Part 1 [AoN 11]

Originally raised as irregular militia formations, whose main duties included small actions, raids and acting as a thin screen, the Grenz troops were first used in the field during the Seven Years War. In their ideal role as a skirmishing screen around the main bodies of infantry, they inflicted heavy casualties on the formally drilled Prussians with these innovative tactics.

Jumbo Map of Jugoslavian Area (slow: 154K)

Frederick the Great, who had already had his tent and treasure-chest plundered by the Grenzers, commented that in the open, they were not a real problem, but - and those supporting armed intervention in the current troubles should take heed - he said, "it is a different matter in the woods and mountains. In that kind of terrain, the Grenzers throw themselves to the ground and hide behind the rocks and trees. This means that you cannot see where they are firing from and you have no means of returning the casualties they inflict on you. [14]

The example was not lost on other European countries, who quickly copied it. The idea that the use of skirmishers against formed troops was a Revolutionary French invention is one of the many myths of the Napoleonic period.

Their natural capabilities and ruggedness lent themselves to advance guards duties, including scouting, infiltrating enemy lines to attack communications and launch raids, undertaking line troops' tasks in broken country and small settlements. Since the hardest drill for a soldier was close-order fighting, the Grenzer were usually deployed in open order, even in large concentrations of troops.

Later, the regiments were put on a more regular footing and taken into the line, with regimental numbers following the regulars, although they continued to be designated as 'light troops'. As a result, conflict grew within the military establishment as to whether to retain them in a form of militia or to formalise their training, with the consequent increase in time away from their homesteads required to learn the drill.

As Europe increased its light troops, the Austrians turned away from them and formal training of the Grenzer was increased with a compromise of continuing some open-order tactics. The argument raged throughout this period, but the results were that the Grenzer never acquired the proficiency of Line troops, while reducing their natural capabilities in the light role. Major- General Klein noted in 1793 the resultant decline of the Grenzers, when he commented that the irregular formations of the Grenz in the Seven Years War had provided " a much better light infantry than the present regulated and drilled Grenzer". [15]

In 1799, they were withdrawn from the Line and designated 'National Grenz' regiments, numbered 1 - 17 in the order shown under the District list. By then, their 'light' role had already been usurped by the numerous Frei-Korps raised in the 1790s and the regularising of many of them as Light Infantry battalions in 1798. However, large cuts in defence spending in 1801 meant these Light and Frei-Korps; battalions were promptly disbanded and the Grenzer were expected to resume the light role!

In 1792, each Regiment was supposed to field two battalions of six companies each, with a detachment of 256 sharpshooters, and attached to each of the Karlstadt and Banal regiments, were contingents of about 200 elite scouts,' (many mounted) - the Seressaner. Left in the local area were two Landes Defensions Divisionen, (2 companies per Division), per Regiment. Keeping to standard tactics of the time, each regiment had artillery - three 3pdr guns serviced by about 340 men, (sharply reduced to 50 men in 1804). [16]

Only about 2/3 of the Grenz officers were from the region - the remainder came from the German-speaking parts of the Empire. Under Franz 11/1, (1792-1830), Hungarian and Croat officers were given preference in command or establishment posts in the Regiments and nearly all officers in Serb units above battalion level were German.

Various attempts to raise cavalry were usually abandoned, when heavy losses made the overriding imperative the maintenance of the infantry battalions. However, in 1799, the Wurmser Frei- Korps cavalry, (many were in fact Balkan refugees), were designated the Croat- Slavonian Grenz (12th) Hussars of 8 squadrons - also disbanded in 1801 - and the irregular hussars from the Transylvanian Frontier District were likewise formalised as the Szeckler (11th) Hussars, who served throughout the Wars. [17]

The wars with the Turks were fought across terrain traversed by many large rivers and the Frontier came to rest on two of the largest - the Save and the Danube. Irregular formations of boat- handlers were regularised into the Tschaikisten companies in 1763, becoming a full battalion by 1790, drawn from the inhabitants of the lands between the Save and Drave rivers ie: the mainly Serb eastern Slavonian Grenz. Some augmented the Trieste Navy the Austrians' only sea-going force - but most augmented the regular Pontooniers in all theatres of war or manned small, light gunboats, (Tschaiken), on the Frontier rivers. These vessels, powered by a combination of oars and sails were shallow-draft riverboats with a few small calibre cannons, and numbered about 30. [18]