History of Formation and Uniforms of the Old Prussian Cavalry 1740 - 86 - Part II - Cuirassiers

In the year 1786 1786 the cuirassier regiments No. 1 - 12 ( = K 1 - 12) existed, each with 5 squadrons, as well as the Garde du Corps (No. 13 = K 13) with 3 squadrons.

The personnel strength of a cuirassier regiment was:

32 senior officers, 60 non-commissioned officers, 1 kettledrummer, 1 staff trumpeter, 10 trumpeters, 660 troopers, 10 flag smiths, 742 horses - excluding officers' horses, 60 surplus,

furthermore the regimental subordinate staff: 1 regimental quartermaster, 1 preacher, 1 auditor, 1 regimental barber-surgeon, 5 field surgeons, 1 spare rider, 1 saddler and 1 provost.

ferner der Unterstab: 1 Regimentsquartiermeister, 1 Prediger, 1 Auditeur, 1 Regimentsfeldscher, 5 Feldschers, 1 Bereuter, 1 Sattler und 1 Profos.

The hat was made of black felt.

Around its brim ran tufts of various colors.

The cockade consisted of a strong band of wool.

For head protection an iron cross-piece was additionally worn.

From 1762 white feather plumes were introduced.

The hat trimmings were already not taken into the field at the beginning of the campaigns (1744 and 1756) and were later also no longer worn.

This also applied to the officers.

The kollet was made of heavy cloth (= kersey) and had Swedish open sleeve cuffs.

The collar consisted of sewn-on (colored) cloth.

The kollet could be closed with hooks.

The sleeve cuffs were - like the collar - colored and were decorated with a braid.

The skirts of the kollet (skirt turnbacks) had an identical braid trimming. This also ran down the front of the kollet and differed from regiment to regiment.

The kollet was moreover "kollered," i.e., painted with white (for K 2 - yellow troopers - with yellow) paint.

The waistcoat - also called chemise - was made of heavy cloth and was lined with linen.

Like the kollet, it was closed with hooks, i.e., it had no buttons, and it featured a trimming with a regiment-specific braid.

The cuirass shaped the outward appearance of the cuirassiers and consequently their designation.

However, only breastplates were worn. These were held by straps crossing over the back.

Until the year 1732 backplates also existed.

The cuirass was made of blackened iron with rimmed edges and had a lining of raw linen.

In K 13 the cuirass was made of bright-polished iron.

The cloak of the cuirassiers was - except for K 5 - blue; before 1756 the cloak had been white. There were also differences with K 10 and K 11.

The lining consisted of flannel.

It was rolled and strapped to the back of the saddle.

The new cloaks also covered the entire rear baggage.

Especially for stable duty the cuirassier had a smock coat made of linen as well as a camp cap.

The powdered hair was combed out of the face and usually featured only one curl, the so-called "ram's paw."

At the back the hair was gathered into a braid wrapped with a ribbon; if one lacked sufficient own long hair, an artificial one was used.

Wearing beards was in any case uncommon among officers; among troopers the beard was singed and trimmed upwards.

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The narrow and stiffened neckcloth (black, formerly red, white for officers) was tied at the back.

White gauntlet gloves also belonged to the mounting of the cuirassiers.

The non-commissioned officer was distinguished by

a black tip to the white feather plume and

a silver or gold braid trim.

The tassel on the strap of the sabre for the non-commissioned officers consisted of black and white wool.

The sash sat on the sword belt of the sabre and was made of etamine.

It was wrapped several times around the waist and fastened at the front.

The officers' uniform essentially corresponded to that of the troopers, but was made of a finer fabric and the braid trimmings were silver or gold colored, as was the agraffe of the hat bow.

The other cloth parts of the uniform (collar, sleeve cuffs, mostly also the kollet skirts) were made of velvet.

The feather plume on the hat was also white, but black at the bottom.

The sash and the portepee were silver with black silk woven through.

The scabbard of the sabre and the fittings of the cuirass were gilded.

Otherwise there were no rank-distinguishing insignia.

Additionally, the officers also had a white coat (leibrock) with facings and bow trim (30 embroidered bows).

The coat was of red base color for K 10 and K 13.

Top left: Young cuirassier officer of K 3 around 1755. Name unknown. Drawing after a contemporary portrait (Source: Hans Bleckwenn, Under the Prussian Eagle, p. 154).

