3 New French Dragoon Regiments

3 additional French dragoon regiments. The one on the left is dressed for foot service with infantry-style gaiters. The middle and right-hand figures show uniform variants with buttons and lace in twos and threes. Full details of the units and uniforms will be posted later...

Regiment St Nicholas

Happy Xmas and New Year, Everyone!

A very ancient commissariat regiment, exact origins unknown, especially renowned for reliable supply in the middle of winter using sledges, with counterparts in most Northern European countries and in North America and elsewhere.

Uniform: Red forage cap with white fur trim and white tassel; red coat with white fur trim, white buttons, wide black or brown leather belt. Red waistcoat, white buttons. Red breeches. Black boots.

Trooper, Mestre de Camp Général Cavalry Regiment

Unit and uniform details to follow...

Dragoon, French Schomberg Dragoons

The Schomberg Dragoons were the former dragoons of de Saxe's Volunteers; when he died before the SYW the uhlans were disbanded but the dragoons kept on. They later became the 17th Dragoons and their uniform with the unique helmet strongly influenced the design of French heavy cavalry uniforms for over a century.

Uniform: Brass helmet with brass fittings, black horsehair crest, black fur trim. Black stock. Dark green coat, red collar, lapels, epaulette, cuffs and turnbacks. Brass buttons. Buff-coloured waistcoat (with red/yellow lace) and breeches. White inner stocking. Black bottines. White sheepskin shabraque. (Variations in colouring in illustrations of this uniform include brown fur trim to the helmet and light buff coloured bottines.)

Dragoon, French Colonel Général Dragoons in fatigue cap

Raised 1668, the Colonel Général Dragoons were in Germany 1757-9, including the battles of Hastenbeck and Crefeld. In 1759 they returned to France for coastal defence duties.

Uniform: Red cap, blue bag, laced white. Black stock. Red coat, blue cuffs, turnbacks and waistcoat. White lace (including to the edge of the waistcoat from 1757). White epaulette. Buff leather breeches. Pewter buttons. Black leather bottines (gaiters) laced at the sides, white inner stocking. Shabraque blue with white lace.

Dragoon, French Beauffremont Dragoons

France had 16 dragoon regiments at the beginning of the Seven Years War, nominally of 3 squadrons increased to 4 in wartime. Few had more than 2 squadrons on service, though. The Beauffremont Dragoons were raised in 1673. During the SYW they were on coastal defence duties unil 1759, served in Germany until 1761 and returned to coastal defence duties in 1762.

Uniform: Black tricorne, black cockade with black strap, silver lace, pewter button. Black stock. Red coat, cuffs and turnbacks, red waistcoat. (Buff/ochre coat cuffs and waistcoat lapels from 1757.) White lace. Mixed red/ochre (or buff) epaulette. Buff leather breeches. Pewter buttons. Black leather bottines (gaiters) laced at the sides. Shabraque red with ochre/buff lace.

Coming soon...

French dragoons, several variants. This is a snapshot of the latest state of the figures; 5 variants, some with the tricorne, some with the fatigue cap... And as they are dragoons, some are shown on foot.

Poll results

Now the poll is over I can start on the favoured templates. French cavalry and generals' uniforms were well ahead, although the Prussian Frei-Corps (of which I've now already done 4 examples) were also fairly popular. Sadly hussars and Bosniaks were joint last! Poor old hussars; at least they weren't alone being last this time...

The generals' uniforms will be started from scratch so will take longer to do; I imagine that French cavalry will be popping up rather sooner because they can be adapted to some degree from existing cavalry templates. The generals I had in mind initially were: several Austrian, from the 1751 regulations; French general and marshal; Prussian, various (which are really just regimental officer uniforms with the odd decoration slapped on! ;-)). After that, others are possible but few nations had specific uniforms for generals until after the SYW.

Green Croat Infantryman, Prussian Von Kleist Frei-Corps

And the last Prussian Frei-Corps uniform for now, as the poll has closed and next will be generals' uniforms and French cavalry...

The "Green Croats" were added to Von Kleist's Frei-Corps in May 1761, initially as one battalion of 5 companies; by September there were 2 battalions. At Freiberg.

