Formation and Uniform History of the Old Prussian Cavalry 1740 - 86 - Part IV - Hussars

At the time he took office, Frederick the Great found 3 squadrons of the "Leib-Korps Hussars" stationed in Berlin and 6 squadrons of the "Prussian Hussar Corps". The latter were stationed in some East Prussian garrisons.

The hussar arm was greatly expanded under Frederick the Great.

In 1786 there were 10 hussar regiments of 10 squadrons each.

According to the regulations for the hussar regiments of 01.12.1743 (pp. 3-4), the establishment of a hussar regiment was as follows:

36 senior officers.

80 non-commissioned officers.

10 trumpeters.

1020 hussars.

10 flag smiths.

10 field surgeons.

1130 horses, not including officers' horses, including those for the 10 field surgeons, since they were mounted with the hussars.

The regimental staff consisted of:

1 regimental quartermaster.

1 regimental field surgeon.

2 gunsmiths.

2 stockmakers.

A squadron had a strength of:

3 senior officers.

8 non-commissioned officers.

1 trumpeter.

102 hussars.

1 flag smith.

1 field surgeon.

The hussar's uniform included the cap, the pelisse, the dolman, the camisole, the neckcloth, the sash, leather riding breeches, the overtrousers (Charawaden), the short boots, the cloak, the bandolier and the cartridge pouch, the sabre pouch and, as armament, the sabre, the pistols, the carbine; in addition the saddle and the baggage. Furthermore, the hairstyle is of interest.

The hussar regiments received pelisses and dolmans in different colors.

The colors of the various formations can be found in the table below.

The dolman had a standing narrow collar and pockets at the sides and was partly trimmed with leather.

Its lining was made of linen.

Furthermore, the dolman had decoration of twisted wool cords, the number of which varied by regiment

The buttons were yellow (brass) or white (lead).

The pelisse corresponded to the dolman in fabric and cut, but it was wider in cut.

It was lined or trimmed with white or black fur.

It also had decoration of twisted wool cords, the number of which varied by regiment

One wore either the dolman or the pelisse alone, or — on parades — both garments; in that case the pelisse was hung over the left shoulder.

The sash consisted of a strong, repeatedly folded cord which was held together by a braided band.

At the ends there was a button and a loop (for fastening).

The sash was wrapped several times around the body.

It was worn over the dolman.

The trousers were made of leather.

Over them short overtrousers were worn (see below).

Overtrousers were worn. They were called Schalavar and were not lined.

The hussar regiments primarily had winged caps (felt caps), but some had bear (fur) caps. These formations, however, also wore felt caps in summer.

Their height varied.

Not all regiments had bear (fur) caps.

On the bear (fur) cap the kolpak hung on the right. This was a piece of cloth sewn in a particular way.

Decorative elements included a cord and a plume on the side.

Among the hussars the braided hairstyle was not customary; instead the hussars wore their long hair at the nape tied into a knot.

Twisted moustaches were the rule.

Short boots were worn. A piece of iron served as the heel.

The neckcloths were black.

The sabres of the hussars had iron hilts and iron-mounted scabbards.

The hangers were brown, but black for H 5.

Non-commissioned officers had black-and-white cords on the cap.

On the winged cap the NCOs had a colored rosette.

At the end of the wing of the winged cap a black-and-white tuft was attached.

Furthermore they were distinguished by a braid trim on the dolman and the pelisse (collar/ sleeve turnbacks).

In H 2 it even had a differently colored fur facing (brown instead of white), in H 6 black.

On the uniform of the hussar officers all cords etc. were either silver or gold.

The winged caps and the bearskin caps were adorned with a plume of rows of feathers.

The officers wore curls, i.e. not the freer hairstyle of the rank-and-file.

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The saddle was Hungarian. The shabrack was laid over it.

This was colored and had a zigzag trim.

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H 1 was already established in the year 1721 with a strength of two companies and over time was increased to 10 squadrons (1741/42).

In 1753 the garrisons of the unit were: Guhrau, Herrnstadt, Steinau, Suhlau, Trachtenberg.

In the Seven Years' War H 1, or parts of the unit, took part in Lobositz, Rossbach, Kolin, Leuthen, Kunersdorf, Torgau and Freiberg.

Characteristic for H 1 was the green base color. This color was seen for the first time in 1742. The dolman was light green and the pelisse was dark green with a white fur edging. Cord trim and buttons were white.

As headgear they wore bearskin caps with a dark green kolpak. The sash was madder red with white buttons.

The red sabre pouch had white braids.

The dark green shabrack had a light green zigzag trim, the cords were white.

