Saxon Uniforms in the Year 1834 in Original Watercolors by Friedrich (Fritz) Neumann

The following shows a collection of original watercolors depicting exclusively Saxon uniforms by Friedrich (Fritz) Neumann. The 16 watercolors were loose in an old folder bearing the inscription: The Royal Saxon Army. 1834. Neumann was a uniform painter of the 19th century who did not leave a unified oeuvre. He is likely the author of the article on uniform works in the Royal Collections in Dresden, published in Communications on the History of Military Dress (1893, No. 12). There he identifies himself as inspector at the Royal Court Theatre in Dresden and reports that he (H.? Neumann) has for years been engaged in producing uniform pictures of all times and peoples for collectors and enthusiasts. Richard Knötel also gratefully refers elsewhere to this uniform painter.

Saxony broke away from its alliance with Napoleon I very late. Although Saxony provided troops to fight against France in the war year 1814, the Congress of Vienna decided the partition of Saxony. In total about 4/7 of the country were lost, mainly to Prussia. Saxony's total area now amounted to only 14,993 sq km. The population was 1,480,000. This also resulted in a marked reduction of the Saxon army. In 1831 a Saxon War Ministry was created. The Kingdom of Saxony had belonged to the German Confederation since 1815. The German Confederation was a loose association of states composed of 35 German states and four free cities. The Confederation's task was to guarantee the internal and external security of the member states. It had its own military regulations. The individual members had to provide a certain military contribution and a specified troop contingent. After a mobilization the Confederation was to comprise about 300,000 men.

Saxony furnished the 1st Division of the IX Federal Army Corps. This was to consist of 12,000 men with 24 guns, namely, according to Ortenburg, 9,302 infantry, 1,714 cavalry, 984 artillerymen and pioneers. In addition there were replacements and a reserve. The actual troop strength was, however, lower. The formal organization comprised an Infantry Guard Division, four line infantry regiments (each of three battalions), three rifle battalions (each of four companies), three cavalry regiments (each of four squadrons), a regiment of foot artillery, mounted artillery (two batteries), engineers, train, etc.

The following illustrations document the change that had already taken place in Saxon uniforms. The white uniform coats had been replaced by ones with a green base color. These were worn by the infantry and the artillery. The cavalry had light blue service coats. Only the guard grenadiers wore red coats with yellow facings and white buttons and bearskin caps (with white bag). The line infantry were clothed in green coats with light blue collars and sleeve facings. The shako served as headgear. The light infantry was also equipped with green coats, but with black facings. The cavalry regiments wore a Raupenhelm as headgear. The high leather helmet had a yellow mount and a black wool crest. The trumpeter's crest was red. The artillery traditionally wore coats in a green base color with red facings and yellow buttons, together with shakos. Later the mounted artillery was equipped with Raupenhelme modeled on the Bavarian example. The train wore light blue uniforms with black facings and white buttons. The technical troops were dressed like the artillery. Generals wore a dark blue uniform with gold embroidery. Adjutants were distinguished by a gold shoulder cord. The cockade was white with a green ring. The uniforms shown here are, moreover, typical for the peacetime period of the 1830s. They were exceedingly splendid, but primarily intended for parade purposes and less suitable for field service.

H. A. Eckert and D. Monten, The German Federal Army. Vol. II. Saxony - Thuringian States - Anhalt - Hesse-Kassel. Edited by Georg Ortenburg. Dortmund 1981.