Formation and Uniform History of the Old Prussian Cavalry 1740 - 86 - Part I - Introduction

Friedrich Wilhelm I left the following mounted troops (1740):

Brandenburg troops

Regiments of Horse (= Cuirassiers) of 5 squadrons each

Regiment Gensdarmes

August Wilhelm Prince of Prussia

Leopold von Geßler

Dragoons (10 and 5 squadrons)

Friedrich von Platen

Otto von Wittenhorst-Sonsfeld

Leib-Hussar Corps

von Wurm (H 3, 3 squadrons)

Prussian troops

Regiments of Horse

Dietrich von Buddenbrock

Heinrich von Katte

Sigmund von Waldow

Dragoons

Christoph von Thümen

Hussar Corps

von Bronikowsky with 6 squadrons

Pomeranian troops

Regiments of Horse

Friedrich Wilhelm Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt

Dragoons

Friedrich Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth

Magdeburg-Halberstadt troops

Regiments of Horse

Leib-Regiment of Horse (von Wreech)

Leib-Carabiniers (Count von Wartensleben)

Sigmund von Bredow

Prince Eugene of Anhalt-Dessau

Cleves-Westphalian troops

Regiments of Horse

Christoph von Waldow

In total, at that time there existed 12 regiments of horse with 60 squadrons, 5 dragoon regiments with 45 squadrons and 2 hussar regiments with 9 squadrons.

Under Frederick the Great the cavalry was greatly increased.

By the year 1786 the cavalry comprised in total:

133 squadrons of cuirassiers and dragoons with 22,849 men,

100 squadrons of hussars and Bosniaks with 15,109 men,

as well as mounted jägers with 176 men and

furthermore hussar detachments with 26 men.

The horse strength is given as 16,000.

The "Regiments of Horse" called "cuirassier regiments" under King Frederick William I were still named "Regiments of Horse"; only under his successor did the designation "cuirassier regiments" gradually become established (cf. Kling, Uniforming and Armament of the Royal Prussian Cuirassier and Dragoon Regiments..., Weimar 1897, p. 9).

Under Frederick the Great the cavalry arms that existed were cuirassiers, dragoons and hussars. The latter were a young subtype of the Prussian cavalry.

Frederick valued the cavalry more highly than the infantry (Dette, Frederick the Great, PhD Göttingen 1915, p. 72).

The cuirassiers consisted of tall riders and were regarded as "rather slow and cumbersome" (Dette, loc. cit., p. 73).

The semi-cavalry dragoons over time became "full horsemen" (Dette, loc. cit., p. 73).

Particular attention was paid to the greatly increased hussars.

The other mounted arms were also to orient their riding skills and other service abilities on the hussars.

Hussar service was therefore considered "the true school for every cavalry officer" (Dette, loc. cit., p. 74). "Horsemen and cuirassiers had to (insofar) also perform hussar duties and in doing so submit to the commands of the hussars, whom they at first looked upon somewhat contemptuously" (Dette, loc. cit., p. 74).

Although the social gap between the established mounted arms and the new hussar arm basically persisted—many bourgeois officers served in the hussar regiments—the military importance of the hussars grew, and not only with regard to the so-called "petty war". For this reason Frederick the Great expressly praised them in his military testament.

Overall, under the influence of the king the Prussian cavalry developed into a genuine battle cavalry.

The cavalry, like the other Prussian troops, was composed of natives and foreigners. As a rule the cavalry had no problems with replacements, because conditions there were better than, for example, in the infantry (Jany, History of the Prussian Army..., Vol. III, p. 57).

The cuirassier and dragoon regiments were assigned their own cantons; the hussars received natives from the cantons of other regiments.

The Prussian cavalry in Silesia initially received no cantons, but obtained its replacements from the infantry regiments, namely annually 30 cantonists of 5 to 8 Zoll (v. Schmidt, The Development of the Prussian Army..., p. 129). On 16.09.1747 Silesian cavalry regiments were also assigned their own cantons. Only the hussars remained without their own cantons and continued to receive their native replacements from the cantons of other regiments.

