Austrian Dragoon Regiment Liechtenstein of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763

Austrian Dragoon Regiment Liechtenstein of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763.

By decree dated 11 February 1682, Oberst Carl Graf Saurau raised a dragoon regiment in Bohemia. From 1725 until 1775, when it was disbanded, the regiment was owned by the current Fürst von Liechtenstein. During the Seven Years’ War the regiment fought at the Battles of Lobositz, Prag, Kunersdorf, and Torgau.

Proprietor

  • GFWM, later FM Joseph Wenzel Fürst Liechtenstein, 1725–1772

Commanding Officer

  • Oberst Otto Ferdinand Graf Hohenfeld, 1754–1757
  • Oberst Carl Fürst Liechtenstein, 1757–1759
  • Oberst Carl von Bortwitz, 1759–1768

Uniform

  • dark blue coat with yellow buttons
  • red lapels with seven buttons and buttonholes left and right
  • red cuffs with three buttons
  • red turnbacks
  • dark blue shoulder strap left
  • red aiguillette right
  • black stock
  • red vest with eight yellow buttons
  • red or straw-coloured breeches
  • black gaiters with yellow buttons for dismounted service
  • white boot cuffs and tall black riding boots for mounted service
  • black tricorne with yellow border, and black cockade with yellow button
  • red saddlecloth with yellow border, and black and white rhombical design
  • black pistol holsters, with red holster covers and border design as above
  • round red mantlesack with border design as above
  • black leather bridle

Light straw-coloured leather breeches were worn on campaign. Dragoner-Regiment Liechtenstein was distinguished from Dragoner-Regiment Batthyany by its red vest.

Campaign History

  • Battle of Lobositz, 1756
  • Ambush at Hirschfeld, 1757
  • Engagement at Reichenberg, 1757
  • Battle of Prag, 1757
  • Skirmish at Sebastiansberg, 1758
  • Engagement at Asch, 1759
  • Battle of Kunersdorf, 1759
  • Engagement at Gotha, 1760
  • Engagement at Bautzen, 1760
  • Raid on Berlin, 1760
  • Battle of Torgau, 1760
  • Engagement at Peilau, 1762

Bibliography

  • Pizzighelli, Cajetan: Geschichte des K.u.K. Dragoner-Regimentes Johannes Josef Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein Nr. 10. 1631–1903 (Wien 1903)

Austrian Dragoons of the Seven Years’ War