Hessen-Kassel Army

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Landgrave Friedrich II.
Elector Wilhelm I.

The Hesse-Kassel Army were the armed forces of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel and the later Electorate of Hesse that emerged from it . It existed until 1866 when it was dissolved and its units were incorporated into the Royal Prussian Army .

History of the army

Infantry of Hessen-Kassel in the battle of Krefeld , Richard Knötel

The army in the 17th and 18th centuries

The beginnings of the Hessian army go back to the Landgraves after the Thirty Years' War , when the Landgraviate of Hessen-Kassel, like most of the medium-sized and large territories in the empire, went to the standing army in terms of military policy. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Hessen-Kassel no longer took part in the quota obligations of the imperial circles for the position of the imperial army and the landgraves consistently claimed the right of the sovereigns to own troops (“jus armorum et foederum”).

In the time of Landgrave Friedrich II. 1720 - 1785 the army reached its highest level with 12,000 men field army and an equally strong barracked militia . In Hessen-Kassel there was one soldier for every 15 civilians; in Prussia this ratio was 1:30.

During the Seven Years' War the regiments of the Hesse-Kassel army took part on the side of the Allied army in the fight against France. The combat strength of the infantry alone in the Allied Army on December 1, 1762 was 13,568 men, divided into 12 infantry regiments, six grenadier battalions and the garrison infantry . The Hessian cavalry had a combat strength of 2493 men in four cavalry regiments and two dragoon regiments . The light troops ( hunters and hussars ) had a nominal strength (higher than the combat strength) of 1,091 men and the artillery a nominal strength of 517 men. The nominal strength of the entire army was 23,364 men, but the actual strength was significantly lower. There were constant losses of fallen, deserted , wounded, sick and regular retired people, which caused high fluctuation in the regiments. In 1762 there were a total of 2623 departures, of which only 59 were killed, 323 died of injury or illness, but 2236 deserted.

The soldier trade under Landgrave Friedrich II with Great Britain resulted in the deployment of thousands of country children on the British side in the American War of Independence from 1776 .

After the rank of Landgrave Wilhelm IX. from Hessen-Kassel to Elector Wilhelm I through the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss in 1803, this renamed the Hessian armed forces.

The Order of the Iron Helmet , donated in 1814

The military activities of the Kurhessische Army after 1806 were concentrated in the fight against Napoleon in 1813/14 and in the war against Prussia .

Wars of Liberation

The elector's refusal to join the Confederation of the Rhine , his neutrality in the Franco-Prussian War and the mobilization of his army in the rear of the French army, which was advancing victoriously to the north after the battle of Jena and Auerstädt , prompted Napoleon Bonaparte to depose him in November 1806 and relinquish Hesse-Kassel occupy and in 1807 largely incorporated into the newly created Kingdom of Westphalia . The elector who had fled had previously given his troops leave, which was de facto (temporarily) sent home. After the withdrawal of the French and the restoration of his “electorate” in 1813, the reinstated Wilhelm called those on leave back into his service.

From then on, Wilhelm pursued a policy of revision that reversed everything that had been introduced in Napoleonic times that could be detrimental to him. Although with the dissolution of the old German Empire the function and thus the title of elector became obsolete, Wilhelm kept it as the only prince in the German Confederation for himself and all state designations. Meanwhile, government bonds recorded he did not recognize, put all officials back in his service to the ranks in 1807, and downgraded the upgraded over the past seven years, officers in the pay back to the level of the 1807th The external formal sign of this was that the braid was reintroduced in the military .

On November 23, 1813 the order appeared:

“The regiments called up gather in the garrisons they had on November 1, 1806. All the mounting pieces, fittings and leatherwork that they still have with them will be brought with them "."

The team was made up of old vacationers, people who had fought gloriously for the fatherland in Spain and Russia, and volunteers. However, Napoleon's military campaigns had left their mark here too. All capable men of the Hessian army had been drafted into the armed forces of the Kingdom of Westphalia and had paid their blood toll. For this reason it was not possible to easily bring the army up to the level of 1807.

