Prussian Garrison Regiment V
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised in 1741 to garrison the recently captured Fortress of Glogau (present-day Głogów). It initially counted 2 battalions.
On August 15 1755, the regiment was increased to 4 battalions. The 2 new battalions had no grenadier company. They garrisoned Fauer and Schweidnitz
The district of Glogau became the recruiting canton of the regiment until 1747 when it was allowed to recruit in the districts of Breslau, Glogau, Liegnitz and Frankenstein. Until 1756, its garrison places were Züllichau, Crossen, Drossen, Beeskow and Sommerfeld.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:
- since August 6 1743: Friedrich Julius von Mützschefahl
- from February 18 1759 to September 10 1763: Gustav Adolf von Sydow (aka Jung-Sydow)
After the war, the regiment retained its four battalions who garrisoned the places of Züllichau, Crossen, Drossen, Jauer, Striegau and Neumarkt.
Service during the War
1st and 2nd Battalions
On July 28 1756, the regiment received orders to prepare itself to relieve regular field infantry regiments in Schweidnitz.
In August 1757, the first and second battalions of the regiment were part of the small Prussian force assembled in Silesia by Major-General von Kreytzen to oust the Austrian corps occupying Landeshut. On August 13, they took part in the first combat of Landeshut. On November 12, these two battalions surrendered as prisoners of war at the end of the siege of Schweidnitz.
In April 1758, the recently exchanged first and second battalions joined the army of Frederick II who laid siege to Schweidnitz and recaptured the fortress on April 18. From May to July, these battalions took part in the invasion of Moravia and in the unsuccessful siege of Olmütz, fighting in the Combat of Domstadl where they suffered heavy losses.
On July 23 1759, the first and second battalions of the regiment took part in the Battle of Paltzig (aka Kay) where they formed part of the rearguard under Major-General von Wobersow. Three weeks later, on August 12, these battalions fought in the bloody Battle of Kunersdorf where they were deployed in the second line of the centre left infantry as part of Itzenplitz's Brigade in Lieutenant-General Kanitz's Division.
On September 17 1760, the first and second battalions of the regiment took part in the Combat of Hochgiersdorf.
From 1761 to 1762 in the Saxon theatre with the army of Prince Henri.
3rd and 4th Battalions
During the entire war, the third and fourth battalions assumed garrison duties in Silesia.
From July to November 1758, these two battalions took part in the defence of Cosel.
In October 1760, these battalions participated once more in the defence of Cosel.
Grenadiers
During the war the grenadiers from the wing grenadier company were put together with the grenadiers of Garrison Regiment X, forming the Standing Grenadier Battalion Nr. V (G-V/G-X Rath) (please refer to this article for the details of the service of the grenadiers during the war).
Uniform
Exceptionally the musketeers and grenadiers of this regiment wore different uniforms. The present article describes the uniform of the musketeers. For the uniform of the grenadiers, please refer to the article dedicated to Standing Grenadier Battalion Nr. V (G-V/G-X Rath).
Privates
| Headgear |
| ||||||||||||
| Neck stock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | Prussian blue lined red with 6 brass buttons on both sides 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
| ||||||||||||
| Waistcoat | Prussian blue | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | Prussian blue | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | black | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Privates were armed with a short musket and a bayonet.
NCOs
NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:
- tricorne with wide gold lace and a black and white pompom
- gold laced cuffs
- no shoulder strap
- yellowish leather gloves
- black and white sabre tassel
NCOs were armed with a sabre and a white light half-pike measuring 7,5 Rhenish feet (2.37 m.).
NCOs also carried wooden canes (normally attached to a button at the top of the right front while carrying the half-pike).
Officers
Uniforms of officers were very similar to those of the privates with the following exceptions:
- black tricorne wearing a thin gold lace and 2 black and white quartered tassels: 1 in each side corne of the tricorne (officers always wore tricornes notwithstanding if they were commanding musketeers, fusiliers or grenadiers)
- black neck stock
- no trimming on the coat
- no shoulder strap on the coat
- no turnbacks on the coat
- black and silver sash around the waist
- a silver and gold gorget
Officers carried white spontoons measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.36 m.) and an officer stick.
Musicians
Drummers wore uniforms to those of the privates with the following differences:
- no shoulder strap
- shoulders decorated with white swallow nests (4 vertical and 1 horizontal braids)
Drummers carried a sidearm.
The drum pattern had ???.
Colours
Colonel flag (Leibfahne): White field. Centre device consisting of a golden “FR” cipher surrounded by golden palm leaves and surmounted by a gold crown. Grenades in gold.
Regimental flags (Kompaniefahnen): Black field. Centre device consisting of a golden “FR” cipher surrounded by golden palm leaves and surmounted by a gold crown. Grenades in gold.
N.B. the reverses of all colours were mirror images of the obverses
 Colonel Colour - Source: Richard Couture from a template by Not By Appointment |
 Regimental Colour - Source: Richard Couture from a template by Not By Appointment |
References
Bleckwenn, Hans: Die friderizianischen Uniformen 1756-1783, Bd. II., Infanterie II, Osnabrück 1984
Duffy, Christopher: Friedrich der Große und seine Armee, Stuttgart, 2. Auflage 1983
Engelmann, Joachim and Günter Dorn: Die Infanterie-Regimenter Friedrich des Grossen, Podzun-Pallas, 2000, pp. 146-147
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin, 1901, App. 1
Hohrath, Daniel: The Uniforms of the Prussian Army under Frederick the Great from 1740 to 1786; Vol. 2; Verlag Militaria, Vienna: 2011, pp. 418-419
Guddat, Martin: Die Infanterie Friedrichs des Großen, Herford 1986
Haythornthwaite, Philip: Frederick the Great (2), Men-at Arms-Series No. 240, Osprey
Horvath, Carl Christian: Friedrichs II. König von Preussen Armee-Montirungen, Potsdam 1789. Vierte Sammlung
Merta, Klaus-Peter: Das Heerwesen in Brandenburg und Preußen von 1640 bis 1806 - Die Uniformierung, Berlin 1991
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
Acknowledgments
Martina Hager for the initial version of this article.
