Frederick Tastes His First Defeat

Uniforms and equipment:  The Prussian infantry and artillery wore a dark blue coat turned back at the lapels cuffs and skirts, britches and black thigh length gaiters.  Each soldier carried on a cross belt an ammunition pouch bayonet and ‘hanger' or small sword.  Headgear for the line companies was the tricorne hat, with a flattened front corner, bound with white lace.  Grenadiers wore the distinctive mitre cap with a brass plate at the front.  Fusilier infantry regiments and artillery wore a smaller version of the grenadier cap. 

 

The infantry carried a musket as the main weapon.  This single shot firearm could be loaded and fired by a well trained soldier around 3 to 4 times a minute.  As an early improvement Frederick introduced the iron ramrod and then the reversible ramrod which increased the rate of fire of his infantry, the old wooden ramrod being liable to break in the stress of battle.

 

The Prussian infantry regiment was based on the cantonment, with soldiers joining their local regiment.  Soldiers were released for key agricultural times, sewing and harvesting.  In the autumn, reviews were conducted of all regiments to check that they were up to the required standard.  Each year regiments were selected to undergo review at Potsdam under the eye of the King.  Officers whose soldiers' performance was considered by Frederick to be substandard were subject to a public tongue lashing and in extreme cases dismissal on the spot.

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