It had to be found

  • in Kassel : the regiment "Garde du Corps", the "Regiment Garde", the "Regiment Garde Grenadiers", everything in terms of artillery
  • in Hofgeismar : the " Leib-Dragoons-Regiment "
  • in Grebenstein : the "Hussar Regiment"
  • in Ziegenhain : the "Landgraf Carl Infantry Regiment"
  • in Eschwege : the "Prince Solms Infantry Regiment" (formerly the Wurmb Regiment)
  • in Witzenhausen : the "Grenadier Battalion"

Some of the former units, which only consisted of remnants, were merged with others. Some of the reorganized associations changed their names several times up to 1866 and in some cases also changed their arms.

After the retreat of the French and the flight of King Jerome von Westphalen from Kassel, the regiments began to be re-established immediately after the Elector's return and the Hessian army was composed of: 21,182 infantrymen , 1,764 cavalrymen , 1,047 artillerymen , 23,993 men in total "4. German federal corps of the Hessian troops according to the order of January 10th, 1814 “in the allied troops.

Organization of the Army 1813
1st Grenadier Battalion
Infantry Regiment "Landgraf Carl"
Infantry Regiment "Prinz Solms"
1st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
3rd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
2 companies of trained hunters
2 batteries of foot artillery with eight guns each
1 miners and pioneer detachment
"Leib Dragoon Regiment"
2 escadrons volunteer hunters on horseback
  • 2nd Brigade: Commander - Major General Moritz Günther von Müller
2nd Grenadier Battalion
Infantry Regiment "Elector"
Infantry Regiment "Kurprinz"
2nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
2 companies of trained hunters
2 companies of volunteer hunters
2 batteries of foot artillery each with eight guns
Hussar Regiment
2 escadrons of volunteer hunters on horseback
Kurhessische soldiers wore the braid, reintroduced in 1813 until 1821, from the uniform work of Richard Knötel IV, 14

The associations fought only in eastern France and were almost exclusively used in the siege of the fortresses of Metz , Luxemburg , Thionville , Saarlouis and Longwy . On July 8, 1814, the Hessian army marched back home.

Constitutional conflict of the Electorate of Hesse from 1850

The behavior of the officers' corps in the Electoral Hesse constitutional conflict of 1850 is a novelty in German military history. The reason for this was the unconstitutional tax increases ordered by the Elector - against the initially successful resistance of the Electoral Hessian Assembly of Estates. The elector then imposed martial law . When this measure also failed and the resistance continued to grow, Lt. General Carl von Haynau , who had already retired for reasons of age and was reactivated on September 30, 1850 and appointed military commander-in-chief of the Hessian Army , tried with a proclamation to the soldiers and an address to the officers on September 4 October 1850 to keep control of the military. This also failed. The officers had sworn their oath not only on the elector, but also on the constitution - a unique constellation in 19th century Germany. To avoid breaking the oath, 241 of 257 officers submitted their resignation between October 9 and 12, 1850. This made the Hessian military incapable of acting. In order to save the counterrevolution, the elector now appealed to the Federal Assembly for help, which sent Austrian and, in particular, Bavarian troops to Kurhessen as part of a federal intervention . The Hessian army did not oppose these so-called “ penal Bavarians ”.

German war

When the federal execution against Prussia was ordered in 1866, the elector, who was very reluctant to war, found himself reluctantly compelled to mobilize his armed forces. The desired neutrality could only have been achieved by accepting Bismarck's (inherently unacceptable) ultimatum , which, among other things, provided for the abdication of the elector and the handing over of official duties to the presumptive heir to the throne . However, the elector did not want to agree to do so. Nevertheless, the mobilization was extremely slow and was carried out without great emphasis. Since almost the entire Kurhessian army in the German Armed Forces was destined for the occupation of the fortress Mainz and was thus not affected by the important events, there were only a few bloodless shootings between Prussian hussars and Kurhessian country gendarmes.

