"Austria. Who wore those red pants?" Topic

I've seen paintings and painted figures of what appears to be Austrian General Officers, though could be Staff or ADC's, wearing red pants. Looks like a good way to help add variety to those Austrian Generals which I'm due to start painting. But would like to make certain it wasn't restricted to a certain rank or branch of service first.
Does anyone know?
regards
Max

Archduke Charles, Generals for sure. I am going by memory, though. I have an Osprey.

All Austrian Generals wore red pants prior and during the Napoleonic Wars. Even today they supposedly still wear a red stripe down their dress uniform's legs in honor of their glory days.

Yes, that's my understanding as well. Wouldn't therefore have added anything if it hadn't been for this observation, which is tangentially relevant; notice how there was a certain uniformity in the red shabraques, and sheepskins with red scalloping, adopted by all the Austrian Cavalry Regiments (squared for Dragoons and Kurassiers, pointed for Hussars and Uhlans). Even the later Prussians didn't have this kind of consistency.

Austrian Generals all wore red pants, but many also wore straw yellow trousers in campaign.

I think his name was Otto. Yep. He was the one in the red pants. All the other soldiers smirked behind his back.
He was proud of the pants his saintly mother had sent him, however. <Can you tell it has been a long day at work?>

Thanks everyone for your help.
And for "Historicalgamer's" sake I'll do my best to include an Otto.
regards
Max

from Ottenfeld and Teuber, Die Ossterreichische Armee, translated by R Palese 1977.

Feldmarshall,

scarlet breeches worn with heavy cavalry boots and brass spurs, in 1812 gold hungarian thigh knots were added to the thighs of the breeches and a double 2cm stripe to the outer seam.
campaign breeches could be white or grey overalls with gilt buttons on the outer seam.

horse furniture
Scarlet shabraques with rounded front and pointed rear corners, the edges were laced with 2 1/2 6cm wide width of wavvy gold lace, the outer half band having a straight edge, the Royal cypher appeared in front and rear corners, and all harness was black leather with gilt fittings.

General-offizieren
same as feldmarshal except a single stripe on the outer seam of the scarlet breeches

horse furniture
Scarlet (although Kobell shows this as white) shabraques with rounded front and pointed rear corners the edges were laced with 8cm wide width of gold lace, either an oak leaf or zig zag pattern, the Royal cypher appeared in front and rear corners, (the shabraques are also shown with deep bulion fringe to the edges by von Kobell, however this was not regulation pattern) and all harness was black leather with gilt fittings and the girths were grey.

General-stabs-offizieren
Coat
dark green, collar and cuffs piping black
white breeches, worn with riding boots and white metal spurs, overalls were a mid grey with white metal buttons

horse furniture
Scarlet shabraques with rounded front and pointed rear corners, the saddle cover was black sheepskin with a 4cm wide gold lace trim, piped black. The edging of the shabraque was from the outer edge inwards; narrow scarlet, medium gold, narrow black, narrow gold. The royal mongram appeared in the rear corners only.

general -adjutanten und flugel adjutanten.

Breeches identical to that of the staff officers,

Ungarisches-general-offizieren
scarlet breeches with a single wide stripe on the outer seam, large hungarian thigh knot on the thighs enclosed in a ornate spearhead, hungarian pattern boots in red leather with gold lace trim and tassels.

horse furniture
Scarlet shabraques of the light cavalry pattern with a double band of wide, embriodered gold lace at the edges separated and piped with welts of scarlet. The royal cypher appeared in the front and rear corners and all harness was red leather with gilt fittings.

cheers
matt

Thanks Matt. Is General-stabs-offizieren the equiv of Genral De Brigade then?

Thanks Matt. Is General-stabs-offizieren the equiv of Genral De Brigade then?

staff officers mate

I can post the complete staff officers uniform if you want

cheers
matt

Thansk Matt, that would come in very handy.
As long as its not alot of trouble.
regards
Max

staff officers
head gear
generals pattern schiffut without gold lace trim, but with green plume
coat
normal officer pattern coat, dark green with black collar, cuffs and piping, scarlet turnbacks, tail pockets scarlet piping, three points with a single button. waist sashes were normal officers pattern but of kaiser gold an almost metalic gold silk with black thread line worked through its length.

breeches
white breeches, worn with riding boots and white metal spurs, overalls were a mid grey with white metal buttons

equipment
waisbelt was hussar pattern, black leather trimmed gold with a gilt S buckle and supported a straight epee with embossed gilded hilt, black leather scabbard with gilt fittings, often embossed or engraved, black sword straps with sabre strap gold/black

Scarlet shabraques with rounded front and pointed rear corners, the saddle cover was black sheepskin with a 4cm wide gold lace trim, piped black. The edging of the shabraque was from the outer edge inwards; narrow scarlet, medium gold, narrow black, narrow gold. The royal mongram appeared in the rear corners only.

Thanks again Matt.
I didn't have any of those details.
regards
Max

no worries mate if you need any other austrian details just post them and I will answer

cheers
matt

Bluewillow.
I noticed that you have a Austrin folder on your web site but no pictures of minis in it. Is that coming in the future?

yes,

I am currently rebulding my whole site, I need to post some pics of my old army.

I recently sold my Austrian army to make way for some new ones, my old army was "old glory" first edition 28mm (1990) and a few Elites, now it will be completely 28mm elite. I just need to get around to painting them all!