"SYW Grenadier Bearskins and cloth bags" Topic

Gentlemen,

I am adding two combined grenadier battalions to my Austrians and have a question about the bearskins and cloth bags worn by the German and Hungarian companies. From the various Knötel and Ottenfeld (b/w) prints I find trimming on
the bags of the Hungarians and on others brass plates.

I did search for previous posts in this forum, nfortunately nothing turned up for the regiments I am painting up.

The bag, would of course be in the facing colour, but any trim or wavy lines, would these be in the button colour, white or yellow?

The brass plate, was this exclusive to the German grenadiers?

Combined Hungarian grenadier battalion are from regiments
IR 37 Joseph Esterházy and
IR 51 Guylai.

Combined German grenadier battalion are from regiments
IR 27 Baden Durlach,
IR 29 Alt-Wolfenbüttel and
IR 54 Sincere

Any help would be grately appreciated.
Cheers,
Robert
18thcenturysojourn.blogspot.com

Robert,
Yes, I think so. Bag at the back in facing colour trimmed in button colour. As for the plate I believe these came in about 1760 or so, and , I assume, were given to both Austrian and Hungarian grenadiers thereafter.
Nigel

What Nigel said…

Nigel and Ioannis,

Thanks for the confirmation. As our campaigns are pre-dating the issue of plates, I can wait with the paint brush.

However, the addition of the plates to the bearskins, would this have affected the Dragoon regiments as well?

Cheers,
Robert

Yes re. the dragoons.
link

Andygamer…Lovely. I should have these two combined grenadier battalions done by the weekend.

cheers,

I had thought that Austrian "German" infantry had standardised on red bag for all grenadiers by 1756 although some regiments where slow in implementing the change.
Also I have always thought that ratio of Austrian/Hungarian grenadiers to fusiliers was 1 to 6 therefore two Hungarian regiments insufficient to furnish a full strength battalion.
I stand to be corrected.

IR1

IR1…if you are referring to my list above, both Hungarian regiments are of two battalion strength and have 4 grenadier companies. The Austrians are of four battalions; Sincere fielding two battalions, while the others are one battalion each.

link

The link is to Kronoskaf/secton Austrian organization. Your ratio is correct, however, during a campaign both grenadier companies did take to the field.

cheers,

I don't think those bearskins are all that much covered with uniformology. I guess you are left with those WAS time illustartions by Morrier. From my reading those few German sources around seem to be state of the art, as there seems to be no more around. This would be those excellent papers of the German KLIO – i.e. German miniatures society under the direction of Friedrich Schirmer. I can't say if I have them all, but having some of them, I can say that the entire issue is incomplete over here in Germany up to the present day, for only some issues were covered – not all. Therefore I'm dead sure you won't find anything in English publications. No source out on this one such as "the designs of Prussian grenadier mitres" – which really had been an issue at some time. As by the Morrier illustrations, it seems the question of weather certain regts. had brass plates or not was a matter of the individual regiments economy, not so much a matter of regulation. I doubt any was existing, really.

Just my 2 Euro cents,
Christian

My recollection is that there was no standardization or regulation with respect to the bearskins across the army. Some had them, and some didn't. I was probably up to the inhaber to decide.

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your contributions. Concensus leans toward the Inhaber's descretion to add the extra decoration or not.

As the Head-Inhaber, I will chose a pragmatic approach and add trim to the cloth bags to distinquish the companies, as I shall be looking at them advancing toward the enemy.

IR Sincere had scalloped trim on their tricornes and for the few Ducats more, they could embellish the cloth bags with trim and I have done so.

Both battalions should be finished this weekend and photos will be posted to the blog.

The conflict at Nunbung, the latest clash in our Bohemian campaign, will appear soon as well.

Cheers,
Robert