgen country where it fought an enemy's corps under Gyulaffi and advanced on Hermannstadt. During this advance, the regiment was suddenly ordered to join once more the main army under duke von Lothringen who was besieging Ofen a second time. In 1687, the regiment was assigned to the army of the duke of Lothringen operating in Lower-Hungary. It took part to the battle of Mohacz where it was among the foremost units leading the counter-attack. During this battle, one company was deployed in the first line of the right wing, four companies in the second line of the same wing and the rest of the regiment in the centre. Later during the same campaign, major count Rödern was seriously wounded in a small skirmish.In 1688, the regiment was assigned to prince Ludwig von Baden's corps ordered to operate on the Sava River. During this campaign, it took part to the victorious combat of Brod. The regiment, who had taken its previous winter-quartiers in Bistritz in Siebenbürgen, took its winter-quartiers in Possega in Slavonia. In March 1689, count Marzini, one of the Rittmeister of the regiment, was sent against Brod with 300 horse. This courageous officer was supposed to attack the Turkish garrison of the town of Tessen. His party annihilated the garrison, set the fortress afire and liberated more than 3,000 Christians from slavery. Meanwhile, lieutenant-colonel Cavriany had undertaken a raid against Banyaluka with 200 horse. On July 4, the regiment had joined the main army of the prince of Baden in the area of Hassan, Bassa and Pallanka. On September 22 of the same year, the regiment took part to the engagement of Nissa where it was deployed on the left wing. It also took part to the combat of Sibo (November 27) and to the engagement of Kaczanek where Rittmeister” Sanovsky was killed. On January 3 1690, the regiment distinguished itself during a tough combat against the Turks. During the campaign of 1691, the regiment was again part of the main army under prince von Baden. It fought on the left wing at the battle of Salankamen, loosing some 42 men killed and 14 wounded. The regiment then took its winter-quartiers in Lower-Hungary. In 1692, it operated with the prince von Baden's corps in the area of Esseg. In 1693, it was at the engagement of Martanos near Gyula. In 1694, it was at the camp of Peterwardein. In 1696, it joined the main army of Churfürst August von Sachsen, took part to the siege of Temesvar and then moved to its winter-quartiers in Siebenbürgen. In June 1697, the regiment was at the Iron Gate on the Danube River with the corps of general count Leiningen. It took part to the capture of Ujpalanka and then returned to its winter-quarters in Siebenbürgen.
The regiment also saw service during the insurrection of Rakoczy. On October 8 1704 at the combat of Botta, the regiment under the command of general count Rabutin lost lieutenant Gabler. At the end of July 1706, the regiment, now counting some 770 men and 595 horses left the Siebenbürgen under general count Rabuti. However, it had to send back a detachment of 400 men to the Siebenbürgen to reinforce colonel count Tige's corps. In February 1707, this latter detachment took part to a combat against the rebels between Clausenburg and Hermannstadt where it lost 23 killed and 18 wounded. Meanwhile the other detachment was assigned to the corps of field-marshal count Guido Starhemberg in Hungary. In 1708, the detachment operating in Hungary took part to the combat of Neuhäusel as part of general count Palffy's corps. In 1710, the entire regiment was reunited in Hungary where, on January 22, it took part to the combat of Rombaz under the command of general count Sickingen. In 1711, took its quarters in the areas of Gomörer-Hontes and Neograder-Comitate.
Towards the end of April 1716, when a new war against Turkey broke out, the regiment was brigaded under general baron Hochberg with two other cavalry regiments in the camp of Onoth. At the beginning of August, it was at the combat of Carlowitz. In the victorious battle that prince Eugen won over the Turks at Peterwardein, the regiment was deployed on the left flank led by general of cavalry von Batté, in the brigade of major-general von Schilling. After this campaign the regiment took its winter-quarters in Neograder-Comitate. At the battle of Belgrad, on August 16 1717, four squadrons of the regiment were deployed on the left wing under the command of general Martigny and distinguished itself during the combat loosing 23 killed and 44 wounded. The regiment took its winter-quarters in Serbia. In 1718, after the peace, it was stationed at Passarowitz in Hungary.
