Hungarian War of Independence
1848-1849

Hungarian Army 1848-49:
Uniforms

By William W. Haggart

Like many regional conflicts in the Nineteenth Century, the Hungarian war saw a wide variety of colorful uniforms. The Hungarian military styles seen in 1848 greatly influenced contemporary uniform design in Europe and America. For instance, the 'Hungarian Knots' on the cuffs would be seen on the sleeves of French and Confederate officers in the 1860's. The Hungarians also popularized the 'kepi' as a replacement for the shako and forage cap, wearing them for the first time in a combat setting.

While the Austrians and Russians had long-established uniform regulations in 1848, the Hungarians were inventing them as they created their army. Each county was responsible for outfitting the battalions and squadrons raised in them. With no set regulations for the first six months of the war, the only limits on design were available materials and imagination. The ethnic groups involved also lent their influence to uniform styles.

When the war broke out, there were the regular Imperial troops fighting on both sides and Hungarian National Guard battalions. While the National Guard units were absorbed by the Honved units, the regular troops fighting for the Hungarians wore their Imperial uniforms with a few modifications until the end of the war. The 3rd battalion on the 37th Mariassy Inf. carried their Imperial eagle standard into the last battle of the war, Temesvar. The information found here was taken from numerous period paintings as well as direct resources. There are hundreds of very detailed illustrations of the Hungarian War available on line and in the resources listed.

1. Loyal Austrian-German Infantry

1a. The coat was white with cuffs, collar, shoulder tabs and turnback color indicating the regiment. The light blue pants had a thin white stripe down the side. Loyal Hungarian troops would be dressed identically, but with the yellow and black Hungarian knots in front as well as the yellow and black stripes down the sides, plus pointed cuffs. Campaigning, many troops carried their blanket and greatcoat tied over their left shoulder as shown. The Austrian shako porn-porn or cockade was yellow with a black center. Belting was white, but the cartridge case, bayonet scabbard and shoes were black. The Shako plate was brass with gold cording leading from the cockade. Buttons would be yellow or white metal depending on the regiment.

1b. The first heavy fighting occurred in the winter, so many battles saw both sides wearing the same gray-brown great coat, often covering the shako with a black oilcloth. Whether the shako was covered or not, loyal imperial infantry tied white cloth strips to them from the chinstraps around the porn-porn to differentiate themselves from the Hungarians. Grenadiers also attached linen strips to their bearskins in the same inverted "V" shape.

2. Hungarian Regular Infantry

2a. Because they were fighting to defend what they saw as the legitimate laws and the true Emperor: their King Ferdinand, the Hungarian regulars felt they were wearing the legitimate uniform. They continued to wear the Imperial uniform, but most Hungarian units tore off the yellow and black lace on their pants and replaced it with red knots and stripes as shown. The Hungarians wore their traditional pants cut close to the leg and tucked in the shoes. The pompom or cockade was also changed from the Austrian yellow and black to the Hungarian national colors, green (outer color), white and red (center color).

2b. Cavalry and infantry often tied red cloth around the top of the shako or wore a red armband. This was particularly true when both sides are wearing their gray-brown great coats into battle. The soldier in figure 2b has attached a brass Hungarian shield to his shako and a red cloth around the crown. Often oak leaves were attached to the shako in the place of a plume as shown.

3. Hungarian National Guard

3a. Officially, the National Guard was supposed to dress in the uniform shown, cornflower blue in color with red cording and pant strips, with white belting. The shoes were black. The Prussian-style helmet was often the only official part the uniform the battalions obtained. It had a brass Hungarian shield on it and the buttons were brass. Many others wore French and US donations of long blue coats, shako and light blue or gray trousers like figure 9b. They could have red or yellow cording.

3b. More common for the National Guard was a variation of the national dress, shown here for the National Guard of the Bereg region: The hat is black with red ribbons; the blue tunic has silver buttons; White skirt, black leather equipment and boots. A light brown coat piped red is carried over the shoulder. Pants could be a variety of colors.

4. Croatian, Slovakian, and Serbian Grenz Regiments

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th battalions of the Croatian Grenz fought under JellaL liLl in the early part of the war, while most of their field battalions remained in Italy. The field battalions of the 9th Petervarad, 12th German Banat, and 18th Illyrian Banat Grenz joined the Serbian insurrection in the south.

