Jung-Colloredo Infantry
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised in 1734 for Wolf Sigmund Baron von Damnitz.
During the War of the Austrian Succession, the regiment took part in the defence of Freburg in 1744, and in the battle of Soor on September 30 1745.
As per the Etat nouveau des Troupes de sa Majesté Impériale Royale comme elles se trouvent effectivement l'an 1759 and Etat général des Troupes qui servent sa Majesté Impériale et Royale Apostolique sur pié en 1760, the regiment counted 4 battalions (2 grenadier coys and 16 fusilier coys) for a total of 2,300 men. This was the administrative organisation of the regiment. However, the tactical organisation differed: 2 field fusilier battalions, each of 6 companies; 2 grenadier companies (usually converged with grenadiers from other battalions into an ad hoc unit); and 1 garrison battalion of 4 companies (see Austrian Line Infantry Organisation for more details).
During the Seven Years' War, the chef of the regiment was:
- since September 1754 till 1763: Carl Boromäus Count von Colloredo
During the Seven Years' War, its colonel-commander was:
- in 1756 until 1758: Colonel Sulkowsky
- from 1758: Baron von Stein
Regimental numbers were introduced only in 1769 when this regiment was designated as "I.R. 40".
Service during the War
On May 6 1757, during the Prussian invasion of Bohemia, two battalions of the regiment took part in the battle of Prague where they were deployed in Count Browne's brigade, in the first line of the left wing of infantry under Baron Kheul. On September 7, when General Nádasdy attacked an isolated Prussian corps commanded by Winterfeldt in the combat of Moys, the first battalion of the regiment was deployed in the second line and the second battalion in the third line of the infantry centre division under the command of Lieutenant-general Nicolaus Esterházy.
By mid-August 1759, during the Austro-Imperial campaign in Saxony, the regiment was attached to Hadik's corps. On September 21, it probably took part in the combat of Korbitz where it was deployed on the right wing of Hadik's corps. On November 20, two battalions of the regiment took part in the battle of Maxen where one battalion was deployed in the first line of the second column of Sincère's corps under the command of Lieutenant-general Dombasle while the other battalion was attached to Major-general Baron Seckendorf's detachment occupying the heights of Malter near Dippoldiswalde.
In early June 1760, the regiment was part of Daun's Grand Army posted near Dresden. On September 17, two battalions of the regiment took part in the combat of Hochgiersdorf where they were attached to the Reserve Corps of the Fürst Löwenstein. During the battle, along with 3 to 6 grenadiers battalions, they defended the hill of Hochgiersdorf, repulsing two Prussian attacks before being forced back in a third attempt by superior forces. On November 3, two battalions of the regiment took part in the battle of Torgau where they were attached to Bibow's brigade.
To do: more details on the campaigns from 1760 to 1762
Uniform
Until recently we had a very vague description of the uniform at the outbreak of the Seven Years' War. Thanks to the kind authorisation of the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in Vienna, Dal Gavan, a member of our group, has had access to the Delacre Bilderhandschrift, a rare contemporaneous manuscript depicting the uniforms of the entire K. K. Army around 1756-57. For this reason, we present the uniforms of privates circa 1757 and in 1762.
Privates 1757
| Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
| Neckstock | one red and one black (for parades the regimental commanders agreed before on the colour of the neckstocks) | ||||||||||||
| Coat | white lined white with 3 yellow buttons under the right lapel and 1 yellow button in the small of the back on each side
| ||||||||||||
| Waistcoat | dark medium blue (cornflower ?) with 2 rows of 9 yellow buttons (3-3-3) and with horizontal pockets (each with 3 yellow buttons) | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | dark medium blue (cornflower ?) | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | one pair of black (for winter) and one pair of white gaiters (for summer and parade) | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Rank and file were armed with a musket (Model 1745 for fusiliers, Model 1754 for grenadiers). Grenadiers carried a sabre while fusiliers carried only a bayonet.
Privates 1762
| Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
| Neckstock | one red and one black (for parades the regimental commanders agreed before on the colour of the neckstocks) | ||||||||||||
| Coat | white lined white with 3 yellow buttons under the right lapel and 1 yellow button in the small of the back on each side
| ||||||||||||
| Waistcoat | white with 2 rows of small yellow buttons (3-3-3) and with horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | white | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | one pair of black (for winter) and one pair of white gaiters (for summer and parade) | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Rank and file were armed with a musket (Model 1745 for fusiliers, Model 1754 for grenadiers). Grenadiers carried a sabre while fusiliers carried only a bayonet.
Other interpretations
The Bautzener Handschrift illustrates the following differences:
- black tricorne scalloped white; no strap but a yellow button; white within red pompom; no tassels
- an ultramarine tab with 2 small yellow buttons to fasten each turnback
Donath illustrates the following differences:
- black tricorne laced white; white strap with a yellow button; black within white pompom and black tassels
Knötel illustrates the following differences:
- black tricorne laced white; without strap with a yellow button; white pompom and tassels
NCOs
no information available yet
Officers
The officers wore the same uniform as the privates with the following exceptions:
- tricorne line (scalloped as oet the Bautzener Handschrift) gold with a white and green cockade
- black neckstock
- no turnbacks
- yellow and black silk sash
Senior officers carried sticks identifying their rank:
- lieutenant: bamboo stick without knob
- captain: long rush stick with a bone knob
- major: long rush stick with a silver knob and a small silver chain
- lieutenant-colonel: long rush stick with a larger silver knob without chain
- colonel: long rush stick with a golden knob
Musicians
Until 1760, the musicians wore coats of reversed colours with white swallow nests and white lapels, cuffs and turnbacks. The cuffs were edged in yellow.
