"Austrian Army 1859/1864/1866" Topic

I am thinking about expanding my 19th century forces by starting an Austrian army. I am hoping I can use one set of figures to generally represent the wars fought in 1859, 1864, and 1866 by Austria. From doing some quick searches I see that the Austrian infantry in 1859 typically wore a white coat whereas pictures I have seen from 1866 show the Austrians in a gray overcoat. I have not searched for anything on the Austrians in the 2nd Schleswig War in 1864.

Would it be reasonable to use Austrians in their white coat for 1864 and 1866 or on the flip side use Austrians in their gray overcoat for 1859?

I am thinking about getting some of the 25mm Battle Honors figures from 19th Century Miniatures. They have both variants (white short coat vs. overcoat). I really don't want to paint up two (or three) separate Austrian armies so I was hoping one or both style of coats would work for all of the various wars I listed above.

Thanks for any suggestions

Do what I do and have a "fantasy" army--a mix of units in white coats and overcoats. I am concentrating on 1866 but couldn't resist the white coats. The Battle Honors figures are very nice but on the small side.

White kittel for 1859 overcoat for the other two. Good Osprey book available on both infantry and cavalry

also the Ottenfield plates.

But yes as a very gross but with elements of truth summary 1859: Kittle, 1864,1866: Greatcoat.

link

My army has both. I don't care.

Thanks for all of the information. I will try to get a copy of the Osprey. I think I will probably go a similar route as vtsaogames and Doc Ord and have both type of units in my army. Not entirely realistic but the variety will look nice.

I have heard that the Battle Honor Austrians are a bit small but my French are Foundry so that should be ok. My Prussians are bigger but I don't think that will matter much.

Are there any other Austrian figures available from US companies? I know Eureka and their US affiliate sell some but I think they are pricier than the Battle Honor figures if I remember correctly.

Go 6mm (Baccus or Heroics and Ros) and play Bloody Big Battles, that way you will have an army that can stretch from 1859 through to 1871 (assuming Austrian joined in the FPW) … I've done it. They could also invade Mexico and get embroiled in the ACW ;-) Who said Fantasy wasn't fun?

Rank and File make Austrians for the mid-19th Century as do Old Glory 15s:

oldglory15s.com/Austria_c622.htm

link

I understand that the greatcoat was the standard issue for 1864/66, but I wonder how prevalent it actually was during these campaigns. I read a contemporary account from a book on Konigratz (I believe it's Craig, maybe Wawro) that mentions masses of white coated Austrian infantry. The comment, as I recall, was from a Prussian officer. If there were white kittel at Konigratz, I would imagine they were still pretty prevalent throughout the war (and even moreso in 1864). I have quite a few 10mm Austrians for 1866 and I plan to have a 50/50 mix of kittel and greatcoat.

I read the same, but I think it was one of the early battles and not Koniggratz itself.

The Austrians definately wore the greatcoat in 1866. Nearly all of the contemporary photographs show it and is supported by numerous line drawings (the best can be found in Fontaine's books). They even wore it on the Italian front where the only concession for the warmer climate seems to have been that the troops were issued with havelock to wear on the back of the neck.

Also perhaps the Prussian officer was using white-coat in the sense that Americans used red-coat or blue-coat was used for Prussians. More as a term for the army as opposed to an accurate representation of the uniform worn.

The information that I have from Danish sources is that the Austrians wore the greatcoat almost all of the time and especially in the field. They wore white armbands to distinguish themselves in 1864. IIRC.

All very interesting stuff. I don't dispute contemporary photographs or the fact that they wore armbands over the greatcoats in 1864 to distinguish themselves from the Danes. I believe that Prince Kraft Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen, who was in command of the Prussian reserve artillery at Konigratz, also described the Austrian lines as "white". KTravlos may be correct in that he (and others) used the color in the same sense as describing British troops as a thin red line. Even if not factually correct, the presence of these descriptions provides me with enough evidence to put a portion of my Austrian army in white kittel.

Very interesting and helpful responses. Thanks!

It is amazing to me that Old Glory has no pictures of the product they are tying to sell.

The greatcoat was worn without exception in 1864 and 1866. The brassard (armband) was worn by all the bund (German/Austrian) troops to avoid blue on blue incidents. Prince KZHI wasn't in command of the Prussian reserve artillery in 1866 but the Guard artillery, hence his arrival on the Austrian right flank on the afternoon of the 3rd. I think the reports of 'white' Austrians was the effect of a lightish grey overcoat seen from a distance. The men wore either a shirt under the coat or a light linen work jacket, the officers wore their white tunic and sash under the greatcoat which is usually portrayed (officers only) as being worn open. For variety (though historically innacurate) I put my officers in the kittel alone for show and the men in greatcoats.

Were there not Austrian cavalry in white in 1866? In which case Prince KzHI might have been referring to them.

Be that as it may, my 6mm Austrians wear white and happily serve in 1859, 1864 or 1866 – or, this week, in 1813 since we're fighting Leipzig.

Chris
link
bloodybigbattles.blogspot.co.uk

The Cuirassiers wore a white jacket but are usually portrayed wearing their light grey cloak.

I think their mantel was actually white, at least according to Darko Pavlovic's excellent Osprey.

Officer in greatcoat order, coat open exposing white kittel and sash.

Sapherson says the cloak was 'Dove grey'.

You can use great coated figures on the Italian front in 1866 which is a bit like 1859, not being up against the Dreyse.