The Prussian Army under Frederick William I (1713 - 40) - Chapter 16 - The Colorful Coat (The Infantry).

The uniform, as a standardized military garment precisely defined by detailed regulations, determines the wearer's belonging to a particular army, to a particular branch of service and to a particular regiment. The soldier's clothing standardized in cut, color, insignia and manner of wearing arose — apart from some isolated medieval attempts — only with the emergence of standing armies, and the process of introducing uniforms in the various states could span from the mid-17th into the 18th century. A prerequisite for the uniform clothing of entire armies was on the one hand the emergence of the princes' centralized authority while at the same time securing the financing of the army's needs against the resistance of the estates, and on the other hand the advent of early-capitalist production methods within manufactories. The standing army — that is the miles perpetuus — was an expression of princely governmental authority. Already in the Thirty Years' War the economic benefit of mass-producing military clothing and weapons was recognized. Besides this economic aspect, the introduction of a uniform military dress also had rational reasons. Through the increased use of firearms the massive smoke development of the muzzle-loaders on the battlefield became a problem. For this reason the different troop units had to be made recognizably distinct by color; camouflage was completely foreign to the mindset of contemporary European soldiers. In addition, uniform clothing acted sociologically as a group-bonding element, i.e., the psychological effect of the uniform on friend and foe was fully acknowledged. In this sense color was the trump card¹.

The beginnings of the uniforming of the Prussian army go back to the time of Elector George William; thus the Elector's bodyguard (1,000 foot soldiers and 150 horse) is said to have been dressed dark blue in 1632. Only since 1670 did the uniform appear on a larger scale in Prussia. In 1685 the Great Elector ordered that "to every regiment a certain colour of standards and coats" should be given. With some exceptions the infantry at that time was already uniformed in dark blue². Nevertheless the infantry regiments under the Great Elector were often very differently dressed; under Frederick I, however, a clear tendency toward the colors blue and red is observable. A comprehensive regulation taking into account even the smallest detail of military clothing was only implemented in the reign of Frederick William I, whose early influence on military affairs in general and on uniforming and equipment in particular becomes clear, for example, on the occasion of the draft of an infantry regulation in 1707³.

If we want to describe the clothing and equipment of the Prussian soldier in the period treated here, the question of sources immediately arises. The first comprehensive pictorial overviews of old Prussian uniforms are the Dessau Specifications of 1729 and 1737 and thus constitute indispensable sources on the uniforming of the Prussian army for the period before 1740. The Dessau Specification of 1729 was produced as a birthday present from Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau for Frederick William I. In addition to the genealogical texts, which were to serve as model and basis for all subsequent regimental lists of the Prussian army in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Dessau Specifications also established the tradition of schematic uniform representations, as opposed to figurative depiction. The Dessau Specification of 1729 shows, in addition to the 31 regiments of foot, also the cuirassiers (12 regiments) and dragoons (5 regiments), each formation being represented by the schematic depiction of the common soldier's coat together with the corresponding field sign.

In 1737 a new edition of the Dessau Specification followed. Bleckwenn points to such an understandable necessity, since the economy regulations of 1733 and 1736 had led to changes in the uniforms. The Dessau Specification 1737 (DS 37) now showed, in addition to the flag of the respective unit, the coat and the waistcoat of the officer, the non-commissioned officer, the drummer, the grenadier etc. musketeer and additionally the grenadier and fusilier caps, thus pursuing a clearly more comprehensive approach. The dating of this picture series to the year follows from the indicated changed or not yet effected changes of regimental proprietors. For Infantry Regiment No. 24 the corresponding sheet is missing. For infantry the DS 37 shows a total of 31 units (excluding No. 24), the garrison regiment, the artillery, 12 cuirassier regiments and 7 dragoon regiments.

In equipment and armament, in training and organization, the infantry already exhibited no fundamental differences in this period, if one excepts the grenadiers equipped with hand grenades.

