Cavalry Squadron of the Upper Rhenish Circle, Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763
The Oberrheinische Kreis-Eskadron was established in 1702 with a strength of 150 troopers. When the palatinal army was reduced in 1745, the squadron was incorporated into Reiter-Regiment Graf Elliot de Morhange. Raised again in 1754 with a strength of 174 troopers, the squadron joined the 2nd and 3rd squadron of Reiter-Regiment Zweibrücken to form the Palatinal Cuirassiers for the duration of the Seven Years’ War.
The troopers of the cavalry squadron of the Upper Rhenish Circle shown here are 1:300 scale Austrian Dragoons by Heroics & Ros. Austrian dragoon figures may be used, because palatinal cavalry troopers stopped wearing the cuirass after the War of Spanish Succession.
Proprietor
Commander
Garrison
- Oberamt Oppenheim, 1712 –
Organisation
- Regimentsstab (regimental staff)
- Oberst (colonel)
- Oberstlieutenant (lieutenant-colonel)
- Oberstwachtmeister (major)
- Regiments-Quartiermeister (regimental quartermaster)
- Auditor (auditor)
- Feldkaplan (field chaplain)
- Adjutant
- Regimentsfeldscherer (regimental surgeon)
- Wagenmeister (wagon master)
- Profos und Steckenknecht
- 1. Kompanie (54 men, 54 horses)
- 2. Kompanie (54 men, 54 horses)
- 3. Kompanie (54 men, 54 horses)
Uniform
On 1 Juli 1754, the Oberrheinische Kreis-Eskadron was re-established from three companies, Kompanie Graf Wittgenstein, von Schmid and von Helmstädt, of the Palatinal Leib-Dragonerregiment Frau Kurfürstin von der Pfalz. These men continued to wear their red Leib-Dragoner uniforms with red facings, at least until the uniforms had worn out and were to be replaced by regulation cavalry uniforms of the Oberrheinische Kreis-Eskadron. Accordingly, wargamers and diorama builders may depict the Oberrheinische Kreis-Eskadron in red dragoon uniforms during the early part of the Seven Years’ War.
- white coat with 12 white metal buttons
- light blue collar
- light blue cuffs with white metal buttons
- light blue turnbacks
- white-blue aiguillette at the right shoulder
- silver aiguillette for officers
- black stock with white lace
- straw-coloured vest with white metal buttons
- straw-coloured breeches
- white boot cuffs and tall black riding boots for mounted service
- black tricorne hat, black cockade, white-blue side-pompoms
- silver hat border for officers
- light blue chabraque with white border
- black pistol holsters, and light blue holster covers with white border
- light blue square valise with white border
Campaign History
- Palatinal Cuirassiers, 1757–1763
Lineage
- Reiter-Regiment Pfalzgraf Max, 1770
- Reiter-Regiment Prinz Max, 1777
- 2. Kürassier-Regiment von Winckelhausen, 1790
- 4. Chevauleger-Regiment, 1799
- 1. Chevauleger-Regiment Kurfürst, 1799
- 2. Chevauleger-Regiment Kurfürst, 1804
- 2. Chevauleger-Regiment König, 1806
- 4. Chevauleger-Regiment König, 1811
- 17. (Bayerisches) Reiter-Regiment, Ausbildungs-Eskadron, 1921
In 1770, the Oberrheinische Kreis-Eskadron was incorporated into Reiter-Regiment Pfalzgraf Max. Converted to a chevauleger regiment in 1799, the unit was named 4th Bavarian Chevauleger-Regiment König in 1811. In 1920, the regiment became the training squadron of the 17th (Bavarian) Reiter-Regiment of the German Reichswehr.