Frei Dragoons von Glasenapp

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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

Uniform in 1761 - Source: Richard Couture from a template by Frédéric Aubert

Uniform in 1761

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 Collar straw yellow Shoulder strap left shoulder: blue fastened with a pewter button right shoulder: a white aiguillette Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets each with 2 pewter buttons Cuffs cobalt blue (Swedish style) with 2 pewter buttons Turn-backs straw yellow
Waistcoat	orange yellow with one row of small pewter buttons and horizontal pockets, each with pewter buttons
Breeches	buff leather
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt probably white Waistbelt probably white Cartridge Box probably black leather Scabbard probably brown leather Bayonet scabbard probably brown leather Footgear black boots with white knee covers
Horse Furniture	Saddlecloth cobalt blue with pointed corners; bordered with a wide straw yellow braid Housings cobalt blue with pointed corners; bordered with a wide straw yellow braid Blanket roll cobalt blue and straw yellow

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.