Roth Hussars

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Origin and History

The regiment was raised late in 1759 with British subsidies. It initially counted many Hungarian troopers and consisted of 4 companies (114 men each) and a staff of 17 for a total of 473 men.

For the 1761 campaign, the regiment was augmented to 6 companies, totalling about 747 men.

The regimental Inhaber were:

• from 1759: von Roth
• from May 1761: Friedrich Adolf Riedesel zu Eisenbach

After the Seven Years's War, each company of the regiment was reduced to only 12 men. The regiment was finally disbanded in 1806.

Service during the War

The regiment participated extensively in the Kleinkrieg.

On May 24, 1760, the regiment, attached to Luckner's Corps, took part in an attack on a French detachment under the command of Waldner occupying Butzbach. A party of the French Bercheny Hussards sent to reconnoitre the Allied positions was pursued by Allied hussars who entered Butzbach on their trail. Waldner retired through another gate with the garrison and entered the woods in the direction of Friedberg. The Allied hussars engaged a picquet of Caraman Dragons and captured 1 officer and 20 troopers. They then engaged a picquet of infantry and captured 25 men. Luckner then divided his force into two parties: the mounted jägers entered the woods while the Roth Hussars pursued the retreating French units up to Friedberg, bringing back prisoners and 30 wagons. In this action Luckner lost 2 hussars killed and 5 wounded. He also destroyed a French magazine.

Uniform

Trooper in 1759

Uniform in 1759 - Copyright Kronoskaf

Uniform Details

Headgear	black mirliton with a yellow flame
Dolman	medium blue with copper buttons and yellow braids Collar yellow Shoulderknot none Cuffs yellow
Pelisse	medium blue laced with yellow braids and black fur trim
Breeches	medium blue
Leather Equipment	Cross-belt white Barrel sash yellow/blue Cartridge Box black Scabbard black Footgear black boots
Horse Furniture	Saddlecloth medium blue bordered with a yellow zig-zag Sabretache medium blue bordered with a yellow braid

Troopers were armed with a sabre, a carbine and a pistols.

Trooper in 1761

Some sources describe a different uniform. It might have been introduced in 1761 when Riedesel became proprietor of the regiment.

Uniform in 1761 - Copyright Kronoskaf

Uniform Details

Headgear	black fur hat with a medium blue (bleu mourant) bag laced in white
Dolman	yellow with pewter buttons and white braids Collar medium blue edged in white Shoulderknot none Cuffs medium blue cuffs edged white
Pelisse	medium blue laced with with black fur trim
Breeches	straw
Leather Equipment	Cross-belt white Barrel sash yellow/blue Cartridge Box black Scabbard black Footgear black boots
Horse Furniture	Saddlecloth medium blue bordered with a yellow zig-zag edeged in white Sabretache medium blue bordered with a yellow zig-zag edeged in white Blanket roll medium blue

Troopers were armed with a sabre, a carbine and a pistols.

Officers

Officers wore uniforms similar to those of the troopers but with silver laces and braids.

NCOs

NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the troopers with silver lace on collar and cuffs.

Musicians

n/a

Standards

n/a

References

Deutsche Uniformen, Bd. 1, Das Zeitalter Friedrich des Großen, 240 illustrations by Herbert Knötel d. J., with text and explanations by Dr. Martin Letzius, Sturm-Zigaretten GmbH, Dresden 1932

Ortenburg, Georg von: Braunschweigisches Militär, Elm Verlag, Cremlingen, 1987

Pengel & Hurt: German States in the Seven Years War 1740 to 1762, Imperial Press

Schirmer; Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756 - 1763. Edited and published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg e.V., Magstadt, 1989

Stolz, Gerd: Das braunschweigische Husaren-Regiment von Riedesel, in: Zeitschrift für Heereskunde, Nr. 247, XXXVII Jg. (1973), S. 118-123

Acknowledgements

Artur Yushkevich for additional information on the first uniform of the regiment