Östgöta Horse

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Origin and History

An Östgötafana was found in the 1550's. The regiment Östögota Ryttare was established in 1625. Indelta in 1687. By the middle of the 17th century, it counted 8 companies for a total of 1,000 men.

During the Great Northern War, in Scania 1700. Then shipped to Livland in 1701 and with the King's Army: the regiment saw action at Kliszow 1702, Warsaw 1705, Malatitze 1708. Captured after Poltava and reprised 1709-10. In the Scanian campaign and at Helsingborg 1710. In Scania until 1712, thereafter in its home province. Norwegian campaign 1718.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:

• no information available yet

Service during the War

In 1757, 4 companies (500 men) of the regiment were part of the expeditionary force sent to Pomerania under Field-marshal Mathias Alexander von Ungern Sternberg.

In 1758, 2 additional companies (300 men) of the regiment were sent to Pomerania to reinforce the Swedish expeditionary force operating against Prussia.

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1757 - Source: Kronoskaf

Uniform in 1757

Headgear	black tricorne without lace and with a brass button on the left side
Neck stock	black
Coat	medium blue lined red with 12 brass buttons down the front and 2 brass buttons in the small of the back Collar red Shoulder strap medium blue fastened with 1 brass button Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 brass buttons Cuffs red, each with 3 brass buttons Turnbacks red
Waistcoat	red
Breeches	buckskin or reindeer skin
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather bandoleer Waistbelt natural leather Cartridge Box n/a Scabbard black with brass fittings Bayonet scabbard none Gloves chamois Footgear black boots
Horse Furniture	Housings medium blue laced red Holster caps medium blue laced red Blanket roll medium blue

Troopers were armed with a sword, a pair of pistols and a carbine. They could also wear a polished steel breastplate bordered in yellow under their coat but this breastplate was rarely worn.

Officers

The officers wore the same uniform as the troopers with the following exceptions:

• a gold laced tricorne
• black breeches (sometimes)
• housings and holster caps laced gold

NCOs

The NCOS wore the same uniform as the troopers with the unique distinction of a narrow golden lace on the tricorne.

Musicians

The musicians wore medium blue uniforms with red swallow nests laced white or yellow at the shoulders. The uniform had no additional laces.

The drums were made of brass with red rims. The trumpets were made of brass with a medium blue banner.

Colours

The pikes used as staffs to carry the colours were always striped in blue and yellow. The standards had gold finials, and gold and silver cords, tassels and fringe.

Lifstandar (colonel standard): white field; borders heavily embroidered in gold and silver; centre device carried the crowned royal arms of Sweden flanked by 2 crowned golden lions; the upper inner corner carried a golden griffin and 4 blue roses.

Kompanistandar (ordonnance standard):

• Obverse: red field; centre device consisting of a golden griffin facing the flagpole; 1 blue rose in each corner.
• Reverse: red field; borders heavily embroidered in gold and silver; centre device consisting of the golden royal cipher “AF” surmounted by a gold crown; surrounded by a laurel wreath tied with a red ribbon.

Lifstandar - Source: rf-figuren using elements of a template by Hannoverdidi

Kompanistandar - Source: rf-figuren

The colonel's squadron carried the Lifstandar, each other squadron had a Kompanistandar.

References

This article contains texts translated from the following books which are now in the public domain:

• Großer Generalstab: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen - Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. Vol. 6 Leuthen, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher), Berlin 1904, pp.92-107, Annex pp. 11-16

Other sources

Högman, Hans: Svenska regementen under indelningsverkets dagar (broken link)

Höglund, Lars-Eric and Sallnäs, Ake: The Great Northern War 1700-1721, Colours and Uniforms, Acedia Press, Karlstadt, 2000

Pengel, R. D. and G. R. Hurt: Swedish Army in Pomerania – 1757-1763, Birmingham, 1983

Schirmer, Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, Neuauflage 1989

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.