Marsschalck Infantry
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised in July 1758. Initially, it was not considered as a regular line infantry regiment and was known as the 1st Neues Bataillon (New Battalion) rather than by the name of its colonel.
This regiment was exceptionally organised into five companies of 200 men for a total strength of 1,000 men.
During the Seven Years War the regimental inhabers were:
- from July 1758: Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Detlev von Marschalk (promoted to colonel of the former Stolzenberg Infantry in 1759)
- from 1759: Lieutenant-Colonel Georg von Monroy (promoted to colonel in 1763, retired as major-general in 1770)
In 1763, this regiment was incorporated into Prinz Karl von Mecklenberg Infantry (No. 10A).
Service during the War
On October 10, 1758, 700 men of the regiment took part in the Battle of Lutterberg where they fought in the first line of the centre. Meanwhile, the remaining 300 men were garrisoning Osnabrück.
On April 13, 1759, the regiment took part in the Battle of Bergen where it formed part of the second column under the Prince von Ysenburg deployed on the left wing of the Allied army. Prince Ysenburg, who had been a rallying point for Hessian resistance against the French, fell leading the repeated assaults up a steep slope against the abattis situated around the village. The French units in Bergen were strengthened by a reserve who blunted these attacks. After repeated attempts to storm the village of Bergen, the Hanoverian and Hessian troops withdrew. In June, the regiment was part of Imhoff's corps operating in Hesse. It later took part in the siege of Münster.
In 1760, the regiment formed part of Spörcken’s Corps. On July 25, it fought in a rearguard action at Wolfhagen. On July 31, it took part in the Battle of Warburg where it was deployed in the second line of the right wing in front of Ossendorf. In the autumn, it accompanied the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick in his unsuccessful attempt to capture the Fortress of Wesel. On October 1, one company was part Maidel's converged battalion who captured the Castle of Kleve.
In February 1761, the same company was at the capture of Fritzlar. The other four companies took part in the expedition of General von Breidenbach against Marburg. On July 16 1761, these four companies fought in the Battle of Vellinghausen where they formed part of the corps of the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick deployed on the right wing. On August 31, they were at the affair of Roxel under General von Kielmansegge.
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neck stock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | red with 2 pewter buttons and 2 white buttonholes under the lapels
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| Waistcoat | white 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, 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 red, white drum cords over a brass drum with the Arms of Hanover in the centre.
Colours
Exceptionally, this regiment did not carry the King's colour. Instead, it seems that it carried two regimental colours. The descriptions of these colours vary widely from one author to another. Hereafter, we follow the description of the Celler Soldatenbuch.
Regimental Colours: light green field; centre device consisting of an obelisk surrounded by trophies; a scroll above carrying the motto PRAEMIA FUTURA.
References
This article incorporates texts from the following books which are now in the public domain:
- Wissel, Friedrich v. and Georg von Wissel: Geschichte der Errichtung sämmtlicher Chur-Braunschweig-Lüneburgischen Truppen, sammt ihren Fahnen, Standarten und Pauken-Devisen ..., Zelle, 1786, pp. 664-668
Other sources
Biles, Bill: The Hanoverian Army in the 18th Century, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. VI No. 3
Knötel, H. der Jung, and Hans M. Brauer: Uniformbogen Nr. 45, Berlin
Niemeyer, Joachim, and Georg Ortenburg: The Hanoverian Army during the Seven Years War
Pengel, R., and G. R. Hurt: German States in the Seven Years War 1740 to 1762, Imperial Press
Rogge, Christian: The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Vial, J. L., Nec Pluribus Impar
