Saldern Fusiliers
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Origin and History
On October 15 1756, when the Saxon Army surrendered to Frederick II near Pirna, the Saxon infantry was forcefully incorporated into the Prussian Army, former Prinz Gotha Infantry thus becoming Infanterie-Regiment (Nr. 54) Saldern and stationed in Magdeburg.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:
- since October 15 1756: Major-General W. von Saldern
- from December 8 1758 till February 16 1763: Baron E. F. von Plotho
The regiment was disbanded on February 16 1763 and its troops were used to replenish the ranks of Fouqué Fusiliers who had been taken prisoners in the Battle of Landeshut on June 23 1760.
Service during the War
In October 1756, the regiment was assigned to the garrison of Magdeburg, a role that it seems to have played till the end of the war.
By the end of 1757, this regiment along with Loen Fusiliers, Hauss Fusiliers and the Grenadier-battalion S-54/S-56 Köller were the only Saxon infantry units still in the Prussian service.
N.B.: the grenadiers from the wing grenadier companies were put together with the grenadiers of Loen Fusiliers, forming the S-54/S-56 Köller Grenadier Battalion (please refer to this article for the details of the service of the grenadiers during the war).
Uniform
Privates
Headgear |
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Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
Coat | Prussian blue lined red, 6 yellow buttons grouped 2 by 2 on the chest and 3 yellow buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks
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Waistcoat | white | ||||||||||||
Breeches | white | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | black | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Privates were armed with a short musket, a bayonet and a sabre with a curved blade.
NCOs
NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:
- black tricorne laced gold with black and white quartered pompom and black within white tassels
- no shoulder straps
- gold laced cuffs
- yellowish leather gloves
- black and white sabre tassel
NCOs were armed with a sabre and a half-pikes measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.37 m.) in the fusilier companies and 13 Rhenish feet (4.10 m.) in the grenadier companies (carried by the 3 most senior NCOs while other grenadier NCOs were armed with rifled muskets since 1744).
NCOs also carried canes (normally attached to a button at the top of the right front while carrying the half-pike).
Officers
Officers wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following differences:
- black tricorne laced with a wide golden braid with a black cockade fastened with a golden clip; black within silver tassels
- no shoulder strap
- no turnbacks
Officers carried spontoons measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.36 m.).
Musicians
n/a
Colours
Colonel Colour (Leibfahne): White field with celadon green corner flames. Centre device consisting of a pale red medallion surrounded by a golden laurel wreath and surmounted by a gold crown. The medallion is decorated with a black eagle surmounted by a white scroll bearing the golden motto "Pro Gloria et Patria". Corner monograms (crowns, laurel wreaths, ciphers) and grenades in gold.
Regimental Colours (Kompaniefahnen): pale red field with celadon green corner flames. Centre device consisting of a white medallion surrounded by a golden laurel wreath and surmounted by a gold crown. The medallion is decorated with a black eagle surmounted by a celadon green scroll bearing the golden motto "Pro Gloria et Patria". Corner monograms (crowns, laurel wreaths, ciphers) and grenades in gold.
![]() Colonel Colour - Source: rf-figuren from elements by Hannoverdidi |
![]() Regimental Colour - Source: rf-figuren from elements by Hannoverdidi |
References
Gavan, Dal: Colours of the Saxon regiments in the Prussian service
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II, Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin, 1901, p. 125
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.