Prussian specialist troops
before 1806
Translated by Geert van Uythoven
Source: "Stammliste
aller Regimenter und Corps der Königlich-Preußischen Armee. Für das Jahr 1804
(nebst Nachträgen und Verbesserungen bis zum 1sten Junius 1805" (Berlin,
1805) pp. 158-161
Garrison: Berlin, Königsberg, and Glogau.
Uniform: Uniform is the same as for the artillery.
History:
- 1715: the pontoniers consisted of 1 captain, 2 NCO’s, 1 master
tinsmith [Klempnermeister], and 20 pontoniers.
- 1716: disbanded, except for 1 captain, 2 NCO’s, and 4 privates.
- 1725: augmented with an additional 20 men, and were posted in
Berlin with the artillery.
- 1742: a miner [Mineur] company was raised, and the pontoniers
were united with this corps.
- 1743: parted from the miners again.
- 1756: again augmented, only to be reduced again in:
- 1763: to 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, 3 NCO’s and 24 men.
- 1773: completely separated from the miners, and received
artillery uniform.
- 1787: augmented with 2 second lieutenants, 3 NCO’s, and 24 men.
- 1797: again augmented, and formed as follows: a company in Berlin,
consisting of 1 major, 1 first lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, 6 NCO’s, 48
privates: a same company in Königsberg, only commanded by a captain instead of
a major: in Glogau a command consisting of 1 staff-captain, 1 second
lieutenant, 3 NCO’s, and 24 privates. The pontoniers are under the command of
the General-Inspection of the artillery.
Garrison: Berlin, Potsdam, and inside fortresses.
Uniform: Dark blue coat, with black cuffs, turnbacks and
collar. On every flap 8 silver loops; 2 behind it, 2 on the flap, 2 on the
pocket, and 2 behind it. Yellow waistcoat. White breeches. Boots. Hat with a
wide Treffe [?] with Cordon [?] and clasp. In addition, it is
permitted to wear an interim uniform, without loop, and a hat without Treffe
and only with Cordon and clasp.
History and Chefs:
Of this corps, one knows that the following
Chefs were with the Churbrandenburgisches, later Königliches
Ingenieur-corps: GM de Chiese, Colonel vo Blesendorf, Colonel de Cayard, GM
du Trossel, GM von Bodt, GM de Montargues.
- 1741: the corps is augmented, receiving as Chef GM von
Walrave, who also became Chef of the Regiment No. 49 including 10
pioneer and 2 miner companies (raised in 1742).
- 1749: GM von Walrave fells in disgrace, and is replaced as Chef
of the corps and the regiment mentioned by GM von Seers.
- 1757: GM Seers relieved from his command.
- 1758: the 10 pioneer companies become a fusilier regiment, Chef
GM von Dierecke: the 2 miner companies are separated under Colonel von
Castilhon. The Ingenieurcorps came under Colonel von Balbi who was
however pensioned the same year (receiving a pension until his death in 1779).
- 1758-1788: the corps had no declared Chef, the younger
officers of every fortress came under the elder ones; these fell directly under
the king himself.
- 1787: pay was raised substantially by Friedrich Wilhelm II, and
the corps was divided into 3 brigades; one brigade for each of the ‘main
countries’: 1) Prussia and Pommern; 2) the Mark, Magdeburg and Westphalia; and 3)
Silesia and Glatz.
- 1789: GM von Regler appointed Chef of the corps, and
director of the 4th department of the Ober-Kriegs-Collegio. Died 1792.
- 1796: LG von Geusau receives the corps and the Direction.
In addition, in Plassenburg and Wülzburg is a small engineer corps.
Garrison: Nieße, Graudenz, Schweidnitz and Gladz.
Uniform: Black cuffs, turnbacks and collar. The officers have,
as with the artillery, 18 winded golden loops, with lose tuft, and on every seam
[Rabatte] 10 gold buttons, also a small gold Treffe [?] on the
hat. In 1787, the muskets and cartridge pouches of the infantry were taken from
them, and instead they were armed with a pistol, hanging across the shoulder on
a white belt.
History:
- 1742: raised together with the Infantry Regiment No. 49.
- 1758: the two miner companies are separated and formed into a
corps.
- 1772: a 3rd company is raised with its own Chef.
- 1783: a 4th company is raised with its own Chef.
Chefs:
- 1758: Colonel von Castilhon, was pensioned.
- 1789: Colonel von Lahr, LG in 1805.
Campaigns:
- 1758: Both companies taking part in the sieges of Schweidnitz and
Ollmütz.
- 1762: Both companies serving in the second siege of Schweidnitz, distinguishing
themselves.
- 1792-1793: half the corps was present with the army of the Rhine,
distinguishing themselves during the capture of Mainz [Mayence] and subsequently
repairing its defences, and in addition during many other events, field
fortifications, and attacks on enemy abitis.
© Geert van Uythoven