Armies Battles and Sieges Colours and Standards
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 




 



  
 

 
 
 
 

 
   
 
 

 

Örjan Martinsson

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. In addition, the cuirassiers also had a buff coat, which they wore in battle. Each regiment had a distinctive colour on their facings which meant that there were many different shades of every colour in the Saxon army.

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.

Right (East) Wing
(Deployed in two lines and every regiment had half its squadrons in each line)

 


Leibregiment Dragoons
(6 squadrons)
 


Goltz Dragoon Regiment
(6 squadrons)

Leibgarde zu Pferd

(Horse Guards)

(4 squadrons)

Leibregiment
zu Pferd
(6 squadrons)

Kurprinz'
Cuirassier Regiment
(6 squadrons)

Eichstädt's Cuirassier Regiment
(6 squadrons)
 

Centre
(Beside these regiments there may have been two battalions led by Mannig and Seilitz respectively.
They were probably temporary battalions consisting of the other regiments' grenadiers)

 
First Line
 
Second Line
 

Saxon or Polish Guard
(2 battalions)
 

Kurprinz' Regiment
(2 battalions)

Beichlingen's Regiment
(2 battalions)

Königin's Regiment
(Queen's Regiment)
(2 battalions)

Saxon or Polish Guard
(2 battalions)

Steinau's Regiment
(2 battalions)

Görtz' Regiment
(2 battalions)

Pistoris' Regiment
(2 battalions)

Left (North) Wing
(Deployed in two lines and every regiment had half its squadrons in each line)
 
 
Steinau's
Cuirassier Regiment
(6 squadrons)
 

Jordan's
Cuirassier Regiment
(6 squadrons)

Königin's
(Queen's) Cuirassier Regiment
(6 squadrons)

Leibgarde zu Pferd
(Horse Guards)
(4 squadrons)

Milkau's Dragoon Regiment
(6 squadrons)

Kurprinz' Dragoon Regiment
(6 squadrons)
 

Artillery Regiment



22 twelve pounder and 24 three pounder cannons
 

Shortly after the battle began the 16,000 men strong Saxon army was reinforced by a 8,000 men strong Polish cavalry force, but unfortunately I do not know their uniforms.

Swedish uniforms in the Battle of Kliszow.