From 1760, they wore uniforms identical to those of the privates with the following differences:
- ultramarine shoulder strap fastened with a yellow button
- ultramarine swallow nests on the shoulders edged with a yellow scalloped lace
- ultramarine cuffs edged with a yellow scalloped lace
The drum had a brass barrel decorated with black flames at the bottom and with a black double headed Eagle on a yellow field. Rims were decorated with red and white diagonal stripes. The bandolier was white.
Colours
All German infantry regiments carried identical colours: a white Leibfahne (colonel) and yellow Regimentsfahne. The hand painted colours were made of silk and, according to some sources, measured 178 cm x 127 cm. However, a flag kept at the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in Vienna shows different proportions (unfortunately we do not know the exact measurements) which we have used for our illustrations. The 260 cm long flagpoles had golden finial and were decorated with black and yellow spirals of cloth.
The colonel colour was carried by the first battalion.
Colonel flag (Leibfahne):
- field: white
- border: alternating white and yellow outer waved triangles pointing inwards, red and black inner waved triangles pointing outwards
- obverse (right): the Immaculate Mother of God (which had been declared the patroness of the army by kaiser Ferdinand III) on a cloud, crushing a snake under her foot and surrounded by rays
- reverse (left): crowned and armed Imperial double-eagle with the "Lothringen-Toscanian" arms on a shield and the initials of the Emperor CF (Corregens Franciscus) on the left wing and IM (Imperator Magnus) on the right
The so-called "armed" Imperial double-eagle on the reverse of the Leibfahne seems to have been represented in two different variants:
- with a sword in its right claw and the sceptre in its left (no Imperial Apple with this design)
- with a sceptre and sword in its right claw and the Imperial Apple in its left.
The first variant seems to have been more common.
Regimental flags (Regimentsfahne):
- field: yellow
- border: alternating white and yellow outer waved triangles pointing inwards, red and black inner waved triangles pointing outwards
- obverse (right): crowned and armed Imperial double-eagle with the "Lothringen-Toscanian" arms on a shield and the initials of the Emperor CF (Corregens Franciscus) on the left wing and IM (Imperator Magnus) on the right
- reverse (left): unarmed and crowned Imperial double-eagle with the arms of Hungaria and Bohemia on a shield and the initials M on the left wing and T on the right
Some publications represent an "armed" Imperial double-eagle on the reverse of the Regimentsfahne but we followed Hausmann's paper of 1967 which also matches with the insignia seen on Austrian artillery barrels of the period.
In fact, the situation on the field was slightly more complex than this, since colours were usually replaced only when worn out. By 1756, only a few regiments had actually purchased sets of flags of the 1745 pattern; so many regiments, who had been issued colours of the 1743 pattern, were still carrying them at the beginning of the Seven Years' War. For more details, see Austrian Line Infantry Colours.
References
This article contains texts from the following sources, which are now in the public domain:
- Seyfart, Kurzgefaßte Geschichte aller kaiserlich-königlichen Regimenter zu Pferde und zu Fuß, Frankfurth and Leipzig, 1762, p. 33
Other sources
Dihm, Dr. Hermann; Oesterreichische Standarten und Fahnen zur Zeit des 7 jährigen Krieges, Die Zinnfigur, Klio
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
Funcken, Liliane and Fred, Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
Hausmann, Friedrich, Die Feldzeichen der Truppen Maria Theresias, Schriften des Heeresgeschichtlichen Museums, vol. 3, Vienna: 1967
Knötel, Herbert d.J.; Brauer, Hans M.: Heer und Tradition / Heeres-Uniformbogen (so-called “Brauer-Bogen”), Berlin 1926-1962, Österreich-Ungarn – 1756-63
Muhsfeldt, Th.; Abzeichenfarben der K. und K. Regimenter zu Fuss im Jahre 1757 und früher, in Mitteilungen zur Geschichte des militärischen Tracht, No. 12, 1904
Pengel, R. D. and G.R. Hurt; Austro-Hungarian Infantry 1740-1762; On Military Matters; Birmingham, 1982
Schirmer, Friedrich, Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, hrsg. von der KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, überarb. u. aktual. Neuauflage 1989
Seidel, Paul; Nochmals österreichische Standarten und Fahnen zur Zeit des 7 jährigen Krieges, Die Zinnfigur, Clio
Thümmler, L.-H., Die Österreichiches Armee im Siebenjährigen Krieg: Die Bautzener Bilderhandschrift aus dem Jahre 1762, Berlin 1993
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
Acknowledgments
User:Zahn for gathering most of the information about this regiment