On the state of the cavalry Georg Heinrich von Berenhorst remarks in his "Reflections on the Art of War" (Leipzig 1798) as follows: "Among the cavalry the blow of manpower is not as large as among the foot; it consists, like the latter, of foreigners and natives, but care is taken to have reliable men and of better conduct. Discipline is less excessive, the cavalryman is also less favored by his captain than the foot soldier" (p. 302).

On the requirements for recruited replacements for the cavalry Frederick the Great wrote in a letter of 30.05.1748 to the later Major General Franz Issak von Froidville (* 12.05.1720 in Ballens, Canton Bern - baptized in Biere; † 30.03.1794 in Paddein) as follows: "...but no deserters, for I will not permit such to be further recruited into the cavalry regiments, because not only is there the risk with such people that, once they go off again with horse and everything, but I rather want that the cavalry should endeavor to recruit capable farmer's lads and the like" (Priesdorff, Soldatic Leadership, Vol. II, p. 240; the addressee was recruiting on the Rhine and at that time a subaltern officer in D XI).

As a rule no men under 6 Zoll were to be recruited into the cavalry and replacements should not be under 30 years old. Height played not as large a role in the cavalry as in the infantry; however, "nothing but bearded and robust men" were desired as replacements, "who have the strength to defend themselves" (Jany, History of the Prussian Army..., Vol. II, p. 245).

In his "Thoughts...", published only in 1788, the Prussian General Friedrich August von Finck (25.11.1718 in Strelitz; † 22.02.1766) comments on the requirements for cavalrymen: "Cavalrymen of six to nine Zoll are likewise the best. Men who are too heavy burden the horses greatly. The unnaturally large horses are of no use either; with horses one must look more to strength than to size and beauty" (p. 10).

The already mentioned v. Berenhorst comments on the dragoons as follows: "The rank and file of the dragoons is small, and so are the horses. They wear sky-blue coats. Some regiments are still armed with muskets and bayonets; the others carry carbines and have horses brought from the Don and the Dnieper" (p. 303).

In the early phase of the First Silesian War many cavalry units suffered heavily, i.e., the Austrian cavalry was clearly superior. While the infantry proved itself, this could not be said of the cavalry.

However, there was a successful engagement for the Prussian cavalry on 17.05.1741 at Rothschloß in Silesia. Here 600 Prussian hussars and 300 Prussian dragoons under the overall command of Lieutenant Colonel Hans Joachim von Zieten (*14.05.1699 in Wustrau, Ruppin; † 27.01.1786 in Berlin) were able to defeat some 1,400 Austrian cavalrymen.

On 10.06.1741 there was, however, a failure of the newly established Prussian uhlan arm at Olberndorf.

On the background and consequences of this defeat Genthe (The Bosniaks in the Prussian Army, p. 148) writes: "According to the Prussian general staff work, Colonel von Natzmer received on 12 March 1741 the order to raise a corps of 'Uhlans' of 6 squadrons from 'fugitive Polish Wallachians or Vlachs', which at the end of the month was already overcomplete and in the autumn was therefore 'set' to 10 squadrons. By cabinet order of 04.06.1742 it was however converted into a hussar regiment, the light-blue Natzmer’s No. 4, the later Prince Eugene of Württemberg, because the king was not satisfied with the performance of the uhlans. The imperial cavalry captain von Ruesch of the Pestvármegye hussars completely dispersed the regiment in the summer of 1741 at Alt-Grottkau, according to Mackensen on 10 June 1741 at Olberndorf, with 300 hussars; the lance proved to be extremely impractical in the hands of the untrained, motley crews. This unfortunate incident seemed to have made the lance perennially impossible in Prussia, at least with respect to the rather limited confidence in the weapon in the army, and although in the next three years various tempting offers from Polish magnates for the formation of uhlan units arrived."

The consequence of the poor experiences of the Prussian cavalry at the beginning of the Silesian Wars were intensive efforts by Frederick the Great to reorganize it. This led to many resignation requests from cavalry officers, as the service burdens increased considerably.

