Regiment of German Infantry REHBINDER 1711 - 1774   In march 1711 the Duke Victor Amadeus II signs a capitulation with the Duke of Wurtemberg to raise a battallion of six companies. In october 1711 the men arrive in Piemont and the regiment is named Rehbinder. In may 1713 it receives 2 companies from Schoulembourg and other 2 from Des Portes. The regiment is reorganised in two battallions of 5 companies each. Service during the Polish Succession War Rehbinder in autumn 1733 is fighting to open the road to Milan. Then from 6 november to 8 december 1733 Rehbinder is present at the siege of Gera Pizzighettone. After garrison duties, in 1735 Rehbinder is campaigning in the east of Lombardy. In september it is present on the West side of lake of Garda supporting the action of the french army on the East side. Service during the Austrian Succession War Rehbinder starts this long struggle marching in spring 1742 to the direction of Parma and Piacenza. In august, the 1st battallion is in garrison inside the small Citadel of Parma, while the 2nd battallion is in Piedmont, near the city of Rivoli. From this camp the 2nd battallion in november has to reach the front in Savoy, since the spanish invasion is mounting again. In january 1743 the proved men came back in Piedmont. The 1st battallion moves from its quarters at Parma to fights in the battle of Camposanto (8 february 1743). During the second fase of this fight, three spanish infantry brigades (Guardie, Irlanda, Flandres) smash the first line of the right wingh of the austro piedmontese army. From the second line Generals D'Apremont and Leutrum led counter charge with three battallions, Savoye, Piemont and Rehbinder. The right wingh of the spanish line is brocken and compelled to withdraw. During this action spanish Rgt. Guadalaxara is cut off from its army and compelled to surrend. Before the end of the year cannons again fire over the Alps; a combined spanish-french army try to descend in Piedmont from the Varaita Valley but the sabaudian army stops its advance at Chateau Dauphin (8-10 october 1743). 1st battallion of Rehebinder is in the centre of the valley, under the village of Castello, while the 2nd helds the trench up to the Vallanta ravine. In december 1743 the old Marschal Rehebinder died. The administration duties are now under the Ufficio del Soldo (Finance Boreau) while the regiment becomes Regiment Bourgsdorff, since the name of its lieutenat colonel. In the spring 1744 Bourgsdorff arrives at the entrenched camp of the Villefrenche Harbour. The 20 april it faces the french-spanish offensive. The Bourgsdorff grenadiers are able to recapture the lost redubts at Mont Gros and Collet de Villefranche with an envelope movement in coordination with grenadiers of Regiments Saluce,Tarentaise and Guibert. After the surrender of the Place, Bougsdorff isplaced insidethe Harbour of Oneglia. Then it comes back in Piedmont, again in Varaita Valley, to see the combined french-spanish army winner the bloody struggle around Pierrelongue (19 july 1744). The two battallions of the regiment are divided; the 1st battalion is present in the main army and it fights at the battle of Madonna dell'Olmo (30 september 1744), in order to break the siege of Cuneo. The battalion is situated on the left wingh. This battle is lost but the siege of Cuneo is broken. The follow year Bourgsdorff has very little part during the efforts to stop the Maillebois' offensive but the whole Regiment is present during the Leutrum's counter offensive in spring 1746. From 5 to 8 march 1746 it is present during the victorious siege of the city of Asti. In the november of the same year the 2nd battalion fights in the west, during the offensive in Provence. In 1747 both battallions are around Oneglia in the ligurian theatre. In january 1749 it is renamed Regiment Leutrum. In may 1755 General Leutrum died; Regiment Leutrum is transferred to the city of Cuneo, where Leutrum was the governor, to give onors to its chef. Then Leutrum escorts the coffin from Cuneo to the waldesian temple in Luserna Valley. In july 1755 it becomes Wangenheim and in december 1763 Brempt. In june 1774 this glorious unit is disbanded and its men transferred to Regiment Zietten.   Commanders of Regiment Fusiliers under Charles Emmanuel III       Karl Frederick Baron von Bourgsdorff 20-12-1723 Frederick Wilheim Baron Leutrum 10- 1-1749 Karl Henreich De Wangenheim 12- 7-1755 Ludwig Anton Baron von Brempt 10-12-1763 Uniforms    1730-1750: Dark blue coat, red lining, lapels, cuffs, collar. Dark blue waistcoat, breeches. White gaiters for fusilier, black for grenadiers. Three brimmed buttons on each side of the coat, a rank of two and one on the top, three on the cuffs. Horizontal pockets. Tricorne with dark blue cockade on the left brim and white hem for fusiliers, bearskin cap for grenadiers. With Rgt. Gardes this is the only infantry units to carry swords (since it was the personal regiment of piedmontese marschal Rehebinder).   1750-1773 (only principal differences from the previous issue): Dark blue coat with red lapels and collar, lining, cuffs; Dark blue waistcoat, breeches. Tricorne with a blue pompon on the right brim. Bearskin cap with blue tail, white hem and white pompon.   Colours   Colonel's Colour: Blue with black eagle in the centre decorated with the Savoy's cross and overhanged by royal crown. Regimental Colour: White cross over red. King's monogram in the centre of the flag, created with the letters C, E and their specular image, overanged by royal crown. In the first quarter there is a cross inside a baroque decoration with the motto "in hoc signo vinces" (under this sign you will win). In 1750's royal monogram is reduced and the cross modified.     Jean Cerino Badone