Uniforms and Equipment

When originally raised as border militia, the Grenzer wore traditional Balkan costume. However, with the regularisation of the battalions under Joseph 11 in the early 1780s, uniforms similar to those of the Line infantry were introduced (Pre- 1798 figures).

The Grenz units used two types of uniform: For field service, the Feldmontur was issued as the battalions assembled to go on campaign, but for Frontier duties, the simpler Hausmontur was worn. Whilst permitted to retain issue clothing and equipment, they had to maintain it, and had to provide the Frontier uniform themselves (44). Thus, the difficulties of supply alluded to above and the tendency to try to stay with traditional costume meant that the practice was somewhat different from the regulation.

Captain of Engineers Hensel

Officially, the Feldmontur consisted of the Hungarian-style Rock - 'service jacket' - with the 'Bear's Claw' cuffs and the white Croatian-style trousers with Hungarian knots,(somewhat looser than Hungarian trousers). Leatherwork was all white except for a black cartridge box and bayonet scabbard. Shoes were in the Hungarian style. Albeit somewhat belatedly, the pattern of Rock changed to the 1798 pattern, the basic style of this period,(the 1798-1810 figure). In reality, the usual skin-tight blue Hungarian trousers were worn, probably because they were supplied from the nearest depots! A typical comment from 1805 refers to "some Croats, with their blue trousers and felt shakos" (45). In the early part of the period, German settlers in the Grenz,(probably ex soldiers), appear to have been turning out in German-style jackets.

A mixture of traditional and regulation styles the Hausmontur consisted of a brown Rock of the regular cut with simpler Hungarian-style cuffs, of just the regimental facing colours and home­made white trousers, officially with the issue white leatherwork, but more often black, and peasant's knapsack in place of the regulation backpack,(46). Shoes, issued once a year, were of the native 'soft leather' type. The Grenzer were also issued with enough material to make the distinctive red or red/white chequerboard cloaks,(47).

Those regiments which changed facing colour appear to have done so as the new standard brown jackets were introduced, ie:from 1810 onwards, as the old colours would not have shown up clearly. (48)

As with the uniform, so with the headgear - officially, on field service, the Grenzers initially wore the l8th century Casquet a low, peakless cap with a taller false front bearing a metal Doppeladler, (the double-headed eagle). In 1798, the helmet was introduced, but such was their place in the pecking order, that the Grenzer never seem to have acquired it and moved straight to the peaked shako generally introduced between 1806 and 1810. On Frontier service and often in the field as a result of native preference and cost, these peasant-soldiers wore the traditional 'Klobuk', a tall, peakless cylindrical felt hat. Viewed by some as the ancestor of the shako, something similar has often been seen in recent news footage from Bosnia. The Imperial black/yellow pompom was attached to the top and a peak was added around 1805. The radical overhaul of 1807 and drill regulations of 1808 merged the two uniforms into one - the brown Rock and tighter sky-blue Hungarian trousers with shako and black leatherwork. The gradual changeover and the introduction of the 1808 pattern for jackets made for a multiplicity of styles and colours over the rest of the period new brown jackets were only in field use from 1810 onwards, (49).

Regimental Distinctions
Regimental No.	Facings	Buttons
1. Liccaner	Violet, later Emperor Yellow	Yellow
2. Ottocaner	Violet, later Emperor Yellow	White
3. Oguliner	Orange	Yellow
4. Szluiner	Orange	White
5. Warasdin-Kreuzer	Crab Red	Yellow
6. Warasdin-St. Georger	Crab Red	White
7. Broder	Pale Red	Yellow
8. Gradiska	Pale Red	White
9. Peterwardeiner	Light Grey	Yellow
10. 1st Banal	Crimson	Yellow
11. 2nd Banal	Crimson	White
12. Deutsch Banater	Dark brown, later Light Blue	White
13. Illyrian Banater (later, Wallach-Illyrian)	Light Grey	White



Officers and NCOs were distinguished as in the rest of the army - waist sashes, jacket tails, swords with gold knots, no epaulets for officers; sabres with yellow knots for NCOs. Rank rings were likewise added to the tops of the shakos when introduced. There is little information available on flags, although it would appear that prior to 1808, two standard pattern flags per battalion were carried as a hangover from the time, when the battalions were in the Line. When the 1808 regulations reduced the number of flags to one per Line battalion, the Grenzers flags were all officially withdrawn. However, the story of the capture of one from the Peterwardeiners by a Wurttemberger at Eckmuhl suggests some standards were still being carried during the 1809 campaign.

The Grenzers used an amazing.variety of weaponry - as well as the standard 1798, 1784 and earlier pattern muskets, many muskets were home-made. The sharpshooters used the unusual short 'Doppelstutz' of 1768 or 1795 pattern. This double-barrelled over/under style weapon had an upper barrel rifled for longer range/accuracy and a lower smooth-bore barrel for more rapid short range fire! The weapon also had a single barrel plug to protect the barrel not in use. Weighing in at 5.5 kg,(the 1798 musket weighed 4.2 kg), it had to be carried in a large bag with a black shoulder-strap and when fired had to be supported on the iron hook of the traditional 252 cm long 2 kg 'Hackenlanze' pike carried by the sharpshooters.

The pike had three holes bored into it for fitting the hook, according to the soldier's height. Doubling as the bayonet, the pike had an iron base and three-sided spike(50). The weapon's ramrod was suspended at the end of a short strap, attached to the main bag strap. With the gradual introduction of 1807 pattern Jaeger carbines and rifles for these elite Grenzer, the pikes were likewise phased out, albeit in 1810, a proposal was made to arm all infantry with a light Stutz and a pike, but lack of money put an end to this idea.