The aim was a tactical reorganization of the Prussian cavalry, in particular to strengthen its offensive spirit. The duty to make the first attack was already expressly stated in the 1727 regulations; that regulation also contained the provision that the cavalry should refrain from firing from horseback. These two principles were now reimposed on the cavalry.

Already in a royal letter of 03.05.1741 to Major General Friedrich Leopold von Geßler (chief of K4) it was stated that the cuirassier regiments should be exempted from school-drill with the carbine; however they should be able to handle the carbine insofar as to defend themselves during raids on billets in war (Kurt v. Priesdorff, Geßler, p. 66).

The intensive efforts soon bore fruit and on 28.08.1741 the king could write to the "Old Dessauer" (Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau, 1676-1747): "My cavalry is now in such order as I wish it to be" (v. Priesdorff, Geßler, pp. 66/67).

Frederick the Great placed particular emphasis on the speed and cohesion of attacks. These were to be executed at a gallop.

The cuirassiers were used in the 1st line and the dragoons in the 2nd line. The regulations of 1743 demanded the gallop, so emphasis was placed on speed. The attack was to be carried out with the cold steel. The enemy was to be attacked and outflanked "with the greatest speed and force".

There were precise performance goals for training the cavalrymen. One strove to "make good and capable riders out of the common man". They were to be "as adroit on horseback as the hussars".

To Major von Blumenthal (K 13) the instruction of 1747 was issued: "Since in the squadron there are many young men who have not taken part in the two campaigns of the last war, I want you to take these in the spring of next year in particular, and train and drill them alone just as was done in the cavalry regiments in the year 1743, namely: that they ride singly and use the saber and learn to strike at the head, but thereafter must shoot with pistols, so that thereby they see and understand that shooting at a target with a pistol is difficult, whereas striking is more certain and better. You should also make these men jump ditches, so that they first become bold in riding, and then they can be exercised in the squadron in proper measure" (Schöning, p. 50).

The heavy cavalry was—as already mentioned—exempted from school-drill with the carbine.

Drill time lasted from 01.04. to 01.06. During this time cuirassiers and dragoons were to drill 5 times a week on horseback and once on foot. The level of duties was higher than in the infantry, since the horse stock also had to be cared for.

In winter and summer the horses were to be ridden daily. This had already been demanded by the 1727 regulation.

Foot drill was greatly reduced for the cuirassiers. They practiced charges mainly in order to be able to defend themselves in their billets in case of a raid. The dragoons continued to be trained in infantry skills.

Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Achaz von Bismarck adds from his service time as an officer in K 13: "In winter there was no service until March 1st, except that the so-called recruits, that is men who had not yet served five years, had to ride in the riding ring. On March 1st the so-called on-leave men came to Potsdam, and then the drilling proceeded to the review" (Same, The most remarkable events and adventures from the very eventful life of..., Berlin 1856, p.).

Officers of the cuirassiers and dragoons were detached to the greatly increased hussar arm for further training; for example, by order of 22.07.1755 two officers from D IX were transferred to the hussar regiment von Wartenberg for training in hussar service (v. Priesdorff, Soldatic Leadership, Vol. I, p. 373).

The king maintained this practice even after the Seven Years' War (1756-63). Thus, by royal order of 27.07.1768 officers and non-commissioned officers from K 13 were ordered to the hussar regiment von Werner (H 6) in order to receive training in patrol duty there (v. Priesdorff, Soldatic Leadership, Vol. I, p. 482).

The inspector of the Upper Silesian cavalry inspection, Georg Ludwig von Dalwig (* 26.12.1725 in Silkerode; † 27.09.1796 in Ratibor), received on 29.09.1773 the following instruction: "Why I have not had cause to be satisfied with your regiments this year is known to you. Sluggish and heavily moving cavalry is simply a burden to the army. You have stood beside the hussars. Let the horses be trained to the same light, swift foot, then you can certainly be assured of my satisfaction" (v. Priesdorff, Soldatic Leadership, Vol. II, p. 33).

Moreover, care was taken that the service routines and the principles of drilling were practiced uniformly in the various cavalry regiments. Certain units served as models for this.

