Östgöta Infantry
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Origin and History
Descended from the Östgötafänikors which were organized in the 1550's (the fänikors were smaller units of about 500 men) and from the same Storeregements as Jönköping regiment. The regiment was initially raised in 1618 as the Östergötland Storeregement, one of the nine grand regiments organised by Gustavus Adolphus.
Around 1623, this Grand Regiment was organised into sub-units: three field regiments and one cavalry regiment (Östgöta).
In 1685, the Grand Regiment was finally broken down into three distinct and independent "Indelta" regiments, giving birth to the Östgöta Infantry regiment.
In Pomerania in 1699, then at the beginning of the Great Northern War in the 1700 Holstein campaign. With Gyllenstierna in Poland from 1702 and then with the King army. Captured at Poltava (1709). Reraised in 1710 and then in the Skane campaign. Transferred in Germany, 1712 and in Stenbock's campaign. Captured at Tönningen (1713). Raised again and in the Norwegian campaigns of 1716 and 1718.
At the beginning of the Seven Years' War, the regiment consisted of 1,200 privates in 2 battalions of 4 companies. Each company had 150 privates and 11 officers, NCOs and musicians.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was commanded by:
- K. H. Krebs
Service during the War
In 1757, six companies of the regiment (about 1000 men) were sent to Pomerania.
On November 18 1758, a detachment of the regiment was part of General von Lingen's force at the Combat of Güstow.
To do campaigns from 1759 to 1761
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | dark blue with 10 tin buttons down the front with yellow trimmed buttonholes and 2 tin buttons at small of the back
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| Waistcoat | yellow | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | yellow | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | white stockings with brown leather strap at knee | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
|
Troopers were armed with a sword and a musket. The bayonet was permanently fixed to the musket.
Other interpretations
Schirmer as well as Pengel and Hurt mention white trimmed buttonholes.
NCOs
Corporals wore uniforms similar to those of privates with the following differences:
- silver lace on the tricorne
- wide yellow buttonholes on the coat and pockets
- brass buttons (smaller than those of officers)
Sub officers wore uniforms similar to those of privates with the following differences:
- silver lace on the tricorne
- no shoulder straps
NCOs carried halberds but no cane.
Officers
Officers wore a blue uniform (coat) with blue distinctives (collar, cuffs, turnbacks). They were further distinguished from privates by:
- a gold lace on the tricorne
- no turnbacks on the coat
- a silver gorget
- brass buttons
- blue or black breeches (breeches of the same colour as those of the privates were also worn)
N.B.: contrarily to the custom in other armies, Swedish officers did not wear any sash
Horses were equipped with blue housing with a yellow border.
Musicians
The drummers wore uniforms identical to those of the privates but with gold/white laces running along the seems of the sleeves and shoulders and edging the collar and pockets. Furthermore, a wide vertical gold/white lace was sewn on the coat along the buttonholes.
The drums were brass with provincial coats of arms embossed on the front. The rims were blue with yellow edging.
Colours
The pikes used as staffs to carry the colours were always yellow. The Liffana had gold finials while the Kompanifana had steel finials. The colours measured 2.12 x 1.70 m. (1.81 x 1.33 m. as per Clifford).
Liffana (colonel flag): white field; centre device carried the crowned royal arms of Sweden flanked by 2 crowned golden lions; the outer corner of the first canton carried a yellow griffin and 4 blue roses.
N.B.: for the liffana, Clifford adds a pedestal supporting the arms, the letters “AFRS” above the arms and 1 royal crown in the corner of each of the 3 remaining cantons.
Kompanifana (ordonnance flag): red field; centre device consisting of a yellow griffin and 4 blue roses; the whole surrounded by a green laurel wreath tied with a gold ribbon.
The colonel's battalion carried the Liffana and a Kompanifana. The lieutenant-colonel's battalion carried 2 Kompanifanor.
References
Economic Expert: Ostrogothia Grand Regiment (website)
Großer Generalstab: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen - Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. Vol. 6 Leuthen, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher), Berlin 1904, pp.92-107, Annex pp. 11-16
Höglund, Lars-Eric and Ake Sallnäs: The Great Northern War 1700-1721, Colours and Uniforms, Acedia Press, Karlstadt, 2000
Pengel, R. D. and G. R. Hurt: Swedish Army in Pomerania – 1757-1763, Birmingham, 1983
Purky, Jim: Swedish Army Organization, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
Säwe, Teofron: Sveriges deltagande i Sjuåriga Kriget Åren 1757-1762, Beijers Bokförlagsaktiebolag, Stockholm, 1915
Schirmer, Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, Neuauflage 1989
Schorr, Dan: Swedish Flags 1757-1762 - Part II Infantry Flags, The Courrier, March-April 1980
Schorr, Dan: Uniforms of the Swedish Army, 1757-1762, The Courrier, June-July 1979
Swedish War Archives, Sketches of infantry uniforms
English Wikipedia - Östgöta infanteriregemente
Wilson, Peter: The Swedish Army in 1756, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. X No. 1
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
