Virmond Infantry

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Origin and History

The regiment was raised in 1703 by Damian Hugo, Reichsgraf (Imperial Count) von Virmond according to a decree issued on June 25. Deutschmeister Infantry contributed 8 companies; Heister Infantry, 2 companies; and Thürheim Infantry, 2 companies for the creation of this regiment for a total of 12 companies, organised in three battalions.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the proprietors of the regiment were:

• from 1703 to 21 April 1722: Damian Hugo, Reichsgraf (Imperial Count) von Virmond

Colonel-commanders during the War of the Spanish Succession:

• in 1703: Sigmund Wiese
• in 1705: Baron Wachtendonk

Service during the War

In 1703, at its creation, the regiment was destined for an expedition against Naples and was initially stationed in the region of Fiume and Triest, ready to sail for Naples.

In 1704, during the Rákóczi Uprising in Hungary, the regiment took part in a combat near Gyirmóth not far from Raab.

In 1705, the regiment took part in another campaign against Rákóczi. On 11 November, it fought in the Battle of Sibó where one of his battalion was deployed on the right wing and two others on the left wing.

In 1706, the regiment served once more against the Hungarian insurgents.

At the beginning of 1709, the regiment (16 musketeer coys, 1 grenadier coy) was stationed in Transylvania.

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1717 - Copyright Kronoskaf

Uniform Details as per
Donath

Headgear	Fusilier black tricorne laced white; as field sign, green foliage was attached to the tricorne in summer and a wisp of straw in winter N.B.: to distinguish soldiers (from corporal down to privates) of each company, a button or rosette at the colour of the company was attached to the tricorne. Grenadier bearskin edged with a white braid; hanging bag edged with a white braid in a zig-zag pattern
Neck stock	red
Coat	pearl grey with yellow buttons on the right side and 1 yellow button on each side in the small of the back Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons Cuffs pearl grey, each with 3 yellow buttons Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	pearl grey with yellow buttons
Breeches	pearl grey
Stockings	white fastened under the knee with a natural leather strap
Gaiters	made of canvas and used only when the soldier wore linen breeches; in this case, the stockings were replaced by linen socks; the use of gaiters generalized much later
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather Waistbelt a yellow deer or buffalo leather waist-belt worn above the waistcoat Cartridge Pouch red or black leather pouch containing 24 cartridges, a pewter oil flask, two needles attached to a small chain (to clean the touch-hole of the lock), a tube that held the match for lighting the fuse of grenades, with a wooden peg on a small chain and a roll of fuse. The cartridge box had two cover flaps. The top one was sometimes decorated with a metal badge bearing the cipher or the arms of the Inhaber. Grenadiers carried two cartridge pouches. The first one, slightly larger than that of fusiliers, was worn on wide cross-belt and contained grenades and a pewter tube that held the match for lighting the fuse of grenades; the smaller second pouch was attached to the waist-belt and contained cartridges for the musket. Bayonet Scabbard black leather Scabbard none Footwear Russia leather shoes

Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Grenadiers were also armed with hand grenades.

NCOs

NCOs carried a spontoon (half-pike). They were also armed with a Stossdegen (a long two-edged estoc or rapier) carried in a black leather scabbard attached to the waist-belt.

NCOs of grenadier companies carried a flintlock musket instead of the spontoon.

NCOs also carried a cane whose characteristics indicated their precise rank. This cane had the length of a walking stick and was carried in and out of service. In action, to free hands, the cane was hanged to a button of the coat. Grenadier sergeants and fouriers were distinguished from privates by three silver braids on the bag of their bearskin.

Officers

Uniforms of officers were always of finer cloth than those of the privates.

Officers wore a black and yellow silk sash across the chest or around the waist.

Lieutenants of the grenadier companies were distinguished from privates and NCOs by four golden braids on the bag of their bearskin; captains by five golden braids on their bearskin.

Officers carried a partisan. The partisan was decorated with a tassel: gold for the colonel, gold with silver fringe for the lieutenant-colonel, gold and silken fringe for captains and silken fringe for lieutenants. In some regiments, the captains' tassel was entirely of silk; in this case the lieutenants' partisan had no tassel. The partisans of staff officers had gilt butt caps.

Officers were also armed with a Stossdegen (a long two-edged estoc or rapier) carried in a black leather scabbard attached to the waist-belt.

Officers carried a cane whose characteristics indicated their precise rank. This cane had the length of a walking stick and was carried in and out of service. In action, to free hands, the cane was hanged to a button of the coat.

Officers of grenadier companies carried a flintlock musket instead of the partisan. Captains, lieutenants and sergeants of these companies always had their bayonet affixed to their musket.

In the field, officers carried a pair of pistols.

Musicians

In the Austrian Army of the time, musicians often wore uniforms in reverse colours with the distinctive colour of the regiment used for the coat.

The drum belt was usually brown and worn on the right shoulder.

Colours

no information found yet

References

Abtheilung für Kriegsgeschichte des k. k. Kriegs-Archives: Feldzüge des Prinzen Eugen von Savoyen, Series 1

• Vol. 1, Vienna 1875, pp. 212-218, 222-227
• Vol. 5, Vienna 1878, p. 238, Anhang 14

Czegka, Eduard: Uniformen der kaiserlichen Infanterie unter Prinz Eugen. in: Zeitschrift für Heereskunde 49-51, 1933, pp. 459-473

Donath, Rudolf; Die Kaiserliche und Kaiserlich-Königliche Österreichische Armee 1618-1918, 2. Aufl., Simbach/Inn 1979

Gräffer, August: Geschichte der kaiserl. Königl. Regimenter, Corps, Bataillons und anderer Militär-Branchen seit ihrer Errichtung biz zu Ende des Feldzuges 1799, Vol. 1, Vienna, 1804, pp. 67-71

Seyfart, Kurzgefaßte Geschichte aller kaiserlich-königlichen Regimenter zu Pferde und zu Fuß, Frankfurth and Leipzig, 1762, pp. 24-25

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.