I have not found the exact date when the Hussars received their first uniform regulation. I believe it was about 1741-42 and dated from first years of the reign of Empress Elizabeth. Nevertheless, Viskovatov in "Historical description..." (Vol. 3, p. 56) gives a detailed description of their uniform and equipment. The Russian Hussars received a uniform like the Austrian one.

Field Hussar Regiments

Uniform

Pelisse: short cloth jacket without collar. Decorated with cords and closed sewed buttons. Trimmed with black fur. Pelisse was usually worn over the left shoulder. It was worn as a jacket only in inclement weather. Dolman: cloth jacket with small stand-up collar. Also decorated with cords and buttons. The Dolman was bordered with lace of the same color with cords. Usually it was belted with Kushak. Kushak: a wide barrel sash. It had two parts: the base barrel sash and some vertical barrels. They were of different colors. As a rule, vertical parts were the same color with cords and lace. Chashkirry: tight, cloth breeches decorated with cords. Epancha: a kind of cloak used in the Russian army. It reached to mid-calf. The Epancha was worn in cold and inclement weather. Black cloth cravat. Tsipely: short leather boots, as a rule black in color. All buttons on the dress were copper. Shako. Different regiments had different types of shako:

Serbian, Hungarian, Georgian and Moldavian had the same pattern of shako. It was a fur headdress decorated with cords, with the top of the regimental color.

Regiment	The Top of Headdress
Serbian	light blue
Hungarian	red
Georgian	red
Moldavian	red

Slobodian and Yellow Hussars had a kind of a cap with folding fan. All shakos were of one collar; white for Slobodian regiments and yellow for Yellow.

Individual colors for Hussar regiments are given in Table 1.

Equipment

Broadsword or saber: worn in leather sheath with metal fittings. The sheath was carried on a special belt, called a Pasak. It was hidden under the Kushak. Sabretache: leather with a cloth cover. It was suspended from 3 straps on the left side, and dangled about the knee. It was decorated with a monogram and bordered with lace of the same color as the monogram. A short Fusil or Carbine with bayonet. Baldric was worn over the left shoulder and Cartridge- box over right shoulder. All cross belts were made of black leather. Mounted Hussars also had a pair of pistols carried in the saddle holsters.

Non-commissioned officers (corporals, quartermasters, and vakhmeisters) had the same uniform and armament as the other ranks but wool lace changed to gold. All non-commission officers had one braid on the border of the collar. Quartermasters also had one braid on sleeves and vakhmeister (senior corporal in Pandour units) - two. Corporals did not have any special distinctions, except the braid on the collar. Hussar non-commissioned officers were armed with a saber and a pair of pistols. Their equipment consisted of a sabretache and pistol housing.

Hussar officers wore the same uniform as other ranks but better decorated. All cords and lace were gold in spite of the regimental color. Tsipely were yellow. They were armed with a saber and a pair of pistols. Hussars did not powder and plait their hair. Usually they grew it in long curls and wore long hanging moustaches. Slobod Hussars, formed from ex- Cossacks, were an exception. They shaved their heads, except for one long lock in the center, like other Cossacks.

Each regiment had 1 kettle-drummer and 10 trumpeters, one for each company. They changed from other Hussars by small wings on shoulders and braids of different colors. Unfortunately, these decorations were not regulated punctually and images of Hussars musicians weren't preserved. All musical instruments were made from copper in regular cavalry pattern and decorated with lace and cords of the regimental color.

Settlement Pandours

Units described above were enlisted field units. The main bulk of the Pandours in Russian service were settlement troops. The New Serbia military establishment included 2 Hussar and 2 Pandour regiments (later one garrison battalion was added) and Slavian Serbia, only 2 Hussar regiments.

Their uniform was not regulated punctually. They did not belong to the regular army and information about them is desultory. They were regulated and managed by local officials, and I haven't found any information about them in the open state archives (most of the archives in Russia are still closed for readers). Viscovatov in "Historical description..." (Vol. 3, p. 60) gave a little information about the Settlement Hussars but described foot Pandours in detail.

According to Viscovatov, the New Serbian Hussars had the same uniform as the Moldavian Field Hussar regiment. As to the Slavian Serbian troops he wrote that their uniform was not regulated during the reign of Empress Elizabeth. In the later descriptions of the Russian uniforms their description was omitted.

Pandour Infantry Uniform

Russian Pandour infantry had a uniform and armament like the Austrian Grenz infantry. They were organized in two settlement regiments and one garrison battalion. These units had different colors of uniform and I will describe them separately.