On 16.06.1753 the royal order went to the chief of D IX (Georg Ludwig Duke of Holstein-Gottorp) to send 5 officers to Berlin so that they should serve for a certain time with K 10.

Or experienced officers were sent to other cavalry regiments to instruct them.

At his accession Frederick the Great found 3 squadrons of the "Leib-Corps Hussars" stationed in Berlin and 6 squadrons of the "Prussian Hussar Corps". The latter were stationed in some East Prussian garrisons. At the end of the king's reign in 1786 there were 10 hussar regiments of 10 squadrons each.

The hussars were primarily required to be skilled riders. "His Royal Majesty requires that a hussar on horseback should be so adroit that when the horse is at full speed he can pick something up from the ground with his hand, and one can take the other's hat off while in full chase." The horses had to be ridden so well that the hussar "can tumble and turn on a horse as he wishes". Foot drill was considered a "secondary task" for the hussars. Nevertheless, the hussars had to be able to handle the carbine, but even for them the cold steel was to be preferred.

From the best men 10 marksmen per squadron were chosen among the hussars. They did sentry duty and were to become non-commissioned officers in preference. The hussars were moreover to be recruited preferably from hunters.

In the charge the hussars rode only two ranks deep.

Hussar duties also included field guards, reconnaissance patrols, outpost duty, parties against the enemy, prevention of desertion of their own soldiers, collection of contributions and forage, march security and covering the baggage.

The hussar officers were also to be prepared theoretically for the aforementioned tasks.

The hussars generally also took on the pursuit of the fleeing enemy.

Frederick the Great expressed himself several times in instructions about his requirements for the cavalry, e.g. on 14.08.1748 and on 14.12.1754.

The latter instruction contains concrete aspects of training:

In winter the riders had to have been ridden sufficiently individually so that in spring they could begin drilling in ranks immediately. Poor riders still had to be corrected.

In column attacks the horse material had to be observed; so-called "dull" horses belonged in the rearmost rank.

The men on leave or the over-complete and the recruits had to be taken individually at the beginning of the drill period—now the regiment was complete—in order to regain "good carriage and posture" and become masters of their horses again.

Until they were ready to drill in rank, the riders had further duties. Then followed squadron drill and thereafter formation at regimental level.

If attacks, wheelings, marches on and off, ditch-jumping etc. went well, other maneuvers were practiced, such as foraging, passing bridges, marches with the regiment, etc.

Recruits from the canton (= natives) were initially enlisted for one year among the over-complete and only after complete training placed into the regiment (Jany, History of the Prussian Army..., Vol. II, p. 245).

For riding instruction in unfavorable weather there were as a rule riding halls or riding houses, partly already before 1740. Thus King Wilhelm I (reign: 1713-40) approved on 13.03.1738 for the then Colonel Geßler (chief of K 4) "four schock of wood" for the construction of such a riding house in Mohrungen (v. Priesdorff, Geßler, pp. 48/49).

On the training of a cavalryman Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Achaz von Bismarck writes in his memoirs: "For training in riding and in drill with the carbine and the sabre I was handed over to the sergeant of the company, who made me soon steady in the former by my earlier long-standing exercises, whereas the latter demanded a great effort on my part to bring it after six weeks to the point that I could be considered properly drilled" (pp. 54/55).

In the memoirs of a former Prussian dragoon (v. Below, D V.) the following is added regarding riding training: "In our regiment both individual riders and the closed squadrons rode in very sharp and enduring gait, and constantly took obstacles placed on the drill ground as well as before the stable-quadrangle entrances.... The king had a particular fondness at reviews for testing the horses by having them ride out freely. When the squadron leader stood next to the king, and the latter named a man by number and rank, he had to call the man's name, who then immediately had to ride out at a gallop before the squadron. Woe to the officers if the horses stuck. This free riding-out therefore formed the subject of the most careful training for each squadron."

