Leuthen Prussian Flags Project - Flags of Prussian Fusilier Regiment 37 von Kurssell

Chefs: From 12/9/1755 Major General Heinrich Adolf von Kurssell, died 26/9/1758 of wounds received at Zorndorf; from 8/12/1758 Major General August Wilhelm von Braun, later Lieutenant General, to 1770

One of the new fusilier regiments, first raised 1740. Part of Schwerin's Silesian Corps in 1756; it reached Bohemia only in 1757, joining the King north-east of Prague on May 6th. In the battle of Prague it was on the left wing in the first line and suffered heavy casualties when the Austrians defeated the first attack there with heavy musketry and artillery fire. The regiment lost 13 officers and 661 men. Christopher Duffy in Army of Frederick the Great 1st Edition (henceforth AFG1) shows around 45% casualties. Schwerin was killed and Winterfeldt wounded. While the Royal Army was overrunning Bohemia, IR37 was sent with the Duke of Bevern's Corps to Silesia, and the 2nd Battalion went to strengthen Schweidnitz. On November 12th the Austrians took some outlying forts and made breaches in the main fortifications. The Prussian commander Major General von Sers then surrendered so the 2nd Battalion IR37 was amongst the prisoners. The grenadiers held Pilsnitz before Breslau during the battle of November 22nd and threw back enemy attacks three times. At Leuthen on December 5th the 1st Battalion covered the left flank between the first and second lines; the grenadiers were on the right of Zieten's right wing. The 1st Battalion captured three cannon in the advance. AFG1 shows around 30% casualties in the 1st Battalion.

During that winter the prisoners from the 2nd Battalion returned via Jägerndorf and Peterswald. The regiment was with the King's army besieging Schweidmitz in 1758 until the storming of the Galgenberg on April 16th; the grenadiers were at Olmütz. Frederick left Bohemia in early August and IR37 went to the Oder to reinforce Dohna's Corps and fought at Zorndorf on August 25th. Its chef Major Gneeral von Kurssell, was mortally wounded. AFG1 shows about 25% casualties in the two battalions. After Zorndorf the regiment was with Prince Frans von Braunschweig at Beeskow. The grenadiers were at Hochkirch on October 14th. As part of Wedell's Corps it was involved in the defeat of the Swedes at Fehrbellin on 22nd September. Recruiting in Lower Silesia continued to be easy.

In 1759 the regiment fought under von Knobloch at Saalfeld on 26th March, at Kronach in May and then on July 30th was with the King heading towards Crossen. But at Kunersdorf on August 12th the regiment was nearly wiped out attacking the Grosse Spitzberg, losing 16 officers and 992 men. AFG1 shows about 70% casualties. On November 9th the grenadiers joined Finck's Corps and were captured at Maxen.

On June 23rd 1760 the 1st Battalion was captured after fierce fighting at Landeshut with Fouque. The 2nd Battalion was with Zieten's Corps at Freiburg. After spending time at Wahlstadt with Zieten and then in camp at Bunzelwitz in August, it went with Platen to the siege of Kolberg, which began on October 2nd. On October 25th the 2nd Battalion was captured at Treptow, and the 1st Battalion suffered a dreadful retreat from Kolberg to Stettin.

In 1762 it was in Silesia, fighting at Adelsbach on July 6th, Friedland July 8th and on July 21st stormed the southern fortifications of Leutmannsdorf "up a coverless slope". Its last action in the war was to help besiege Schweidnitz for 63 days. In 1763 it had 1485 Prussians, 27 Saxons and 342 "foreigners". Christopher Duffy (AFG1) calls it "an unlucky regiment", as it was so often captured in the Seven Years War.

And this was the uniform in 1756: