Hadik Hussars
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised in Breisgau on October 30 1734 by Colonel Johann Baron von Ghilányi at his own expense. It initially comprised only 4 companies.
During the War of the Polish Succession, in 1735, the newly-raised regiment served on the Rhine in the Corps of the Moselle and took part in the combat of Clausen. From 1737 to 1739, it campaigned in Siebenbürgen (present-day Transylvania) and Wallachia. In 1738, it joined the main army but saw no action.
By 1739 the regiment recruited in Slavonia.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, in 1741, the regiment campaigned in Silesia where it took part in the battle of Mollwitz (April 10) before marching to Bohemia. In 1742, it joined Lobkowitz`s Corps and took part in the combat of Sahaj and in the siege of Prague. In 1743, the regiment initially served in Bavaria, where it took part to the combat of Simbach. It then marched to the Rhine where it fought in the combats of Landshut and Esslingen. In 1744, it took part in the combats of Lauterburg, Nordheim and Moldauthein. In 1745, the regiment was at the combat of Reich-Hennersdorf and at the battles of Hohenfriedberg (June 4) and Soor (September 30). In 1746, it campaigned in the Netherlands and took part in the combat of Mont-Saint-André and Rocoux (October 11).
After the war, in 1748, the regiment recruited in the Netherlands. The same year, it incorporated part of the disbanded regiment Trips Hussars.
It assumed garrison duties in the Sáros Komitat in 1752 and in the Gömör and Abauj Komitats in 1753.
At the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, the regiment counted 10 companies in 5 squadrons.
The regiment was under the nominal command of:
- from 1753 to 1768: General Feldwachtmeister Andreas von Hadik
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the effective command of:
- from 1754: Colonel Joseph von Komáromy
- from 1761: Colonel Franz Sprung
After the Seven Years' War, the regiment assumed garrison duties in Hungaria.
In 1768, the regiment was split up between various hussar regiments.
Service during the War
In June 1756, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War, the regiment was stationed in Hungary and counted 605 men and 375 horses. On October 1, it took part in the battle of Lobositz where it was deployed in the vanguard in front of the village of Lobositz. During the winter of 1756-57, the regiment received a sixth squadron, this brought its forces to 12 companies in 6 squadrons for a total of 1,060 men.
On May 6 1757, during the Prussian invasion of Bohemia, the regiment took part in the battle of Prague where it was deployed in the Reserve in Count Szechenyi's Brigade. On June 18, two squadrons of the regiment took part in the battle of Kolin where they were deployed in the first line of the extreme right wing in Hadik Division. The regiment also took part in the surprise attack on Welmina. In October, it was part of the Austrian force who conducted a raid on Berlin.
In 1758, the regiment served with the Reichsarmee but saw no action.
On November 20 1759, the regiment took part in the battle of Maxen where it was attached to the Reichsarmee Contingent deployed near Gieshübel under the command of Prince Stolberg.
In 1760, the regiment served in Saxony where it took part in the combat of Strehlen and the capture of Torgau.
In 1761, the regiment served once more in Saxony, seeing no action.
In 1762, the regiment served once more with the Reichsarmee for the campaign in Saxony where it took part in the combats of Dorfchemnitz and Pretschendorf and in the battle of Freiberg.
Uniform
Privates
On October 10, 1753 Hadik ordered the commander of his regiment to make sure that every hussar was to have 1 pair of breeches, 1 pair of boots and 1 cap in reserve. Off duty and as an ordonnance the hussars were to wear the mirliton instead of the kolback.
The 1757 reform, stated that all hussar regiments should be dressed in dark blue uniform with yellow distinctives. However, this regulation seems to have been followed only by Kaiser Franz I Hussars. The present regiment retained its former uniform.
Source: David at Not By Appointment
| Headgear | brown kolback with yellow cords and tassels and a red bag | ||||||||
| Neck stock | black | ||||||||
| Pelisse | dark blue lined with black sheepskin
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| Dolman | dark blue edged yellow with 15 rows of yellow braids and yellow buttons
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| Trousers | red decorated with an intricate yellow lace on each thigh | ||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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| Horse Furniture |
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Troopers were armed with a short, curved sabre, a musket and two pistols.
Other interpretations
The Bautzener Bilderhandschrift illustrates the following differences:
- dark blue cuffs on the dolman
- dark blue saddle cloth edged gold and heavily decorated with golden laces
- red sabretache decorated with a large golden “H” and edged gold
- yellow Hungarian boots
Knötel shows a uniform identical to the one depicted in our table.
Donath illustrates the following differences:
- white fur trim on the pelisse
- a yellow stripe on the outer side of each leg of the trousers
- a golden decoration in the rear left corner of the saddle-cloth
Officers
The Bautzener Bilderhandschrift depicts:
- brown kolback with red flame
- light brown fur trim for the pelisse
- gold laces on the pelisse
- red trousers
- yellow Hungarian boots
- red sabretache decorated with a large golden “H” and edged gold
- green saddle cloth edged gold
Donath depicts a uniform similar to those of the troopers with the following distinctions:
- dark blue bag at the kolback
- gold laces on the pelisse, dolman and trousers
- dark blue cuffs edged yellow
- dark blue sabretache decorated and edged in gold (same device as for the trooper)
- dark blue saddle-cloth edged in gold
NCOs
no information available yet
Musicians
no information available yet
Colours
no information available yet
References
Accurate Vorstellung der sämtlichen KAYSERLICH KOENIGLICHEN ARMEEN zur eigentlichen Kentnis der UNIFORM von jedem Regimente. Nebst beygefügter Geschichte, worinne von der Stiftung, denen Chefs, der Staercke, und den wichtigsten Thaten jedes Regiments Nachricht gegeben wird., Nürnberg auf Kosten der Raspischen Buchhandlung. Ao. 1762 (Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt Halle, Universitätsbibliothek Kiel, Landesbibliothek Darmstadt)
Bleckwenn, Hans; Die Regimenter der Kaiserin, Gedanken zur "Albertina Handschrift" 1762 des Heeresgeschichtlichen Museums Wien, Köln: 1967
Bleckwenn, Hans; Eine neue österreichische Bilderhandschrift aus dem Siebenährigen Hriege, in Zeitschrift für Heeres und Uniformkunde, Nr. 185: 1963
Donath, Rudolf: Die Kaiserliche und Kaiserlich-Königliche Österreichische Armee 1618-1918, 2. Aufl., Simbach/Inn 1979
Etat nouveau des Troupes de sa Majesté Impériale Royale comme elles se trouvent effectivement l'an 1759
Etat général des Troupes qui servent sa Majesté Impériale et Royale Apostolique sur pié en 1760
Grosser Generalstab, Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Hiller, Berlin, 1830-1913
Knötel, Herbert d.J.; Brauer, Hans M.: Heer und Tradition / Heeres-Uniformbogen (so-called “Brauer-Bogen”), Berlin 1926-1962, Uniformbogen No. 71
Schirmer, Friedrich, Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, hrsg. von der KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, überarb. u. aktual. Neuauflage 1989
Seyfart, Kurzgefaßte Geschichte aller kaiserlich-königlichen Regimenter zu Pferde und zu Fuß, Frankfurth and Leipzig, 1762, p. 68
Skala H., Österreichische Militärgeschichte
Thadden, Franz-Lorenz v., Die theresianische Kavallerie - III. Teil, Die Zinnfigur, Klio, 1968
Thümmler, Lars-Holger: Die Österreichische Armee im Siebenjährigen Krieg: Die Bautzener Bilderhandschrift aus dem Jahre 1762, Berlin 1993
Wrede, Alphons Freiherr von; Geshichte der K und K Wehrmacht, Vienna and Leipzig 1911
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
Acknowledgments
Digby Smith for the initial version of this article and User:Zahn for information on the uniform
Klaus Roider for details of Hadik’s instructions concerning the uniform of his regiment
