"Prussian generals' uniforms" Topic

Can anyone provide a link to a site with pictures of the uniform(s) of Prussian generals, 1813-15?

No pictures unfortunately, but this may help you
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Don -

I just finished my Prussian generals for 1812-1815. quite a chore, since with ADC's, adjutants, and orderlys, it came to about 60 figures for Volley and Bayonet.

Unfortunately there isn't one source, but the usual suspects are helpful: Elting's Napoleonic Uniforms,Knoetel, Haythornthwaite's Uniforms of Waterloo,and the series les Carnets de la Campagne , and especially Nash's/Rawkins's booklets on Prussian uniforms.

These three websites were very useful:

Deutsche Uniformen,http://www.grosser-generalstab.de/sturm/sturm2.html

the Calpe Miniatures page: calpeminiatures.co.uk

and Waterloo Armies Yahoo group link

Let me know if I can help on specifics.

Who needs pictures?

Headgear: cocked hat with white feather plumage, or fatigue cap.

Jacket: Officer's double breasted blue jacket with red cuffs, collar, turnbacks (long, old style tails). Gold buttons. Or, Blue, black or grey double breasted, knee length litewka (pea coat) with or without red piping at collar, front edge.

Trousers: plain grey overalls, sometimes with black leather inside pant legs and around cuffs. Soe times piping and or buttons down the outside seam.

Pretty simple, no?

Which raises the question why most(?)late war Prussian and some Russian generals wore fatigue caps?
I can't think of any other army where casual headgear was common even if the rest of the uniform was not regulation.
Was this a sop to making the general-in-fatigue-cap less of an obvious target?

I think is was pure a simple a matter of comfort – I think a plumed bicorne was probably not the easiest gear to wear – plus, as they mostly were guys on horses giving orders, they were pretty obvious targets already

In the British army, there were some generals who never wore a uniform – I think Hill and Picton often wore civilian clothing, including during battle

Is there any contemporary print showing a Prussian general in a field cap – while being on the battle field??

I used to have a site bookmarked, on an older computer, that had a complete rundown, with pics, but that computer no longer functions. Hence my starting this thread.

Widowson's outline is a good start. But, as I recall, it was more complex than that. For instance, there were different versions for generals of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. And staff officers were quite different and, I think, came in 2 varieties: general staff (e.g. Gneissenau) and ADCs.

I'm onto the Yahoo site, but it only shows Blucher, not lesser generals. I'll check out the other 2 Dan mentioned.

Don -

I guess you overlooked the first section of the photographs in Waterloo Prussians, called Artillery and Support Services.

Let me emphasize that the best single work on the Prussians is the book by Nash, incorporated totally into the booklet by Rawkins.

Dan,

I didn't "overlook" it, I just never imagined that generals and ADCs would be found under "Artillery and Support Services." Thanks! :)

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Don

I am unsure about the first 2 pics, I don't know the Russian language sorry.

This one is from the battle of Ligny officers are in the back ground as you can see.

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Hope this might help you

Regards

James

if you still haven't found what your looking for Don,, theres a picture of a prussian infantry general in 1806 here:
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and just for pleasure here are a couple of my favourite prussian uniform links…

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they're both in german but the links with in are easy enough to stumble through…

also Italeri produced a 1:32 plastic Napoleonic Wars Allied General Staff, which has a pic on the front, quick google image search got this pic:

picture

The box art painter also has a site but seem to have mislaid the link…

regards

Chris

on checking the first link the picture doesn't show on first click, but navigate the libraries 'previous' and then 'next' buttons and the image reveals… some code muckery.

the base library link is

link

many marvelous pictures.

Knew I had seen more prussian uniform pics… just rediscoverd them, generals about 1813 ish

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and the Patrice Courcelle book 'Ceaux Qui Bravaient L'Aigle' has 2 double spreads on Prussian generals and general staff from 1808-1814 and 1815. Perhaps these plates are also used in an english book?

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Widowson
"Who needs pictures?"
Who indeed.

"Headgear: cocked hat with white feather plumage, or fatigue cap."
Cocked hat with a black within white cockade and the feathers on the edging were cut.

"Jacket: Officer's double breasted blue jacket with red cuffs, collar,"
….embroidered with gold, but lapels were dark blue, also edged with gold.

"turnbacks (long, old style tails)."
…were dark blue, also edged gold.

"Gold buttons. Or, Blue, black or grey double breasted, knee length litewka (pea coat) with or without red piping at collar, front edge."
The whole collar was red.

"Trousers: plain grey overalls, sometimes with black leather inside pant (sic) legs and around cuffs. Soe times (sic) piping and or buttons down the outside seam."
Army regulations called for white breeches, but trousers are the first piece of clothing to get spoilt on campaign. Grey breeches will have been adopted from the foot artillery and, Kürassiers; grey overalls from "cavalry", lancers, horse artillery; grey buttoned overalls from dragoons and hussars.

"Pretty simple, no (sic)"
Certainly simpler than the French. Do we know what level of detail he's looking for?

And don't forget generals' main badges of rank: a black and silver twisted cord on their left shoulder and a gold aiguillette (an ornamental braided cord, typically with decorative metal tips) on their right shoulder.

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Well done to both of you for resurrection of a long dead topic. Good Subject and any input is welcome right now.

Just a few images by various artists to help this along:

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Another one:

I havce uploaded two articles from the Russian "Old Zeughaus" Magazine – issues 62 & 63. The first covers Uniforms of Prussian Generals 1803-1856 & the second covers Uniforms of Prussian adjutants, officers of the General Staff, the Military Ministry and members of the army 1808-1840. They can be downloaded respectively from: PDF link and PDF link

Now that took a lot of work and we must all thank you. Great contribution.