The basic color of the infantry coat is traditionally blue, the coat in most regiments being equipped with lapels — also called flaps —; Nos. 3, 5 and 21 have coats without lapels. The collar is found only in 3 regiments (Nos. 3, 6 and 30). The sleeve cuff is predominantly the round — closed — type, worn in plain form by half of the foot regiments; the remaining formations either have a sleeve flap pushed forward in red or variously styled and colored braid and ribbon trim. Collars (if present), lapels and sleeve cuffs are mostly red; only No. 1 shows white and No. 12 light paille insignia. No. 21 has dark blue sleeve cuffs, No. 29 wears a coat with dark blue lapels and similarly dark blue sleeve cuffs. The skirt facings are uniformly red, thus showing the regularly darker red of the coat lining. The skirt facings are generally held by a cloth patch, whereas for some regiments only a simple button is depicted. Since the regiments therefore resemble one another strongly in their uniforming, a varied and differently colored or patterned ribbon and braid trim serves to differentiate them. Many regiments show a similar distribution of ribbons and braids, so the following trim is found in a large number of formations: two ribbons or braids under each lapel and one at the waist. Frequently two ribbons or braids also appear on the sleeve cuffs. Nos. 22 and 29 have piped lapels.

In addition to the coat, the complete uniform of the infantryman included a sleeved waistcoat called a kamisol, the shirt, the neckcloth, the breeches, the ankle boots (together with knee straps), the stockings, the shoes and of course the headgear, i.e., hat, grenadier or fusilier cap, as well as the leather gear including the cartridge pouch and the remaining equipment (field kit) and armament (musket and saber).

The cloth kamisol was worn under the coat and in most regiments around 1715 was at first red, later mostly pale straw or white; "it should be short, not too wide, also the sleeves not longer than the back sleeves" (Infantry Regulation of 1726, p. 624). In the "Designation, how the Prince of Anhalt's regiment of foot shall be uniformed from the year 1725 on every year ..." it states: "Every two years from 1727 on new camisoles sleeves without lining shall be made. In summer such shall not be worn under the uniform, but the fellows have them only sewn on in winter."

From the old waistcoats the soldiers were to make sleeping caps, "and have the tassel from the old hat set on them, also the flap of the sleeping cap shall be red. The sleeping caps are made from the hind parts of the kamisol from the skirt and the remainder of the kamisol without sleeves is used for the chest cloth" (cf. also Infantry Regulation of 1726, p. 617).

In the Dessau Specification of 1729, in addition to the coat, the waistcoat is also depicted; it is red in 12 regiments, pale straw in 10 and white in the remaining 9. In the above-mentioned Designation of 1727, 13 regiments had red, 8 pale straw and 5 white undergarments (of 29 regiments; for three units the data are missing). In 3 regiments the waistcoat sleeves are rolled over the coat. The buttons on the coats are always yellow.

The (undershirt) consisted of coarse linen, over which a finer overshirt was worn.

Furthermore red neckcloths were worn, the collar of the overshirt was folded over them; later this was replaced by a white strip of plain linen. The King's Regiment (No. 6) had white neckcloths.

The breeches were of the material and color of the kamisol; they had to be "tight around the legs and at the seat, also made short above the knee" (Infantry Regulation of 1726, p. 625; cf. also Regulation of 1714, p. 256).

The ankle boots "must be made of even white linen with brass buttons, not longer than up to the knee, and tight around the foot according to the sample" (Regulation of 1726, p. 625). The ankle boots had been introduced under Frederick I and replaced the previous knee-high (mostly red or white) stockings. Already in the Regulation of 1714 it reads: "However, every soldier shall have each year a new pair of ankle boots and when he performs his duties shall always wear such" (cf. also Regulation of 1718, p. 442). Initially (until about 1716) the ankle boots were of gray color⁴. While the Infantry Regulation of 1726 still explicitly forbade black ankle boots, under Frederick the Great (1744) black ankle boots were introduced — first for the winter season, later generally.

According to the Infantry Regulation of 1726 (p. 619) the stockings now only reached "up to the knee" and cost 8 groschen.