Uniform: Black mirliton with red cords and white tassels. Black stock. Dark green coat with white lace and button tassels. Dark green waistcoat with white lace. Red girdle. Dark green hungarian-style breeches with white lace. White metal buttons. Black short boots (not shown here).

Horse Grenadier, Prussian Von Kleist Frei-Corps

Another Frei-Corps uniform!

Created in 1759 with a single squadron of Hungarian hussars, by the end of the war Von Kleist's Frei-Corps included infantry, uhlans, jägers and artillery, as well as this unit of dragoons or horse grenadiers. Von Kleists's served mostly in the kleine krieg in Saxony. The dragoons were added in 1760, initially of 4 squadrons but increased to 8 and later 10 squadrons. 4 squadrons were at Torgau and the whole unit at Freiberg. Despite being undoubtedly the best of the Frei-Corps (Duffy says "it attained standards that would have been the envy of regular units" - AFG, 2nd edition), it suffered the fate of all the other Frei-Corps at the end of the war.

Uniform: Dark green fusilier-style cap with white metal plate bearing black eagle, white metal work and finial, black fur edging and frontal. Black stock. Dark green coat, white tasselled lace, white metal buttons. Dark green waistcoat, green or buff breeches. Dark green shabraque with white edging and crowned FR cipher.

Grenadier, Prussian Von Schony Frei-Corps

While the poll is still a few hours off ending, I've sneaked in another Prussian Frei-Corps uniform. :-)

Created in 1761 from Hungarian prisoners of war, Von Schony's originally consited of 4 companies of Frei-Grenadiere and 2 squadrons of Frei-Husaren; in 1762 the hussars were nominally increased to 4 squadrons. The grenadiers were at the battle of Burkersdorf as part of the Hüllessem grenadier battalion. At the end of the war, like all the Prussian frei-corps, they were disbanded at gunpoint, the men forcibly enlisted in Prussian line or garrison regiments and the officers dismissed.

Uniform: Brown fur cap, yellow metal plate with black eagle device, red bag with yellow lace. Black stock. Dark blue coat, light-blue collar (with yellow lace) and cuffs, red turnbacks. Yellow buttonhole lace with tassels. Light-blue waistcoat with yellow lace. Yellow metal buttons. Red girdle. Light-blue Hungarian-style breeches with yellow lace. Short black boots (not shown here).

Poll results so far...

I know the poll still has 3 days to go but I'm surprised to see the French cavalry so popular. I'm sure the last time I offered them as an option they were way down the list. A few generals' uniforms I'm quite keen to do so I'm happy that option's 2nd. And the hussars are not last this time! Amazing! ;-) It's a pity the Prussian Freikorps are so unpopular - there are some wonderfully exotic uniforms like Schony's Freikorps grenadiers and the Von Kleist uhlans, horse grenadiers and various infantry. Still, I'll probably get round to them eventually, as I like them myself.

Please get your vote in if you haven't yet done so!

Jäger, Prussian Le Noble Frei-Corps

One battalion plus jäger detachment raised 1756, by Lieutenant-Colonel Franciscus Le Noble (from the Palatinate); captured Landeshut 1760 but re-raised and a 2nd battalion added; forcibly disbanded at gunpoint 1763 and the men taken into regular regiments and the officers "retired involuntarily" without compensation.

Uniform: Black leather cap (very like the Austrian casquet) with Frederick's cipher in white on the front. Black stock. Very dark green coat with collar, lapels, cuffs and turnbacks in lime green, as were the waistcoat and breeches; white lace and white metal buttons. Black long boots, white inner stocking.

Austrian Kompanie Lacy

Unit details to follow...

Uniform: Black leather casquet; brass front with black crown and double-headed eagle; on left side red plume with black or green tip. Red stock. White coat with chrome yellow lapels, shoulder strap and cuffs, white lace button loops, yellow metal buttons. (Albertina manuscript 1762 shows no side pockets.) White waistcoat and breeches. Black gaiters.