The officers' uniform originally had a (breast) facing with braid, but already during the war the "cord uniform" (Bleckwenn) came into use.

H 1 was dissolved by the capitulation of Anklam (01.11.1806).

Among its better-known commanders was Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Gottfried Arnd von Kleist, also called the "Green Kleist" (29.08.1724 in Potsdam; † 28. 08.1767 in Jeschkendorf near Liegnitz). He raised and commanded the famous Kleist Free Corps.

The unit was founded as early as 1730 with one company. By 1733 H 2 already comprised 3 squadrons. In 1741/42 it was strengthened to 10 squadrons.

The I. Battalion was stationed in Berlin, the II. Battalion in Plau, Lübs and Eldena.

In the Seven Years' War H 2 fought at Prague, Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen, Zorndorf, Hochkirch, Kay (partly), Kunersdorf (partly), Liegnitz, Torgau.

The dolman was light red, the collar and sleeve cuffs were dark blue. The pelisse was dark blue and had a white fur facing. Cord trim and buttons were white.

As headgear they wore bearskin caps with red kolpaks.

The sash was dark blue with white buttons.

The red sabre pouch had white braids.

The dark blue shabrack had a red zigzag trim.

The unit was destroyed in the unfortunate 1806 campaign together with Blücher's corps (Battle of Lübeck, capitulation at Ratkau on 07.11.1806).

H 3 was established in 1740. Its nucleus was a squadron from H 1. In 1741/42 the unit was strengthened to 10 squadrons.

In 1753 the squadrons of H 3 were stationed in Bernstadt, Buchwalde, Kotschlitz, Neudorf, Sadewitz and Zellin.

In the Seven Years' War H 3 fought at Prague, Kolin, Leuthen (in part) and Kunersdorf (in part).

The dolman was white, its collar and sleeve cuffs were yellow. The pelisse was dark blue, the pelisse edging white. The braiding was yellow.

The bearskin had a white kolpak.

The sash was yellow with white buttons.

The yellow sabre pouch had white trim.

The dark-blue shabrack had a white pointed edging with yellow cords.

The unit was annihilated in the unfortunate campaign of 1806 together with Blücher’s corps (Battle of Lübeck, capitulation at Ratkau on 07.11.1806). An existing depot continued to be used.

Originally founded as an uhlan regiment (1741), it was converted into a hussar regiment after a military setback.

In 1753 its squadrons were stationed in Brallen, Festenberg, Juliusburg, Medzibor, Militsch, Oels, Prausnitz, Stroppen, Trebnitz and Wartenberg.

In the Seven Years' War H 4 fought at Prague, Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen, Hochkirch (in part), Kay and Kunersdorf.

The dolman was light blue. The pelisse was white with a white pelisse edging.

Felt caps were used as headgear. The regiment initially had pelisses and received them again from 1771.

The sash was yellow with white buttons (different in Bleckwenn).

The white sabre pouch had a light-blue trim.

The white shabrack had a light-blue pointed edging with white-blue cords.

The regiment survived the unfortunate campaign of 1806 and was used again in a reformation.

H 5 was established in 1740 with a strength of 2 squadrons provided by H 1 and H 2. In 1741/41 the unit was strengthened to 10 squadrons. The Bosniaks were assigned to H 5.

The squadrons of H 5 were stationed in 1753 in Goldap, Johannisburg, Lötzen, Lyck, Nordenburg, Oletzko, Pillkallen and Stallupönen.

In the Seven Years' War H 5 fought partly in the east at Zorndorf, Kay (in part), and partly in the western campaign at Krefeld, Bergen and Minden.

The dolman and pelisse of H 5 were black, as was the pelisse edging.

The cord trim (12) was white.

On the felt caps the death's head was worn out of white-gray yarn. The origin of the death's head emblem is uncertain according to Bleckwenn.

The red sash had white buttons.

The black leather sabre pouches had no trim.

The black shabrack had a red pointed edging with white cords.

H 5 survived the lost campaign of 1806 with the reserve corps and formed the basis for the reformation of the 1st and 2nd Life Hussars.

The unit was established in 1741/42 and comprised 10 squadrons.

The various squadrons were garrisoned in 1753 in Berun, Beuthen, Gleiwitz, Loslau, Nicolai, Preuskretscham, Rybnik, Sohrau and Ujest.

In the Seven Years' War H 6 fought at Prague, Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen and Landeshut (in part).

The dolman was matte brown, its collar and sleeve cuffs were yellow.

The braiding (15) was also yellow.

Felt caps were used as headgear.

The sash was yellow with white buttons.

The matte-brown sabre pouch had yellow trim.

The matte-brown shabrack had a yellow pointed edging. The cords were also yellow.

