118th Régiment d’Infanterie Royal-Deux-Ponts, Seven Years’ War, 1757–1763
Christian IV, Duke of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, established a German foreign regiment of three battalions for service in the French army, pursuant to a royal ordinance of February 19, 1757. During the Seven Years‘ War, the 118th Infantry Regiment Royal-Deux-Ponts fought at Roßbach, Sandershausen, Lutterberg, Bergen, Corbach, Vellinghausen, and at Sababurg castle. On February 25, 1758, the regiment was augmented to four battalions.
Mestre de camp commandant
- Christian IV, Duke of Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Mestre de camp-lieutenant
- Colonel Karl Christian Wilhelm Baron von Closen
Uniform
The État militaire de France, pour l’Année 1758 describes the uniform of infantry regiment Royal-Deux-Ponts as follows: Habit, veste, culotte & doublure blanches, collet & parements rouges en botte, six boutons blancs jusqu‘a la taille d‘un côté seulement de l‘habit & de la veste, poches en travers garnies de trois boutons & autant sur les manches, un petit au collet, chapeau bordé d‘argent.
White coat, vest, breeches, and lining; red collar and cuffs; six white buttons extending to the waist on one side only of the coat and vest; horizontal pockets trimmed with three buttons, with the same number on the cuffs and one small button on the collar; hat edged with silver.
- white coat with white metal buttons
- coat pockets “en travers” with 3 buttons
- red collar
- 6 buttons on right coat front
- red cuffs with 3 buttons
- white turnbacks with red hearts
- white waistcoat with 6 white metal buttons
- white breeches
- white gaiters with white metal buttons
- black tricorne hat with white edging
- Grenadiers wore beards, and sabres, and from 1759 bearskin caps
Uniform, 1761
- Turquin blue coat with white metal buttons
- horizontal coat pockets “en travers” with 5 buttons and buttonhole lace
- red collar
- red lapels with 7 buttons and buttonhole lace right and left
- red cuffs with 3 buttons and buttonhole lace
- white turnbacks with red hearts
- white waistcoat with white metal buttons
- white breeches
- white gaiters with white metal buttons
- black tricorne hat with white edging
- Grenadiers wore beards, and sabres, and from 1759 bearskin caps
Campaign History
- Battle of Roßbach, 5 November 1757
- Combat at Sandershausen, 23 July 1758
- Battle of Lutterberg, 10 October 1758
- Battle of Bergen, 13 April 1759
- Combat at Corbach (Korbach-Sachsenhausen), 10 July 1760
- Battle of Vellinghausen, 15 and 16 July 1761
- Combat at the Sababurg, 21 June 1762
Lineage
- 92e Régiment Royal-Deux-Ponts, 1762
- 104e Régiment Royal-Deux-Ponts, 1789
- 99ème Régiment d’Infanterie, 1791
The 99th Infantry Regiment Deux-Ponts was garrisoned in Metz in 1791. In 2000, the regiment was disbanded at its base in Lyon.
Bibliography
- Mollo, John: Uniforms of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763, plate 90
- Montendre-Longchamps: État militaire de France, pour l’Année 1758 (Paris 1758)
- Mouillard, Lucien: Les régiments sous Louis XV (Paris 1882)