Kalmar Infantry
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Origin and History
The regiment was initially raised in 1616 as the Småland Grand Regiment, one of the nine grand regiments organised by Gustavus Adolphus. It incorporated various fänikors (smaller units of about 500 men) from Småland, Kalmar and Kronoberg.
In 1623, this Grand Regiment was organised into sub-units: three field regiments (Småland, Kalmar and Kronoberg) and one cavalry regiment (Småland).
On December 5 1682, the Grand Regiment was finally broken down into three distinct and independent "Indelta" regiments, giving birth to the Kalmar Infantry Regiment.
Landing in Zeeland, 1700. Transferred in Livland in the Fall 1701 and with the King's Army thereafter. Captured after Poltava. Raised again and took part in the Skane campaign, 1710. Then in Karlskrona and commanded to the Fleet. Norwegian campaign 1718.
At the beginning of the Seven Years' War, the regiment consisted of 1,184 men in 2 battalions of 4 companies. Each company had 137 privates and 11 officers, NCOs and musicians.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was commanded by:
- not yet available
Service during the War
Initially in 1757, the regiment remained in Sweden.
In 1758, 6 companies (900 men) of the regiment were sent as reinforcement to the Swedish Army operating in Pomerania. On November 18, a detachment of the regiment was part of General von Lingen's force at the Combat of Güstow. On November 25, 160 men of the regiment were occupying a redoubt outside Werbelow. A patrol of 40 men from Skaraborgs Infantry pursued by a Prussian force of grenadiers and cavalry under General Platen took refuge in this same redoubt. These 200 men resisted until reinforcements came to their help and the Prussians were obliged to withdraw.
To do campaigns from 1759 to 1761
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | dark blue with 10 tin buttons down the front with yellow trimmed buttonholes and 2 tin buttons at small of the back
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| Waistcoat | yellow | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | yellow | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | white stockings with brown leather strap at knee | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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Troopers were armed with a sword and a musket. The bayonet was permanently fixed to the musket.
Other interpretations
Schirmer as well as Pengel and Hurt mention white trimmed buttonholes.
NCOs
NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:
- a silver lace on the tricorne
- brass buttons (smaller than those of officers)
NCOs carried halberds but no cane.
Officers
Officers wore a blue uniform (coat) with blue distinctives (collar, cuffs, turnbacks). They were further distinguished from privates by:
- a gold lace on the tricorne
- no turnbacks on the coat
- a silver gorget
- brass buttons
- blue or black breeches (breeches of the same colour as those of the privates were also worn)
N.B.: contrarily to the custom in other armies, Swedish officers did not wear any sash
Horses were equipped with blue housing with a yellow border.
Musicians
Musicians wore uniforms similar to those of privates but decorated with a white lace on the edgings of the coat collar and pockets as well as on the seams of the shoulders and sleeves.
The drums were brass with provincial coats of arms embossed on the front. The rims were blue with yellow edging.
Colours
The pikes used as staffs to carry the colours were always yellow. The Liffana had gold finials while the Kompanifana had steel finials. The colours measured 2.12 x 1.70 m. (1.81 x 1.33 m. as per Clifford).
Liffana (colonel flag): white field; centre device carried the crowned royal arms of Sweden flanked by 2 crowned golden lions; the outer corner of the first canton carried a red lion holding a crossbow.
N.B.: for the liffana, Clifford adds a pedestal supporting the arms, the letters “AFRS” above the arms and 1 royal crown in the corner of each of the 3 remaining cantons.
Kompanifana (ordonnance flag): red field with 8 yellow flames; centre device consisting of a red lion holding a crossbow on a yellow field; the whole surrounded by a green laurel wreath tied with a gold ribbon.
The colonel's battalion carried the Liffana and a Kompanifana. The lieutenant-colonel's battalion carried 2 Kompanifanor.
References
Economic Expert: Smalandia Grand Regiment (website)
Brolin, Gunnar: 18th C. Swedish Military Flags - Part II, 18th Century Military Notes & Queries No. 6
Großer Generalstab: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen - Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. Vol. 6 Leuthen, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher), Berlin 1904, pp.92-107, Annex pp. 11-16
Höglund, Lars-Eric and Ake Sallnäs: The Great Northern War 1700-1721, Colours and Uniforms, Acedia Press, Karlstadt, 2000
Pengel, R. D. and G. R. Hurt: Swedish Army in Pomerania – 1757-1763, Birmingham, 1983
Purky, Jim: Swedish Army Organization, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
Säwe, Teofron: Sveriges deltagande i Sjuåriga Kriget Åren 1757-1762, Beijers Bokförlagsaktiebolag, Stockholm, 1915
Schirmer, Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, Neuauflage 1989
Schorr, Dan: Swedish Flags 1757-1762 - Part II Infantry Flags, The Courrier, March-April 1980
Schorr, Dan: Uniforms of the Swedish Army, 1757-1762, The Courrier, June-July 1979
Swedish War Archives, Sketches of infantry uniforms
English Wikipedia – Kalmar regemente
Wilson, Peter: The Swedish Army in 1756, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