The regiment survived the catastrophic campaign against the young French Empire and was in fact re-established in East Prussia, but was later annihilated. The remainder served for the re-establishment of another hussar regiment.

H 7 was established in 1743. For this purpose a squadron from H 5 and further contributions from the older regiments were used.

The squadrons of the unit were stationed in Barten, Bischofswerder, Garnsee, Gilgenburg, Ortelsburg, Passenheim, Preußisch-Eylau, Rosenberg, Soldau, Sensburg and Stallupönen.

In the Seven Years' War H 7 fought at Groß-Jägersdorf, then (from 1758) 8 squadrons operated in the east at Zorndorf, Kay (seven squadrons), Landeshut (6 squadrons); furthermore two squadrons were transferred to the allied army. These fought at Bergen and Minden.

The dolman was yellow, the pelisse light blue with black pelisse trim. In addition white braiding (12).

Felt caps were used as headgear.

The light-blue sash had white buttons.

The light-blue sabre pouch had a white trim.

The light-blue shabrack had a yellow pointed edging with white cords.

The unit was annihilated in the unfortunate campaign of 1806 together with Blücher’s corps (Battle of Lübeck, capitulation at Ratkau on 07.11.1806). An existing depot continued to be used.

H 8 originated in 1743.

The squadrons were stationed in 1753 in Belgard, Bütow, Lauenburg, Neustettin, Rummelsburg, Schlawe, Tempelburg and Zanow.

The regiment fought at Kolin (in part), at Roßbach (in part), at Breslau (in part), Leuthen (in part) and then (1759) was affected by the capitulation at Maxen.

Only 3 squadrons in Silesia survived this capitulation.

There was only an attempt to re-establish the formation. In 1763 the unit was dissolved or replaced by H 9. This unit took over the garrisons and the uniform of the previous hussar regiment.

First uniform:

The dolman was madder red, as was the pelisse. Its pelisse edging was black. The white braiding had 12 rows of cords.

Felt caps were used as headgear.

The madder-red sash had white buttons.

The black leather sabre pouch had no trim.

The madder-red shabrack had a similar pointed edging with white cords.

The fate of the unit was mentioned above.

H 9 was created in 1758 by recruitment, initially with only 5 squadrons. In 1761 two further battalions were added.

In 1763 the unit took the place of H 8 (see there).

In the Seven Years' War H 9 fought at Kunersdorf and at Freiberg (there in full).

The regiment wore a black uniform. It had green braiding and yellow buttons.

Only the officers had green insignia on the dolman. The fur facings on the privates were very narrow.

The worn winged cap displayed the "ganzen Tod" at the front.

The black sabretache had green braids and the royal cypher in green.

The black shabrack had a green zigzag trim.

The early and initially failed experiment of establishing an uhlan arm in 1740 (v. Natzmer Uhlans) was already mentioned above.

As early as 1745, however, a Bosniak banner was incorporated into the Prussian army and in 1746 was reinforced, then reduced again.

In 1753 the station was Goldap, then in 1754 Oletzko and in 1763 Stallupönen. From 1770 then Arys and Bialla.

In 1762 it was then strengthened to 10 squadrons.

In the Seven Years' War the Bosniaks were mainly deployed in the East together with H 5.

1773 (13.04.) the Bosniaks were brought up to the full strength of a hussar regiment. The establishment comprised 50 officers, 110 non-commissioned officers, 10 feldshers, 10 flag smiths, 10 trumpeters and 1320 privates.

The regiment was largely replenished by recruitment. Among the privates only 100 locals were intended (Jany, Geschichte ..., Vol. III, p. 28).

H 10 was formed in 1773 from the contributions of the other hussar regiments. In addition, recruits from West Prussia were used. The unit numbered 10 squadrons.

The squadrons of H 10 were stationed (1753) in Soldau, Bischofswerder, Gilgenburg, Löbau, Neidenburg, Neumark in Prussia, Ottelsburg, Passenheim and Strasbourg.

The regiment distinguished itself in the Bavarian Succession War (1778/1779).

A well-known commander of the unit was F. W. v. Wuthenow, but he had problems in his garrison.

The dolman was yellow with red braiding (with a border). Collar and sleeve cuffs were blue (with red facings or edging).

The blue pelisse also had red cords (with a border). The fur edging was white.

The red sash had red buttons.

The blue sabretache displayed the royal cypher in red and had a yellow — red-fronted — zigzag trim.

The blue shabrack also had such a trim.

The officers' uniform featured silver braiding (with a border) and a corresponding trim (Schoitasch).

In 1806 H 10 was lost within Blücher's corps.

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