Prague Prussian Flags Project - Flags of Prussian Fusilier Infantry Regiment 38

Chefs: Major General Johann Christoph von Brandes, later Lieutenant General 24th August 1749-1758, then Major General Anton Leopold, Baron von Zastrow,  later Lieutenant General 20th December 1758 to 1766

First raised June 1740 from men of Garrison Regiments 1 and 2, junior officers of IR6, officers of other regiments and foreigners recruited from the Empire.

In the Seven Years War, it was with the King's Army to the surrender of the Saxons at Pirna on October 16th 1756. The companies were given an additional 30 men in January 1757. On May 6th the regiment joined the King's army at Prague. In the battle it was part of the right wing breakthrough after the massacre of the first line. The grenadiers (with IR12) suffered heavily on the left flank initial attack, losing 278 men. After Kolin the siege of Prague had to be abandoned and the regiment marched to Silesia with Bevern. After Moys and Barschdorf it was at Breslau from September and in the battle of 22nd November it was on the right wing as were its grenadiers under its chef Lieutenant General von Brandes. The position was held until nightfall and each battalion of the regiment lost about 300 men, as well as Colonel von Geiss. Breslau was evacuated on November 25th on terms of "free departure"; in the process nine-tenths of the Prussian troops deserted. The sorry remnant of the regiment returned to Berlin to be reformed. In 1758 replacements were mostly from the Mark and some of the Upper Silesians of the regiment returned after Leuthen. The grenadiers (with IR43) lost about 50% casualties at Zorndorf in August 1758 (Duffy, AFG1).

As part of the Saxon Corps the regiment advanced to Hof and Bamberg, and was part of the attempt to secure Saxony at Zschopau, Pirna and Dresden. At the end of July 1759 the regiment went with the King to Bautzen and then to Kunersdorf in August. At the battle on August 12th IR 38 was in Finck's Corps on the right wing, which opened the attack over the Trettin Heights. The regimental commander Colonel von Steinwehr was killed along with nearly 50% casualties in the regiment (Duffy, AFG1).

One battalion fought with Wunsch's Corps in Saxony, at Torgau and Korbitz, and was then captured at Maxen under Finck on November 21st 1759.

In 1760 its sole battalion was part of the garrison of Schweidnitz and captured there on October 11th. As prisoner exchange had ended it was not reformed in 1762 but after the return of prisoners in February 1763 it was reformed with the grenadier battalion of Rotkirch, formerly Köller, which had been raised from Saxon grenadiers in 1757 and served in Pomerania from 1761.

In 1784 the king complained of the regiment and its "wretched commander", who was Major General von Hager.

 And this was the uniform in 1756: