Lochmann Infanterie

Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Armies >> French Army >> Lochmann Infanterie

Origin and History

This Swiss regiment was raised on March 1, 1752 in the Canton of Zürich.

The regiment counted 12 companies, each of 120 men, formed in two battalions and had prévôté (provostship).

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment ranked 117^th and was under the command of:

• from March 1, 1752 to September 28, 1777: Jean-Ulrich, Baron de Lochmann (promoted to brigadier on July 22, 1758; and to maréchal de camp on February, 20, 1761)

Service during the War

In 1755, the regiment took part in the camp of Richemont.

By August 1, 1757, the regiment was in Germany with the Army of the Weser. At the end of the year, its first battalion took its winter quarters in Wesel while its second battalion went to Geldern (two towns on the Lower Rhine) in the fourth line of the French army.

In 1758, during the Allied winter offensive in Western Germany, the regiment joined the rest of the French army assembling in this area. From March 30 to April 4, it was in the second line of Clermont's Army in the camp of Wesel on the Lower Rhine. In April, when Clermont redeployed his army along the Rhine, the regiment was stationed in small towns around Xanten: Ober-Mömter, Nieder-Mömter, Warth, Haus Balken and Lütteringen. On May 31, after the successful crossing of the Rhine by an Allied army led by Ferdinand of Brunswick, the regiment did not join Clermont's Army at Rheinberg but was rather deployed at an unspecified location. On June 23, the regiment took part in the Battle of Krefeld where it was placed on the left wing of the second line under Saint-Germain whose division bore the brunt of the Allied attack when it tried to stop an outflanking manoeuvre. It defended the woods along the Niers River during 3 hours, repulsing 3 attacks before retiring in front of superior forces, after having sustained heavy casualties. By August 20, the regiment was operating as part of an independent detachment with Reding Infanterie and Jenner Infanterie under La Chenelars.

At the end of May 1759, when the French Army of the Rhine launched its offensive in Western Germany, the regiment remained on the Rhine as part of the Corps of the Marquis d'Armentières. By October 25, still attached to d'Armentières' Corps, one battalion of the regiment was at the main camp at Bochum.

By May 23, 1760, the regiment was part of the Reserve of the second line of Broglie's Army, placed under the command of M. d'Auvet. On June 15, Saint-Germain had assembled the Army of the Lower Rhine near Düsseldorf, the regiment was part of d'Auvet's Division who was sent to the right bank of the Rhine along with his 2 artillery brigades and 15 pontoons. On July 4, still part of d'Auvet's Division, the regiment reconnoitred the area of Arnsberg. On July 31, it took part in the Battle of Warburg where it was deployed in the first line of the left wing. The regiment suffered heavy losses in this engagement. On October 3, Lochmann Infanterie and Planta Infanterie made an unsuccessful attempt to reinforce Wesel. At the end of October, the regiment was sent back to France.

In 1761 and 1762, the regiment took part in the campaigns in West Germany.

On September 21 1762, the grenadiers and chasseurs of the regiment took part in the Combat of Amöneburg.

In 1763, the regiment was stationed at Mézières. In May, it was transferred to Thionville.

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1758 - Source: rf-figuren

Uniform Details as per
Etat militaire 1758, 1760 and 1761, and Abrégé du dictionnaire militaire 1759
completed where necessary with information from C. Pajol's book and Taccoli's uniform plate

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced silver (with a white cockade as per Taccoli) Grenadier black tricorne laced silver towards 1759, bearskins became increasingly common among grenadiers of the French Army
Neck stock	black
Coat	red lined blue with white buttons down to the waist on both sides Collar none Shoulder Straps blue fastened with a white button (as per Mouillard) Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets laced white, each with 2 white buttons and 2 white laced buttonholes Cuffs slit blue cuffs, each with 2 white buttons (3 as per Taccoli) Turnbacks blue when the basques of the coat were turned back
Waistcoat	blue laced white with white buttons on the right side and white laced buttonholes on both sides; horizontal pockets edged white with white buttons and white laced buttonholes
Breeches	blue
Gaiters	white
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather (white as per Taccoli) Waistbelt natural leather (white as per Taccoli) Cartridge Box natural leather Bayonet Scabbard black with a white metal tip Scabbard n/a

Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.

Officers

n/a

Musicians

n/a

Colours

Colonel colour: white field decorated with a white cross; golden fleurs de lys sown across the entire flag.

Ordonnance colours: white cross; each canton consisted of 7 flames: yellow, black, yellow, black, yellow, black, yellow.

Colonel Colour - Source: PMPdeL

Ordonnance Colour - Source: PMPdeL

References

The article incorporates texts from the following books which are now in the public domain:

• Susane, Louis: Histoire de l'ancienne infanterie française, J. Corréard, Paris, 1849-1856, Tome 7, pp. 339-340.
• Pajol, Charles P. V.: Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. VII, Paris, 1891, p. 202.

Other sources

Menguy, Patrice: Les Sujets du Bien Aimé (a very interesting website which has unfortunately disappeared from the web).

Mouillard, Lucien: Les Régiments sous Louis XV, Paris, 1882.

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.

Taccoli, Alfonso: Teatro Militare dell' Europa, Part 1, vol. 2; Madrid, March 1760.

Vial J. L.: Nec Pluribus Impar.

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.