Saxon Uniforms in the Battle of Kliszow
Apart from the artillery all
Saxon regiments had red coats and with a few exceptions white or grey
stockings. Each regiment had a distinctive colour on their facings which
meant that there were many different shades of blue and yellow in the Saxon
army. There were normally two regiments sharing a facing colour and these
were distinguished from each other by having brass or pewter buttons.
Leibgarde zu Pferd (Horse
Guards) had a combined strength of eight squadrons according to the order of
battle which can be found in the work by the Swedish General Staff ("Karl XII på slagfältet").
This order of battle is based on Swedish sources saying that Leibgarde zu
Pferd consisted of eight companies, but the General Staff also mention
conflicting Saxon information which report a strength of only sex squadrons in
the battle. The reason to this confusion may have something to do with the
fact that this unit was
organised in four "squadrons", each of them consisting of three "companies"
(also called "brigades"). Each "squadron" was 150 men
strong.
Another uncertainty is the fact
that the two guard regiments were placed on the flanks but it is unclear
which regiment was placed on which flank. Furthermore two independent
battalions are reported to have been a part of the Saxon field army at Kliszow,
but these cannot be found in any known order of battle and are not known in
any other context either. They were probably temporary battalions consisting
of the other regiments' grenadiers, and such grenadier battalions were
usually deployed on the flanks.
Regarding the uniforms, it
should be mentioned that it is highly uncertain if the Saxon army wore
tricornes at this time. It is very possible that the whole army or a part of
it had hats of an older model with only one side folded up.
Right
(East) Wing
(Deployed in two lines and every regiment had half
its squadrons in each line)
Shortly after the battle began the 16 000 men strong Saxon army was
reinforces by 8 000 men Polish cavalry force, but unfortunately I do not
know their uniforms.
Swedish uniforms in the battle of Kliszow. |