Wurtemberg
during the Seven Years' War

    

 

    by Michael Kaufmann

 
- Infantry Leib-Regiment -

 

History of the unit

When Duke Carl Eugen 1744 took reign, there were only one infantry regiment. It was told already as "Leib-Infanterie-Regiment" and numbered 1175 men. This Leib-Infanterie-Regiment laid the foundation for the foot-guard and other infantry regiments, therefore their histories are closed related together. Caused by many detachments, details, unions and renamings it is not possible to tell the history of this regiment and the remaining multiple detachments in a struktured way.

 

Organization

The Leib-Infanterie-Regiment of 1758 consists of 2 grenadier companies and 10 musketeer companies.

The headquarter consists of 17 men:

1 Chef (chief),
1 Oberst (colonel),
1 Oberstleutnant (lieutenant-colonel),
2 Majore (majors),
1 Regiments-Quartiermeister (quartermaster),
1 Auditor (auditor),
1 Adjutant (adjutant),
1 Regiments-Feldscherer (medical practitioner)
1 Regiments-Tambour (drummer),
1 Bataillonspfeiffer (piper)
6 Hautboisten (hautboists)
1 Profoß (Provost)

Every company consists of 100 men.
In the grenadier companies 6 officers, 9 NCOs, 5 drummers and pipers and 80 grenadiers. In the musketeer companies 3 officers, 15 NCOs (included 6 lance-corporals), 3 drummers and 79 privates.

So the Leib-Regiment counted 1217 men.

 

Commanders

Chief of this regiment was always the Duke.

In the beginnings of the Seven Years' War the Duke was also recorded as Commander.

In 1758 lieutenant-general "von Werneck" became commander of the regiment. When von Werneck became chief of infantry regiment von Romann (originally von Spitznatz) von Gabelenz became commander of the Leib-Regiment.

History of campaigns

 

Wurtemberg contributes units to the Army of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation as member of the Swabian Circle. So they fought during the Seven Years' War with the Austrian forces against Prussia.

The grenadier companies of this regiment has been detached in 1757 and formed the grenadier-battalion "von Harnach". Afterwards, parts of this was used to line up other grenadier-battalions resp. guard-units.

The first mission of war of this regiments in 1757 placed within the Army of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in Silesia (= Schlesien). The regiment took part in octobre 1757 in the siege of Schweidnitz, just as on 22nd novembre 1757 in the battle of Breslau and on 5th decembre 1757 in the well known battle of Leuthen.

Afterwards Wurtemberg take part in the Seven Years' War based on subsidies-contracts with the partner of these contracts. So this regiment fought in 1758 and in 1759 with France in Hessian against Hannovre/Brunswick. There it took part in the engagement at Lutterberg on 10th octobre 1758 and on 30th novembre 1758 in the engagement between Lauterbach and Fulda.

Based on a subsidies-contract with the German emperor it was again with the imperial army in Silesia against Prussia in 1760. There it took part in octobre 1760 in the siege of Wittenberg the last woth mentioning time in the Seven Years' War.

 

Uniforms

Musketeers

 

 

Trousers: white

Wests: yellow

Coat: blue

Linings: red

Cuffs, Lapels and Collars: carmine

Buttons: silver with white borders

Shoulder strap: white

Hem of tricorne: white with a tall white „Puschel" with a black ring

Gaiters: seemed to be black

Grenadiers

 

 

Uniforms like those of the musketeers,

instead of the tricorne a grenadier-mitra in the art of the prussian-brandenburg style;

front side with mirrored C (Carl Eugen), over that a star, over that the Crown of the Duke.

Officers

 

 

Uniforms like those of the ranks,

additional a black-gold-coloured sash and maybe beige gloves.

 

Musicians

The style of these uniforms are still unknown. Corresponding hints are very welcome.

 

Equipment

The lether strap of the black cartridge pouch was white.

The sabres has had probably a white cord with white fringes.

 

Colours

Unfortunately there are no detailed information about the colours. The could have looked similar to the colours of the Infantry-Regiment of Wurtemberg for the Swabian Circle.

            

 

Michael Kaufmann