The overall quality of the troops was rather poor. Since the peace of 1715, a common thought had been, that it was sufficient to keep the frontier or barrier-towns and fortresses well garrisoned. In time of danger the States were rich enough to hire troops from neighbours and allies. This in combination with a bad organisation lead to severely undermanned regiments and a detoriation of the overall quality of the army. The staff was too old or too inexperienced to be able to lead the army in the field. Several generals dated from the War of Spanish Succession or were appointed shortly after, with further hostilities holding off for 25 years.

The effectiviness of the army was an important matter of discussion. A closer look at the army at the beginning of the war speaks for itself. We see that out of the 40,000 men on paper, only 30,000 were available. They were commanded by no less then 12 full general (6 of whom were German Princes), 19 Lieutenant-generals, 30 majorgenerals and 20 brigadiers. Of those 81 generals 22 belonged to the cavalry and 10 were aged over 80, with several more not far behind.

In May 1747, many new appointments were made due to promotions and reorganisation. So several names appear 2 or even 3 times (with successive ranks) during the war. The rank of Brigadier or brigade-general disappeared in 1747. This rank was bound up in the rank of general-major, who on their turn were promoted then to lieutenant-general.

Up to 1747 there was no seperate rank of general for the artillery; it was combined with an infantry-general rank. For those interested I can present a listed of all names and ranks of the generals who served between 1745 and 1748.

General comamnder of the States army was the Captain-General. This rank was preserved for the Stadtholder. First in May 1747, when Willem IV was inaugurated as new Stadtholder, this office was held again. In the meantime Waldeck, Imperial Field-Marshall since 1746, had been appointed temporary head of the army.

Regimental Organisation

Infantry

The national infantry regiments were all organized along the same lines: 1 battalion with 10 companies. The only exception to the rule was the Regiment Oranje-Friesland, which had 2 battalions ever since 1690. On a pay-list of 1747 it appears with 2 battalions, each of 12 companies, while other regiments throughout the war appear on pay-lists with a number of companies varying between 8 and 12, most counting between 10 and 12. 

There weren't yet seperate grenadier companies attached to a regiment or battalion. Each company included a number of grenadiers, varying between 6 and 10. In 1749, a resolution was issued by which grenadiers were formed into seperate companies. I haven't been able to determine whether the grenadiers were organized into converged grenadier companies/battalions prior to a battle or campaign, as was customary in several other countries. However since most countries which followed British or Prussian military organisation did so, it's unlikely that the States Army would have deviated from this practice. There seems to have existed some real grenadier battalions. Information on this however isn't quite clear. These were the Walloon regiment of Lillers and the 2nd battalion of the regiment Oranje-Friesland. The regiment Van Rijssel, a marine-regiment from origin, is also often referred to as being a grenadier regiment. The regimental history speaks of all men being grenadiers in 1740.

Between 1739 and 1742 the regiments were gradually brought to war-strength, which was approxemately 90 men per line company,including 3 officers, 2 NCO's and 2 drummers. Companies of the Gardes numbered 120 men all ranks. Since these were only theoretical strengths, actual field-strength mostly was (much) lower. Sypesteyn, a recognized military historian in The Netherlands refers to a theoretical strength of 70 men per company or 700 men per battalion. Probably this refers to the authorized field-strength, the remaining numbers being destined for garrison and depot duties. He also mentions field-strengths of about 500 men. Numbers I found in accounts are very different. Time of the year and the general war-situation probably being some of the causes. At Fontenoy in May 1745 the Dutch battalions averaged some 650 men (according to Skrine). At Brussels in Jan. 1746 the average was about 500. This lower number might be caused by losses during the previous campaigns and new recruits not having yet arrived before the start of the new campaign-season. Accounts of Bergen-op-Zoom refer to strengths of 500. At Maastricht in April 1748 the average is 450. The average regimental strength at Rocour and Laffelt I don't even dare to guess, lacking a complete and detailed O.O.B..

Scottish and Walloon battalions had the same organisation and strength as the National regiments. At Bergen-op-Zoom in 1747 the Scots battalions present averaged between 650 and 750 men.

Swiss regiments/battalions had a different organisation. Some secondary sources refer to Swiss regiments initially having 2 or even 3 battalions, each 3 companies. Each company counted 200 men all ranks, including 5 officers, 8 NCO's and 5 musicians. In 1741 a 4th company was added to each battalion. In the Dutch regimental histories they are first mentioned with 2 battalions in 1749. So I'm not sure if the 4,800 men raised in 1744/1745 were meant to add new companies to the existing batallions, or that a 2nd or perhaps a 3rd battalion was tem-porarely raised for each regiment. Austrian sources refer to 3 battalion strong regiments from 1742 onwards, each regiment totalling 12 companies.

So the augmentation of 4,800 men in 1744 may have resulted in adding 100 men to each existing company of the 4 Swiss regiments, thus bringing them up to warstrength. Albach even refers to one regiment serving with up to 2,800 men in 1748. Hirzel states that all Swiss line regiments numbered 2.400 men all ranks in 1748 (by the end of the W.A.S.). The Swiss Guards, raised in 1748, initially numbered 8 companies of 150 men all ranks; 3 fusilier companies and I grenadier company. So if the regiments during the W.A.S. also comprised a grenadier company, I don't know. Perhaps Swiss sources can tell me more about the organisation of Swiss regiments. I'll keep searching.

Cavalry Organization

With the cavalry the information is less clear. Following a resolution of the States-general of 1716 according to which all (heavy) cavalry-regiments were to end up in 4 squadron strong regiments of 2 companies each, several regiments had been amalgamated after the death of their colonel. There weren't however many regiments which actually counted 4 squadrons during the W.A.S.. Also after the W.A.S. several regiments were amalgamated, without new ones being raised. So there must have been several regiments with less then 4 squadrons. From the regimental histories by Ringoir I can only trace 2 regiments counting 4 squadrons between 1745 and 1748: Buys and Rechteren-Overijssel. Several orders of battle of the war might indicate that between 1 and 3 squadrons of each regiment actually took the field.

There may have been several reasons for this. Despite efforts of bringing all regiments to war-strength, many cavalry regiments may have lacked horses. So prior to a campaign all available men and horses were amalgamated into full-strength field-squadrons, the remainder being kept in depot. Also it was practice in those days to keep deceased men on the regimental pay-list to ensure payment by the States.

Theoretical war-strength of a cavalry-company was 79 men, including 4 officers, 2 NCO's and 2 trumpeters. Companies of the Gardes had 89 men all ranks. Again Sypesteyn refers to different numbers here. He mentions a theoretical regimental strength of 6 squadrons of 130 men and a field-strength of 100 horsemen. At Fontenoy average squadron strength was (according to Skrine) 150 men all ranks. At Bergen-op-Zoom numbers vary between 100 and 150.

The dragoon regiments had a different organisation, probably along the lines of the infantry, regarding their origin. They were organised in 5 squadron strong regiments of 2 companies each. From Ringoir's regimental histories I can only trace the Gardes Dragonders having 5 squadrons between 1745 and 1748. However another temporary source also refers to the regiments Schlippenbach and D'Olne as having 5 squadrons each. I don't know if the cavalry/dragoon regiments included carabiniers/horse-grenadiers. Any of the accounts of the war-actions I read refers to such practice. War-strength for a dragoon-company was 75 men all ranks, including 3 officers, 2 NCO's and 2 drummers.

The Frangipani hussar regiment was organized in 8 companies each 60 strong.

The States Army War of Austrian Succession

1739-1745: Fontenoy
1745-1748
Organization