Stolzenberg Infantry
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised in 1665 and garrisoned at Wildeshausen.
During the Seven Years War the regimental inhabers were:
- since 1746: von Hugo
- from 1756: von Stolzenberg
- from 1759: von Marschalk
- from 1760: von Craushaar
Service during the War
On July 26 1757, during the French invasion of Hanover, the regiment took part in Battle of Hastenbeck where it was deployed in the first line of the right wing under the command of Lieutenant-General Zastrow.
On May 26 1758, the regiment was with Ferdinand's main force in the camp of Nottuln. On May 31, it accompanied Ferdinand in his offensive on the west bank of the Rhine. On June 17, when Spörcken advanced from his camp at Rheinberg, he left General Hardenberg at Büderich with this regiment and Gotha Infantry). On August 4, the regiment passed the Rhine on boats at Spyck to reinforce Imhoff at Mehr where he was about to be attacked by a superior force under Chevert in an attempt to seize the Allied bridgehead at Rees. On August 5, during the Combat of Mehr, Imhoff sent the regiment upon his right, in a coppice, in order to fall upon the uncovered French left.
During the first half of 1759, the regiment formed part of the Allied army of Ferdinand of Brunswick. It was attached to Post's Brigade in the first line of the infantry centre. In June, the regiment was still part of the main Allied army. On August 1, it took part in the Battle of Minden where it was deployed in the second line of the 4th column under Major-General Wissembach.
For the campaign of 1760, the regiment served in the army of the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick. On July 10, the regiment was present at the combat of Corbach. It formed part of the Reserve under the Prince von Anhalt and did not take part in the engagement. On the night of July 14, having intelligence that a French party (6 bns, Bercheny Hussards and some light troops) under General Glaubitz was on its way to Ziegenhain from Marburg, evidently with the object of disturbing his communications, Ferdinand detached the Hereditary Prince to take command of 6 bns (Behr (1 bn), Marschalk (1 bn), Mansbach (2 bns) and Hessian 2. Garde (2 bns)) which were lying at Fritzlar, and to attack Glaubitz whose forces had encamped at Vasbeck for the night. On the morning of July 15, the Hereditary Prince marched rapidly southward, being joined on the way at Zwesten (present-day Bad Zwesten) by Luckner Hussars and by the 15th Light Horse (under Major Erskine), which had just arrived from Great Britain. On reaching the vicinity of Ziegenhain, he found that Glaubitz was encamped farther to the west, near the village of Emsdorf. His troops being exhausted by a long march, the Hereditary Prince halted for the night at Treysa. On July 16, he captured most of Glaubitz's detachment in the Engagement of Emsdorf. During this action, the regiment covered the road from Emsdorf to Kirchhain along with Freytag Jägers and 5 guns. On October 16, the regiment took part in the Battle of Clostercamp where it was deployed in Major-General von Behr's Brigade.
In July 1761, the regiment took part in the Battle of Vellinghausen where it was deployed on the right wing in Lieutenant-General Kielmansegg's Brigade.
As of May 23 1762, the regiment served in the Corps of the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick operating in Westphalia. On August 30, it fought in the Combat of Nauheim where it was deployed in Lieutenant-General von Hardenberg's column. Around 11:00 a.m., it was among the Hanoverian regiments who passed the Wetter, personally led by the Hereditary Prince. On September 21, it took part in the Combat of Amöneburg where it belonged to Zastrow's Corps occupying the ground immediately before the Brücker Mühle (Zastrow commanded in the absence of Lieutenant-General Hardenberg).
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neck stock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | red with 2 pewter buttons and 2 white buttonholes under the lapels (hidden by the sleeve in our plate)
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| Waistcoat | straw with 2 horizontal pockets, each with 3 pewter buttons | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | straw yellow | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | white | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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Troopers were armed with a musket and a sword (brass hilt) and carried a dark brown haversack with a metal canteen on the left hip.
Officers
Officers had silver lace lining the cuffs and lapels, a black cockade hat, a gold gorget with the arms of Hanover in the centre and carried a yellow sash slung over the right shoulder. Sergeants wore straw gloves. Partizans were carried.
Musicians
Drummers wore a red coat with swallows nest and lace in white.
The drum pattern had hoops in alternating black and red diagonal stripes, white drum cords over a brass drum with the Arms of Hanover in the centre.
Colours
Colonel Colour: white field; centre device consisting of the Arms of Hanover (common to all Hanoverian infantry regiments except 10-B).
Regimental Colours: pale yellow field; centre device consisting of a seated Athena, the Greek goddess, bestowing laurels on a champion, the whole scene surrounded by a blue wreath; a scroll above carrying the motto FORTITER PUGNANTI ISTA CORUNA DATUR Hereafter, we present an illustration from the Reitzenstein Sammlung, dating from circa 1761 (left) and the interpretation of Hannoverdidi (right).
 Regimental Colour - Source: Interpretation of the Reitzenstein Sammlung (circa 1761) |
 Regimental Colour - Source: Interpretation of user Hannoverdidi |
References
Biles, Bill: The Hanoverian Army in the 18th Century, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. VI No. 3
Gmundener Prachtwerk, circa 1761
Knötel H., and Hans M. Brauer: Heer und Tradition
Niemeyer Joachim, Ortenburg Georg: The Hanoverian Army during the Seven Years War
Pengel & Hurt: German States in the Seven Years War 1740 to 1762, Imperial Press
Reitzenstein Sammlung, Bomann Museum, Celle
Rogge, Christian: The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Vial J. L.: Nec Pluribus Impar