Austrian Feld Jäger Corps

The Jäger Corps was raised as a small unit in 1758, made a large independent unit in 1761, but disbanded in 1763. It was distinguished at Torgau.

Uniform: Black leather casquet with black plume and white border to the front. Black stock. Hechtgrau or pike grey coat, waistcoat and breeches with green cuffs, turnbacks and collar. Yellow metal buttons. Black long boots, white inner stocking.

Austrian Pioneer

The pioneer battalion was raised in 1758 to give commanding officers a force able to move with the advance guard "to widen and repair roads and set up light timber bridges" (Duffy, Army of Maria Theresa). They were so useful the unit was more than doubled in size in 1759 but the unit was most unfortunately disbanded as part of the drastic economies of 1761-2.

Uniform: Plain black leather casquet. Black stock, hechtgrau coat and waistcoat with grass green collar, cuffs and turnbacks, white breeches. Yellow metal buttons, black gaiters.

Austrian Sapper

The Sapeur-Corps was raised in 1760 to provide a body of skilled labour for siege warfare and rapidly distinguished itself, notably at the siege of Schweidnitz in July 1760. It was again distinguished in the defence of Schweidnitz in 1762, where out of 24 sappers 10 were killed and 11 wounded. 3 officers were awarded the Military Order of Maria Theresa, which Christopher Duffy says "must have been a record for a unit of this size" (Army of Maria Theresa, p.120).

Uniform: Black casquet with yellow lace and decorations, green and white cockade, red inner, white outer feather. Black stock. Hechtgrau (pike grey) coat, waistcoat and breeches, with carmine red cuffs and collar (and possibly red turnbacks pre-1762). Yellow metal buttons. Black gaiters with white inner stocking.

Uniform details from Duffy (various) and Albertina manuscript 1762.

Coming very soon...

Austrian sapper, pioneer and jäger templates.

Russian Artilleryman

A gunner of the Russian artillery, in red with black stock, collar, cuffs and turnbacks, red waistcoat, red breeches, black gaiters with white inner stocking, buff belt, copper buttons.

Pandour of Russian Pandour Regiment

This is the uniform of a pandour with a smaller badge on the cap. Uniform colours were otherwise exactly the same as those of the grenadiers.

Russian Grenadier of Pandour Regiment

The Russian pandour regiments wore uniforms similar to those of the Austrian pandours or Croats. The ordinary pandours wore a smaller plate of different design from that of the grenadiers. This article has useful information on their history, organisation and uniform: http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/revues_npi/17_2000/npi_1700/17_russ_pan1.htm

Black felt cap with copper plate; black stock; black coat and dark green waistcoat with red lace, red cuffs on coat and copper buttons; red sash; red trousers. Black short boots were also worn (not visible here).

All hussar templates improved and modified 20.11.07

All the hussar templates (Prussian Regiments 2, 5 and 7) have now been slightly modified and improved. This does not apply to the colour versions which have not yet been updated.

SYW Prussian Hussar 3 - Regiment No. 5 the Black or Death Hussars

In contrast to the previous two colourful uniforms this is the all black uniformed 5th Hussars, with their notorious skull and crossbones badge on the front of the mirliton, a similar design to which survived as late as World War 1 on the furcap of German hussars. The mirliton is shown with its wing "unfurled".

Squadrons of this regiment fought on almost all fronts of the European theatre in the Seven Years War.

Again, the actual template is here: http://www.woodward.toucansurf.com/SYW/SYWPrussian5thHussarRegtBlackorDeath-DM1.png because of the problem with the blog increasing the size and colour depth of images over a certain size.

Monday 19th November: Image slightly modified and improved.

SYW Prussian Hussar 2 - Regiment No. 7 the Yellow Hussars in colour

SYW Prussian Hussar 2 - Regiment No. 7 the Yellow Hussars

This is a commoner variant of the Prussian hussar uniform with the mirliton cap rather than the fur cap.

Differences from the uniform of the 2nd include: black mirliton with white braid and lace, a yellow dolman, black fur on the pelisse, blue sabretache and yellow edge to the shabraque. Lacing is simpler and there is less of it - 12 rows on the dolman and pelisse rather than 18 and there is no frame around the lace on the dolman or pelisse.