The musketeers wore the tricorne, which was still the earlier round hat, albeit with the sides turned up. Over time (after 1740) the hat became increasingly flatter. It was made of black felt. For a secure fit it was tied behind the queue.

The brims of the hat had a narrow edging, which was white. In No. 6 it consisted of gold galloon. Non-commissioned officers also wore a gold galloon on the hat as well as black-and-white hat plumes.

Furthermore hat plumes were worn. These were of different colours and served as an additional regimental badge. On 09.03.1731 the king ordered for Infantry Regiment No. 10 (owner: Prince Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau, from 27.05.1730): "Prince Dietrich shall, instead of the red and white hat plume like the King's regiment; take red, white and black, as no regiment yet has" (Kling, I., p. 21). In the Infantry Regulation 1726 (p. 618) it is stated in principle: "There shall always be new hats with plumes kept in the uniform chamber in storage, so that when a march comes, or otherwise ordered, the regiments have new hats."

The same colours as the hat plume were also shown by a hat cord, which was laid with two small tassels around the crown of the hat.

On the left side of the hat a brass button was attached at the front.

In a disposition for Infantry Regiment No. 14 from 1733 (Dieterich, p. 243) it reads: "As soon as the fellows have gathered, the company guard must be set, then the senior and junior officers shall inspect man by man whether the musket is bright, whether the lock is in order, whether all brass on musket and saber, also the shaft wood is in order, whether the soldier's uniform, leather gear and hair queue are in order, whether the pouches and sabers hang correctly, also the hats are correctly cocked, and one hat must sit like the other, also firmly bound so that they do not fall down."

The grenadiers had the hat up until the year 1725, afterwards only the grenadier cap mentioned below. However the officers of the grenadiers continued to wear the hat. According to the Infantry Regulation 1726 (p. 634) it further applied: "The grenadiers must never be without grenadier caps, and the musketeers never without their uniform hat, and no fellow shall walk the street without a saber."

A distinctive characteristic of the grenadiers was their grenadier cap as a special headgear. This grenadier cap had developed from the pointed cap (camp cap), which was worn in place of the hat. The latter was inconvenient when throwing hand grenades while shouldering the musket. A similar development is found in other armies also for the dragoons as mounted infantry.

The cap sack of the grenadier cap hung down before 1700 and was then erected and stabilized by means of fishbone stays. The tip of the cap was adorned with a woolen tuft. This matched the hat plume of the musketeers' hat. The now stiff cloth front was initially decorated with embroidery and later with metal fittings or metallic emblems. Over time these grew together into a metal front plate. The initially still pierced metal plate showed the cloth backing in this early phase and then became a fully metal front plate, e.g. already applied for No. 6 around 1729. The front metal was made of tombac. The grenadier caps of the regiments displayed on this front plate various ornamentation with manifold decorative elements, motifs and patterns, in particular the royal cipher, the crowned (Prussian) eagle, the star of the Order of the Black Eagle, the lion as an expression of martial strength, various cyphers and the usual war armaments in opulent baroque decoration.

The grenadiers had the hat until the year 1725 and afterwards only the grenadier cap. However the officers of the grenadiers continued to wear the hat. According to the Infantry Regulation 1726 (p. 634) it further applied: "The grenadiers must never be without grenadier caps, and the musketeers never without their uniform hat, and no fellow shall walk the street without a saber."

In the Infantry Regulation of 1726 (pp. 619 ff.) it says regarding the procurement and wearing of the grenadier cap: "Every year new grenadier caps without plates shall be made and every three years new grenadier caps with plates shall be made." And further: "The grenadier caps must fit very tightly on the head, and not sit too low" (so also regulated in the economy regulations for Nos. 3 and 14 from the year 1725 (Dieterich, p. 183)).

