Uniforms of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763

The Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) is the name given to the last great conflict involving all the major powers of Europe, except Turkey, before the French Revolutionary Wars. Described as the first truly "world war" it was fought partly in Europe, where Frederick the Great’s Prussia, aided by Great Britain, electoral Hanover, Hesse-Cassel and Brunswick challenged the combined might of Austria, France, other German states and Russia. The global context of the war refers to the so-called French and Indian War, which broke out in North America between the French and the British before 1756, and the continuing hostilities of that period between the French and British East India companies. In fact, whereas the main belligerents in the Seven Years’ War were Austria and Prussia, it is possible to regard the Franco-British confrontation in Europe as well as the Spanish entry into the war and the consequent Portuguese involvement, as merely by-products of the colonial struggle.

John Mollo, the well-known expert on military dress, discusses the campaigns of the Seven Years’ War and describes the uniforms and equipment worn in such famous battles as Roßbach, Leuthen, Minden, Kunersdorf and Warburg. In North America, Braddock’s defeat on the Monongahela in 1755 and Wolfe’s victory at Quebec in 1759 are given special emphasis.

Malcolm McGregor, the illustrator, is now widely recognised as an outstanding military artist and in this, his third Blandford uniform book, his magnificent colour paintings are again based on actual people of the period.

Contents

• Title: Uniforms of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763
• Period: French and Indian War, Seven Years’ War or Third Silesian War
• Type: Uniformology
• Author: John Mollo
• Illustrator: Malcolm McGregor
• Format: 190-page Book with 172 Colour Illustrations
• Language: English
• Publisher: Blandford Press Ltd., Poole, Dorset
• ISBN: 0713708220
• Published: 1977