Again, the template can be found here: http://www.woodward.toucansurf.com/SYW/SYWPrussian7thYellowHussar-DM1.png

SYW Prussian Hussar - Regiment No. 2 Von Zieten in colour

SYW Prussian Hussar - Regiment No. 2 Von Zieten

It's finished at last and I'm very relieved. The template is around twice the usual size, at 2000 pixels high, so that details of this complex uniform are not lost when converting the image to PNG from the original vector file.

From head to feet the colours of this uniform are: light brown fur cap, red bag, white cords; red dolman, white lace, white metal buttons, blue collar and cuffs, brown leather reinforcing patch on elbow; blue pelisse, white lace, white metal buttons, white fur trim; girdle mixed blue and white; breeches buff leather with blue over stocking with white edge; black boots. Sabretache red with white FR cipher and crown, white lace, brown leather base and straps. The shabraque was blue with red edging and white lace between.

Created in 1730, HR2 was at Prague, Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen, Zorndorf, Hochkirch, Kay, Kunersdorf, Liegnitz and Torgau.

N.B. Unfortunately uploading the 47k 256 colour PNG image results in a 550k 16.7m colour image on the blog - another instance of some bizarre conversion that takes place with files over a certain size when they are uploaded here. I don't know how to resolve this, except perhaps to host the actual hussar file somewhere else and put a link to it in this blog. Very, very annoying!

SO PLEASE NOTE: ACTUAL TEMPLATE IS HERE: http://www.woodward.toucansurf.com/SYW/SYWPrussianHussarRegt2VonZieten-DM1.png

Final new hussar preview

Well, it's been quite a slog but it's nearly finished - here is the final preview of the new hussar template, shown here as Prussian Regiment No.2 Von Zieten. As you can see, all that need to be done now are the sabretache straps and the fiddly hanging braid on the fur cap. This template will form the basis of a number of hussar variants but the devil is in the detail with hussar uniforms so it will not be as easy creating each variant as it is for most infantry uniforms.

SYW Russian Cavalry 2- Horse Grenadier

Russian horse grenadiers wore a uniform identical to that of the dragoons apart from the infantry-style grenadier cap with its copper front and the shabraque and pistol covers in pale yellow.

SYW Russian Cavalry 1- Dragoon

Another interim template as the hussar is still in progress - a Russian dragoon, in a uniform very similar to that of the infantry in style but in cornflower blue with red collar, cuffs, turnbacks and button lace. The breeches (which were leather) and the waistcoat were buff-coloured. The tricorne was black with white lace and white bow. All buttons were copper. The shabraque was cornflower blue and entirely plain for other ranks.

Swedish Dragoon SYW

The new hussar is taking a long time to finish, not least because for some days I've been rebuilding XP and reinstalling programs, a tedious and lengthy process. So, as an interim offering which took only a relatively short time to do, here is a Swedish dragoon of regiments 1, 2 or 3, with the distinguishing motif of the three crowns on the shabraque.

Hussar Progress 2

Another update - as you can see much of the uniform is done, with quite a lot of tweaking still to do, and the shabraque, sabretache and suspension straps still to be done.

For Jean-Louis and Stagonian Jeff :-)

Just a little jest! :-)

This is a preview of the new hussar template - all (ha ha) that now needs to be done is to add all the details for the Prussian 2nd Regiment. On the left can be seen part of the old hussar template.

Coming soon...

A hussar of Prussian regiment no.2 von Zieten. I know not many people wanted a new hussar (or hussars, as there are great differences in detail amongst SYW hussar uniforms) but I thought I'd please myself for a change (and the very few others who were also interested). :-)



The illustration above from the NYPL Digital Gallery shows the uniform of the 2nd with a hussar on the left and an officer on the right. It's a fiddly uniform to do so will take a while to finish but I now feel somewhat embarrassed by the relative crudeness of the generic hussar I first did so very rapidly. Little did I then suspect that I'd be turning out so many SYW templates in the next few months.

British in India 1 - Private, East India Company European Infantry

This is a typical uniform of the East India Company's Bengal, Madras and Bombay European infantry regiments.

