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 Frederik 5 Konge af Danmark · Norge 1746-1766 The uniforms of the
Danish-Norweigian army As a closing remark on the sources, I have to say that no thorough study of the period has yet been done, what follows is only short description based on rather easily avaible sources. Generalities on the uniforms of the period The infantry Reglement of 1747 Uniformed as privates, only was the coat decorated with laces, possibly only on the sleeves. (Reglement of 1747 "For both the Guards with laces all around", meaning, I suppose, all around the arms. Can also be understood as laces all over the coat. Can only be solved by finding some regimental accounts for the years 1750-1757. Drummers with the artillery had until ca 1759 laces all over their coats as will later be seen.) Their laces should be in the royal livery - red-white-blue which can be seen on the drawings of the Grenadier Corps. But it seems that the laces also can have been of a regimental type, as another order of 1757 says should be introduced with the ground in regimental colour and laces in the buttoncolour. Possibly it shall be understood as there has been two kinds of lacings before and after 1757. Swallownest on the shoulders were introduced 1757 with the bootom in regimental colour and stripes in buttoncolour.. Grenadier drummers had on the back of their caps instead of a grenade a drum. Drumbandolier Made in yellow leather 5 Zoll broad and coveerd with cloth in the regimental colour and decorated on the edges with lace and with a lace down the middle. The straps to carry the drum on the back were in yellow leather. Drumsticks In the same brown colour as the musket butts of the regiment and with brass furnishings 2 Zoll broad. Drums 1742 it was ordered to give all regiments in Denmark and Norway brass drums, even if some Norweigian regiments were ordered to keep some of their old woodden drums for daily use and so spare the brass ones for parades and such occasions. Brass drums for the geworbne infantry regiments and the artillery had already been ordered 1738. The old brass drums were rather large 40 x 40 cm, some had the great Danish wepon soldered on other had it embossed. Further some could have local arms and/or for instance the Royal chifres on. Allready 1759 it was necessary to order new brass drums for all regiments and they were ordered to be with the great Danish weapon up beaten in the drum - do not know the word but look at the picture and you know the word. The new drums measured ca 34 cm in diameter and had a height of ca 36 cm. The drum hoops seem all to have should been painted red both in- and outside - but as can seen on the drawing of the drummer of the Grenadier Corps his hoops are green!! Fifers Fifers were not a part of the military organization like the drummers, who functioned as the radioman of the day. Even then all regiments had them and their dress was regulated and the fifes were from 1741 delivered by the regiment. Each fifer carried two fifes, a long and a short, which were kept when not in use in a brass container, originally covered by red leather and carried in a leather strap over the left shoulder. This strap possibly like the Prussian - almost everything was or became modelled after Prussian muster - could be 9 cm wide then and covered with regimental lace. Fifers were uniformed as privates with no laces, and carried the musket slung over the shoulder when playing. From 1757 the musket should no longer be carried when mounting the guard When the fifers carried muskets, the fifes (a long and a short) were carried in a brass container covered with red leather, the container hang on the right side and was carried in a leatherstrap over the left shoulder. Grenadier fifers had two crossed fifes on the back of their caps, where the grenadiers had their grenade. When fifers were organized only as grenadiers it must be supposed they also got lacing on their arms. Each regiment had 6 fifers. Hoboists (musicians) In 1702 military music was introduced to the Danish army by the French colonel Labat, commander of Livregiment Dragoons, and as the king Frederik 4. then aranged for musicians with the guards, every regiment followed suit.. Originally the hoboists were meant to entertain mainly the regimental chief when dining and for social occasions. Soon all regiments had their own small bands, each consisting of 6 musicians so that they they could play the music of the time. (Oboe, trumpet, waldhorn, basoon, fagot and serpent). The musicians were all very skilled, often brought in from central- and sourthern Europe, and could play most instruments of the time. The musicians were civilians and not under military law, but clad when functioning in uniforms as ncos, and with lacing and swallownests in silver or gold where the drummers had white or yellow. The musicians of the Guards had special uniforms and were more in numbers. Some regiments (In 1762 in the town of Nyborg Nordenfjeldske og Søndenfjeldske Geworbne regiments let their janissars play for the passing king Frederik 5., who does not seem to have been very impressed by all that jazz.) were so modern that they already in 1762 had the most newest rage - the janissar-music, but it seemed not too popular then and was first later introduced generally.Fodfolkets 6 hoboister pr regiment fungerede også som musikkorps, her dominerede træblæserne. I midten af 1700-tallet var klarinetten kommet til, så at besætningen nu omfattede klarinet, obo og fagot. Man supplerede da gerne med 2 valdhorn, som senere kunne afløses af 2 inventionstrompeter. De 6 hoboister supplerede s af regimentstambouren ( regimentspiberen ).
 Tornstein Snorrason Musketeer,
Grenadier,
Carpenteer
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