Kurmark Land Militia Regiment von Borck

Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Armies >> Prussian Army >> Kurmark Land Militia Regiment von Borck

Origin and History

This Kurmark militia regiment was raised in Magdeburg in September 1757 from recruits of the Altmark, Priegnitz, the Havel Country, Ruppin and Zauche. The regiment known as the Landmiliz-Regiment Borck consisted of 3 battalions (a total of 18 companies of musketeers without grenadier). The regiment was supposed to count 74 officers, 198 NCOs, 56 drummers, 3,500 privates and 1 regimental quartermaster but it never reached its full establishment.

On February 1 1759, the regiment was reduced to 15 companies.

During the Seven Years' War, the battalion was under the command of:

• since September 1757: Colonel Ernst Ludwig von Borck

The regiment was disbanded by a Cabinets-Ordre dated February 15 1763.

Service during the War

In October 1757, the first battalion of the regiment successfully took part in the expulsion of the French from Altmark.

The regiment was used to guard prisoners, to assist the garrison artillery and to guard the walls of Magdeburg. It also escorted convoys to Göttingen, Halle and Wittenberge.

Several men of the regiment were regularly transferred to line infantry regiments, making it difficult to maintain the regiment at full strength.

On February 1 1759, the regiment was reduced to 15 companies for a total of 48 officers, 135 NCOs, 1,530 privates, 30 drummers, 1 regimental quartermaster, 1 auditor and 1 regimental surgeon. Each company consisting of :

• 1 captain
• 2 lieutenants
• 9 NCOs
• 2 drummers
• 102 privates

By July 4, 1759, the regiment could only muster 1,250 men.

Uniform

Uniform 1757-58

Privates

Uniform from 1757 to 1758 - Source: Dal Gavan

Uniform Details

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne without lace with 1 brass button, no pompom nor bob Grenadier there were no grenadiers in this regiment
Neck stock	black
Coat	Prussian blue lined red with 3 brass buttons on each side on the chest and 3 brass buttons on each side to fasten the skirts Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 2 brass buttons Cuffs Prussian blue with 2 brass on the sleeve flap above each cuff Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	Prussian blue
Breeches	Prussian blue
Gaiters	grey
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt unknown Waistbelt unknown Cartridge Box unknown Bayonet Scabbard none Scabbard none Footgear black shoes

Privates were armed with a short musket.

NCOs

NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:

• tricorne with wide gold lace and black and white quartered pompoms

Officers

Officers had tricorne wearing a thin golden lace and a black cockade.

Musicians

no information found

Uniform 1758-62

A new uniform was introduced in the Autumn of 1758

Privates

Uniform from 1758 to 1762 - Source: Dal Gavan

Uniform Details

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne without lace with 1 brass button, white pompoms Grenadier there were no grenadiers in this regiment
Neck stock	black
Coat	Prussian blue lined red with 3 brass buttons on each side on the chest, 2 brass buttons at the waist on the right side and 3 brass buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 2 brass buttons Cuffs Prussian blue Prussian style cuffs with 2 brass on the sleeve flap above each cuff Turnbacks red fastened with a small brass button
Waistcoat	Prussian blue
Breeches	Prussian blue
Gaiters	grey
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt unknown Waistbelt unknown Cartridge Box unknown Bayonet Scabbard none Scabbard none Footgear black shoes

Privates were armed with a short musket.

NCOs

NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:

• tricorne with wide gold lace and black and white quartered pompoms

Officers

Officers had tricorne wearing a thin golden lace and a black cockade. Their coats were similar to those of the privates but had no turnback.

Musicians

no information found

Uniform 1762-63

Privates

Uniform from 1762 - Source: Dal Gavan

Uniform Details

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne without lace with 1 brass button, red pompoms Grenadier there were no grenadiers in this regiment
Neck stock	black
Coat	Prussian blue lined red with 6 brass buttons (arranged 2-2-2) on each side on the chest, 2 brass buttons at the waist on the right side and 3 brass buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 2 brass buttons Cuffs red Swedish style cuffs, each with 2 brass buttons Turnbacks red fastened with a small brass button
Waistcoat	straw
Breeches	straw
Gaiters	black
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt unknown Waistbelt unknown Cartridge Box unknown Bayonet Scabbard none Scabbard none Footgear black shoes

Privates were armed with a short musket.

NCOs

NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:

• tricorne with wide gold lace and black and white quartered pompoms
• cuffs edged with a golden braid

Officers

Officers had tricorne wearing a thin golden lace and a black cockade. Their coats were similar to those of the privates but had no turnback.

Musicians

no information found

Colours

Colours were not carried by militia units.

References

Bleckwenn, Hans: Die friderzianischen Uniformen 1753-1786, Osnabrück 1984

Cremer, Peter: Die preussischen Landregimenter & -milizen, die Stettiner Haff-Flotille und das Verpflegungswesen der Armee 1756-1753, KLIO-Arbeitgruppe, Heimbach, 1987

Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II, Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763

• Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin, 1901, Appendix 1
• Vol. 6 Leuthen, Berlin, 1904, Appendix 6