Frei Dragoons von Glasenapp
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Contents
Origin and History
The unit was raised on December 21 1760 in Nordhausen and Stolberg, and then assembled in Leipzig. It counted 5 squadrons of light dragoons and comprised:
- 21 officers
- 50 NCOs
- 15 trumpeters
- 5 smiths
- 500 troopers
In early January 1761, the commander of the Freihusaren von Glasenapp in the Württemberger service, Major Johann Reinhold von Glasenapp, escaped to Saxony where he offered his services to Prussia and received command of a new unit of light dragoons.
During the Seven Years' War, the Chef of the unit was:
- since January 1761: Major Joachim Reinhold von Glasenapp
During the Seven Years' War, the commander of the unit was:
- since January 1761: Major Friedrich Wilhelm von Selchow
After the Seven Years War, the corps was disbanded in 1763 and its troops forcibly incorporated into Prussian cavalry regiments.
Service during the War
For the campaign of 1761, the unit was attached to the Prussian army operating in Saxony under the command of Prince Henri.
For the campaign of 1762, the unit was once more attached to the Prussian Army of Saxony under Prince Henri. On July 29, part of the unit accompanied Seydlitz in his incursion into Bohemia. On August 2, one squadron of the unit took part in the combat of Teplitz where it was under the command of Meyer.
Uniform
Privates

Headgear | black tricorne (no lace) with a black cockade fastened with a small pewter button and a small orange pompom in each lateral corne
N.B.: for combat, the tricorne was probably reinforced with an iron cap | ||||||||||||
Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
Coat | cobalt blue lined orange yellow with 6 pewter buttons (arranged 2-2-2) on the chest on each side; 2 pewter buttons at the waist on the right side and 3 pewter buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks
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Waistcoat | orange yellow with one row of small pewter buttons and horizontal pockets, each with pewter buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | buff leather | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Horse Furniture |
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Troopers were probably armed with a sword, a pair of pistols, a musket and a bayonet.
NCOs
NCOs wore the same uniform as the troopers with the following distinctions:
- a small black within white pompom in each lateral corne
- cuffs edged with a wide silver braid
Officers
The officers wore the same uniform as the troopers with the following exceptions:
- black tricorne (no lace) with a black cockade (attached with a silver clip) and a small black within silver pompom in each lateral corne
- no shoulder strap
- a silver aiguillette on the right shoulder
- no turn-backs
Musicians
no information available yet
Guidons
None of the Freikorps units carried official colours, standards or guidons to the exception of von Kleist Frei Korps.
References
Bleckwenn, Hans (Hrsg.): Das Altpreussische Heer - Erscheinungsbild und Wesen 1713-1807, Teil III: Übersichten altpreußischer Uniformgestaltung, Band 5: Die Uniformen der preußischen Technischen Truppen, Rückwärtigen Dienste und Kriegsformationen 1753-1786, Osnabrück 1984
Cremer, Peter: Die Preussischen Freikorps im Siebenjährigen Krieg: Auflistung der Freikorps, ihrer Einsätze, der Uniformen, der Chefs und deren Geschichte, KLIO-Arbeitsgruppe 7jähriger Krieg, Friderzianische Epoche, Manuskript, o.J.
Funcken, Liliane and Fred : Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
Großer Generalstab, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher). Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen. Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763, Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin 1901, Anlage 1-2
Jany, Curt: Geschichte der Königlich Preußischen Armee bis zum Jahre 1807, Zweiter Band: Die Armee Friedrichs des Großen 1740-1763, Reprint Osnabrück 1967
Wilson, Peter: Glasenapp's Freikorps, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 4
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
Acknowledgments
Michael Zahn and Digby Smith for the information provided for the creation of the initial version of this article.