Frederick the Great inherited the finest infantry establishment in Europe when he ascended the Prussian throne in 1740, but the cavalry branch of his army was nowhere near the quality of his infantry. This truth was born out at the Battle of Mollwitz, where the Prussian cavalry proved incapable of standing up to its Austrian counterpart. One regiment in particular was roughly treated at Mollwitz, Cuirassier Regiment Number 11, the Leib Carabiniers. The following regimental history consists of excerpts from The Cavalry Regiments of Frederick the Great 1756 - 1763 by Dorn and Engelmann. This excellent book, as well as its companion work The Infantry Regiments of Frederick the Great 1756 - 1763 are now available in English, courtesy of Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1469 Morstein Road, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380, USA.

The regiment traces it origins back to March 4, 1691 when a Colonel von Brandt was given a collection of dragoon companies from DR1 of Ansbach and DR2 of Sonsfeld for service in Hungary with the Imperial Army (of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor). The new regiment took part in the unsuccessful storming of Turkish-held Belgrade and was later recalled to Brandenburg in 1696. The regiment was increased to six companies at the beginning of the Great Northern War in 1700 and saw some service with Marlborough on the Mosel in 1705. Thereafter, it transferred back and forth from East Prussia to Western Germany, depending on the location of the greatest military threat: the Swedes or the French. In 1717 it received the title "Regiment on Horseback" and was reorganized into five squadrons of 120 men each. They became known as the Bodyguard Carabinier Regiment in 1738, but this afforded them no special rank or distinction from the rest of the Prussian cavalry.

CR12's recruiting area covered the districts of Jerichow, Zauche, and Havelland in the Mark Brandenburg and its principal garrison was in Rathenow. Its distinctive colors were sky-blue and white on its shabraque, pistol housings, cuffs and collars, and waistcoat. The regiment wore an off-white or straw colored tunic and breeches. The troopers' cuirass was painted black with sky-blue around the edges; officers' trim would be in gold. The tricorne hats were unadorned, save for the end bobs which were red with white centers.

The rest of the text consists of excerpts from the Dorn and Engelmann book

In 1740 (the regiment) marched into Silesia with the First Corps under Duke Friedrich Wilhelm von Holstein-Beck; they had been mobilized as of November 25 and were to enclose Glogau. Glogau fell in a night attack on March 9, 1741, freeing the troops. On April 8 it crossed the Neisse with the King at Lowen-Michelau and went into battle at Mollwitz two days later. With Grenadier Battalion 5/21 in the center, it was on the right wing, where it took a direct hit from the Austrian attack and lost 135 men. Though it captured a standard, it was drawn into flight by its neighbors. The cavalry, as the King said, was "down so low that it believed I was delivering it to the slaughterhouse if I sent only a single detachment of it out".

In months of time in camp it quietly practiced closeness and attack speed. The regiment's 300 men were involved in the siege of Olmutz by Schwerin on December 27, 1741. In February of 1742 it made an advance to Znaim with the King, and from May on it secured Upper Silesia. In 1744 it went to Bohemia with the King and experienced the failure of the campaign around Prague and the privations of the march back. At Hohenfriedberg it fought on the right cavalry flank under Buddenbrock, came through the very fluctuating cavalry battle successfully, and then dispatched the Saxon Grenadier Corps, losing 57 men. Its Chief, Bredow, and two officers received the Pour-le-merite. At the end of August it passed through Sagan under Gessler and reached the Dessauer's camp at Dieskau, near Halle, on October 6. On December 15, after being reinforced, he ventured to do battle. On the outside of the right flank, it made a flank attack on Kesselsdorf and took the enemy's key point.

At Lobositz on October 1, 1756 it rode in the second attack of the right wing. The commander gained a Pour-le-merite. As of May 2, 1757 it enclosed the small side of Prague under Keith and cut off the enemy's retreat. In the Pennavaire Division at Kolin, it attacked the Starhemberg Division west of Brzistwi with 782 horses and was driven from the heights by overwhelming counterattacks, losing it Commander, Colonel von Schwerin. At the end of August it went to Silesia with Bevern, experiencing defeat at Breslau on November 22 that its vigorous attacks under the mortally wounded General von Pennavaire could not stave off. At Leuthen it led the flank attack of Driesen's left wing between Leuthen and Frobelwitz. In 1758 it took part in the siege of Olmutz.

Attacked at Wischau, it defended itself bravely, and Colonel von Vasold received the Pour-le-merite. On August 11 the King marched to Frankfurt-on-the-Oder. At Zorndorf it was on the right flank under Schorlemmer with Seydlitz, beating back Demiku's major attack and helping the infantry move forward. All the staff officers were given the Pour-le-merite. At Hochkirch on October 14 it bitterly attacked O'Donnell's left wing and captured three standards. In 1759 it stayed in camp at Schmottseiffen until September 5, when it marched to Saxony under Prince Heinrich. Five companies under Colonel von Arnstedt were largely taken prisoner in an attack by General Luszinsky at Zeitz on February 17, 1760.

Back in Silesia after the attack on Dresden had failed, it was on Zieten's inner right wing at Leignitz but did not come into battle. On October 7 it set out via Berlin to Torgau, where it fought in Zeiten's Corps in the evening and pulled out a victory with the last decisive counterattack at night. On February 15, 1761 it fought in Syburg's Corps under Colonel von Lolhoffel and captured two Saxon battalions and six grenadier companies at Langensalza. In the Saxon Corps, it then had to defend itself against greatly superior forces along the Mulde. In 1762, after the successful breakthrough across the Mulde on May 12, it again experienced nothing but small engagements until at Freiberg on October 29 the situation in Saxony was resolved. With a hundred men under the later Lieutenant General von Backhof in the Alt-Stutterheim Brigade, it took part in the attack on the Spittelwald.

In 1763 it consisted of 769 Prussians, 27 Saxons and 75 foreigners.

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