During the War of the Polish Succession, the regiment left Hungary in 1733 and joined the army of prince Eugen assembling in Germany. In 1734 and 1735, the regiment occupied the duchy of Jülich and did not take part to any combat. At the beginning of May 1736, it left Jülich marched across Germany and joined the Austrian army assembling at Futak to face the Turks. In July 1738, it took part to the engagement of Kornia where it was deployed in the second line of the right wing. It also fought in the engagement of Mehadia. On September 2, a detachment of the regiment also participated to a raid on Belgrad under major-general Ciceri. On July 22 1739, the regiment took part to the battle of Krotzka where it suffered very heavy losses: 168 killed and 100 wounded. At the beginning of November, after the peace, the regiment was stationed in Wesprimer-Comitate.
At the outbreak of the Austrian Succession War in 1741, the regiment was assigned to the army of count Neipperg in Silesia. On April 10 of the same year, the regiment took part to the battle of Mollwitz along five other cavalry regiments under the command of baron Römer. It lost 51 killed , 33 wounded and 6 men taken prisoners. At the beginning of the campaign of 1742, the regiment counted 679 men. It was assigned to Fürst Christian Lobkowitz's Corps and distinguished itself at the engagement of Sahay on May 25. Later, during the siege of Prague, the regiment was transferred to the army of duke Karl von Lothringen. In 1743 and 1744, the regiment remained with the same army and campaigned in Germany. During the campaign of 1745, the regiment fought at the battle of Striegau on June 2. During this battle, both its inhaber, count St. Ignon, and its colonel, count Sonau, were mortally wounded. On September 30 of the same year, the regiment took part to the engagement of Trautenau where it lost 14 killed, 63 wounded and 16 men taken prisoners. After the peace of Dresden in December 1745, the regiment was stationed in Saroser-Comitate and Gömörer-Comitate.
The regiment counted 6 squadrons and a company of carabiniers. For battles, the latter was usually converged with other similar companies to form an elite unit.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment inhaber was:
- from 1745 to his death in 1778: Johann Baptist count Serbelloni
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was commanded by:
- since 1753: Josef count D'Ayassasa
- 1757: Johan Hueber
- 1758 to 1764: Sylvius Alexander von Bojanowsky
Service during the War
In June 1756, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War, the regiment was stationed at Bellus in Hungary and counted 809 men and 762 horses. In July, it joined the corps of field-marshal Fürst von Löwenstein assembling at Deutsch-Brod. On October 1 of the same year at the battle of Lobositz, the regiment was deployed on the left wing while its carabiniers were converged with other similar units and placed on the right wing. Only the carabiniers were involved in combat, loosing 3 killed and 6 wounded.
On June 18 1757, the regiment took part to the Kolin. It was deployed in the first line of the cavalry left wing under count von Stampach. The infantry brigade of general Krottendorf was already under heavy pressure when it was attacked in the rear by a column of Prussian infantry. Meanwhile, major Boyanowsky of the regiment waited nearby at the head of his troops without order to intervene. He finally decided to charge the Prussians. He broke them and captured 12 officers, more than 150 men and 3 flags. However, the fight was hardly finished. Already a fresh Prussian corps under general Pannwitz was advancing. This Prussian corps then formed in square and began firing upon the Austrian cuirassiers. Boyanowsky turned against these new opponents and broke through them too despite their heroic resistance, capturing general Pannwitz and several guns. The regiment spent the night on the battlefield. During this battle, it had lost 14 killed and 69 wounded. Count Deym, a Rittmeister of the regiment, along with 200 volunteers from his regiment, 60 Grenzers and 30 hussars was sent to harass the Prussians. On July 29, dismounting his cuirassiers, Deym attacked the town of Dreibitz where he captured 16 pontoons, 90 supply wagons and 22 baggage wagons, putting the garrison to flight. On November 22, the regiment took part to the battle of Breslau where it was deployed in Trautmannsdorff's brigade in the second line of the right wing under prince Esterházy. During this battle, the regiment lost 11 men. At the battle of Leuthen on December 5, the regiment was deployed in Trautmannsdorff's brigade in the second line of the cavalry right wing under general Lucchesi. Along with five other cavalry regiments, it covered the retreat of the Austrian army, loosing 31 men.
By August 2 1758, the regiment was serving in the first line of the main Austrian army under the command of Daun near Jaromirs. Daun was following up the Prussian army retiring through Bohemia after the failure of the Prussian invasion of Moravia. On October 14, the regiment took part to the battle of Hochkirch where it was deployed in Colloredo's column to the southeast of Lauske. Meanwhile, the carabiniers of the regiment were converged with other elite units and placed under the command of count Lacy.
During the campaign of 1759, the regiment operated in Saxony. On September 21, it took part to an engagement near Meissen against seven Prussian squadrons who had attacked Austrian infantry units. The regiment lost 12 killed and 26 wounded and an entire company was encircled and taken prisoners. On November 20, at the battle of Maxen, the regiment along with three other cavalry regiments was assigned to the first column of attack under count Schallenberg and count O'Donell.
During the campaign of 1760, the regiment was assigned to the right wing of the main army led by feild-marshal Daun. On November 3, at the battle of Torgau, as the Prussian cavalry charged the Austrian infantry, the regiment along with Buccow Cuirassiers counter-charged the enemy and put them to flight. The regiment then continued to advance under heavy artillery fire. Colonel Hueber was wounded. A Prussian infantry formation of 3 regiments and four grenadier companies then blocked its advance. Major von Wimmersberg and Rittmeister count Deym at the head of two squadrons fell on the flanks of this formation while lieutenant-colonel count Tige charged it frontally with the remaining squadrons. Thus surrounded, the Prussians soon routed. A great number was killed and 3 officers, 519 men, 1 gun and 12 flags were captured.
In 1761, the regiment was in Saxony with the main army once more and did not take part to any important action.
In 1762, the regiment was in Saxony with the army of count Serbelloni and did not take part to any important action.
In 1763, after the peace of Hubertusburg, the regiment was stationed in the Comitates of Zempliner, Gömörer and Tolnauer.
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | white with 13 pewter buttons on each side
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| Waistcoat | red with two rows of pewter buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | red | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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| Horse Furniture |
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Troopers were armed with a black breastplate (worn over the coat), a pallasch (sword) and a pair of pistols. Carabiniers also carried a carbine and had a sabre instead of a sword.
Other interpretations
The Bautzener Bilderhandschrift of 1762 shows a gold lace on the tricorne, a red neckstock and buff breeches.
Raspe shows 14 buttons instead of 13.
Officers
The officers (according to the Bautzener Bilderhandschrift of 1762) wore the same uniform with the following exceptions:
- tricorne laced gold with a green and white cockade
- blue saddlecloth and sabretache both laced in red and fringed in yellow
Musicians
no details found
Colours
From 1745 to 1765, the standards of the cuirassiers were square shaped and made of brocade or damask. Each side of the standard was made from a separate piece. The painted flagpoles were tournament lances.
Colonel Standard: not known
Regimental Standard: dark green with a silver double eagle on both sides. Brown flagpole.
References
This article incorporates texts from the following book which is now in the public domain:
- Thürheim, Andreas; Die Reiter-Regiment der k. k. österreichischen Armee, vol. 1 - Die Cürassiere und Dragoner, F.B. Geitler, Wien: 1862, pp. 99-125
Other sources Funcken, Liliane and Fred , Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle'
Grosser Generalstab, Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Hiller, Berlin, 1830-1913
Knötel, Richard: Uniformkunde. Lose Blätter zur Geschichte der Entwicklung der militärischen Tracht, 18 Bde., Rathenow 1890-1919
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
Schirmer, Friedrich, Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756 - 1763. Edited and published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg e.V., Magstadt, 1989.
Thümmler, L.-H., Die Österreichiches Armee im Siebenjährigen Krieg: Die Bautzener Bilderhandschrift aus dem Jahre 1762, Berlin 1993
Zahn, Michael, Oesterreichische Kürassier und Dragoner Standarten in Siebenjährigen Krieges, Zusammenstellung, 1988