4a. This is a Slovakian Grenz NCO who is probably from a field battalion because he is reasonably well dressed. He is wearing a gray-brown great coat with regimental colors on the collar tabs and a forage cap that had flaps that could be turned down to cover the ears, or serve as a cap bill as in the picture. Officially, the Austrian Grenz wore the same uniform as the rest of the Hungarian infantry except that the coat was a medium brown and belting black.

4b. Most of the Grenz battalions and the insurgent Serbs who fought in the winter of 1848-49 wore every possible combination of national and army uniform parts imaginable because of a lack of regulation supplies. The Croat soldier pictured is part of the Ban's Croat army. He is wearing a medium blue coat with red knots for buttons and a red sash around his middle. He has on a white shirt underneath. He has regulation Hungarian/Grenz pants on, but his hat is an 1836 grenadier's black leather forage cap/small shako with a brass grenade in front. The cap was quite popular on both sides. His shoes and belting are black.

4c. This is a Serb nationalist in what was almost the uniform worn by their forces, other than the regular Serbian army. The cap was always red, with a black tassel, though some yellow piping was seen. Many insurgents wore black, wide brimmed hats or conical fur caps. A number of period paintings show the Serb insurgents wearing red or blue coats with some brown. The coats could be highly decorated with yellow or gold cording and lace, depending on the individual coat. The pants and leggings/stockings could be any color, but were generally blue or brown. The vest is tan with a white shirt underneath. The sash is red with a white and blue leather and cloth pouch in front that carries two pistols. The short sword shown was quite common among the Serb forces.

5. Hussars

All the Hungarian cavalry were hussars. The uniforms had remained virtually unchanged since 1812, though the shako was being replaced when the war broke out. Along with the regular hussar regiments, six new hussar regiments were raised at the start of the war.

5a. This officer of the 4th regiment wears a traditional Hussar uniform--After all, they were the country that created the Huszar. The twelve Imperial Hussar regiments retained their uniforms during the Hungarian conflict. There were variations because of the war, but the twelve regular regiments were generally dressed as figure 5a. The cording and trim on the uniform and shako was yellow and black, but many troopers changed them to red or white. The officer lace is gold.

The trooper would have the typical Hungarian knots on the cuffs and pants. The sash and plume were yellow and black as well, but again were often changed or removed. The shako worn by the figure 5a was the old style shako, with officer's gold around the crown. The old shako was being replaced by the small shako seen lying on the ground. The smaller shako became the standard wear as the war progressed. It would be the regimental color except for the black visor and back of the shako as shown. The same kinds of plumes would be attached. All leather equipment was white, but several regiments sported black belts across the chest even so. The regiments' colors were:

All horse furniture for both the Austrian and Hungarian cavalry was red. The Hussars, Chevuaxlegers, and Curaissiers had black sheep fleece covering the saddle. The Austrian blanket was trimmed in yellow for the trooper, gold for the officers.

The six new Hungarian Hussar regiments had simple red furniture, if not modified Austrian equipment. Many regular Hussar squadrons would take the ciphers and trim off. Others kept it or replaced it with white or green and white trim. Officers often had silver trim, while many such as General Beni, added the Hungarian coat-of-arms in the corners of the blanket or shabraques.

5b. The uniform style for the six new hussar regiments varied, many of the shakos being like the smaller one on the ground, or the simpler, but slightly larger one worn by figure 5b. Many troopers are shown in contemporary paintings wearing black shakos, while others in the same unit wear the colored version. What troopers wore depended on supplies. The uniforms for the new Hussar regiments are as follows:

Many contemporary paintings of the new hussar regiments show the troopers wearing the hussar forage cap, shown in the hand of figure 5b. It was blue with yellow piping and tassel at the end of the bag. The leather visor and chin strap were black. A similar hat was worn by Virginia Militia up to the start of the Civil War and erroneously called a' Corsican Cap.' Pelisses for all regiments were the same color as the dolman with black fur, but there is one painting of the 14th Lethel with gray fur. Troopers would often wore the pelisse as the coat like figure 5b.