The Electorate of Hesse gathered in Hanau , where they were not complete until June 22nd, two days after the Elector was captured by Prussian troops. The commander of the Hessian corps, Karl Wilhelm Jeremias von Loßberg, was only the second choice after the elector had withdrawn command from the actual commander in chief, the heir to the throne, after just one day out of mistrust. Loßberg was extremely unwilling to go to war. He saw the Hessian army as hopelessly inferior to the Prussian army and considered resistance to be senseless and pointless, especially since the elector had already been taken to Stettin as a prisoner and the general mood in the country was very pro-Prussian. Large parts of the officer corps would have preferred to be seen, such as B. would have put the Saxon duchies on the Prussian side.

On June 29, 1866, the Hessian troops were ordered to the federal fortress of Mainz, as planned, to provide the garrison there. Von Loßdorf rejected a first request for surrender by the Prussian parliamentarian Major Preuss with the words "It is with indignation that I reject ... a request that ... tramples on loyalty and honor."

In Mainz, the troops were increasingly unrest. The officer corps was in favor of an immediate handover to the Prussians, while the crew was still on the side of the elector. The peace treaties of July 26th and August 2nd and the associated dissolution of the armed forces fell into this dilemma in which the commander-in-chief found himself. The Hessian troops initially stayed in Mainz to await a decision by the elector. However, this matter settled itself when the Prussian state parliament decided on August 17th to annex Kurhessen.

A violent disarmament of the Hessian armed forces was initially considered, but then rejected. The Hessian Corps was subordinated to the Prussian Main Army and the Mainz fortress was handed over to Prussia on August 26th. As a result, riots and fights broke out between the Prussians who had entered and the soldiers of the Kurhessischer Korps, so that efforts were made to get rid of the Hessians as soon as possible. The Kurhessische Army then left the fortress without formally capitulating and returned to their home garrisons. After the elector's “oath” was announced on September 16, 1866, the regiments were demobilized and the majority of the soldiers were sent home. The Hessian regiments were not closed, but only taken over as a tribe; the missing staff was hired primarily from other Prussian parts of the country.

In the Royal Prussian Army

guide

Until the Ministry of War was set up in 1831, the General War Department was responsible for managing the troops. There was also a general staff , which was also responsible for land surveying. The infantry was combined in a brigade , which was expanded into a division from 1833 .

Service award for 25 years of service. Donated on March 16, 1849

The generals had gold embroidery on their collars, cuffs and flaps , and their trousers had lampasses . Epaulettes with cantilles and stars were worn as insignia of rank . The embroidered star of the Order of the Lions was on all saddlecloths and saddlecloths next to a golden crown. The adjutants general wore gold collar embroidery , while wing adjutants wore silver collar embroidery and armpit cords (adjutant cords). The silver embroidery on the wing adjutants and the officers of the General Staff consisted of crank embroidery and therefore looked like braids.

Doctors and auditors differed only slightly from the other officer's uniforms. Both had black collars and Swedish cuffs, the doctors with brass-colored buttons and epaulettes with red fields, while the auditors had nickel-silver buttons and epaulettes with blue fields. Both branches wore hats (bicorns) with a cockade and a star of the Order of the Lions on the right side.

Troop strength (peacetime)

Total: approx. 6,900 men
Total: approx. 1,250 men
Total: approx. 400 men
Total workforce: approx. 9,000 men

Additional staff

The replacement of personnel was ensured by the conscription system with a solution. It was permitted to name a deputy (someone who was not called up or who had already been served) who would take over the service of the person required to present them against payment. The service period lasted twelve years in the line until 1832, then only four active years and one year in reserve .

