FormationThe preparation for the war against the French began shortly after Napoleon forced his harsh terms on Prussia. The patriotic party, represented by Blücher, Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, and Stein at once began to make secretive plans for a war which patriotic Germans felt must come soon. Each year, between 1807 and 1813 they hoped their King would give the order to take up arms and march against the French. It was arranged, in the event of war, that there should be raised a number of independent small corps, who should operate on the French lines of communication, and arouse insurrection in the German states under Napoleon's rule. The King of Prussia was against any military movement that would irritate his French ally, but this preparation continued nevertheless.
On February 9, 1813, only six days after Frederick Wilhelm's call for volunteers, Lützow presented his king with a petition, begging that he might raise an independent corps. He laid stress that some of these men would also come from other German states eager to serve the Prussian cause. Frederick Wilhelm granted this request on February 18th for a formation officially designated "The Royal Prussian Free Corps". The crown was only to furnish pay and weapons that couldn't be procured by other means. The King also granted these volunteers permission to wear a special uniform of black...a favour which enabled them to dress at lower cost than the traditional Prussian blue. Though Napoleon chose to brand them as brigands, there is ample evidence to prove that they were part of the Prussian army, and subject to military law as it pertained to regular combattants.
The UniformAs the volunteers often had to dress himself, was for the infantry, the volunteer riflemen Detachment and later for the artillery, the tunic - the so-called Polish citizens Rock - elected with 2 folds back and without slot. The tunic was made of black cloth, and the collar and cuffs, a red push was taken of found himself on the front edge of the tunic. On the front 2 rows of eight yellow, raised buttons were installed. The trousers were also in black.
On the officer's uniform of the collar and the cuffs with velvet was reinforced. Volunteers who had a special social status in civilian life, were allowed to wear it as a hunter, the officer's uniform. They could be transported through election to the so-called volunteer officers. The hussars and lancers carried the doll man she often brought from their former units. This was dyed black. The red skirt was waived. The only colors at hussars and lancers were black and white. Officers wore instead of white, silver cords. In addition, the officers still wore black fur. Lützow was wearing the black hussar uniform. Remained an exception to the way the Tyrolean hunters. The unit, which came after the armistice of summer 1813 to volunteer corps were retained by their AKO Tyrolean national dress, a gray suit with green facings and an opened round hat. The formation leader Lieutenant Riedl and Ennemoser have 1809 yet with Andreas Hofer fought for the liberation of Tyrol. To resolve the prevailing lack of uniforms, often private clothing or uniforms were dyed black booty. Nor was the quality of the material is often much to be desired, as each volunteer had to finance their uniforms themselves.
HeadgearThe shako infantry corresponded to that of Schill's corps of 1809. It consisted of a black shako with clasp and a side trip wire and falling hair bush. The cavalry wore a felt shako, which was often worn with a black oilcloth as weather protection. On shako there were a yellow shed schwarzlederner chain and a chin strap. Some cavalry shakos were made by the then scarcity even cardboard. For parades should cavalry still wear a black horse hair hanging bush and a black cordon. The shako models of the Free Corps have been very different. Often was - against superior orders also a symbol of a country club attached to the shako. In the early days the Lutzow also wore a skull on shako, but the decrease was by royal command.
Uniform Overview
In order for each battailon in 1815 (Nr25):
Infantry
Jagers
Tyrloean Hunters
Battailon Command
Backround information and analysis of each of the units
Lützow Free Corps
Background:After the Treaty of Tilsit, the Pusse only has an army reduced to about 42,000 men, reforms are rapidly and widely used to train additional troops to strengthen considerably the regular troops. But alongside these, we could find the corps, units consisting solely of volunteers from all social and of course to equip themselves at their own expense for the crown avaie not really afford to equip all small world. The most famous of them being the Freikorps Lützow. February 18, 1813, AKO make official the creation of the body of Staff Won Lützow. This corps animated by a spirit of freedom but also revenge. Body of the most prestigious in the ranks of the Prussian army, recruitment mixed all castes of society Prussian bourgeoisie, students, peasants, and even two women!
Theoretical constitution of the body:The body of Major theory includes three arms, infantry, cavalry and artillery. Body strength is estimated at approximately 3700 men of the three weapons more than 150 men of the train. Infantry: The corps franc had 3 infantry battalions, the 1st and 3rd battalions were five companies and the second at 4 companies each theory being 200 men. Each battalion had a company hunter, it is noted that the company of the 2nd Battalion hunter is a company called Tyrolean indeed they wore a uniform and was inspired Tyrolean the one of the few units of the body to have a sufficient supply for it.
Arming companies of musketeers was all sources spoils of war, shotgun, rifle endowment made by Bernadotte English or old guns of the Prussian army. However, hunters are better off, in the spirit of the time hunters voluntary (and the body is no exception) is fitted to their costs and often see noble bourgeois origin, they often have what one commonly called striped rifles, the "brown bess 1809 model" or the "alte Büchse body."
The infantry uniform:The uniform of the infantry on the body is subject to a settlement but the reality is quite different. Litewka color black collar, facing and shoulder strap black red welt. In theory shako with line cord with tassel, snowshoeing black chinstrap scale copper. It is certain that there was not enough shako and some were fitted directly on the battlefield.
Tyrolean hunters:Habits mouse gray jacket and trousers with back neck facing and shoulder strap in green linen. Green stripe on the pants. They are also a black felt hat with a green band and a green plume of Austrian inspiration.
Equipment and Uniform Illustrations
Cavalry
-Hussars
-Lancers
-Dragoons?
Infantry
NCO's
Greatcoat
Fusilier
Infantry Officer
Weapon Types
Sabre Briquet
Officer Sword
Infantry (Irregulars)
Freiwilge Jaegers (Idk spelling of it)
NCO and Officer rank patches
Major General Von Lutzow?
Illustration of Fusiliers (No Shako or Plume with them, but black straps indicate)
Artwork of Freikorps Woman Drummer wounded
They SHOULD be charging a cannon but it's a romantic painting so it's already taken and happy.
It's a scene where a woman volunteer disguised as a man and she falls charging a position.
They discover her true identity when the doctor sees her breast.
Infanterie Regiment Nr25 1815 (Freikorps)
II Corps - 5th Infantry Brigade
25th Infantry Regiment
Later known as: 1st Rhine (from November 5, 1816) [Reforms in 1816]
Corps commander: Major von Petersdorff
Employees: 3 battalions: 2419 men (82 officers / 2337 troops)
1st Battalion 2nd Battalion 3rd Battalion
Notes: The 25th Infantry Regiment replaced the Volunteer Corps of Major General Lützow.
Sources include -
This book -
Wikipedia and -
Napoleonistyka.atspace.comAnd various websites I forgot to jot down later.
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