Settlement Pandour Regiments

Private of Musketeer Company

Uniform

Gunetz: long, black coat with red cuffs, lace and cords. Brusluk: green jacket (vest), with red lace and cords. Chashikirry: tight, red breeches. Kushak: a wide, red barrel sash. Tsipely: black boots, yellow for parade. Shako: black, in Hussar style, but higher and tighter, without cords. It was decorated in front with copper plate bearing the Russian Arms. Epancha: a red cloak.

Armament

Saber: short carried in a black leather sheath. The hilt was copper. Pasak: black leather sword-belt with copper fittings. Fusil: infantry pattern, without bayonet. Cartridge-box.

Grenadiers had the same armament and uniform as the musketeers but carried a grenade-box instead of a cartridge-box. A small cartridge box was worn on the waist belt. In addition they had a large plate on the headgear with a monogram of the Empress and a prospect of New Serbia.

Non-commissioned officers had the same uniform and armament as the other ranks but with tight gold braid on the cuffs. Quartermasters had one braid, vakhmeister (senior corporal in Pandour units) - two. Corporals did not have any distinctions.

Officers wore another kind of coat, called a Kaput. It was green, with red cuffs. Brusluk and Chashkirry were red. Cords and lace were gold. Tsipely (boots) were yellow. Officers were armed with saber and a pair of pistols. Drummers and fifers had the same uniform as the other ranks, but with small wings on the shoulders.

Novomirgorod Garrison Battalion

It consisted of 1 Grenadier and 3 Musketeer companies. They had the same uniform and armament as the other Pandour infantry. Soldiers and non- commissioned officers had the following colors: Gunetz - light blue, with red cuffs, lace and cords; Brusluk and Chashkirry - red, with light blue cords and lace; Kushak - light blue; Epancha - red. Officers: Kaput - light blue with red cuffs; Brusluk and Chashkirry - red; Kushak - black with gold; all cords and lace were gold.

Hussar uniform of 1763 pattern

By pattern of May 10, 1763 Hussar uniform consisted of the following details:

Pelisse, Dolman, Chashkirry, Tsipely, black cravat, Epancha - all as the previous pattern. All regiments received a unified pattern of shako. It was a black cone decorated with cords and lace. Also yellow gloves were added. Individual colors for Hussars regiments are given in Table 2.

Hussar armament included: Saber with sword knot of the regimental color, sword belt of the black leather, sabretache, waist-belt, carbine without bayonet, cartridge-box, a pair of pistols.

On the whole, Hussars uniforms and armament did not change. All changes led to unification of the uniform details and decrease of the maintenance costs.

Hussar Uniform of the 1776 Pattern

On December 24, 1776 the Hussar regiments were again re-formed and received new uniform colors. It was adopted for all field and settlement Hussar regiments. The style of uniform and ammunition stayed the same as previously. For the purpose of decreasing the cost of maintaining the Hussars, they received some identical uniform elements.

Common elements: Pelisse - black, with gold cords; Epancha - white; Shako, Sabretache and Saddlecloth - black, with gold cords, lace and laying- out. Metal - cooper.

Table 3. Individual Colors of Hussar Regiments (1776 Pattern)
Regiment	Dolman and Chashkirry	Cuffs of Dolman	Cords
Serbian	black	blue	yellow
Illirian	crimson	blue	yellow
Dalmatian	orange	green	black
Macedonian	yellow	red	black
Moldavian and Wallachian	brown	red	yellow
Bulgarian	brown	white	yellow
Slavian	green	black	yellow
Hungarian	black	white	yellow

This uniform remained in the Hussar regiments till 1783, when they were converted to light horse.

Bibliography

1. Viscovatov. Historical description of the Imperial Russian army uniform. Vol. 2-5, S. Petersburg, 1899
2. Manstein C. Notes about Russia 1727-41 by GM Christofor-Herman v. Manstein. Moscow, 1997.
3. Rumiantsev P.A. The collection of the documents. Vol. 2, Moscow, 1953.
4. Potrashkov S. Kharkov's regiments: three centuries of battle history. Kharkov, 1998.
5. Golovinskiy P. Slobodian Cossack regiments. S. Petersburg, 1864.

More Russian Pandours

Introduction: The First Pandours in Russian service (1707-41)
Pandour Hussars (1741-61)
Regular Hussars (1763-83)
Uniform of the Padours 1741-1763

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