Top right: Cuirassier officer from K 13 around 1770 in a suprawaistcoat. This was worn for gala occasions and on duty in the royal palaces. Drawing after a contemporary portrait.

Center: Cuirassier officer from K 2 (Prince Henry of Prussia - 1747 - 67, since 1767 GM). Drawing by the author after a contemporary portrait.

Bottom left: Officer of K 6 around 1781. Drawing by the author after a contemporary portrait.

Bottom right: Cuirassier officer from K 10 in the red gala coat. Drawing by the author after a contemporary portrait.

Top left: Koller for officers of K 13 made of white cloth with velvet insignia, closed by brass hooks. Around 1806. Source: Merta, Klaus-Peter, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 159.

Top center: Kamisol of K 10. Around 1785. This waistcoat was worn under the kollet. Source: Merta, Klaus-Peter, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 161.

Top right: Kollet and waistcoat of troopers from K 2 around 1785. The kollet was worn open. Source: Merta, Klaus-Peter, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 166.

Bottom left: Interim coat for officers of K 13 around 1805/06. Worn in addition to the kollet and the gala coat. Source: Merta, Klaus-Peter, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 158.

Bottom center: Carbine baldric of K 5 around 1785. Made of leather decorated with braid. The leather was painted. Source: Merta, Klaus-Peter, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 173.

Bottom right: Breast cuirass of the officers from behind (1731 - 86). Source: Heinrich Müller, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 178.

Very bottom center: Bow trimming of K 5 and K 9 (braid pattern book). Source: Merta, Klaus-Peter, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991.

Very bottom right: Troop sabre (pallasch) - model 1732. Source: Heinrich Müller, The Military System in Brandenburg and Prussia from 1640 to 1806, Berlin 1991, p. 132.

K 13 was founded by the young king immediately after his accession. The unit was initially only 1 squadron strong, which counted 6 officers and 178 men.

The uniform of the unit and its equipment of K 13 was particularly elaborate.

Eduard Lange II describes these in the Heerschau der Soldaten Friedrich's des Großen (Leipzig 1856), p. 30 ff. as follows:

"Paille collets, only with ponceau-red collar and cuffs, ponceau-red waistcoats and broad sashes, the latter of chalon, black neckcloths, braid cockades, yellow leather breeches, gauntlet gloves, large courier boots, for foot service black leather gaiters with buckles, boot cuffs, which the officers abandoned in 1775, but the rank-and-file retained until 1806.

The collets of the officers were trimmed in front, on the skirts and cuffs, with silver braid, likewise those of the rank-and-file; as rank insignia the cuffs of the non-commissioned officers had a double trimming of silver braid. The waistcoats of the officers were trimmed with narrow silver braid, those of the rank-and-file with one, one-inch wide trimming of blue camel-hair braid, in which two silver threads were woven.

The breast cuirasses, which were worn until 1795, were of steel; they were fastened with a white leather cross-strap, furnished for the officers with silver fittings.

The officers' hats had plumes, without hat cords; the hats of the rank-and-file had black cockades, with a white button, a silver stripe and white cords, for the non-commissioned officers mixed white and black.

The trumpeters wore red plumes.

During the Seven Years' War the regiment received white feather tufts, for the officers from ostrich feathers, black at the bottom, for the non-commissioned officers from goose feathers, black at the top; the trumpeters in red. Their uniform still had an arm trimming of silver braid, bordered in red, and on the back of the shoulder was provided with so-called leather straps, also trimmed with narrow silver braid.

The baldric, of Russian leather, had an edging of the collet braid, however without silver threads; likewise the cartridge pouch strap, as well as the white cartridge pouch flap, were edged with the collet braid. In the middle of the flap a silvered shield with the royal monogram. Red sabre pouches, doubly edged with silver braid, in the middle, under the crown, the royal monogram.

Red saddlecloths and holster flaps, edged with narrow silver braid, later decorated with two such braids, on each corner of the saddlecloth and on each cap, in the white field, a small black eagle, later the Guard Star. The red kettledrum covers were richly embroidered in silk, silver and gold, and adorned with silver braids, fringes and the Guard Star."

