The Austrian Cavalry was reputed to be one of the best in Europe although their performance in the field was hardly spectacular, This lack of success was due to faulty employment and lack of proper higher organization beyond the regiment.

HUSSAR REGIMENTS (HUNGARIAN AND AUSTRIAN)

Reputedly the best Cavalry Regiments in Europe were the Hungarian Hussar Regiments that had also provided the prototype for this troop type years before. Although the bulk of the Hussars were recruited for the Austrian Army from the Kingdom of Hungary, most Regiments were raised purely in Hungary. There were also some sixteen Hungarian Landwehr Regiments of Hussars planned for 1809 but less than half were raised by the time the war's major battles were completed.

There were twelve regiments of Hussars at the start of the Napoleonic Wars and these same units served for the duration. The Hussar Regiments were organized in 1792 into Regiments of five divisions with two squadrons of 151 troopers each.

Unit	Shako	Pelisse	Breeches	Buttons
Archduke Francis Anton	Dark Red	Light Blue	Light Blue	Gilt
Archduke Ferdinand	Ash Grey	Dark Blue	Dark Blue	Gilt
Karl d'Este	-	Parrot Green	Light Red	Silver
Hess-Homberg	Pale Blue	Dark Green	Crimson	Silver
Radetsky	Dark Red	Cornflower Blue	Cornflower Blue	Gilt
Blankenstien	Black	Light Blue	Light Blue	Silver
Liechtenstien	Grass Green	Light Red	Light Red	Gilt
Elector of Hesse	Black	Crimson	Crimson	Gilt
Frimont	Black	Light Blue	Light Blue	Gilt
Stipsicz	Grass Green	Dark Blue	Dark Blue	Silver
Szekier	Black	Cornflower Blue	Cornflower Blue	Silver
Palatinal	Black	Dark Blue	Dark Blue	Gilt
Emperor Francis	Black	-	-	-

SHAKO (HEADGEAR): Regimental colors, short plume; Black over Yellow (or an Oak Leaf Sprig), Black and Yellow cockade over Brass disc.

CORDING: Yellow top of Shako, tied in a bow at the back. Officers have a Gold disc and Gold braid around the brim.

OVERALLS: Grey with Black buttons for all troopers, officers' overalls are in the regimental (Shako) color.

TRUMPETER: Red overhanging plume, Pelisse-Black fur with Yellow braid and Gold braid for officers. Barrel sash; Black and Yellow alternate strips; Boots, Yellow tassel at top, Gold for officers.

SHARBRAQUE: Red straps, Red valise, Red background (same for all units).

HORSE FURNITURE: Red blanket with White strap with Gold strip in the middle of the White strip. Saddle coverd with White sheepskin with Red edging. Blanket roll covered with Red cloth. Saddle parts that show are Black in color. The horse furniture of all Austrian Cavalry is identical with the exception of Gold lettering in Lower back corners (first letter of Emperor's name with small crown just above the letter, being omitted in the Hussar and Lancer units),

ADDITIONAL AREAS: There is a Gold stripe down the outside of all trouser legs. Edging on collars and cuffs as well as cords on Pelisses (tunics) are in Gold or Gold braid.

EQUIPMENT: Each trooper was equipped with a saber and carbine. The carbine was worn on the right side by a White strap slung over the left shoulder. The carbine itself will have a wooden stock with Gunmetal colored barrel. On the left-hand side the saber was either hung from the saddle or from the trooper (with the strap looped over the right shoulder. The scabbard was made from White metal and unpainted.

LANCERS

In 1792 there were no Lancer Regiments in the Austrian Army and it was a year later before the first one was recruited from Galacia. In 1795 and again in 1797 other single regiments were raised from the Polish areas of the Empire and these three regiments then constituted the only lancers in the Austrian Army until well after the Napoleonic Wars were concluded. These units were organized along the same lines as the Hussars, being reduced, however, to eight squadrons in 1806-1815, as were the Hussar and Chevauleger Regiments. The last two squadrons were depot (Recruiting Squadrons) and were rarely in the field, except in late 1809 and late 1813 towards the end of the campaigning seasons for those years.

1st Lancers "Merveldt Regiment": Tschapka (headgear) Gold with Black brim and lower edge. Yellow plume with Black tip. Gold cording hanging in the back.

2nd Lancers "Regiment Schwarzenberg": Tschapka is Grass Green with Gold trim, Black brim, Gold cording, Yellow plume with Black tip.

3rd Lancers "Regiment Erzherzog Karl": Scarlet Tschapka with Gold cording, Black brim, Yellow plume with Black tip.

ALL REGIMENTS:

TUNIC: Grass Green with Scarlet collar and cuffs. Also Scarlet facing colors and turnbacks.

BREECHES: Grass Green with Scarlet stripe down outside legs.

FOOTGEAR: Black riding boots that come to mid calf.

EQUIPMENT:

LANCE: Black pole with Yellow and Black pennon.

SABER: White metal scabbard and hilt with narrow White strap worn crosswise over right shoulder.

MISC: Horse furniture is the same as with the Hussars. A broad White strap is worn across the left shoulder for the Black cartridge case located about halfway down the back. The carbine (which is rarely carried) is hung on the right side from the cartridge case strap.

HORSE COLORS:

Each Cavalry Regiment supposedly has the same colored horse for all its members, although in the field this is seldom possible. In the case of the Lancers the horse colors were as follows: 1st-Brown; 2nd-Light Brown; 3rd-Dark Brown.

More Austrian Army and Navy 1792-1815

Introduction
Austrian and Hungarian Grenadiers
Austrian and Hungarian Line Infantry
Austrian, Hungarian, Tyrolean, and Salzberg Landwehr
Austrian, Hungarian, Vienna, and Serbian Freikorps
Archduke Charles Legion
National Schutzvereine (Shooting Society)
Grenzers and Jagers
Cavalry: Hussars and Lancers
Cavalry: Austrian Chevaulegers (1803-14)
Cavalry: Dragoons and Cuirassiers
Artillery and Naval Personnel