In 1723 the so‑called fusilier regiments were established, which consisted of fewer personnel. They received headgear that resembled the grenadier caps. Allegedly they were modeled on Saxon examples seen at the Zeithain camp (1728), a claim Bleckwenn rejects. The four fusilier regiments are already shown with this headgear in DS 29. Their separate headpiece was made of black oilcloth and had yellow fittings. The front shield stood free or by itself. On the mentioned headpiece there was a brass grenade. The resemblance to the grenadier cap was probably deliberate, intended to convey the impression of elite units and to mask the soldiers' smaller stature. However, the fusilier caps were not as tall as the grenadier caps.

The leather equipment consisted of the harness (Gehenk) to which the bayonet was attached. In addition, the cartridge pouch was carried on a broad strap worn over the left shoulder. The Infantry Regulation of 1726 (pp. 633/635) stipulated in this regard: "And the leather equipment must be painted white and not yellow, also thoroughly brushed clean, so that it does not stain the uniform." Furthermore it stated: "All that is brass and iron must at all times be polished to a mirror‑bright finish." During the reign of Frederick William I the infantry no longer wore rapiers but short sabers. The grip, guard and ricasso of the saber were of brass. The blade was slightly curved. The scabbard was made of wood and covered with black leather. The later fusilier regiments received pallasches, i.e. edged weapons with straight blades. Infantry Regiment No. 3 also carried its own model.

The cartridge pouch was made of black lacquered leather. Its flap was adorned with a brass plate. In Infantry Regiments Nos. 6 and 24 this ornamentation was of tombac. In the corners of the cartridge pouches of the grenadiers and fusiliers there were flaming grenades made of brass. Since 1718 each cartridge pouch contained 30 cartridges. These were placed in leather holders or sleeves. In addition to large pouches for hand grenades, the grenadiers carried their cartridges in an additional smaller pouch worn in front. These were abolished by royal order of 25.05.1733. From then on the grenadiers' cartridges and hand grenades were to be carried together in the large pouch.

The other field equipment of the infantryman consisted of a haversack or knapsack (Ränzel/Tornister) and a bread bag. The knapsack was made of calfskin and was fastened with two straps. The bread bag was made of grey linen. Both pieces of equipment were carried over the right shoulder. Tent pegs of wood were also attached to the knapsack strap. Additional equipment items, e.g. a field cauldron per tent group as well as a tent‑axe and a container for water, had to be carried by the soldiers.

Hair and beard style also formed part of the soldier's outward appearance and were therefore subject to royal regulation and the influence of individual regimental proprietors. Characteristic for the period discussed here was the queue (Zopf), i.e. the hair was combed back and braided at the rear. It is not certain whether the queue originated in the old Prussian state, but it (also) became a defining feature of hair fashion here. A royal order of 24.03.1732 to No. 31, for example, demanded "braided hair tails". Similarly in orders of 08.04.1732 to No. 9, of 26.02.1735 to No. 24 and of 07.06.1738 to No. 29.

A specification from 1725 states: "... and the hairs that hang down at the ear shall be cut equal to the ear." From the side, artificial side locks began to appear from 1726 (1730?), whose regulated differences over time even developed into distinguishing characteristics of individual regiments.

Moreover, the hair was powdered white for special occasions, e.g. parades.

In 1714 the Berlin printed newspapers reported: "The King will not come in before Christmas, the cause of which is said to be that a new fashion of beards among military persons is to be introduced, and the model is to be taken from the King himself" (Grübel/Ortgies, p. 221). Subsequently, notably the grenadiers and fusiliers wore beards. These, moreover, occurred generally only in certain regiments and then as a rule with the beard tips turned upward. In an order of 12.04.1737 it is stated, however, generally: "All fellows who have hair around the mouth shall let their beards grow."

Traditionally, musicians in all armies were distinguished by special decorative elements on their uniform. They often wore contrasting colors and/or conspicuous insignia. In the old Prussian army these were, for the drummers (and trumpeters), special braids of wool or velvet. Drummers were generally very young soldiers. The braids described below often followed the chief's or regiment proprietor's coat‑of‑arms colors. From 1740 onward no further regard would be paid to these heraldic colors. However, the old braid patterns continued to be worn under Frederick William II.