Standard features were a red coat and black tricorne with white lace.

Arquebusier de Grassin - pre-SYW, variant 1

I thought I might as well do a variant with buttons on the left side of the coat and with a side pocket so here it is. The pocket is also edged with white fur.

This template is very similar to the Eureka figures.

Arquebusier de Grassin - pre-SYW

This was done as a request for a wargamer painting a battalion of Eureka Arquebusiers de Grassins and even though it's not strictly a SYW uniform I thought others might like it. I find it visually a rather strange and somewhat unsatisfying uniform, with its hussar mirliton and fur edged coat. If anyone has a detailed picture of the inscription on the brass plate on the mirliton, I'd like to see it, please, so I can improve the detail; I had to work from a rather small image to do this initial version. Some illustrations show buttons on the left side of the coat, some do not; some also show a side pocket but again many do not. If anyone has definitive evidence on these features, I would be pleased to know of it. Until then, I've left them off the template, although I know the Eureka figure has both.

Raised in 1744, the Arquebusiers were incorporated into the Volontaires de Flandres in 1749. Initially it was a large unit, with 900 fusiliers, 100 grenadiers and 300 cavalry. The coat was blue with a white fur edging; cuffs black also with white fur; red collar and waistcoat; brass buttons; blue breeches; grey (or black) gaiters; red hussar cap edged blue, with a brass plate, white plume and red and blue cockade. The cavalry had a very similar uniform to the infantry.

French in India 4 - Sepoy of Nellore District 1750-55

Although most French sepoys wore native dress, some wore European-style uniform jackets. The Nellore company wore a yellow coat with green collar, lapels, cuffs and buttons. Sash, trousers and hat were native garb in white.

French in India 3 - Fusilier of Company of Topas, Bussy's Army 1753-4

Another slightly pre-SYW uniform, this was worn by some Indo-Portuguese Portuguese-speaking Christian troops who wore a pink or "buffish pink" uniform with red facings and red buttons. Gaiters were white. Pink hat with red rim, white tassel and white fleur-de-lis. These troops were considered excellent auxiliaries to European troops.

Grenadier, Brunswick Line Infantry

Grenadier, Brunswick Leib Regiment

David Morier's paintings of the late 1740s-early 1750s suggest that Brunswick grenadiers all wore virtually the same pattern of grenadier cap, which was rather different from that worn in the American War of Independence. The cap was something of a hybrid, with a central metal plate in yellow or white metal and the coloured bag showing through around the edges and through gaps in the plate.

Musketeer, Brunswick Line Infantry

Brunswick was a fairly poor state and its uniforms were correspondingly simple, in the Prussian style. The coat was dark blue with lapels, cuffs, collar and turnbacks in the regimental colour.Waistcoat, shirt and breeches were white, with black gaiters.

Musketeer, Brunswick Leib Regiment

This is a diversion back to SYW Europe, prompted by Ed's blog of coloured versions of my templates; we couldn't have Prussian uniforms masquerading as Brunswickers, could we? ;-) I'll do the Brunswick grenadier cap shortly.

The two versions shown here are variants from a) Preben Kannik, "Uniforms of the World In Colour" and b) Pengel and Hurt, "German States Supplement".

Musings on Sepoy uniforms (or otherwise)

It seems that there is next to no evidence of what British sepoys were wearing in the SYW and only very conjectural and imaginative reconstructions exist. What I have seen so far of those doesn't clearly show me a side and rear view so I can't be sure of the (imagined) pocket flap pattern or the nature of the coat tails. And then it appears that most of the 10,000 French sepoys wore native dress, not uniform, and I don't have a really detailed all-round view of what that was like either. Not a good start, all in all! So unless someone can point me at or provide me with good material on either or both, I think I may have to duck this one and stick to the dress of Europeans in India.

Oh to return to the relatively straightforward mess of European uniform regulations. ;-)

French in India 2 - Infantry of Kerjean's Volunteers, Bussy's Army

This is a slightly pre-SYW uniform, around 1751, but similar uniforms in different colours were worn in the succeeding years up to the end of the war. These infantry had red coat and breeches, green lapels and cuffs, red cap with a green turned-up rim, white fleur de lis with the motto Pericula Ludus ["Peril is my amusement"!] on a scroll below and a white or silver tassel, and white gaiters.

