"Musketeer & Fusilier Regiments" Topic

Fellow History Buffs,

In recent reading I have begun to notice that some armies fielded regiments officially called musketeer regiments alongside those they called fusilier regiments. While I understand that this name was probably given to the regiments at a time when the service "fusil" was a noticeably different (shorter?) weapon than the service "musket", I am wondering about the WAS/SYW period, where the service musket was as short and light as the fusil of the previous generation.

In the era of the Seven Years' War, would "musketeer" and "fusilier" regiments of the line in the same army generally be issued different weapons?

Or is this a remnant of an earlier era, much as dragoons are more likely used as heavy cavalry by this era than as mounted infantry?

I'm asking in particular about, say, the Austrians at Kolin. The Osprey OOB shows regiments with both names, and the illustration of the muskets shows a decreasing length of the later issue, with the service musket (1740's) eventually the size of the previous fusil (1730's).

Just another example of the traditionalism of unit naming conventions? Or an actual difference in issued weapons and/or unit function?

Oops, need to ask an editor to fix the typo in the title.

In the American Revolution the only difference was the hat.

During the Nine Years War musketeers would have matchlock muskets. Fusiliers had fusils (flintlock muskets). They were used to guard artillery because standing near ammunition wagons with lit slow matches was hazardous. I am not aware that Seven Years War fusiliers had any different equipment than headgear.

In the SYW Prussian Army, the fusilier regiments were "musketeer" regiments that were raised after the war started, sometimes of dubious recruits. Frederick gave them a shorter mitre helmet so they would feel better. Many of them were good regiments although some composed of pressed Saxon troops had high rates of desertion.

In the British Army, the handful of fusilier regiments traced their lineages back to regiments which had been armed with the early "fusil" flintlocks when the rest of the army was equipped with matchlocks. [see post above] Thus they were supposed to be a notch above the standard foot regiment although that wasn't necessarily true.

In the French Army the standard infantryman was called a fusilier as were the companies in which they were organized.

Hope this helps.

Jim

The SYW Prussian fusiliers were issued with a shorter musket than the musketeers. The mitre cap of the fusiliers was of a different, shorter (no pompom), design than that of the grenadiers, but the metal front plates of both types of headgear were the same size.

Thus they were supposed to be a notch above the standard foot regiment although that wasn't necessarily true.

Don't let the Royal Welch hear you say that!

As always, I thank the Gracious Respondents for their gentlemanly demeanor and their continued generosity in sharing their accumulated knowledge.

I also wish to thank the EIC for kindly fixing my typo.

Cheers.

Mserafin
I have no thought of insulting any Soldiers of an ally. However the OP is asking about the SYW so any Royal Welch left from that time have been dead for more than a century, therefore at this time all the dead are equal. May those who served rest in well deserved peace.

Note that the French usage of the term was the logical one, since the flintlock fusil had effectively replaced the matchlock musket throughout the army. Then again, if everything were always logical, where would cherished military traditions spring from?