Hessian Infantry Uniforms

The Hessian infantry wore dark blue coats with shoulder straps/lapels/collar/cuffs in facing colors. Garrison and Land battalions were without lapels. Turnbacks are red regardless of the facing color of the regiment. Hat and button lace ("Brandenbourgs") were white for the ranks and metallic gold or silver for officers and NCO's. Most regiments wore two stripes of lace just above the cuffs (which were Prussian style).

Most officers wore two stripes of metallic lace just below each lapel. Vests and pants were either white or buff. Red neck stocks were worn until 1760, then changed to black. All guard units wore a white aiguilette (silver for NCO/officers) on the right shoulder. The enlisted men could wear moustaches. Tricorne hats with pom-poms and black cockades; field gaiters of black; scabbards and cartidge boxes were black with a brass box plate; were part of the equipment worn by the men. All swords had brass hilts. Cross belts were white. Canteens were steel-colored and musket slings were made of red-brown leather

Officers: wore silver sashes peculiar to Hesse, with small red striping interwoven. Sashes were worn Prussian-style. Gorgets (gold/silver) were worn with the Hesse crest. White neck stocks until l760, then changed to black. Aiguilettes (gold/silver) were worn on the right shoulder. Coats were worn without turnbacks. Spontoons were sometimes carried. Hats were trimmed in regimental lace (gold or silver). No mustaches.

Drummers: Same lace, chevrons and swallows nest as in the Prussian army. The drums were covered in brass with the Hesse "Lion Rampant." White tighteners with diagonal striping on the rims. Drum striping on all Guard units was yellow/red. It was Red/White for the regiments of Prinz Karl, Lieb/Wutginau, and Anhalt; Red/White/Blue for regiment Mansback; Black/Buff for Gilsa; Buff/Light Blue for Isenberg; White/Blue/Orange for Toll; BlueNellow for Erb Prinz, later changed to to Rose/White in 1761. My guess for the Land/garrison regiments would be white facings with white/black for Gundlach; white/green or light blue/green for the Frei-battalion.

Grenadiers: metal fronted plates on the miter caps with colored cloth skull trimmed in white except for the 1st Guard Battalion (silver), Mansbach (red) and Isenberg (yellow). The miter front plate usually depicted the Hesse "Lion Rampant" crest with the cypher below. Grenadier pom-pons were the same as the parent regiment. The back base of the miter was also metal, unlike those of Prussia. Grenadier officers wore bicornes/tricornes. Note that the entire standing Guard'Grenadier regiment wore miters as did the Land Grenadier regiment. The Toll and Gilsa regiments turned "Fuzileer" in 1760, wearing short brass miters with black and buff skulls, respectively.

The Erb Prinz Friedrich regiment became the Lieb Regiment in 1760 and facing/turnback color was changed to "Rose" in 1761. In 1760 the original regiment known as "Lieb" changed its name to "Wutginau".

Frei-Battalion von Gerlach (1760): as with the Prussian frei-battalions, wore light blue coats with no lapels. Green pants,vest, cuffs, pom-pom turnbacks and shoulder straps. Officers wore sash and gorget in silver.

Jagers: Dark green coat, pants and vest. Black tricorne with greenplume, but no trim. Red facings, turnbacks, collar and cuffs. Brown belts with black belly box. Rifle or carbine with red leather strap and short hunting sword. Brass hilt and black scabbard. Black gaiters. Brass buttons. Officers with no gorget or sash.

Mounted Jagers: Same as foot jagers except for buff pants and black boots. Dark green saddle cloth with white (?) trim. Armed with rifles and sabers.

Hessian Cavalry Uniforms

Hussars: Wore light blue dolman and pelisse with black boots. Collars and cuffs were red. Black mirliton or brown fur busby with red bag, both with a white over red plume. Pants were light blue with buff "shorts". White cross belts with black cartidge box. Yellow lace on the jacket with white fur trim and brass buttons. The sash was red with yellow barrels. Brass sword Wits with steel scabbards. Sabertache was light blue edged in yellow with a cypher. Officers with gold lace. Trumpeters wore the same uniform as the men. The shabraque was pointed and van-dyked in the Hungarian style in light blue with red zigzag and yellow edge. Trumpeters usually rode grey or white horses.

Dragoons: Standard Prussian style with light blue jacket with red trim for the Lieb regiment and yellow for the Prinz Freidrich regiment. Button colors were gold for the Lieb and silver for the Prinz Freidrich regiments. Buff pants and vest; brass sword hilts and brown scabbards;hats had black cockades with no (pom-pons) hat lace in the field except for officers. White cross belts with black cartridge boxes. White aiguillettes for Prinz Freidrich and yellow for Lieb. Horses were black or dark brown. Drummers were uniformed in reverse colors with infantry chevrons/swallows nests and rode white or grey horses. Drum in brass with red/white (Lieb) and yellow/white (Prinz'Freidrich) rim striping. Officers with Hesse sash and brass gorget. The shabraque was squared off in facing color with double yellow or white trim with no cypher.

Reiter (1756-1759): White tunics faced/turned back/cuffs/collar in regimental color. Buff pants and vestedged in thin facing color lines. Facing color aiguilette on right shoulder. Hats with black cockades and no (pom-pons) hat lace worn in the field except officers. White crossbelts with black boxes and scabbards. Sabertache in facing color (Gen d'armes light blue) edged in button color with cypher. Black horses except trumpeters (grey/white). Trumpeters wore reversed colors except Gen d'arms wore white edged red with swallows nests (see Prussian CR No. 2 trumpeter for example). Bugle cord mixed white/facing color. Officers with gorget and Hesse sash.

Militz/Einsiedel: green facings, brass buttons, yellow saddle trim.

Lieb/Gen d'arms: red facings, brass buttons, yellow saddle trim.

Pruschenk/Wolf. light blue facings, silver buttons, white trim.

Pr. Wilhem Erbprinz: dark blue, brass buttons, yellow saddle trim.

Cuirassiers (1760+): Standard Prussian style with light buff tunic and facing color sash/cuffs and collars. Cuffs edged in button color (yellow or white). Black metal cuirass and white carbine strap, both edged in facing color. Light buff pants and vest with buff turnbacks edged in facing color. Officers: Hesse sash and silver/gold hat lace, jacket edging and shabraque lines but no gorget. The shabraque for both Reiter and Cuirassiers was facing color with rounded corners with a broad trim line (officers-gold/silver). Hesse lion on blue shield with gold crown and leaves in each rear corner.

Hessian Artillery Uniforms

Prussian style dark blue jacket with white vest/pants and black gaiters. Crimson cuffs, lapels, turnbacks and pom-pons. Tricorne was black with white trim. Pants and vests were either dark blue or buff. Some bombardiers and NCO's wore a brass miter cap. Brass buttons and sword hilts; white cross belts with black scabbards and boxes; all carry swords. Officers wore brass gorget and hat lace with sash. Drummers as per the infantry. What drivers there were wore off-white jackets trimmed in blue with orange-red hat trim.

Hessian Army of the 7 Years War

Organization
Uniforms
Flags