Uniform until 1846

The uniforms corresponded to the fashion of the time, uncomfortable and impractical, but elegant to look at. During the time of the existence of this army, the serious changes from the uniform of the Napoleonic style to that of the Biedermeier era and the subsequent Prussian-influenced and more practical type took place. Nevertheless, Hessen-Kassel had for a long time been based heavily on the Prussian pattern in general . Only the national peculiarities on flags, cockades , waist bands, portepees , and shako and helmet fittings were retained , although they were also strongly influenced by Prussian influence. As insignia of officers served epaulets , from a staff officer with Kantillen provided. The officers wore silver belts with red interweave and silver tassels. When not on duty, the more comfortable hat with plume could be worn instead of the shakos. In 1846, the Prussian uniform with tunic and spiked cap was introduced in general , whereby the national badges were also retained here. The following explanations concern the uniforms worn around 1840.

Military branches

Swiss bodyguard

Cuffs of the Swiss Life Guard (right sleeve)

The Swiss bodyguard company was founded in the 18th century, but has since been dissolved. Reorganized in 1834, she wore a special uniform. The blue collar (later a tunic) was equipped with a red collar, red, Brandenburg cuffs and red lap envelopes or discounts. The epaulettes were white with a gold crown on top. The buttons were made of tombac, and officers were gold-plated. There were three on the sleeve flaps, one on the collar and twelve white or silver braids with pompons on the borders. The trousers were white, tight-fitting linen trousers with a bar and a row of nine buttons on the outside that went up to the calves. The leather gear was white, the shoes black. A bearskin hat based on the French model with white, red braided hangings served as headgear . On the front was a small silver shield with the coat of arms of the Order of Lions.

Infantry in uniform up to 1846 (left and right line, in the middle the guards )

infantry

The infantry wore a dark blue Kollett with red collar, cuffs and lap envelopes. In addition, pants made of gray wool in winter and white linen pants with short white gaiters under the pants in summer . The officers' gray trousers had red lampasses, and those of the NCOs and men had red passepoils . The shoes were of blackened leather, the straps of whitewashed leather. The shako was made of black felt with a blackened leather shade and an oilcloth lid. A hanging made of white wool was attached to the shako, and to the officers made of red woven silver thread. At the upper edge of the shako was the white-red country cockade known as National. During parades , a white plumage, red for the minstrels, was put on behind this national. This was about a little more than the shako height.

Line infantry

Associations established in 1813/14
  • Biesenrodt Regiment

Was incorporated into the Guards Grenadiers Regiment in 1816.

  • Leib-Grenadier-Guard
  • Guards Grenadiers Regiment

These two regiments were still in uniform based on the French model and were combined in 1821 to form the Leib-Garde Regiment.

Star of the Order of the Lions on the headgear of the Guard officers
  • Life Guard Regiment

The regiment carried the new silver star of the Order of the Golden Lion on the shako and cartridge pouch . On the collar and the Swedish lapels there were white (for officers silver) braid. The epaulets were white with a gold crown on top.

  • Line regiments

In the line infantry , the name of the Electors FWK (Friedrich Wilhelm Kurfürst) made of tombak was attached to the shako. It was modeled on the name of the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm (FWR). The three regiments differed in the color combination of epaulettes and flaps on the cuffs (the line infantry carried so-called Brandenburg cuffs), with the cuffs here always being red.

  • –1821: "Elector Regiment"
    • 1821–1824: “1. Line Infantry Regiment "
    • 1824–1831: “1. Line Infantry Regiment (Kurprinz) "
    • 1831–1847: “1. Infantry Regiment (Leibregiment) "
    • 1847–1866: “1. Infantry Regiment (Elector) "

Until 1832 the epaulettes were white, yellow sleeve flaps, from 1832 both were yellow

  • –1821: "Regiment Kurprinz"
    • 1821–1832: “2. Line Infantry Regiment "
    • 1832–1835: “2. Infantry Regiment (Prince Solms) "
    • 1835–1845: “2. Infantry Regiment "
    • 1845–1866: “2. Infantry Regiment (Landgrave Wilhelm) "

Until 1832 epaulettes and sleeve flaps were white, then crimson

  • –1818: "Regiment Landgrave Carl"
    • 1818–1821: "Fusilier Regiment Landgraf Carl"
    • 1821–1832: “3. Line Infantry Regiment "
    • 1832–1835: "Regiment Landgrave Carl"
    • 1835–1836: “3. Landgraf Carl Infantry Regiment "
    • 1836–1856: “3. Infantry Regiment "
    • 1856–1866: “3. Infantry Regiment Prinz Friedrich-Wilhelm "

Until 1832 the epaulettes were red, with light blue sleeve flaps, from 1832 both were red.