Continuation: "For gala, on duty and in the royal palaces, the Gardes du Corps wore so-called ponceau superwaistcoats, for the officers of velvet, for the rank-and-file of cloth, on which the black Order of the Black Eagle star was embroidered at front and back. These overwaistcoats were edged with white braid, for the officers the star and trimming in silver."

"A special gala uniform for court festivities was still worn by the officers; it consisted of scarlet long coats, with blue collars, cuffs, lining and silver shoulder cord. On each side of the coat 8 broad embroidered silver bows with such pompons, 2 on each cuff, 2 on each pocket, 2 at the waist. Paille undergarments, hat with plume, without cords, edged with broad curved braid, later ornamented with a feather plume. Sabre in brown scabbard and cane.

The interim uniform was the same as the gala uniform, only without embroidery; instead as many white flat buttons as there were bows. In addition blue coats with a row of white flat buttons, red collar, cuffs and lining were also worn".

The suprawaistcoat or overwaistcoat was worn by the guard detachment consisting of 2 officers and 50 men.

In this context an episode reported by members of K 13 (von Trenck) is of interest:

"In the winter of 1743, however, there was the dowry escort of the King's sister in Sweden, the then widowed monarch and mother of the reigning Gustav. I had the honor as an officer of the guard to serve in the honor watch and also the fortune to escort the royal bride as far as Stettin. At this dowry escort, where the crowding in the hall was astonishing and the inspection took place, the rear part of my red velvet overwaistcoat with the rich crepin work was cut off by a rogue and at the same time my watch was stolen from me...." (quoted after Steinert, Prussian Soldier's Life in the Frederickian Era, Leipzig n.d., p. 83).

Leather riding breeches served as legwear.

For stable duty and small tasks one had linen trousers.

The pallasch (= heavy sabre with straight blade) was strapped over the kollet.

The blade was smooth and double-edged.

The regulation "For the Royal Prussian Cavalry Regiments ..." of 01.06.1743 stipulated regarding edged weapons:

"The captains must keep the sabres with even blades of the entire company always in good condition, so that the blades are always very sharp, and together with the mounts mirror-bright, and not bent, or have nicks in them; also nothing is missing or broken on the scabbard covers, hooks and throat straps" (p. 77).

A sabre pouch was additionally attached to the belt, which resembled the model of the hussars.

The armament also included two long pistols. These were stowed in holsters on the saddle.

The carbine was carried on a ring on a broad carbine strap decorated with braid.

Regarding the firearms the following obligation existed:

"Every trooper must constantly keep his firearm on all parades, mounted and dismounted, especially the barrel and all brass mirror-bright cleaned, and grease the mechanism with a little application, smear the lock well on the inside, fasten the hammer and flint tightly, and in sum always keep the firearm with pistols, inside and outside, in such a condition that not the slightest thing is missing: wherefore the captains and all officers must also inspect the firearm on all parades mounted and dismounted, and during the visitation of the quarters, and first of all have the lads properly instructed how to clean and grease the firearm together with the pistols" (Regulation For the Royal Prussian Cavalry Regiments ... of 01.06.1743, p. 75).

The (worn at the back) black leather cartridge pouch was decorated with ornamental elements of metal.

At the saddle the carbine was placed in a boot.

The non-commissioned officers (and of course the officers) did not have a carbine.

Under the so-called German saddle lay the half saddlecloth, which had an edging braid trim and other decorations.

Its lining consisted of black waxed linen.

Baggage also included the forage sack.

During marches the cavalrymen usually also carried forage (hay) for the horses.

Each squadron of the cuirassier regiments had a standard. Under Frederick the Great these largely remained as before. However, the eagle and the inscription on the scroll changed.

K 2 and K 5, however, received new standards. K 13 was already granted a peculiar standard in the year 1741 (February) (see further below).

The aforementioned Eduard Lange II describes in the Heerschau der Soldaten Friedrich's des Großen (Leipzig 1856), p. 30 the special standard of K 13 as follows:

"The standards granted to the regiment had a peculiar design, as shown on the accompanying plate No. 4, on which we also see the regiment's kettledrummer. The silver eagle weighed 18 marks; the fabric of the standard, half a square foot, was white, the insignia on it of embroidery in silk, silver and gold. The chain by which the banner was held by the eagle's beak was of silver, the staff brown, the standard baldric of red velvet, edged with silver braid and silver fringes".