The Seressaner, something of a law unto themselves, stayed in traditional Balkan costume throughout and used all types of native weaponry - many were also mounted on small ponies. Generally, they were in native loose-fitting shirts and waistcoats with Croatian-style trousers often tied just below the knee, and local ,soft' leather shoes. They were usually distinguished by their small red caps and red cloaks. All types of swords, knives and pistols were carried in the waistbelt,(few had bayonet-scabbards), while muskets were often slung across the back. Official equipment was two pistols and a 'Handschar' similar to the Grenadier-pattern sabre(51). The numerous Frei-Korps raised in the area were often similar in appearance.

Grenzer artillerymen were only distinguished from the ordinary infantry by a sabre and the matchbox on the crossbelt.

The Croat-Slavonian Grenz Hussars wore the standard Hungarian-style uniform with a pike-grey dolman and pelisse, the cuffs edged with knots, (Szeckler wore dark blue). Both regiments wore light blue breeches with knots, yellow/black waistbands and Hungarian-style knee-length boots. The shako was the black 1798 pattern shako with a black-over-yellow plume and pomporn. A red sabretasche carried the Emperor's monogram. Standard armament was the 1769 pattern sabre and a 1779/1798 pattern carbine.(See Knoetel and the Schematis).

Supporting the Pontooniers, the Tschaikisten wore the same pattern uniform as their regular colleagues, similar to infantry uniforms, except that it was a darker mid­blue and the jacket sleeves were cut more loosely to facilitate boathandling. The earlier headgear, the Casquet, was replaced by the 1807 Corsehut,(a felt hat turned up on one side) - always having the 'Anchor' badge of the Pontoonier service. All leatherwork was black and footwear was the Balkan ankle­boots. Their armament comprised the 1768 Tschaikisten Musket, (based on the 1767 infantry musket), which was replaced in 1815 by the new SapperPontoonier musket, similar to the Jaeger carbine. Their hand­weapons were a combination of a sabre and cutting tool. The initial sword, the 1764 Pontoonierand-Tschaikisten sabre had an almost straight 63cm blade, which on its reverse edge had 36 teeth along a length of 42cm. The handle was similar to the Grenadier sabre, with a lion's head and guard, with a black leather scabbard. In 1802, all the technical troops were kitted out with a new side weapon, which had a 66cm long blade which was thicker than the previous patterns and had a double line of teeth on the reverse edge. The simpler handle was like the ordinary infantry sabre without a guard. (52).

After 1815

The troubles in the area did little to encourage Austrian interest in the Balkans -Austria's Dalmatian acquisitions were confirmed at the Congress of Vienna and only a small group led by Archduke John advocated expansion here. Only after being evicted from Germany and Italy in the mid­19th century did Austria look again at the Balkans the 1878 Congress of Berlin recognised Serbia's independence from Turkey and (now) Austria-Hungary was mandated to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina with frontiers as today. The Grenz thus lost its raison d'etre and the system was liquidat ed in 1881. The end came at Sarejevo in 1914, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serb nationalist. However, apart from a few differences, the current borders are those established by the Habsburgs 200 years ago and quite clearly, the local population has not lost its military capabilities in the intervening period. The West has already realised the wisdom of Maria Theresa's policy.

Notes

36) Kriegsbilder der Oest-Ungar Armee aus dem 19ten Jahrhundert (1895) - 'Kampfe in der Lika, in Kroatien und Dalmatien' by Emil von Woinovich p. 162
37) Ibid. P. 168
38) Trabnik, NW of Sarejevo, is now the centre of the Moslem enclave in central Bosnia;
39) Segur 'Histoires et Memoires' (18 79) per Arnold 'Crisis on the Danube' 0 990) P. 165/ J. Schnirle 'Schlacht von Eckmuhl' (1909) p.22;
40) Rothenberg 'Croatia' p.121;
41) R. Jerabek: MHS booklet No.56 'Die Kampfe in Sudkarnten 1813'p.59;
42) Ibid p. 14
43) Ibid. Rothenberg 'Croatia' p. 124;
44) Ibid p.99
45) 1794 Schernatis (an annual publication showing the colour scheme of all Austrian units); quote from Captain Thiard's memoirs per C. Duffy "Austerlitz 1805" p. 146;
46) Emil von Woinovich p. 162.
47) The red/white chequerboard is the emblem of Croatia;
48) 1794 Schematis; 1807 - 10 lists in the Army Museum, Vienna; Ottenfeld & Teuber 'Die Oesterreichische Armee' (1895);
49) 1810 Schematis;
50) Catalogues of the Museum Aspern 1809, p. 18-19, and Erzherzog Karl Exhibition, 1909;
51) Ibid
52) The essential guide to all Austrian weaponry is: Dolleczek'Monographie der k.u.k. oesterr-ung blanken und Handfeuer-Waffen' (Reprinted in 1971).

All uniform illustrations not specified are Ottenfeld & Teuber, which together with the Schernatis are courtesy of the National Art Library, London. Knoetel illustration courtesy Peter Hofschroer. Map by Derek Stone, courtesy of Partizan Press.

Part 3: Croatia and Grenz 1809-1815

More Jugoslavia

Part 1 [AoN 11]
Part 2 [AoN 12]
Part 3 [AoN 13]