Wednesday 9 January 2008

Austrian Jäger zu Pferd


Raised in 1758 for the duration of the war, the horse jäger unit was 300 strong and commanded by "Obrist Graff von Kockorswa". It was recruited from trained shooters ("schützen") and was used for convoy/guard duties, carrying dispatches and foraging.

Uniform (slightly speculative as the Bautzen manuscript of 1762 shows only the back of the uniform and some of the colours, as in the casquette, differ from the Albertina MS of the foot jäger) : Green casquette with yellow? double eagle on front, yellow? lace edging to front, black plume. Black stock. Hechtgrau coat with green collar, cuffs and turnbacks, yellow metal buttons. Aiguillette black and yellow. Waistcoat not visible but possibly hechtgrau or green. Buff-coloured breeches. Black boots. Green shabraque and pistol covers with red lace edging.