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).