Königsegg Infantry

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Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Armies >> Austrian Army >> Königsegg Infantry

Origin and History

The regiment was raised in 1703 by Damian Hugo, Reichsgraf (Imperial Count) von Virmond. Deutschmeister Infantry contributed 3 companies; Heister Infantry, 2 companies; and Thürheim Infantry, 2 companies for the creation of this regiment.

In 1704, during the Rákóczi Uprising in Hungary, the regiment took part in a combat near Gyirmóth not far from Raab. In 1705, it campaigned once more in Hungary against Rákóczi and fought in the battle of Sibó. By 1706, the regiment was still serving against the Hungarian insurgents. At the beginning of 1709, it was stationed in Transylvania.

At the death of Count Virmond, on April 21 1722, he was succeeded by Count Alonius von Lievingston.

In 1738, the regiment served against the Turks and distinguished itself at the siege of Ufitza.

In 1741, Christian Moritz Eugenius Franz Count von Königsegg-Rothenfels became proprietor of the regiment.

During the War of the Austrian Succession, from 1740 to 1748, the regiment served in several campaigns and fought at Chotusitz (May 17, 1742) and (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:

During the Seven Years' War, its colonel-commander was:

  • from at least 1759 to at least 1762: Colonel Franz Xaver Count von Königsegg-Aulendorf

Regimental numbers were introduced only in 1769 when this regiment was designated as "I.R. 16".

Service during the War

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 Macquire's Brigade. On September 7, when General Nádasdy engaged Winterfeldt's isolated Prussian corps at the Combat of Moys, one battalion of the regiment was deployed in the second line of the infantry left division under the command of Lieutenant-General Clerici. On November 22, one battalion of the regiment took part in the Battle of Breslau where it was part of the Reserve Corps in Baron Wolff's Brigade. On December 5 at the Battle of Leuthen, one battalion of the regiment was deployed in the first line of the far right Reserve under Major-General von Luzinsky.

By August 2 1758, one battalion of the regiment was serving in the first line of the main Austrian army under the command of Daun near Jarmeritz. Daun was following up the Prussian army retiring through Bohemia after the failure of the Prussian invasion of Moravia. On October 10, the regiment took part in the Battle of Hochkirch where it formed part of Count O'Kelly's Brigade occupying the Stromberg.

On November 20 1759, 1 battalion of the regiment took part in the Battle of Maxen where it was attached to Brentano's Corps initially posted at Röhrsdorf, 5 km north of Maxen.

In early June 1760, 2 battalions of the regiment formed part of the Army of Silesia stationed near Frankenstein under the command of Field-Marshal Ernst Gideon Baron Loudon.

On October 1 1761, 1 battalion of the regiment took part in the storming of Schweidnitz where it was attached to the third column under Colonel Caldwell and Count von Cassano.

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 in 1757

Uniform in 1757 - Copyright Frédéric Aubert
Uniform Details
as per the Delacre Bilderhandschrift of 1757

completed with other sources where necessary
Headgear
Musketeer black tricorne laced white; two white stiffening tapes on the right, a yellow button on the left
Grenadier bearskin with a dark blue bag probably laced white and a white tassel
Neck stock 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
Collar none
Shoulder Straps none visible
Lapels dark blue, each with 7 yellow buttons (arranged 1-3-3 from the top)
Pockets none visible, probably horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons
Cuffs dark blue, each with 3 yellow buttons spaced on top front of cuff
Turnbacks blue
Waistcoat dark blue with 2 rows of small yellow buttons (arranged 3-3-3) and with horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons (only 2 visible on the Delacre plate)
Breeches white
Gaiters one pair of black (for winter) and one pair of white gaiters (for summer and parade)
Leather Equipment
Crossbelt white
Waistbelt white
Cartridge Box black (front not visible)
Bayonet Scabbard black with brass fittings
Scabbard black (grenadiers only)
Footgear black shoes


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

Muhsfeldt and Schirmer mention that the waistcoat was white.

Privates in 1762

Uniform in 1762 - Copyright Frédéric Aubert from a template made by Richard Couture.
Uniform in 1762
as per the Bautzener Handschrift

completed with other sources where necessary
Headgear
Musketeer black tricorne laced white with a white fastener and a small yellow button on the left side; white within dark blue (red within white as per Donath) pompoms in the lateral cornes
Grenadier bearskin with a dark blue bag probably laced white and a white tassel
Neck stock 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
Collar none (Knötel illustrates a dark blue collar, Donath a white collar)
Shoulder Straps dark blue (white as per Donath) fastened by a yellow button (left shoulder only)
Lapels dark blue, each with 7 yellow buttons (arranged 1-3-3 from the top)
Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons
Cuffs dark blue, each with 3 yellow buttons
Turnbacks white fastened with a dark blue strap with a white stripe and with 2 small yellow buttons
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
Crossbelt white
Waistbelt white with a brass buckle
Cartridge Box black with a small brass plate carrying the initials “MT”
Bayonet Scabbard black with brass fittings
Scabbard black (grenadiers only)
Footgear black shoes


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.

NCOs

no information found yet

Officers

The officers wore the same uniform as the privates with the following exceptions:

  • tricorne laced 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

Sergeants carried a halberd and a wooden stick.

Corporals carried a halberd.

Musicians

Until 1760, despite the new regulation of 1755, the musicians probably wore coats of reversed colours with white swallow nests and white turnbacks. From 1760, they wore uniforms identical to those of the privates with dark blue swallow nests on the shoulders.

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.

Leibfahne – Copyright: Kronoskaf
Leibfahne – Copyright: Kronoskaf

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.

Regimentsfahne – Copyright: Kronoskaf

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, pp. 24-25

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

Gräffer, August: Geschichte der kaiserl. Königl. Regimenter, Corps, Bataillons und anderer Militär-Branchen seit ihrer Errichtung biz zu Ende des Feldzuges 1799, Vol. 1, Vienna, 1804, pp. 67-71

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

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

Seyfart, Kurzgefaßte Geschichte aller kaiserlich-königlichen Regimenter zu Pferde und zu Fuß, Frankfurth and Leipzig, 1762, pp. 24-25

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