Chapters

Introduction

1. The Prussian Army
2. The British Army
3. German Auxiliary Troops fighting for Prussia
4. American Provincial Troops
5. The French Army
6. The Austrian Army
7. The Russian Army
8. The Imperial Army
9. German Auxiliary Troops fighting for Austria
10. The Colour Plates
    • Roßbach, Prussian Staff Officers
      • 1. Adjutant-General of Cavalry
      • 2. General of Infantry (Frederick II, King of Prussia)
      • 3. Aide-de-Camp of Infantry
    • Roßbach, Prussian Cuirassiers
      • 4. Sergeant, Regiment Nr. 3
      • 5. Trumpeter, Regiment Nr. 7
      • 6. Private, Regiment Nr. 10
      • 7. General Officer (Maj.-Gen. v. Seydlitz), Regiment Nr. 8
      • 8. Standard-Bearer, Regiment Nr. 13
    • Roßbach, Prussian Cavalry
      • 9. Private, Hussar Regiment Nr. 1
      • 10. Private, Dragoon Regiment Nr. 3
    • Roßbach, Prussian Infantry
      • 11. Grenadier, Regiment No. 6
      • 12. General Officer (FM Ferdinand of Brunswick), Regiment Nr. 39
      • 13. Musketeer, Regiment Nr. 1
      • 14. Sergeant, Regiment Nr. 24
      • 15. Officer, Regiment Nr. 19
      • 16. Musketeer, Free Battalion Nr. 2
    • Roßbach, French & Saxon Staff Officers
      • 17. Saxon General Officer (Xavier, Prince of Saxony)
      • 18. French Marshal (Prince de Soubise)
      • 19. French General Officer (Lt.-Gen. François de Chevert)
    • Roßbach, Austrian and Imperial Cavalry
      • 20. Private, Austrian Cuirassier Regiment Brettlach
      • 21. Private, Swabian Dragoon Regiment Württemberg
    • Roßbach, French Cavalry
      • 22. Officer, La Reine
      • 23. Private Mestre-de-Camp Général
    • Roßbach, French Infantry
      • 24. Private, Royal Artillerie
      • 25. Officer, Provence
      • 26. Fusilier, Piémont
      • 27. Grenadier, Swiss Regiment Diesbach
      • 28. Ensign, German Regiment La Marck
      • 29. Fusilier, German Regiment Royal Pologne
    • Roßbach, Imperial Infantry
      • 30. Grenadier, Upper Rhenish Regiment Hessen-Darmstadt
      • 31. Officer, Franconian Regiment von Ferntheil
      • 32. Ensign, Franconian Regiment von Varell
    • Leuthen, Prussian Dragoons
      • 33. Private, Regiment Nr. 2
      • 34. Officer, Regiment Nr. 1
      • 35. Drummer, Regiment Nr. 4
    • Leuthen, Prussian Infantry
      • 36. Drummer, Regiment Nr. 10
      • 37. Ensign, Regiment Nr. 13
      • 38. Oboist, Regiment Nr. 15
    • Leuthen, Prussian Artillery and Light Troops
      • 39. Bombardier, Foot Artillery
      • 40. Jäger, Free Battalion Nr. 1
      • 41. Jäger, Foot Jäger Corps
    • Leuthen, Austrian Staff Officers
      • 42. General Officer, Baron von Laudon
      • 43. Field-Marshal, Charles, Prince of Lorraine
      • 44. Engineer Officer
    • Leuthen, Austrian Cuirassiers
      • 45. Regiment O‘Donell
      • 46. Officer, Anhalt-Zerbst
      • 47. Private, Regiment Serbelloni
    • Leuthen, Austrian Dragoons
      • 48. Private, Regiment Duke of Württemberg
      • 49. Officer, Regiment Zweibrücken
      • 50. Drummer, Regiment Löwenstein
    • Leuthen, Austrian Infantry
      • 51. Sergeant, German Regiment Ligne
      • 52. Grenadier Officer, German Regiment Arberg
      • 53. Musketeer, German Regiment Merci
      • 54. Musketeer, German Regiment Charles of Lorraine
      • 55. Ensign, German Regiment Deutschmeister
      • 56. Drummer, German Regiment Luzan
      • 57. Grenadier, Hungarian Regiment Joseph Esterhazy
      • 58. Corporal, Hungarian Regiment Gyulay
      • 59. Grenadier, Hungarian Regiment Haller
    • Leuthen, Austrian and Allied Troops
      • 60. Gunner, Austrian Artillery
      • 61. Grenadier, Württemberg Leib-Infantry Regiment
      • 62. Musketeer, Bavarian Leib-Regiment Kurfürst in Bayern
    • Minden, Hanoverian and Hessian Cavalry
      • 63. Private, Hessen-Cassel Regiment Leib
      • 64. Private, Hanoverian Horse Grenadiers
    • Minden, British Infantry
      • 65. Grenadier, 12th Regiment of Foot
      • 66. Officer, 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers
      • 67. Corporal, 37th Regiment of Foot
      • 68. Fifer, 25th Regiment of Foot
      • 69. Officer, 51st Regiment of Foot
      • 70. Private, 20th Regiment of Foot
    • Minden, Hanoverian Infantry
      • 71. Grenadier, Regiment von Hardenberg (6-A)
      • 72. Officer, Regiment Garde zu Fuß
      • 73. Sergeant, Regiment von Spörcken (2-A)
    • Minden, German Infantry
      • 74. Grenadier, Brunswick Regiment Imhoff
      • 75. Officer, Hesse-Cassel Regiment Erste Garde
      • 76. Musketeer, Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg Regiment
    • Minden, British and Allied Artillery
      • 77. Gunner, Royal Artillery
      • 78. Friedrich Ernst Wilhelm, Graf v. Schaumburg-Lippe
      • 79. Gunner, Hanoverian Artillery
    • Minden, French Cavalry
      • 80. Gendarmes Anglais du Roi
      • 81. Private, Colonel Général Cavalerie
      • 82. Private, Cuirassiers due Roi
      • 83. Officer, Royal-Cravates Cavalerie
      • 84. Officer, Royal-Pologne Cavalerie
      • 85. Private, Dragoon Regiment Schomberg
      • 86. Private, Hussar Regiment Royal-Nassau
    • Minden, French Infantry
      • 87. Drummer, Regiment Rouergue
      • 88. Grenadier Officer, Regiment Auvergne
      • 89. Fusilier, Regiment du Roi
      • 90. Fusilier, German Regiment Deux-Ponts
      • 91. Private, Grenadiers Royaux
      • 92. Fusilier, Saxon Regiment Fürst Lubomirski
    • Kunersdorf, Prussian Cavalry and Artillery
      • 93. Private, Dragoon Regiment Nr. 6
      • 94. General Officer (von Zieten), Hussar Regiment Nr. 2
      • 95. Gunner, Horse Artillery
    • Kunersdorf, Prussian Infantry
      • 96. Ensign, Regiment Nr. 30
      • 97. Sergeant, Regiment Nr. 20
