Saxon Infantry Regiment Prince Johann Adolf of Saxe-Gotha, 1756–1763
After the capitulation of the Saxon Army, on 15 October 1756, Infantry Regiment Prince Adolf Johann von Sachsen-Gotha was incorporated into the Prussian army and renamed Infantry Regiment v. Saldern (Nr. 54). Dressed in Prussian uniforms, the formerly Saxon soldiers served as a garrison regiment until the end of the Seven Years’ War. The Garrison Grenadier Battalion 54/56 served with the field army in Pomerania and Silesia.
Many of these forcefully recruited Saxons soon deserted and fled to Hungary via Bohemia and Poland, where a new Saxon army was being formed under the command of Lieutenant-General Franz Xavier prince of Saxony from 1757. Infantry Regiment Saxe-Gotha received new regimental colours in March of 1758 and it took part in the campaigns of the combined French and Imperial Army along the Rhine.
The Saxe-Gotha infantry regiment was distinguished from Infantry Regiment Prince Xavier of Saxony by its white metal buttons and the white metal plates of their grenadier mitres.
Proprietor
- Prince Johann Adolf of Saxe-Gotha, 1756–1763
Commanders
- Colonel von Uetterodt, 1756
- Colonel von Lecoq, 1757–1763
Garrison
- Wittenberg, 1756
Organization
- Regimental Staff
- I. Battalion
- 1. Grenadierkompanie
- 1. (Leib)Kompanie
- 2. Kompanie
- 3. Kompanie
- 4. Kompanie
- II. Battalion
- 2. Grenadierkompanie
- 5. Kompanie
- 6. Kompanie
- 7. Kompanie
- 8. Kompanie
The regiment was reactivated in Hungary 1757 with only one battalion.
Uniform
- white coat with white metal buttons
- 6 buttons and button-holes right and left
- pale blue cuffs with two buttons
- pale blue turnbacks
- pale blue shoulder strap
- red stock
- pale blue camisole with white buttons
- white breeches
- black gaiters with white buttons
- black tricorne hat with white edging, pale blue/white pompom
- From 1756 Prussian-style grenadier mitres with white metal front plates, pale blue base, yellow metal grenades, pale blue bag with white lace, and yellow/pale blue pompom. From 1757 the grenadiers of the new Saxon regiments wore tricorne hats with white edging, like the musketiers. In 1761, Austrian-style fur grenadier caps were introduced.
- Drummers wore uniforms with reversed colours, swallows’ nests edged with lace, und sleeves laced in the button colour
- officers wore white stocks, silver gorgets, and silver sashes inverwoven with crimson thread
Campaign History
- Campaign in Saxony, 1756
- Surrender at Pirna, 1756
- Reactivation in Hungary, 1757
- Campaigns on the Rhine, 1758–1763
- Combat at Lutterberg, 1758
- Battle of Bergen, 1759
- Battle of Minden, 1759
- Battle of Langensalza, 1761
In 1756, the grenadiers of Infantry Regiment Prince Adolf Johann von Sachsen-Gotha joined those of Infantry Regiment Prince Franz Xavier von Sachsen to form Grenadier Battalion von der Pforte.