The armored horsemen of the Prussian army were the elite of the cavalry. Even in 1866 and 1870, when the increasing fire power of infantry and artillery should have made them obsolete, the cuirassiers stubbornly continued to distinguish themselves. In the pursuit after Sadowa, in 1866, von Bredow's 5th Cuirassiers flanked and charged an Austrian artillery battalion firing on the Prussian van, capturing 18 pieces. Again, leading the 7th Cuirassiers and 17th Uhlans in the battle of Vionville, von Bredow broke through a gun line supported by a division of infantry, but was driven out by French cavalry with about 60% loss.

Prussia sent into battle 2 Guard and 8 Line Regiments of cuirassiers. All wore white tunics.

Breastplates were of beaten iron, copper plated for the guards and non-coms and above in the 2nd (Queen's) and 6th (Czar Nicholas von Russland) regiments.

Helmets were of yellow metal in the Guards and 6th Regiments, white in others. Pattern is similar to piklehaube expect for long "lobster" scales down back of neck.

Overalls were dark grey with scarlett piping except for the 2nd, 5th, and 7th, piped in facing color.

Pantaloons might be worn in place of overalls and were white.

Trumpeters wore no cuirass, and wore a plume instead of eagle in the guards.

Shabraques were in facing color trimmed button color, except that the space between the inner and outer trim is blue in the guard du corps and scarlett in the Guard Cuirassiers, scarlett for main field, with guard "star" in corners.

Regiment	Facings	Buttons
Guard du Corps	scarlet	white
Guard Cuirassier	light blue	white
1st (Leib Cuirassier)	black	yellow
2nd (Queen's)	crimson	white
3rd	light blue	white
4th	scarlet	white
5th	light red	yellow
6th	dark blue	yellow
7th	yellow	white
8th	light green	yellow

Horse furniture and the tops of pistol holsters were of brown leather.

The equipment consisted of white or off white saddle bags on right of saddle, straight cavalry saber about 37.5" long, worn on left, and pistols bolstered on saddle front. After 1887 the pistols and breast plate were abandoned and replaced by lance and carbine. After 1871 some troopers of each unit were given carbines at various times to act as scouts, fight on foot, etc.

Other Franco-Prussian War

French Infantry Uniforms 1870
The Cuirassiers of Prussia 1870-71
French and Prussian Armies 1870