Observation Corps Field Artillery Train
Origin and History
The field pieces of the Observation Corps were served by 2 companies of the 1st Field Artillery Regiment. Furthermore, the secret howitzers of the Observation Corps were served by 1 coy of the Secret Howitzer Corps.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was commanded by:
- no information found
Service during the War
To do: campaigns of 1757 to 1762
All Russian regular artillery wore the same uniforms. Looking more attentively to Zveguintzov's work and some period paintings, it seems more and more evident that the uniforms of the regular artillery were orange rather than red. However, we have not yet updated the accompanying uniform plate accordingly.
|Coat||red (more probably orange) lined black with 9 copper buttons on the right side on the chest and 2 copper buttons (one on each side) in the small of the back|
in February 1759 a shorter coat was issued
|Waistcoat||long sleeved red (more probably orange; white at the end of the war) waistcoat lined black with 9 copper buttons, and with 2 en patte d'oie pockets each with 3 copper buttons|
|Breeches||red (more probably orange)|
|Gaiters||black leather with 10 large copper buttons (white Manschetten)|
During winter, artillery wore knee-length red cape.
Troopers were armed with a musket, a bayonet, a sabre and a linstock. They also carried priming flasks and slowmatch holders on their belts.
NCOs wore the same uniform as the troopers but were distinguished by their gold laces on their tricorne, collar, and cuffs.
Most officers wore gold laced tricorne but some officers wore a mitre.
Officer’s coat was similar to other rank’s but with the following differences:
- a gold laced tricorne with gold/black pompoms or, for bombardier officers a gold plated mitre
- gilded buttons
- gold edged collar and lateral pockets
- yellow gloves.
- from 1759
- gold edged lapels
- gold edged white waistcoat
- no turnbacks
Officers also carried a sword suspended to a red leather belt.
Staff officers wore a black and gold sash.
Drummers wore the same uniform as the troopers with swallow nests on shoulders and braids on cuffs, pockets and collar.
Drums were made in copper, the coat of arms of Russia engraved in the front, bordered in red and black, red and white cords.
N.B.: During summer campaigns, the red (more probably orange) coat was not worn, being left with the baggage.
Großer Generalstab, Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II (Publisher). Die Kriege Friedrichs des Großen. Dritter Teil: Der Siebenjährige Krieg 1756–1763. vol. IV Gross-Jägerndorf und Breslau, Berlin 1902, Anlagen 1, Das Kaiserlich Russische Heer, pp. 7, 12