French in India 1 - Grenadier of Kerjean's Volunteers, Bussy's Army

General Bussy's army operated in Central India and had grenadiers, volunteers, dragoons, horse grenadiers and artillery, raised locally.The fur cap had a blue bag with white lace, the coat was light to mid-blue (my sources vary) with red lapels and cuffs, the breeches were also blue and the buttons were pewter. The gaiters were white.

Swedish Infantry - Musketeer

Before launching into the 6 or so SYW in India templates I've planned I thought I'd do something nicely simple and a bit different.

The Swedish army wore a rather old fashioned, very standardised uniform in this period. The basic uniform for the majority of infantry units was dark blue with collar, swedish cuffs, waistcoat, breeches and turnbacks in yellow. White stockings were still worn, although black gaiters were slowly being introduced. The button holes had a very narrow strip of yellow lace. Buttons were tin. The black tricorne was laced white.

8th Reichsarmee Template - Dragoon of the Württemberg Dragoons (Swabian Circle)

And here is the last of the Reichsarmee Templates for now. This regiment put up a surprisingly tough fight against the Prussian cavalry attack at Rossbach, despite being attacked by Austrian hussars on their own side when they were mistaken for Prussian dragoons (their uniform was very similar to that of the Prussians, being mid-blue with black facings).

The shabraque and the lace on the uniform were very fiddly to draw, as I thought. The lace at this scale is only an approximation of the real detail, which was very like the pattern on the shabraque.

Coming shortly

Next, during the coming week, will be the last Reichsarmee template for the moment, a dragoon of the Württemberg Dragoon Regiment which, despite being composed of 22 separate contingents, managed to distinguish itself at Rossbach. The shabraque on this one promises to be fiddly and time-consuming, as it has one of those irritating wavy patterns on the border rather like those of the Prussian heavy cavalry. Ah well...

After that I'll do a few of the SYW in India templates, possibly followed by some Swedes. I'd also like to do a Bosniak and some hussars (even though no-one else seems very keen on them! ;-)). [Sorry - that should be very few people as a few people did vote for the hussar in previous polls, so I do owe them a hussar anyway. As I want one myself, that will be a definite hussar coming soon; but of which nation, I haven't yet decided.]

If anyone has a desperate need or desire for a particular template, leave a comment and I'll see what can be done.

Watch this space!

7th Reichsarmee Template - Grenadier of the Kurbayern Infantry Regiment (Bavarian Circle)

Although some sources suggest the Bavarian grenadiers had plates on their fur caps in the mid-18th century, Martin Lange in Pengel and Hurt's Bavaria, Saxony and Palatinate Supplement argues convincingly that the primary evidence shows they did not. He also argues that all grenadiers had red bags on the cap, with piping in the button colour, and that the bags were therefore not in the uniform facing colour.

6th Reichsarmee Template - Musketeer of the Kurbayern Infantry Regiment (Bavarian Circle)

Kurbayern was a composite regiment of regular Bavarian infantry; it consisted of the 1st Battalion and Grenadier company of Infantry Regiment Von Holnstein and the 1st and 2nd Battalions and Grenadier company of Infantry Regiment Von Pechmann. Both wore the uniforms of their parent regiments, Pechmann in blue with straw facings and Holnstein with red facings. As this template is not coloured, I can leave the vexed question of the actual shade of blue of Bavarian infantry uniforms to others! Soubise rated this regiment as "good".

The unit was busy in the SYW and was present at Dresden 1759, Meissen 1759, Torgau 1760 and Freiberg 1762, as well as other actions.

5th Reichsarmee Template - Grenadier of the Mainz Infantry Regiment Wildenstein (Circle of the Elector Rhine)

The cap of the grenadiers was of brown fur with a green bag piped with yellow lace and a yellow tassel. The plate with its grenade badge was in yellow metal, like the uniform's buttons, but the grenade was white metal.