From 1832 to 1835 the regiments were not assigned any numbers, they were only referred to by name.

With the minstrels, the tambours had swallow nests with yellow borders, those of the body regiment with white borders. The hoboists who maneuvered over the drum had the same braids in woven metal.

Hunter

First, there was a battalion of light infantry , which as Battalion was attached to the body regiment. From 1832 it was renamed the 1st Rifle Battalion as an independent unit and as such from 1834 the Jägerbataillon.
It wore the uniform similar to the Prussian hunters with the Hessian fittings made of tombac and red badge color. In addition, initially white cords and buttons, which were changed to yellow cords and buttons after the separation from the Life Guard Regiment. For the parade, a black feather collar was attached to the shako.

Designations:

  • 1813–1821: "Jäger Battalion"
  • 1821–1832: "Guard Jäger Battalion"
  • 1832–1834: “I. Rifle Battalion "
  • 1834–1866: "Jäger Battalion"

Protect

The rifle battalion was formed in 1832 from the fusilier battalion of the 2nd Line Infantry Regiment. It wore the same uniforms as the hunters, but with a light blue collar and lapels. The sleeve flaps were made in the Neufchateler style in the color of the tunic with red piping. The epaulettes were also red. The rifle battalion only wielded the Gardelitzen on the collar, but not on the sleeve flaps.

Designations:

  • 1832–1834: “2. Rifle Battalion "
  • 1834–1851: Rifle Battalion
  • 1852–1856: "Fusilier Battalion"
  • 1856: Kurhessian light infantry battalion
  • 1856–1866: "Rifle Battalion"

cavalry

Cuirassiers

The cuirassier regiment known as the “ Garde du Corps ” wore uniforms based on the Prussian pattern. The chest and back armor, however, were not made of brass, but of polished iron sheet with tombac fittings. The officers wore the gold-plated star of the Order of the Lions on the chest, which was also to be found on the front of the helmet. The helmet consisted of a tall, leather bell (which was in keeping with the fashion of the time) with brass-colored fittings and a framed front visor. The metal helmet comb was decorated with a black fur caterpillar. The trumpeters did not wear a cuirass, the helmet caterpillar was colored red here. In the course of the new uniforms, the 1846 cuirassiers were given a uniform based on the Prussian model with a helmet made of polished steel. From 1840 to 1851 they had been converted into a hussar regiment.

2nd Hussar Regiment 1825

Designations:

  • –1830: "Elector. Hess. Guard Corps "
  • 1830–1831: "Guard du Corps"
  • 1831–1840: "Regiment Garde du Corps"
  • 1832–1840: Garde du Corps regiment
  • 1840–1851: "Elector Hussars"
  • 1851–1866: Guard du Corps

Hussars

1813

The reactivated “1. Hussar Regiment ”was incorporated into the newly established Leib-Dragoon Regiment

The "Prince Solms Hussar Regiment", which was also reactivated on November 23, 1813, became the "Hussar Regiment" of four squadrons by calling up the crews on leave in 1806 .

1821-1832

On May 1, 1821, the previous Leib-Dragoons regiment was given the name “2nd” after the reorganization of the Hessian army. Hussar Regiment Duke of Saxony-Meiningen ”. The previous hussar regiment became the 1st hussar regiment.

  • 1st Hussar Regiment

The 1st regiment wore dark blue dolmans and furs with black badges and white lacing. The furs were first black, then lined with white. The fittings were made of tombac and corresponded to the Kurhessian pattern. Olives and rosettes in white, gray riding breeches, gray coats, fur hats with red kolpaks , white cordons and laces, white feather trunks, white leather gear.