The Infantry Regulation of 1714 (p. 255) stated in principle regarding the musicians' uniform: "Noted hereby: that the colonels are free to uniform the hautbois, tambours and pipers as they give their livery, provided that the uniform does not exceed in price what the currently specified hautbois, tambours and piper uniform with livery braids costs. Should one or another wish to provide a better uniform, the colonel must himself pay what such a uniform costs out of his own purse." A similar approach is found in the Infantry Regulation of 1718 (p. 438). The Infantry Regulation of 1726 (p. 620) gives tighter specifications on this topic: "The hautbois, piper and tambour uniform shall, according to the sample, be edged with a livery cord, made with 8 loops, and the shoulder flaps shall be fully set with cords; the drum and piper straps, however, shall each year be edged with a livery cord according to the sample, and the straps shall be supplied with the leather equipment every 7 years." Kling (Vol. I, p. 148) points out, however, that the mentioned trim with 8 loops does not in practice at all occur. The "shoulder flaps" referred to are, incidentally, the swallow's‑nest style flaps typical for musicians.

According to Bleckwenn, the braid trimmings of the tambour uniforms, following the Dessau specification of 1737, are as follows:

Non‑commissioned officers, as a distinct rank group, were also distinguished by special uniform insignia and armament. A gold braid was worn on the hat. The hat plume had been black and white since 1718, as was the hat cord. This pattern was followed by the plume on the grenadier cap of the corresponding non‑commissioned officers. The saber knot was also black‑white. Furthermore, the coat had a trimming of golden lace rather than wool as on the rank‑and‑file coats. In Infantry Regiment No. 15 this trimming was silver. In part, the lapels or sleeve cuffs were likewise edged accordingly. The coat also had no rear shoulder flap (the "dragoon"), because the non‑commissioned officer did not carry a musket as armament, and of course no cartridge pouch. Rather, the non‑commissioned officers — besides the saber — carried a so‑called short gun (Kurzgewehr). This was a pole weapon with a length of 7½ feet and a shaft painted brown. The blade bore the royal monogram and the designation of the respective unit. The non‑commissioned officers of the grenadiers also gave up their muskets from 1718 and received their own model of the short gun. The equipment of the non‑commissioned officers also included a cane, which symbolized their right to punish. Incidentally, the corporal carried the flag. The flag cover in question hung over the left shoulder when the flag was carried, or was simply wrapped around the body. The non‑commissioned officers in the King’s Regiment (No. 6) had white neckcloths like the officers.

Officers wore the respective regimental uniform without distinguishing rank insignia; in this respect officers outwardly did not differ in principle from the field marshal to the ensign. The uniformity of the officers' dress symbolized a certain group identity; officers, particularly in the epoch treated here, developed into a cohesive professional group. Only in 1742 did Frederick the Great introduce an ostrich plume (plumage) lying along the hat brim as a special feature for generals; a special general uniform was introduced later (1803); already in 1790 the cavalry generals (except hussars) had received a distinct field uniform. Distinguishing marks for the individual grades of generals were not created until the cabinet order (KO) of 27.02.1830. Until then the generals, who as a rule were proprietors of regiments, wore that regiment's uniform; they were, however, usually recognizable by the above‑mentioned plume and by the star and possibly the orange sash of the Order of the Black Eagle. When generals performed duties as colonels they wore gaiters, otherwise boots (dispositions for the Berlin reviews of 1736 to 1739).