The young officer cadet von der Marwitz reports in his memoirs about his daily service in the Regiment Gensdarmes (K 10) from 1791 as follows:

I entered service in this regiment and under such conditions. I was very small and weak and still a very poor rider. When the drill season began at the end of March it became exceedingly bitter for me. Since at that time all drilling began at the earliest morning hour, I usually had to be in the stables to groom at half past two in the morning. I therefore had to leave home at two o’clock, from Wilhelmstraße, to be in the stable at the right time, in the Academy building at the end of the Linden. At half past three everything then went home to dress, at half past four one was back in the stable to saddle, at five o’clock we marched out when the regiment was drilling as a whole in front of the Hallesches Tor, on the field at Tempelhof. That involved almost an hour’s march, just as much to return, and about two hours of drilling, so one was back at nine o’clock, and after the orders were given, at about ten at home.

At first, however, when the on-leave men were first individually retrained, it started an hour later. One went to the ground in the Tiergarten. Since the men came out in two detachments in succession, we did not get home before one o’clock; but at three o’clock one was already in full dress for foot drill under the Linden until half past four and then from five to six in the evening groomed again in the stable. One was therefore in motion from half past four in the morning to half past seven in the evening, and among that at least six hours were on horseback (for the standard-bearing cadets had to ride two horses, one in each detachment) - so it is comprehensible that this service, performed in the fourteenth year, was most exhausting. In the later drill as a whole the afternoon foot drill fell away, but the stable duty remained year in, year out, evenings and mornings, only that outside the drill season later, and in winter only at six or half past six o’clock (by lantern), it began. Outside the drill season the service was very light. Only a small detachment rode or drilled on foot daily; the cadet, however, was attached to this detachment once and for all.

My riding on those large, clumsy horses went abominably. Although they chose the most manageable for me, I still could not hold them, and in the first charge my horse broke out of the second rank through the first and went with me, the officers past to all the devils. I had deserved the whip (to which the cadets, like the non-commissioned officers and common troopers, were subject), but fortunately I escaped with mockery. Then I was allowed to ride my own horse, which fortunately was a dark bay. But it was rather small, and I cut a poor figure on the wing of the second rank next to a five-Zoll horse and a big fellow.

When it came to the review I was to carry the standard according to my actual duty and was again mounted on a large service horse with it. Foolishly, however, because I was so small, they had strapped the standard shoe much shorter on me than usual. This gave it a great overweight, and as it was unfortunately very windy that day, I could only hold it with the greatest effort, and after the first charge against the wind I was so exhausted that I had to tell the riding master that my strength was completely gone. When he saw me deathly pale and covered in sweat, he could not doubt it and had me hand it over to the sergeant who had carried it hitherto. But before we could finish with it, another was already started, and now one heard the regiment commander shout: "Where is the standard of the second squadron gone?" Since, however, the standard appeared at its place in the next moment, the drill passed quietly. Yet it could not escape notice that I had carried it out and that it was in other hands. It was therefore generally believed that I had let it fall. That would have been an insult to the honor of the regiment, and no power in the world would have saved me from the punishment despite my youth and weakness. Thus a sharp examination began, which, however, based on the testimony of the riding master, had no consequences.

I could not have complained if I had been cashiered, for had I from the beginning paid attention to how the standard shoe must fit, which was my duty, and had I strapped it properly long, the standard would have had so little overweight that I could have held it" (pp. 68 ff.).

On the preparations for the annual reviews the following is revealed in a detailed regimental order (D III/ IV) of 23.03.1786: "On April 15 Major von Irving will march in here at Landsberg with his squadron into cantonment quarters and bring everything necessary for the review. The currently worn uniform will be put on for the march, and the new one together with the hats packed. The old hats will be worn, which however must first be brought into very good condition. If the squadron marches through Friedeberg, it must do so in the greatest order of fours.

The officers ride ahead of their troops, wear interim uniforms and have interim saddlecloths on the horses. The march is made with advance and rear guard, but so that the sowing is not ruined no side patrols need to be posted. I emphatically recommend proper packing and that the fellow sits straight. As soon as the on-leave men have arrived, the horses, insofar as necessary, must be clipped and the manes evenly plaited, the officers being present on foot so that every man can be shown a proper posture, which consists in the non-commissioned officer and the dragoon sitting on the flank, not pushing the knees forward, but keeping the posture as it stands, when holding the bridle the flat hand towards the body and the thumb to the right hand.