  • 1860–1864 1st Hussar Regiment (Leibregiment, 3rd and 4th Escadron)

The commanding officer was Colonel Carl Bödicker. Chief of Staff: Major Ernst Ludwig von Amelunxen; Eskadron bosses: Rittmeister Theodor Friedrich Philipp Heusingen von Waldegge, Carl Wilhelm Friedrich Hugo von Helmschwerd, Ernst Carl Friedrich von Blumenstein, Friedrich August von Starck.

The uniform: light blue summer and winter attila with white cords, olives and rosettes, gray riding breeches, gray coats with light blue armpit flaps, fur hats with red kolpaks, white cordons and catch cords, white plumes, white leather gear.

  • 2nd Hussar Regiment Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

The commanding officer was Major General Karl Ferdinand vom Stein. The staff: Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Ludwig von Baumbach, Major Aloysius von Amelunxen , Rittmeister Ernst Christoph Wilhelm von Hanxleden, Heinrich Bolley, Karl Ludwig Friedrich Konstantin Hilchenbach and Friedrich Mumm.

The uniform consisted of dark brown dolmans with light blue collars and lapels, both trimmed with yellow cords, yellow buttons, light blue armpits with yellow chains, gray riding breeches, gray coats with light blue armpits, czakos with white cords, black leather work. The dark blue furs were trimmed with black. The officers wore camel-haired ribbons on their furs and dolmans, armpits with gilded chains, and similar crescents. It was the first and only regiment in the Hessian service with uniforms of brown color.

On September 20, 1832, this regiment gave a combined escadron to the Garde du Corps regiment and was formed with the current 1st Hussar Regiment into a Dragoons Regiment, under the former name of the Leibdragoner Regiment, whose 1st Division it now formed.

  • 1852–1859 2nd Hussar Regiment Duke of Saxony-Meiningen (1st and 2nd Escadron)

The commanding officer was Colonel Heinrich August Ludwig von Schenk zu Schweinsberg. Chief of Staff: Major William Ralph Heathcote; Squadron chiefs: Rittmeister Carl von Blumenstein, Christoph Wilhelm Eduard Theodor von Rommel, Louis von Hesberg and Eduard Carl Ludwig von Hundelshausen.

The uniform consisted of dark blue summer and winter attila with white strings, olives and rosettes, gray riding breeches, gray coats with dark blue armpits, fur hats with red kolpaks, white cordons and catch cords , white plumes and white leather gear.

  • 1865–1866 2nd Hussar Regiment Duke of Saxony-Meiningen (3rd and 4th Escadron)

The uniform consisted of dark blue summer and winter attila with white strings, olives and rosettes, gray riding breeches, gray coats with dark blue armpits, fur hats with red kolpaks, white cordons and catch cords, white plumes and white leather gear.

1845 / 46-1866

In 1845/46 the dragoons were again converted into two hussar regiments. The 1st Hussar Regiment (Leib-Husaren-Regiment) and the 2nd Hussar Regiment (Duke of Saxony-Meiningen) wore light blue Attilas with white lacing and gray breeches. Otherwise the uniform corresponded to the Prussian pattern; the only difference between the two units was the color of the armpit flaps, which were dark blue in the 1st regiment and light blue in the 2nd regiment. The hussars always wore their trousers over their boots.

dragoon

  • On November 22, 1813, the "Electoral Hessian Leib-Dragoons Regiment", which was on leave in 1806, was called up again; with the incorporation of the former "Dragoon Regiment Prinz Friedrich".

The commanding officer was Colonel August Ludwig Ernst von Marschall.

The staff consisted of: Colonel Carl Ferdinand vom Stein, Rittmeister Carl Ludwig von Mansbach and Friedrich von Baumbach, Staff Rittmeister Adolf von Amelunxen and Ernst Christoph Wilhelm von Hanxleden.

