Leib-Regiment Kurfürst in Bayern

Electorate of Bavaria 1756–1763

The owner of the Leib-Regiment was the current Elector (Kurfürst) of Bavaria. By decree dated 28 August 1753, the regiment was reduced from 4 battalions with 4 grenadier and 20 füsilier companies to only 3 battalions with 3 grenadier und 12 füsilier companies. The supernumerary companies were used to raise a new regiment which the Kurfürst offered to Generalmajor Joseph Heinrich Freiherr von Pechmann by executive ordinance of 4 Mai (SGBH, 121).

From April 1757, the Leib-Regiment deployed its III. battalion for service with the Auxiliar-Korps of the Austrian army. In July, the II. battalion also joined the Auxiliar-Korps. Both field battalions returned to their Munich garrison in January 1759, and spent the remainder of the war in Bavaria. In 1760, new uniforms with black facings and bastion-shaped button hole lace were issued.

Owner

• Max Joseph III. Kurfürst in Bayern, 20 January 1745–1777

Commanding Officer

• Oberst Ferdinand Freiherr von und zu Freyen-Seyboltstorff, 1756–1759
• Generalmajor Joseph Heinrich Freiherr von Pechmann, 1759
• Generalmajor Johann Christian Joseph Freiherr von Herold, 1759
• Generalmajor Franz Joseph Cervatius von la Rosée, 27 June 1764
• Oberst Joseph Alexander de Lamotte, 1774

Garrison

• Munich (4 battalions with 4 Gren. und 20 Füs. Komp.), 1749
• Munich (2 battalions) and Landshut (2 battalions), 1751
• Munich (3 battalions with 3 Gren. und 12 Füs. Komp.), 1 October 1751

Organisation

• Regimentsstab – Regimental Staff
• I. Leib-Bataillon (life guard battalion)
  • 1. Grenadier-Kompanie
  • 1. (Leib)Kompanie
  • 2. Kompanie
  • 3. Kompanie
  • 4. Kompanie
  • two 3-pfünder Bataillonsgeschütze (btl. guns)
• II. Obristen-Bataillon (colonel’s battalion)
  • 2. Grenadier-Kompanie
  • 5. Kompanie
  • 6. Kompanie
  • 7. Kompanie
  • 8. Kompanie
  • two 3-pfünder Bataillonsgeschütze
• III. Obristen-Bataillon
  • 3. Grenadier-Kompanie
  • 9. Kompanie
  • 10. Kompanie
  • 11. Kompanie
  • 12. Kompanie
  • two 3-pfünder Bataillonsgeschütze

Two companies formed a division of the regiment, numbered from the flanks toward the center. Battalion guns were deployed on both flanks of a battalion, or on the flanks, and between the 3rd and 4th division of the regiment.

Illustrations

• Knötel-Sieg: Handbuch der Uniformkunde, pp. 50-52
• Mollo, John: Uniforms of the Seven Years’ War, 1756-63, Plate 62
• Bilderlexikon der Uniformen von 1700 bis zur Gegenwart, Südwest Verlag
• Deutsche Uniformen im Zeitalter Friedrichs des Großen, Sturm Zigaretten, Dresden

Uniform

• blue coat with white buttons
• white collar
• white lapels with 8 buttons and button hole lace right and left
  3 buttons and button hole lace below left and right lapels
• white cuffs with three buttons and button hole lace
• white turnbacks
• white shoulder-strap on the left

• black stock
• white vest (Kamisol) with white buttons
• white trousers
• black gaiters with white buttons
• black tricorne hat with white border, black cockade, white-blue pompom (SGBH, 291), and company badge (SGBH, 293)
• füsiliers of the Leib-Regiment had ammunition pouches with brass grenade badges normally reserved for grenadiers
• dark brown fur grenadier caps with red bag, white lace and pompom
• drummers wore uniforms with reversed colours, and black-and-blue lace chevrons, until 1760. When the Leib-Regiment adopted the new uniform with black facings and white button hole lace in 1760, the drummers received the same uniform as the men, but they retained the old black-and-blue lace.
• officers on duty wore the yellow metal aiguillette
• officers’ horses wore dark blue, (later light blue) saddle blankets with white borders (SGBH, 308), and matching pistol holster covers.

These 40 mm Prince August miniatures of the Leib-Regiment are wearing the blue uniform with black facings which was introduced in 1760. The miniatures have been mounted on 100 mm wide and 50 mm deep bases compatible with the Volley & Bayonet game system.

Campaign History

• Mobilization of the III. battalion for service in the Auxiliarkorps, 6 April 1757
• II. bataillon leaves Munich to join the Auxiliarkorps, 25 July 1757
• Siege of Schweidnitz, 1757
• Battle of Breslau, 1757
• Battle of Leuthen, 1757
• Capture of Troppau, 1758
• Siege of Olmütz, 1758
• Siege of Neiße, 1758
• Return from campaign, January 1759

Lineage

• 10. Bayerisches Infanterie-Regiment König, 1902
• 20. (Bayerisches) Infanterie-Regiment, 5. Kompanie, 1921

From 1760, black facings with white bastion-shaped button hole lace replaced the old white facings of the Leib-Regiment.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Bavarian Army of the Seven Years’ War

– Published: 20.09.2005 – Updated: 16.07.2007
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