Dear Friends,
encouraged by how my lecture at Derby was received and by DOB's request I herewith start to tell you a bit of history about the Saxon Standing Army.
EDIT:
The writing is a translation of O.Schuster & F.A.Francke "The History of the Saxon Army" printed in 1885.
Part I.
It was Elector Johann Georg the III.(1680-1691)
- Johann Georg III.jpg (32.88 KiB) Viewed 29411 times
who authorized the building of a standing army. With the approval of the Landtag 4 new Infantry Regiments should be raised, 4 Horse Regiments and 1 Dragoon Regiment. The Trabanten-Leibgarde was increased in strenght and a House-Artillery of 24 guns was installed.
After 6 months the Army was ready for inspection by the Elector.
1 Trabanten-Leibgarde 172 men
4 Horse Regiments 600 men each
1 Dragoon Regiment 614 men
6 Regiments Foot (8 companies) 1182 men each
(4 were approved of 12 companies but they raised 6 of 8 each)
24 guns of differnt size with 142 gunners.
This small Army of not more than 10.420 men saw their first war when called upon to form a part of the relief force of Vienna 1683.
1683 All but the Leibregiments (who had red) received grey Uniforms. By order of the Elector all Pikes have to be left at home and be replaced by muskets and Boarfeathers (Schweinsfedern) on which the musket could rest while firing. In the field the Schweinsfedern were used to build Chevaux de Frise to cover the front and rear of the Infantry who now, without the Pikes, would have some cover against attacking cavalry.
1687 the terms Musketiers/Pikeniers were replaced by Commoner and Grenadier.
1693-94 All the Matchlocks have been replaced by flintlocks.
All Regiments on Foot got a company of grenadiers, wearing blue Stockings and blue Cloth Grenadier Caps.
It should be noted that all weapons were of Saxon origin.
The state was in all terms a Self-Supporter of itself and his Army.
From this time on the Saxon Army was constantly modernized, increased in strength and used as a part to defend the borders of the Holy Roman Empire with which each Saxon Ruler had a good relationship.
More to follow.