The dragoons wore light blue skirts with flaps, two rows of white buttons, poceau-red lapels and collars, white leather petticoats, shakos with cords and bushes of hair.

On May 1, 1821, the regiment became the 2nd Hussar Regiment Duke of Sachsen-Meiningen.

  • "Leib Dragoon Regiment"

From the two hussar regiments, a dragoons regiment was formed in 1832, which was named "Leib-Dragoons Regiment". It wore light blue collets with gray trousers and the same helmet as the Gardes du Corps. The color of the badge was ponceau red. The braid for the men was made of white wool, for the officers of gold web. The buttons were made of tombac or gold-plated, the cuffs of the Swedish style.

  • 1832–1840 Leibdragoner Regiment (2nd Division)

On October 1, 1832, the 2nd Division of the Leibdragoner Regiment was newly formed in the Grebenstein and Hofgeismar garrisons. In 1840 this regiment gave the 3rd and 4th Escadron to the newly formed 2nd Dragoons Regiment and formed four escadrons from the 1st and 2nd Escadron. The commanding officer was Colonel Wilhelm von Cornberg. The staff: Division Commander Colonel Lieutenant Ludwig von Baumbach, Majors Gottlieb Heusinger von Waldegge, Georg Schaumburg and Ludwig von Gilsa.

  • 2nd Dragoon Regiment

Set up in 1840 from the 3rd and 4th Escadron of the 2nd Division of the Leibdragoner Regiment. In contrast to the Leib-Regiment, it had no braids. The uniform: light blue collets with ponceau-red collars and lapels, white buttons and two white bows on the collar and lapels, gray riding breeches, gray coats with red trimmings and armpit flaps, helmets and giberns with gold stars, white leather gear and sabers.

artillery

  • 1813: When it was rebuilt, the artillery initially consisted of a regiment of five " foot batteries ".
  • 1816: The regiment is reduced to three foot batteries.
  • 1817: ½ mounted, 2 ½ foot companies are in service
  • 1821: The regiment is renamed the "Artillery Brigade" and receives a horse, two foot batteries and a craftsman company
  • 1842: The artillery brigade also receives a pioneer company
  • 1849: An additional foot battery is installed.
  • 1853: The brigade receives an artillery regimental staff for the firing departments
  • 1854: The brigade receives a train department

The artillery wore dark green collets with black badges and brass-colored buttons. The strands on the collar and the Swedish cuffs (these were pushed forward in red at the edge) were made of yellow wool or gold web for the officers. The collar also had a red protrusion, and the shoulder flaps were also red. The mounted artillery and the foot artillery differ:

  • in shako: for field artillery with black trims and red hangings - for foot artillery without trunks and with white hangings
  • in the lap envelopes: in the field artillery in the tunic color, edged in red - in the foot artillery completely red

There was a flaming tombac grenade on the shako and cartridge pouch.

Epaulettes of the Guard Gendarmerie

Gendarmerie

Guard gendarmerie

In 1823 a mounted section of the Guard Gendarmerie was set up for orderly service and as a field gendarmerie . In 1832 the name was changed to Army-Gendarmerie, 1844 to Guard-Gendarmerie, 1849 to Army-Gendarmerie and in 1854 for the last time back to Guard-Gendarmerie. They wore dark blue collars with black velvet Swedish lapels and black velvet collars. On the collar and lapels there were gilded braids, on the shoulders epaulettes with an applied star of the Order of the Lions. Plus dragoon helmets with the guard star. Brass colored knobs and fittings. The sling was white, the breeches gray. After 1846 the uniforms were adapted to the Prussian body gendarme.