      • 98. Pioneer, Regiment Nr. 17
      • 99. Füsilier, Regiment Nr. 35
      • 100. Officer, Garrison Regiment Nr. V
      • 101. Sergeant, Regiment Nr. 41
    • Kunersdorf, Prussian Light Troops and Engineers
      • 102. Pandour, Free Corps v. Kleist
      • 103. Engineer Officer
      • 104. Horse Grenadier, Free Corps v. Kleist
    • Kunersdorf, Austrian Cavalry
      • 105. Grenadier, Dragoon Regiment Kolowrat-Krakowsky
      • 106. Private, Hussar Regiment Kalnocky
    • Kunersdorf, Austrian Light Troops
      • 107. Pandour, Karlstädter Likaner
      • 108. Pandour, Slawonische Peterwardeiner
      • 109. Musketeer, Free Battalion Laudon
    • Kunersdorf, Russian Cavalry
      • 110. Cossack
      • 111. Cossack Officer
      • 112. Cornet, Cuirassiers
      • 113. Dragoon
      • 114. Horse Grenadier
      • 115. Officer, Hussar Regiment Gruzinsky
    • Kunersdorf, Russian Infantry
      • 116. Sergeant, Grenadier Regiment
      • 117. Officer, Line Infantry
      • 118. Drummer, Line Infantry
    • Kunersdorf, Russian Troops
      • 119. Musketeer, Observation Corps
      • 120. Grenadier, Pandour Regiment No. 1
      • 121. Artilleryman
    • North America, British and Provincial Troops
      • 122. Grenadier Sergeant, 44th Regiment of Foot
      • 123. Officer (Colonel George Washington), Virginia Militia
      • 124. Officer, 48th Regiment of Foot
    • North America, French and Canadian Troops
      • 125. Private, Quebec Militia
      • 126. Fusilier, Colonial Infantry
      • 127. Colonial Artilleryman
    • North America, British Light Troops
      • 128. Private, Rogers‘ Rangers
      • 129. Private, Howe‘s Light Infantry
      • 130. Private, 80th Regiment of Foot
    • Quebec, British Staff and Highlanders
      • 131. Private, 78th Regiment of Foot
      • 132. General Officer (Maj.-Gen. James Wolfe)
      • 133. Grenadier, 42nd Regiment of Foot
    • Quebec, British Infantry
      • 134. Grenadier, 22nd Regiment of Foot
      • 135. Pioneer, 28th Regiment of Foot
      • 136. Corporal, 15th Regiment of Foot
    • Quebec, British Troops
      • 137. Ensign, 43rd Regiment of Foot
      • 138. Officer, Royal Artillery
      • 139. Private, 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot
    • Quebec, Royal Navy
      • 140. Seaman
      • 141. Flag Officer (Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Saunders), Undress
      • 142. Lieutenant, Undress
    • Quebec, French Staff and Artillery
      • 143. Engineer Officer
      • 144. General Officer (Maj.-Gen. Marquis de Montcalm
      • 145. Bombardier, Marine Artillery
    • Quebec, French Infantry
      • 146. Drummer, La Reine
      • 147. Officer, Royal-Roussillon
      • 148. Grenadier Corporal, Languedoc
      • 149. Fusilier, Guyenne
      • 150. Ensign, La Sarre
      • 151. Grenadier, Béarn
    • Emsdorf, British 15th Light Dragoons
      • 152. Hornist
      • 153. Private
    • Emsdorf, French Troops
      • 154. Fusilier, German Infantry Regiment Royal-Bavière
      • 155. Private, Hussar Regiment Bercheny
    • Warburg, British Cavalry
      • 156. Private, 1st Dragoon Guards
      • 157. Officer, Royal Horse Guards
      • 158. Sergeant, 3rd Dragoon Guards
      • 159. Private, 6th Dragoons
      • 160. Private, Light Troop, 11th Dragoons
      • 161. Officer, Light Troop, 2nd Dragoons
    • Warburg, Hanoverian and Hessian Cavalry
      • 162. Private, Hanoverian Regiment Alt-Bremer (2A)
      • 163. Private, Hesse-Cassel Dragoons
    • Warburg, Hanoverian Light Troops
      • 164. Private, Luckner‘s Hussars
      • 165. Jäger, Freytag‘s Corps
    • Warburg, French Dragoons
      • 166. Private, Regiment Royal
      • 167. Private, Regiment Thianges
    • Warburg, French Infantry
      • 168. Sergeant, Bourbonnais
      • 169. Ensign, La Couronne
      • 170. Grenadier, de La Tour du Pin
    • Warburg, French Chasseurs de Fischer
      • 171. Chasseur à Cheval
      • 172. Grenadier
11. Battle and Plate Descriptions
    • Roßbach, 5 November 1758
    • Leuthen, 5 December 1758
    • Minden, 1 August 1759
    • Kunersdorf, 12 August 1759
    • Monongahela, 9 July 1755
    • Quebec, 13 September 1760
    • Emsdorff, 16 July 1760
    • Warburg, 31 July 1760
12. Battle Maps of Roßbach, Leuthen, Kunersdorf and Warburg
13. Appendix: Orders of Battle
14. Bibliography

Uniforms of the Seven Years’ War is a comprehensive resource for figure painters, diorama builders, and wargamers interested in raising Seven Years’ War armies for the major and minor belligerents in the Seven Years’ War. The Orders of Battle included in the appendix list battalions and regiments of the armies engaged at Roßbach, Leuthen, Minden, Kunersdorf, Quebec, and Warburg.

Malcolm McGregor’s illustrations are based on portraits of actual people of the period, like Frederick the Great, Major-General von Seydlitz, Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince Xavier of Saxony, Marshal Soubise, Lieutenant-General Francis de Chevert, General Laudon, Field-Marshal Prince Charles of Lorraine, Graf von Schaumburg-Lippe, Colonel George Washington, Major-General James Wolfe, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, and Major-General the Marquis de Montcalm, among many others.

There is a list of uniform and facing colours of Reichsarmee infantry and cavalry regiments which serves as a good starting point for further research into the subject. Some of the entries are incomplete, and may be misleading, because they refer to converged regiments like Cuirassier Regiment Palatinate or Infantry Regiment Kurbayern with different facing colours within the same formation.

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