"The coats formerly embroidered more or less richly according to the rank and wealth of the individual were, since 1718 except in the King’s Regiment (No. 6), quite plain; only the then mostly red waistcoats had an edging of simple or double, broad or narrow, variously applied and patterned gold braids; silver braids had been forbidden since 1725. Besides the different placement and pattern of the braids, in particular the number and distribution of the numerous small, high‑domed, gilded and variously patterned buttons of the regiments differed. Some had braid‑trimmed or embroidered buttonholes on the waistcoat instead of edging. In the 1730s most regiments again adopted gold embroidery on the coat, at first very simple, usually small bows in a distribution similar to that of the rank and file, or embroidered borders around cuffs, flaps, pocket flaps, etc. Only a few units retained the braids on the waistcoats, some regiments up to shortly before the Seven Years' War ..."⁵. On the basis of surviving officer portraits (especially via Priesdorff) Bleckwenn describes the various phases of the development of the officer uniform as follows: "With the I. period of old Prussian uniforming from 1713 we still enter the organic further development of older states; the typical style of the Soldier‑King, the 'Friedrich‑Wilhelm officer', only gradually formed in the following years, together with an increasing distancing of the uniform from civilian dress. Thus this first period is still characterized uniform‑technically by the full coat with initially Austrian cuffs, then 2 to 3 embroidery loops set in the arm direction. As trimmings of the chest parts, (mostly finely recessed) edge embroideries with bow‑like bulges predominate, especially three single ones in the upper chest area, only rarely corresponding bow embroidery alone⁶.... In the whole group ... the full‑wig is still worn, but the neckcloth is already closed; the waistcoat is rarely visible, but if so then accordingly embroidered. This first uniform period theoretically ends with the provisions of the Infantry Regulation of 1718, which for example prescribes a solid waistcoat trimming instead of the fine embroideries. In practice the change, however, seems to have taken a few more years, so that we still occasionally find uniforms of the I. period around 1720. Characteristics of the II. period therefore correspond to the regulation of 1718: the disappearance of the old trimmings in favor of a trimming only of the waistcoat, which mostly consists of braid, occasionally also of braid loops, only rarely of the latter alone. On the coat the Prussian cuff (rounded, closed) asserts itself; occasionally for a long time we still see the braid‑trimmed waistcoat cuff turned over the coat sleeve. The full wig generally gives way to the queue with side locks, only elderly gentlemen continue to wear it respectfully in more or less reduced form, some originals even very late with freely flowing hair, e.g. the old Dessau and the General von Lüderitz who fell at Lowositz. The III. period brings the return of the trimmings to the coat and fundamentally in the form of closed loops, only rarely as a relatively closely run edge trim. The undergarments and hairstyles vary the mentioned basic elements into complicated regiment‑specific forms"⁷. The transition between the I. and II. periods is abrupt; a drastic stylistic break also documents outwardly the renunciation of the formerly French‑influenced lavish fashion. There was no interim uniform under Frederick William I.

The Infantry Regulation of 1726 (pp. 621/622) stipulated that the cloth for the officers' uniforms had to be taken from the Royal storehouse. The price was fixed at 12 groschen per ell. According to Dieterich (p. 185) the clothing costs for an officer (in Infantry Regiment No. 14) in 1725 were just over 41 thalers. Previously the uniform had been significantly more expensive (1713: 67 Reichsthaler, 17 groschen). Every 5 years the officer, however, needed further clothing or equipment items, namely: a sash (30 Reichstaler), a sword (13 Reichstaler), an espontoon with brown shaft (5 Reichstaler) and every 8 years a new gorget (8 Reichstaler). The clothing costs were financed by monthly deductions from pay, namely 4 Reichstaler, 17 groschen, 7 pfennigs. The lump contributions went to the clothing fund. In return the officer received a complete uniform including gloves and portepee each year on 01.05.

Officers wore exclusively white neckcloths and later white neckbands.

Beards were generally not customary for officers.

In peacetime white gaiters were worn. In bad weather staff officers were permitted to wear boots.

According to the Regulation of 1726 (p. 614, cf. also Regulation of 1718, p. 436) "the officers ... shall procure equal gaiters with brass buttons and white linen knee straps (note: formerly black), also yellow leather gloves, and shall at all times in service, even when they walk in the street, wear white gaiters and yellow leather gloves." The gaiters were to be renewed annually. Boots were worn only by mounted majors and adjutants; in bad weather the wearing of boots was permitted to all staff officers (Infantry Regulation of 1726, p. 614). On the sword the silver, black‑threaded portepee was worn. Portepee literally means sword harness and already appears in the 16th century in French usage. Originally it had the function of securing the blunt weapon if it was knocked from the fencer's hand. The portepee had loose tassels. The black‑white portepee (also field insignia) is already mentioned in the time of Frederick I. According to the Regulation of 1718 (p. 436) "the officers ... shall at all times have good field‑insignia on their swords, even when they carry the sword at their side, wherever they may be, they shall wear the field‑insignia on it; therefore the officers must at least every year procure a new sword tassel" (cf. also Infantry Regulation of 1726, p. 613). 

