Brunswick Line Infantry Organisation
Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Armies >> Brunswick Army >> Brunswick Line Infantry Organisation
Contents
Introduction
By the time of the Seven Years' War, the organisation of the line infantry of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was quite similar to the one of the Prussian army.
Composition and Organisation
In 1756, at the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, the army of of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel counted 4 line infantry regiments, each consisting of 2 battalions. Each regiment, including staff, thus totalled 1,640 men.
Regimental Staff
The regimental staff included:
- 1 colonel
- 1 lieutenant-colonel
- 2 majors
- 1 Regiment-Tambour (drum major)
- 1 Bataillons-Tambour (drum major)
- 1 auditor
- 1 provost
- 1 chaplain
- 1 quartermaster
- 1 Regiment-Feldscher (surgeon)
- 1 clerk
- 1 Wagenmeister
- 1 servant
- 2 warrant officers
- 4 staff captains
Organisation of a Regiment
In 1756, a regiment usually counted two battalions. Each battalion consisted of 5 companies of musketeers and 1 company of grenadiers.
Musketeer Battalion
In 1756, a musketeer battalion included 5 companies.
Grenadier Battalion
In 1756, a converged grenadier battalion included 4 companies. Each of these independent grenadier battalions counted 588 men in 4 coys.
Battalion Guns
Each line infantry battalion had two 3-pdr or 2-pdr guns drawn by 4-horse teams. These two guns were manned by: 1 lieutenant, 2 bombardiers, 4 gunners, 4 constables, 1 farrier and 8 labourers.
Train
Each line infantry battalion had:
- 2 x 6-horse covered wagons
- 1 x 2-horse medical cart
- 1 x 2-horse cash cart
- 12 pack-horses (2 per coy)
- 2 x 3-horse ammunition carts
- 1 x 4-horse ammunition wagon
- 1 artillery material cart
Organisation of a Company of Musketeers
In 1756, a musketeer company counted a total of 119 men. More precisely, it consisted of:
- 4 officers
- 1 captain
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 second lieutenant
- 1 ensign
- 10 non commissioned officers
- 3 sub-officers
- 2 sergeants
- 5 corporals
- 3 drummers
- 1 oboist
- 98 musketeers
- 3 servants
Organisation of a Company of Grenadiers
Each line infantry regiment counted two grenadier companies (one per battalion).
In 1756, a grenadier company counted a total of 140 men. More precisely, it consisted of:
- 4 officers
- 1 captain
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 second lieutenant
- 1 ensign
- 9 non commissioned officers
- 2 sub-officers
- 2 sergeants
- 5 corporals
- 3 drummers
- 2 fifers
- 1 oboist
- 14 Gefreite
- 6 pioneers/carpenters
- 98 grenadiers
- 3 servants
References
Schirmer; Friedrich, Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756 - 1763. Edited and published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg e.V., Magstadt, 1989