Free Battalion
In the second half of the 18th century , free battalions and free infantry were independent military units that operated as light troops, independent of the armies fighting with rigid linear tactics . They are to be distinguished from the Freikorps .
Emergence
The term free battalion came up in Germany in the second half of the 17th century for troops outside of regimental formations . With the development of linear tactics, light troops had become necessary for outpost, security and reconnaissance tasks. The recruited soldiers should definitely feel "free" from discipline .
In the Austrian War of Succession , Austria used the Pandours and Croats for this. As a result, Frederick II created the free battalions, which operated independently and disturbed the enemy with sudden, surprising attacks. They were also used to ward off Maria Theresa's Pandours . In the Prussian army, free battalions consisted of infantrymen , hussars , and hunters and were often detached , i.e. simply attached. A battalion could contain about 1,000 men, often with a light battery of several cannons. In the course of the war, a total of 14 units were set up, mostly under the leadership of Huguenot nobles:
- Le Noble (F 1),
- Mayr / Collignon / Courbiere (F 2),
- Kalben / Salenmon ( Favrat ) (F 3),
- Angelelli / Collignon (F 4),
- Chossignon / Monjou (F 5),
- Rapin / Lüderitz (F 6),
- Wish (F 7),
- Du Verger / Quintus Icilius (F 8),
- Hordt (F 9),
- Jeney (Voluntaires d'Ostfrise) (F 10),
- Schack (F 11),
- Army (Swiss Volontaires) (F 12),
- Bequignolles (F 13),
- La Badie (Volontaires Etrangers) (F 14).
The advance of the Mayr Free Battalion (F 2) from the Prussian-occupied Electoral Saxony to Franconia in May / June 1757 became known.
With the transfer of the light infantry to line regiments at the end of the 18th century, the free battalions disappeared again.
literature
- Hans Bleckwenn : The Frederician uniforms 1753-1786 ; 4 volumes; Hardenberg, Dortmund 1984; ISBN 3-88379-444-9 . P. 79ff.
- Franz Fabian: The battle of Monmouth. Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben in America. Military Publishing House of the GDR , 5th edition, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-327-00583-4 , pages 23-25.
- Dictionary of German military history . Military publishing house of the GDR, Berlin 1985.
- Frank Wernitz : The Prussian Free Corps in the Seven Years War, 1756–1763. Creation, use, effect . Podzun-Pallas, Wölfersheim-Berstadt 1994, ISBN 3-7909-0516-X .