Boots were black with yellow trim for all regular regiments. Most of the new hussars wore white leather equipment, but there was no uniformity. A number of paintings dramatizing the cavalry battles during the winter of 1848 show both the Hungarian and Austrian cavalry wearing long, cape-like coats over their shoulders like figure 5b, which appear to be white. Hungarian general officers are also depicted wearing long white greatcoats with dark green, red, or black cuffs and collars. Many of the coats had hussar-style cording across the front in red or black. 5c. Only the 13th Hunyady Hussars chose a uniform more in line with the national dress. This uniform had a red collar, facings, square cuffs, and red stripes on breeches. The taps on the collar are white. The cording is red. The troopers of the 13th Regiment wore the black hat shown with a red feather and red-striped hatband and red cloth strips hanging down from the band in back. Often the breeches had black leather inserts from cuff to mid-calf. Leather belts were black. The buttons and metal decorations were white metal.

6. The Legions

A number of the legions wore dark blue coats , pants and kepis such as the German Legion, but some like the Tyrolean Rangers wore the gray of the Austrian jaegers or the Hungarian brown like the Nograder Battalion.

6a. This is a member of the Polish Legion. Both the coat and pants are dark blue with red trim, black leather equipment. The black leather Polish hat with the square top had brown fur ringing it. The small cockade is white with a red center --the Polish colors--and the cording is red. The large cartridge case is black leather with a gold grenade on the flap and the canteen is gray. The bag in the back could be any color including stripped in red and white. The various Polish Legion battalions are also shown with black shakos, side-by-side with Polish soldiers dressed as 6a.

6b. This shows a Polish lancer of the Polish Legion's two lancer regiments. (Both regiments had the same uniform. Only the white collar device was different.) The lancers wore a light blue coat with blue collar. The unique triangular, ripple-sided plastron and the cuffs were white all piped in red. The pants were light blue with white stripes. The leather Czapska had a light blue lower half and black top. A white plume was attached to the front of the cap at the cockade and hung down to the left as shown. The lance pennant was also white over light blue. The shabraques were blue, edged red with a double stripe. (Both the uniform collar and shagraque were blue, not light blue. ) There was a white Polish eagle and crown in the corner. All leather equipment was black except for the belt, which was white. The buttons and fittings were white metal.

7. The Honved Regulation Uniforms

7a. The official Honved uniform consisted of a chocolate brown coat with red cording and piping as shown, back and front. On the battlefield, the actual color of the coat could vary from light chocolate to dark brown. According to regulations established in the fall of 1848, NCOs had red horizontal taps on the collars to denote rank as well as wide red, white and green lace horizontally across the top of a black shako. Privates had the same shako lace, but thinner. The shako had a brass shield and a green, white and red cockade. When there was a plume it was either black or red over white and green. The Hungarian breeches were light blue with red Hungarian knots and stripes. The back of the long coat and the red cording is shown. Regulations called for red shoulder tabs, but not all coats seemed to have them, and some were simply piped red as shown. Regulations also called for brass buttons and black leather all around, including the rifle sling. Shoes and boots for all services were black.

7b. Another official uniform following the same color scheme as figure 7a, but a red kepi has been substituted for the shako and no shoulder tabs. Many units had blue kepis instead of red. Paintings of the war show kepis being worn along with shakos in the same unit. Most coats were long, to mid thigh, (figure 7a.) while others were a short shell jacket (figure 7b.), especially when material was hard to come by. No waist belt was worn. All leather equipment was black. Gray and gray-brown greatcoats and blankets were more often than not worn rolled up over the left shoulder. Most paintings of the war show at least some of the Hungarian troops dressed as either 7a or 7b.

7c. Artillerists wore the very same uniform as the infantry except they had white piping on the collar with brass grenades as well as a brass grenade pinned to a blue kepi or just as common, the shako as shown. It was all black with a brass Hungarian shield or grenade and black plume. The carriage colors for most artillery on both sides was yellow ochre, but the Hungarians are known to have had many batteries with plain wood and some painted green, red, and red and green--AND some red, green and white--the national colors. All ironwork was black with brass barrels. Up to five horse artillerymen rode on a long, very large saddle that was build on the gun trail. It made the guns large and unwieldy in appearance. The cannon were little changed in appearance from the Napoleonic wars, down to the split carriage trail.

8. Elite Hungarian Units

There were a number of elite units in the Hungarian army, famous for their fighting prowess. They often had unique additions to the regulation uniform.

8a. This is a grenadier from the Komarom garrison. He wears the Austrian grenadiers' black bearskin bonnet with a brass grenade in the front. A Hungarian cockade has replaced the Austrian cockade on the right side. The coat is brown with red cording and piping. The breeches are red with yellow knots and stripes. The blanket is gray and leather equipment black, but the rifle sling remains white because it was once Austrian army equipment.