Country gendarmerie

Since 1816 the "Land-Dragoons-Corps" was responsible for the police service in Hessen-Kassel. It was formed this year by the merger of the state security command of the cavalry (Leib-Escadron-Hussars), the "State Security Corps in the Grand Duchy of Fulda" and the "Isenburgische Land Dragoons". Part of the Land Dragoons Corps formed the required crew on foot. The Land Dragoons Corps was increased significantly in 1817, 1819 and 1820, so that it formed two squadrons, which were distributed over the then nine main districts. As part of the reorganization of the army, a gendarmerie brigade was formed on May 1, 1820 . This brigade was reorganized in 1833 under the name "Land-Gendarmerie", increased by 28 men in 1843 and another 22 men in 1852. Until 1846 the country gendarmerie wore dark blue collets with black collars and cuffs. The cuffs were of the Polish kind with a lace. There was also only one cord on the collar. The country gendarmes carried the insignia of the NCOs. The epaulettes were red, the fittings on the shako of tombak. The trousers and coats were gray and the leather gear was black. In 1846 the country gendarmerie took over the green tunic and spiked bonnets based on the Prussian pattern.

From 1846 the uniform changed, dark green tunics with cornflower blue collars and lapels with a red protrusion were now worn. In addition there are gold NCO's stripes, brass-colored buttons and yellow braids. The epaulettes were dark green with a red protrusion. The trousers and coats were gray, on the latter there were green armpit flaps with a red border. The helmet had tombac fittings and bushes of black hair. The leather stuff was white.

Armament

The infantry was equipped with a muzzle-loading rifle, which was converted to percussion ignition in 1841 .

In addition to a carbine, each hussar received a pistol ( Hussar pistols M 1827 / 45UM and M 1849), which was carried in a holster on the right side of the saddle , the NCOs no longer had a carbine, but carried two pistols. The rest of the cavalry carried a carbine on the bandolier next to the saber .

Fixed places

The Electorate of Hesse no longer had a proper fortress after the Ziegenhain Fortress was demolished by the French in 1807. The only fortified bases (permanent places) that existed were Schaumburg Castle and Spangenberg Castle .

Web links

Commons : Kurhessische Uniforms around 1845  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Thomas Fuchs: Idea and Reality of the Hesse-Kassel Military State , in: Journal of the Association for Hessian History (ZHG), Volume 106 (2001), pp. 19–35
  2. ↑ Rudolf Witzel: Hessen-Kassel's Regiments in the Allied Army 1762 , 2007, pp. 3–5
  3. ↑ Larraß: History of the Royal Saxon 6th Infantry Regiment No. 105. 1887, p. 196 ff.
  4. ↑ According to Heinrich A. Eckert, the rifle battalion was formed in 1834 from the fusilier battalion of the Leibregiment . Designations: * 1834–1852: "Schützen-Bataillon" * 1852–1856: "Füsilier-Bataillon" * 1856–1866: "Schützen-Bataillon"

literature

  • Yearbook of the Society for Hessian Military and Civil History, Volume 1, 2001. Published by the Society for Hessian Military and Civil History e. V. Self-published by the Society for Hessian Military and Civil History e. V. (Eichenzell 2001).
  • Ernst Metz, "Hessian Uniform Pictures of the Biedermeier Period", 1964 Friedrich Lometsch Verlag, Kassel
  • Karl E. Demandt: "History of the State of Hesse". Bärenreiter Verlag, Kassel 1972, ISBN 3-7618-0404-0
  • Heinrich A. Eckert, Dietrich Monten: "The German Armed Forces". Munich 1835. (Harenberg 1990) Digitized version (1835 edition)
  • Liliane Funcken, Fred Funcken: “Historical uniforms. Napoleonic period, 18th and 19th centuries. Prussia, Germany, Austria, France, Great Britain, Russia ”. Orbis-Verlag, Munich 1989, ISBN 3-572-07442-8 .
  • Journal of the Association for Hessian History (ZHG) Volume 108 (2003), pp. 159–172
  • "Tribe and rank list of the Electoral Hessian Army Corps from the 16th century to 1866", no year digitized
  • C. Renouard "The Electorate Hesse in the Campaign of 1814" Verlag von Hugo Scherbe / Gotha 1857 Digitized
  • Kurhessisches Staats- und Address-Handbuch: 1833 , digitized