Since 1736 and prior to the War of Austrian Succession, the Dutch, or States-army, had a peace-time establishment of 40,000 men. However with the threat of a war so near, 4 augmentations of the army took place between 1739 and 1745. The first one took place in 1740 and totalled 11,518 men. The second was in March 1741, involving about 10,000 men. In both cases existing regiments were gradually brought at war-strength and to the Swiss and Scots regiments extra companies were added. By the end of 1741 the army totalled 65,000 men.

In 1742 the 3rd augmentation of about 20,000 men, included the raising of 2 battalions in Germany, forming the regiment of The Prince of Waldeck and the addition of 2 companies to each of the 3 Scottish regiments, known as the Scots Brigade.

With the fourth augmentation in 1744 the size of the army was increased by nearly 12,000 men. 4 National and 3 German battalions were raised; of the latter, one was the 3rd battalion of the Waldeck regiment and the other 2 formed the Saksen-Gotha regiment. To the Swiss regiments were added 24 companies totalling 4.800 men and to the Scots brigade 24 companies or 2.160 men. In addition one 1.200 strong regiment of hussars (taken over from Bavarian service) was added and the artillery was strengthened with 392 men as well as 64 mineurs. Mind however, that all numbers mentioned above refer to paper-strength, actual/effective numbers mostly being considerably lower. The augmentations were primarely commissions to raise new companies, battalions or regiments. The recruitment however often met with great difficulties and often legged behind.

Since the Peace of Utrecht in 1715 the Scots Brigade consisted of 3 regiments of 1 battalion each. In March 1742 each battalion was augmented with 2 companies and all companies were brought at a war-strength. The augmentation with a further 8 companies each was formalized by a commission of February 10th, 1745, bringing all 3 regiments officially to 2 battalions. It would last for over a year however before the recruitment was more or less completed and the ranks reasonably filled. Recruiting met with many difficulties due to the instable internal situation in England and Scotland. The Brigade didn't have an effective part in the battle of Fontenoy, although one battalion of the Brigade was present with the garrison of the nearby besieged Tournai. The others fullfilled garrison-duties too, mainly in the barrier-towns.

In 1745 the Swiss had 4 regiments in Dutch pay, one of them (Hirzel) being sent to England in 1745 in relation with the Jacobite rising.

Together with the Walloon and German regiments, the Scots Brigade and the Swiss regiments formed the foreign regiments within the States-army. They were treated as States-troops and also payed alike. I have found no evidence for foreign cavalry regiments being included in the States Army, except for the German dragoon regt. Saxen-Gotha, which is often referred to in Austrian sources.

At the beginning of the W.A.S., unlike during the War of Spanish Succession, the States-Army couldn't dispose of so-called subsidytroops from the (minor) Germans states. Most of the latter were involved themselves in the conflicts raging throughout Europe or anxious to preserve their neutrality. Soon after Fontenoy, though, several German principalities were willing to hire troops to the Dutch Republic.

Prior to Fontenoy in 1745 the States Army had a total paperstrength of some 95,000 men. The regiments were all named after their owner/colonel. In brackets (..) I have shown the new name as it has changed between Fontenoy and the end of the W.A.S. in October 1748. It's composition was as follows:

Cavalry

Consisted of 17 " heavy " cavalry regiments (2 guard and 15 line regiments) and 4 " dragoon " (1 guard and 3 line regts.) for a total of 21 cavalry regiments.

The heavy cavalry regiments consisted of the following

Gardes to Paard, Gardes du Corps, Hagen, Sandouville (1745: Birkenfeld), Buys, Hessen-Philipsthall, Schack, Schagen, Nassau-la- Leck, Rechteren-Zeeland, Oranje-Friesland, Karabiniers Hoeufft van Oyen, Lijnden (1747: Van Eck), Reede van Ginkel (1747: Cannenburg), Rechteren-Overijssel, Hop, and Hessen-Homburg (1746: Lintelo).

The dragoon regiments consisted of the Garde Dragonders, Massau, Schlippenbach and Mattha (1748: Trips/Bylandt).

Infantry

53 National regiments; (1 guard and 52 line) I battalion per regiment or 53 battalions in total; one Walloon regiment of one battalion; two German regiments consisting of five battalions in total; three Scottish regiments (2 btns each) or a total of six battalions ; and four Swiss regiments (2 btns each)or a total of eight battalions. This gave the States Army an establishment of 63 infantry regiments comprising 74 battalions. In addition there were 2 Guard companies for the Provinces of Friesland and Groningen.

National regiments.consisted of the following:

Garde to voet (1748: Hollandsche Gardes, Oranje-Gelderland, Broekhuysen, Oranje-Friesland (2 btns), Oranje-Stad en Lande, Oranje-Drenthe, Aylva, Glinstra, Lewe van Aduard, Veldtman, Evertsen, Smissaert Sr. (1747: Du Verge), Van Rijssel (1745: Hoolwerf), Tissot van Patot (1748: Envie), Deutz, Villattes, Grotenray, Holstein-Gottorp,Brake1,Randwijck,KinschotSr, Kinschot Jr., Dibbets (1746: RiviBre), Outshoorn, Praetorius, Eck van Panthaleon, Rechteren, Ysemburg, Soute, Swancke (1745: Canisius), De Brauw, Swaenenburg, De la Rocque (1748: Flodorff), De Guy, Van Dorth (1747: Maleprade), Lindtman, Buddenbroek (1745: Raders), Tertre (1746: Thierry),Schwartzenberg (1747: Baden-Durlach), Burmania, Leyden, Crommelin, Cronstrbm, Leiningen, Bedarides (1745: Le Croy6), Bronkhorst (1748: Becker), Schaumburg-Lippe (1748: Acronius), Elias, Gadelierre, Van der Leithen (1745: Heukelom), Mulert (1748: Van den Clooster), Bentinck (1745: Voorst),and Stolberg.

The " foreign " infantry regiments consisted of Walloons, Germans, Swiss and Scots as follows:

Walloon rgts. : Smissaert Jr.; German regiments: Waldeck (3 btns), Saksen-Gotha (2 btns); Swiss regiments: Hirzel, Sturler, Salis (1745: Planta), Constant-Rebecque; each 2-3 battalions; and the Scots Brigade: Mackay (1745; Marjoribanks), Villegas (1746: Stuart), Colyear (1748: Halkett) - 2 battalions each.

Artillery

Comprised of 8 companies. There wasn't yet any distinction between field and fortress-artillery. Miners ; I company miners, devided in 3 detachments totalling 36 men all ranks. In 1744 the 3 detachments were reinforced with 64 men to 100. Sappers weren't seperately organized yet. Engineers; 1 korps engineers.Pontonneers; I company pontonneers.

The States Army War of Austrian Succession

1739-1745: Fontenoy
1745-1748
Organization