Under Frederick William I uniform patterns for officers' swords were introduced for the first time; the sword hilt was gilded. On 13.04.1723 the King ordered that the regiments procure the sword and saber blades, the short guns, the espontoons etc. from the weapons factory in Potsdam (cf. also Regulation of 1726, p. 612). According to Jany, the officers' swords were manufactured by the sword‑forger Johann Melchior Schwanefelder in Potsdam according to the ordre of 19.06.1724⁸. The sword was tucked under the waistcoat and the scabbard was brown. Portepee ensigns did not wear the portepee until 1763; sergeants and quartermasters from 1789.

Regimental quartermasters and auditors were not allowed to wear the portepee insofar as they were not actual officers (Regulation of 1726, p. 613). Since the sash and gorget were worn only on duty, the officer could generally be recognized by the portepee. It was thus the universal rank insignia of the officers. The sash consisted of silver cord interwoven with black threads. It was tied not around the waistcoat but around the coat. The tassels of the sash hung behind the sword. Officers already under the Great Elector wore sashes⁹; muster reports from 1700–1709 mention black‑white or silver sashes. According to the Infantry Regulation of 1718 (p. 437) "the officers ... shall every 8 years have new sashes, new gorgets and new espontoons, whereas every 5 years new swords shall be had." According to the Infantry Regulation of 1726 (p. 612) the sashes were to be replaced every 5 years and "worn about the body." The true badge of the officer was — besides the portepee and the sash — the gorget.

In addition to the aforementioned swords, officers carried the so‑called espontoon during drill and guard duty. While the non‑commissioned officer's short gun had developed from the halberd, the espontoon was a smaller variant of the partisan. At the beginning of the 18th century this pole weapon was still actually used in combat; over time the espontoon developed into an exclusively parade weapon. Partisans were often carried by trabants and other court guards¹⁰. The espontoon was about 2 m long; the blade bore the King's monogram and the name of the regiment. The shaft of the espontoon was to be painted brown.

The gorget was the remainder of knightly armor. It was a metal plate worn around the neck. Faßmann describes it as follows: "Ring‑ or shield‑collars are above all introduced among the senior officers of the entire Royal Prussian infantry. Such are made of metal, or also of silver. In the middle of such a ring collar one sees the Prussian black eagle on a white field, and the rest of the ring collar around the white field is gilded. At the top such a ring‑collar becomes somewhat broad, roughly a span, and ends below in a point. It is fitted just under the neck and rests in the middle on the chest. Its entire length is roughly that of the hand, and it is counted among the Royal Prussian field insignia"¹¹. The gorget was the general badge of infantry officers, but was also worn by the artillery and cadets¹². It is comparatively rarely depicted in surviving officer portraits. The central trophy resting on the base plate is regularly gilded and shows in Baroque execution crown, flags, cannon barrels, weapons, etc. On the enameled colored central shield (mostly white) the Prussian eagle is often found in partly varying renderings, among others in the form of the banner eagle that rises against the sun under the motto Non soli cedit. While sash, sword, espontoon were to be replaced every five years, the gorget could be worn for 8 years. It cost 8 Rthlr. Officers also wore as regulation yellow leather gloves and (until 1808) the cane in service as a symbol of their disciplinary authority.

The riding cane was often ornamented and topped with a metal knob. In addition to the uniform coat, officers could also have a surtout made, which essentially served the function of a greatcoat. On this the Regulation of 1726 states: "If an officer has a surtout made, the surtout must be made of blue color" (p. 614).