Thursday 4 December 2008

18th and 19th Reichsarmee Templates: Grenadier and Musketeer, Infantry Regiment Varell (Franconian Circle)


Soubise recorded the 2 Franconian battalions of Varell in 1757 (along with those of Ferntheil and Kronegk) as "entirely Prussian in sympathy" (Duffy, "Prussia's Glory", p.30). Routed at Rossbach, they served at Freiberg on the extreme right flank of the Austrians and Reichsarmee and were not, it seems, heavily engaged, unlike the Reichsarmee units in the centre.

First raised 1682. Made up of 26 contingents. Inhaber: Georg Adam Von Varell 1752-65. Composition: 2 battalions, each of 6 companies of musketeers and 1 company of grenadiers, 2 x 3 pounder guns and an authorised strength of 1,940 men (figures from Kronoskaf SYW site - see link below). Actual field strengths were, of course, lower.

Uniform: Grenadier of 2nd Grenadier company (Bayreuth) (above): Prussian-style grenadier mitre cap with yellow metal front plate, red sack,
yellow base with yellow grenades, yellow lace, white pompom. (The 1st grenadier company (Eichstädt) had an Austrian style grenadier cap of brown fur with a yellow metal front plate and sulphur yellow bag.) Musketeer (left): Black tricorne, white lace, white-blue-sulphur yellow pompom, yellow metal button. Both: Black stock. Prussian-style uniform with dark blue coat, sulphur yellow collar, lapels, cuffs and turnbacks, sulphur yellow shoulder straps. White (earlier sulphur yellow) waistcoat and white breeches. Yellow metal buttons.