8b. This figure represents a lieutenant of the 3rd Honved Battalion, "the White Feathers." The unit wore the Hungarian 'regulation' uniform, with a white feather on the side of their red kepis. Infantry officers had a red, white and green sash wom around the waist or in the field, over the left shoulder. Rank was also shown by sliver lace in one to three strips around the top of the shako for officers.

The officer carries one of the two banners of the 3rd Battalion, a tri-color flag like I I a, red above, green below with the unit name in the white center stripe, the black words reading: "3dik Honved Zaszloy." Red, green, and white ribbons hang from the staff with battle honors and patriotic words written on them. The flag holder is covered in a red, white and green cloth in place of the officer's sash. The kepi has red, green and white piping around the top and bottom of the hat. The staff is colored with red, green and white stripes. The officer also has a typical yellow and red barrel sash around his waist, a narrower version of the Hussar barrel sash. Depending on the rank and wealth of the officer, the sash could be gold and red. The tassels were made of red, white and green threads.

8c. This figure depicts an officer of the 9th Honved Battalion, "the Red Hats." They wore a hat similar to the Hussars' forage cap, only it was red with yellow piping in the same design front and back. The tassel was yellow. The Breeches are light blue with no cording in this case, but the battalion could have worn red breeches with yellow cording for part of the war. The officer wears his sash around his waist. A number of American militia units sported the same kind of hat as well as the cavalry version during the 1850's up to the Civil War.

9. Other Honved Uniforms

Because the individual counties raised and clothed their own units during much of the war, many different uniforms were seen. Often they were modified Austrian army material or uniforms bought/donated from other countries, particularly the blue uniforms of France and the U.S. Several paintings show brown, blue, and white clad Hungarian units advancing into battle sideby-side. Below are two such uniforms. However, many units could wear numerous combinations of the uniforms illustrated in figures 6 to 9.

9a. A private from the 31st Honved Battalion. The kepi is light blue with a Hungarian cockade. The white shell jacket has a red collar and piping with silver buttons/toggles. The breeches are light blue with red knots and stripes. All leather equipment is black and the blanket roll is gray.

9b. This shows a soldier of the 38th Honved Battalion. The shako is black with a national cockade and a white metal plate. The long coat is deep blue with red trim all around. The pants are gray with a red stripe. The belts are buff colored and the pack is brown with gray bedroll. Paintings of the war show other units dressed like the 38th.

10. General Officers

Hungarian generals wore pretty much what they wanted to during the war, but most are depicted in paintings wearing the regulation uniforms shown.

10a. This shows General Bem in a general officer's uniform and is taken from a portrait of him. The carmine attila of a general is worn with gold looping, lace. The collar is worn down as shown. The small shako was also carmine (Bem wore a black version) below with gold cording, crown , and lace. The plume is black and the ball holder is brass. The trousers were gray with gold piping. As with the field officers a sash could be worn, though it appears to have been seldom used. The sash could be either the national colors or gold. Commanding officers are also shown with brown and blue Attilas in paintings from the period.

10b. This is a staff officer or aide-de-camp. Their attila was green with gold looping. The shako would be either green or black with gold lace. Officers would often wear the red kepi or the shako rather than the small cap like the one depicted on General Bern. Cuffs could be red or green.

10c. This is a field officer in dress uniform, which might be worn in the field in part or as shown. The coat is brown with red piping. The extensive lace on the sleeves is gold with red in the border lace. The cording is also gold,. The shako is black with a gold crown and lace. The cording is gold and the front plate brass. The Hungarian cockade could be smaller or larger than shown and the gold could cover more than half the top part of the shako depending on the officer. The pants are a darker shade of blue than worn by line infantry, the pant stripe red, gold, or some combination. The officer wears both the sash over his shoulder and the hussar-type barrel sash of gold and red.

10d. A number of high-ranking officers wore brimmed hats. The head and hat shown is a sketch of Major-General Johann Dainjenich and the hat he wore during the war. It is a black felt hat with a red hatband and black ostrich feather. In one painting, General Bem is pictured wearing a similar brimmed hat with a large green feather that hung down the back of the hat. Other officers are seen in the same painting with red feathered hats.

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