Schwarze Brigade
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Contents
Origin and History
The unit was raised on December 23 1761 in Lübeck and Hamburg by Favrat. By the Summer of 1762, it already counted one battalion. However, the unit had been raised without Frederick's authorisation and had to be disbanded.
During the Seven Years' War, the chef of the regiment was:
- from December 1761 to 1762: Favrat
Uniform
Uniforms of the Hussars
Troopers
Headgear | black mirliton with a black wing; white plume; yellow cords with white knots and blue tassels | ||||||||
Neck stock | black | ||||||||
Pelisse | black
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Dolman | yellow with red cords and yellow buttons
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Cloak | no information available | ||||||||
Trousers | buff leather with black edged red "Schalavary" | ||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Horse Furniture |
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Troopers were probably armed with a short curved sabre, two pistols and a carbine.
NCOs
NCOs wore the same uniform as the troopers with the following differences:
- black and white cords and tassels on the mirliton
- more elaborate laces on the pelisse
Officers
Officers wore the same uniform as the troopers with the following differences:
- no cord, knot or tassel on the mirliton
- golden gords and laces on the pelisse and dolman
- silver and black waist-sash
Musicians
no information available yet
Uniforms of the dragoons
Privates
Headgear | black unlaced tricorne with a yellow button with red pompoms | ||||||||||||
Neck stock | black | ||||||||||||
Coat | black lined red with 7 yellow buttons arranged 1-2-2-2 on both sides, the topmost button decorated with a red tab and the others with yellow laced button loops and yellow tassels; 2 yellow laced button loops with tassels on both side at the waist; 1 yellow laced button loop with a tassel on both side at the small of the back; and 3 yellow buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks
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Waistcoat | straw yellow with yellow buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | straw yellow | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Horse Furniture |
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Troopers were probably armed with a sword, a pair of pistols, a musket and a bayonet.
NCOs
NCOs wore the same uniform as the private with the following differences:
- tricorne laced gold with a black and white quartered pompom and smaller black within white pompoms in the lateral cornes
- cuffs edged gold
Officers
Officers wore the same uniform as the private with the following differences:
- black tricorne scalloped gold with a black cockade fastened with a golden strap and a golden button; small black within silver pompoms in the lateral cornes
- golden aiguillette
- golden button loops with tassels
- coat with horizontal pockets piped gold, each with 2 golden buttons
- no turnbacks
They carried an officer stick.
Musicians
no information available yet
Uniforms of the Grenadiers
Privates
Headgear | mitre with yellow metal front plate; yellow metal headband, black backing piped red, red pompom | ||||||||||||
Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
Coat | black lined red, 2 yellow buttons on the right side under the lapel; 2 yellow button loops with tassels on each side under the lapels; 1 yellow button loop with a tassel on each side at the small of the back; and 3 yellow buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks
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Waistcoat | straw yellow with yellow buttons with 1 row of yellow buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | straw yellow | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | black | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Privates were armed with a short musket, a bayonet and a curved blade sabre.
NCOs
NCOs wore the same uniform as the private with the following differences:
- black and white quartered pompom on the mitre
- cuffs edged gold
Officers
Officers wore the same uniform as the private with the following differences:
- black tricorne scalloped gold with a black cockade fastened with a golden strap and a golden button; small black within silver pompoms in the lateral cornes
- golden aiguillette
- golden button loops with tassels
- coat with horizontal pockets piped gold, each with 2 golden buttons and 2 golden button loops with tassels
- no turnbacks
Musicians
no information available yet
Uniforms of the Jägers
Privates
Headgear | black unlaced tricorne with a small yellow button | ||||||||||||
Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
Coat | black lined green, 2 yellow buttons on the right side under the lapel; 2 yellow button loops with tassels on each side under the lapels; 1 yellow button loop with a tassel on each side at the small of the back; and 3 yellow buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks
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Waistcoat | green | ||||||||||||
Breeches | green | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | not applicable | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Privates were probably armed with a rifle and a curved blade sabres.
NCOs
NCOs wore the same uniform as the private with the following differences:
- tricorne laced gold
- cuffs edged gold
Officers
Officers wore the same uniform as the private with the following differences:
- black tricorne scalloped gold with a black cockade fastened with a golden strap and a golden button; small black within silver pompoms in the lateral cornes
- golden aiguillette
- golden button loops with tassels
- coat with horizontal pockets piped gold, each with 2 golden buttons and 2 golden button loops with tassels
- no turnbacks
Musicians
no information available yet
Colours
None of the Freikorps units carried official colours, standards or guidons to the exception of von Kleist Frei Korps.
References
Bleckwenn, Hans (Hrsg.): Das Altpreussische Heer - Erscheinungsbild und Wesen 1713-1807, Teil III: Übersichten altpreußischer Uniformgestaltung, Band 5: Die Uniformen der preußischen Technischen Truppen, Rückwärtigen Dienste und Kriegsformationen 1753-1786, Osnabrück 1984
Cremer, Peter: Die Preussischen Freikorps im Siebenjährigen Krieg: Auflistung der Freikorps, ihrer Einsätze, der Uniformen, der Chefs und deren Geschichte, KLIO-Arbeitsgruppe 7jähriger Krieg, Friderzianische Epoche, Manuskript, o.J.
Funcken, L. and F.; Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
Großer Generalstab, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher). Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen. Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763, Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin 1901, Anlage 1-2
Knötel, R.; Uniformkunde, Lose Blätter zur Geschichte der Entwicklung der militärischen Tracht, vol. V plate 7, Rathenow 1890-1921
Acknowledgments
Michael Zahn for the information provided for the creation of the initial version of this article.