When riding individually past, it must be strictly observed that he brings the chest very close to the hand and looks straight into the eyes of the one he rides past. In closed ranks, however, he must not look so far to the right, and must ride with a straight posture of his body and the horse so that knee is beside knee and not knee behind knee. As soon as the fellow is practiced in a good posture in the riding house, ranks will be exercised on the field, 5 sergeants and 48 men strong, so that each platoon is 12 men strong.

At the beginning each officer takes his platoon, which he leads in the squadron, alone, shows the fellows straight riding at walk and trot so that no crowding occurs, frequently wheels them right and left and insists sharply that the platoon wheels perfectly straight and does not pitch forward in the centre. As soon as everything necessary has been shown to the fellows with platoons, the squadron chief draws the 4 platoons together, forms the squadron several times in walk or trot and shows them all necessary aids.

Finally the attacks are made. The chief must also each time have the squadron ridden past individually at walk, trot and gallop, which every officer must first do with his platoon. In all exercises on horseback and on foot strict attention must be paid to a good posture and silence, especially when the men assemble; great attention must also be paid that the fellow does not let his chin hang but, as he is built, raises the chin. Strict attention must also be paid to a good, correct dress, so that the boots sit smoothly, that the beards and hairstyle are in order according to my order.

Since the Woldenberger squadron has time this year to do something in the garrison, I hope that it will come in such a condition that we can then immediately start drill with whole squadrons here.

Since the remount horses arrived poorly this year due to poor feeding and long detours, and they are in bad condition, they must be helped from the start with barley grist and good feeding, and if they have been ridden on water for a short time they must be given bits so that they can be used for everything during the drill period and at the review" (E. v. Hagen, History of the Neumark Dragoon Regiment No. 3, Berlin 1885, p. 164)."

The reviews demanded top performance.

In the disposition of 03.09.1753 the king required for attacks 300 paces at the trot, 300 paces at the short gallop and 600 paces in the "carrière". The longer the regiment had been together, the further the attacks were to be made.

The aforementioned instruction further states that one can start at 400 paces up to 1,200 paces. Thereupon the horses were to be prepared by regular trotting and by gradual increases to 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 paces. The performance goal was an attack at 1,200 to 1,500 paces with a "carrière" of 400 to 500 paces.

The Prussian guard officer von Scheelen adds regarding the training of the cavalry: "The king ordered in all cavalry regiments that 12 men per squadron of the most skillful men should be trained as flankers. To this end the Garde du Corps rode all the officers, the major and daily 6 men out before the gates every afternoon. The officers concealed themselves, and the 6 men had to search for the officers, who represented the enemy, reconnoitre the terrain and report to the major. A new terrain was taken daily. In the mornings the whole squadron drilled in front of the Long Bridge or the Berlin Gate...." (p. 40, diary March 1755).

According to Jany (History of the Prussian Army, Vol. II, p. 315) the improvement in performance of the Prussian cavalry is to be explained above all by the elevation of the riding spirit and by the vigorous use of man and horse, as well as by war practice, less by tactical further development.

The British historian Christopher Duffy (1936 - 2022) judges the level of the Frederician cavalry as follows: "Frederick's creative influence on the various arms probably showed itself most clearly in the cavalry. After an inauspicious debut (in 1740) the efficiency and morale of the Prussian horse continued to grow steadily until during the Seven Years' War, at the battles of Rossbach, Leuthen and Freiberg, it brought about the decision. The credit for this was due in part to the king himself, who had an extremely clear conception of mounted warfare, and partly to the work of his two aides—the 'Hussar King' Hans-Joachim von Zieten and the extravagant Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz (*03.02.1721 in Kalkar, on the Upper Rhine, † 08.11.1773 in Minkowsky), with the perpetually sleepy eyes, probably the most gifted leader of men in eighteenth-century Prussia."