Trooper, 1st King's Dragoon Guards

Trooper of the British 1st King's Dragoon Guards.

Unit and uniform details to follow.

Trooper, The Royal Horse Guards (The Blues)

This is a trooper of the British Royal Horse Guards (The Blues). Details of unit and uniform to follow.

Generic British Grenadier Type 2 No.2

And a Type 2 grenadier with the alternative cuff style.

Generic British Grenadier Type 2 No.1

Here is a grenadier with the Type 2 uniform.

Generic British Grenadier Type 1

The typical British cloth grenadier cap was a rather crude item, although they were impressive when seen en masse. The back and the small front flap with the white horse of Hanover were in red cloth, with white tape edging. The GR cipher with its decorative scrollwork was in various colours, with the crown depicted in natural colours of white, red and yellow. The front and the band at the base at the back were in the regimental facing colour. The tape binding was white and the tuft at the top in regimental colours. By contrast, officers' mitres were often beautiful objects, elaborately embroidered in coloured silks, and silver and gold thread.

The only other item on the uniform that differed from that of the "hatmen" or privates of the battalion companies was the addition of wings, of red cloth bound with regimental tape. Before 1752 it seems that the grenadiers of only 19 regiments wore them (according to the artist David Morier) but they were ordered for all regiments in that year.

British Infantry Uniform, Early SYW, Type 2 No.2

Here is the second of the Type 2 uniform variants, with alternative cuff style.

British Infantry Uniform, Early SYW, Type 2 No.1

Here is the first of 2 variants of the Type 2 uniform, with the vertical arrow-like false pockets and sleeve lace.

British Infantry Uniform, Early SYW, Type 1

This is a generic British infantry uniform of the early SYW. I call it Type 1 because there were 2 major variations in the general style of the uniform - this type with the false horizontal pockets and one which I shall call Type 2 with a vertical arrow-like pattern false pocket. The basic uniform was brick red for other ranks (scarlet for officers) and regiments were distinguished by lapels, turnbacks and cuffs in the regimental colour and also by a coloured tape or lace unique to each regiment which appeared on the cuffs, edges of the lapels, etc.. At this scale it is not possible to represent the individual patterns of the tape; I leave an attempt at doing that to those who use the templates, if they so wish!

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.

Austrian Stabs-Dragoner

The Austrian Staff Dragoons were raised at the same time as the infantry, in 1758. They guarded the generals, the staff and the places of detention like the infantry but also provided "escorts for convoys, reconnaissance parties and the like" (Duffy, AMT). Detachments of the regiment saw distinguished service at Maxen. The unit was disbanded in 1763.

Uniform: Black tricorne, black cockade, yellow metal button. Black stock. Dark blue coat, red cuffs, collar tabs and shoulder strap, white turnbacks, yellow metal buttons. Dark blue waistcoat, red breeches, white inner stockings, black cavalry boots.

Shabraque red with blue and white edging lace.

Austrian Stabs-Infanterie-Regiment

A simple uniform to keep things ticking over...

The Stabs-Infanterie-Regiment was raised in 1758 by the new Generalquartiermeister Lacy for specialised duties - "around headquarters the staff infantry provided guards for the generals, the staff and the places of detention" (Duffy, "Army of Maria Theresa", p.136). Duffy also says that its rather Prussian-style uniform helped the regiment evade capture at Torgau. (The commander Johann von Preiss received the Order of Maria Theresa for his performance at Torgau.) The regiment was disbanded in 1763.

Uniform: Black tricorne, red pompom and bobs, white metal button. Black stock. Dark blue coat, red collar and cuffs, white turnbacks with red fasteners, white metal buttons. Dark blue waistcoat. White breeches. Black gaiters.

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.