I. Swedish Grenadiers
Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Armies >> Swedish Army >> I. Swedish Grenadiers
Origin and History
In July 1758, a Swedish Grenadier Battalion was formed with the grenadiers of the Indelta regiments serving in Pomerania. It consisted of 4 companies of grenadiers for a total of 384 men. Throughout the war, the battalion was known by the names of its successive commanders.
By 1761, the battalion counted 400 men. The same year, it was renamed “I. Swedish Grenadiers” to distinguish it from the newly established “II. Swedish Grenadiers”.
During the Seven Years' War, the battalion was commanded by:
- since July 1758: Major Anton Reinhold, Baron Wrangel
- from Summer 1760: von Siegroth
- from 1761: Baron Kaulbars
- from August 1761: Cederström
Service during the War
During the night of January 27 to 28, 1760, a Swedish force (Skaraborgs Infantry, Wrangel Grenadiers and Meijerfelt Grenadiers) under Major Baron Pehr Ribbing launched a surprise attack in 3 columns to seize the bridge over the Peene at Anklam. They first took possession of the suburbs, then surprised the Prussian outposts near the bridge before the Prussians had time to hoist the draw-bridge. The Swedes then ran over the bridge and entered pell-mell into the town. In the dark, Lieutenant-General Manteuffel, who was defending Anklam, clashed with the advancing Swedish troops. A few Swedish platoons under Captain Johan Jacob Hederstierna managed to take Manteuffel prisoner along with 150 of his men. Manteuffel had been wounded during the engagement. Nevertheless the Swedes were repulsed. Manteuffel's Corps retired behind the Peene while the Swedes took their winter-quarters, remaining idle at Greifswald.
To do: campaigns from 1761 to 1762
Uniform
The grenadiers wore the uniform of their own regiments.
Mitre Caps
The Swedish grenadiers wore mitre caps very similar to those of the Prussian grenadiers. These mitre caps had a brass frontplate and an Austrian style blue bag at the back. To avoid confusion with Prussian grenadiers, the Swedish grenadiers covered their mitre cap with a black oilskin cover.
Colours
These converged companies of grenadiers probably did not carry any colour.
References
Großer Generalstab: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen - Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. Vol. 6 Leuthen, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher), Berlin 1904, pp.92-107, Annex pp. 11-16
Purky, Jim: Swedish Army Organization, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
Schorr, Dan: Uniforms of the Swedish Army, 1757-1762, The Courrier, June-July 1979
Wilson, Peter: The Swedish Army in 1756, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
Wilson, Peter: Swedish Politics and Armed Forces in the Seven Years War, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
