Prinz Heinrich Fusiliers IR5 Are Now Recruiting

Prinz Heinrich Fusilier Regt. IR5 (click to enlarge)

PRESS RELEASE: Ministry of Defense

Subject: Recruitment of a new fusilier regiment for the Hesse Seewald Army.

(Gotha) The Ministry of Defense announced today the formation of a new regiment of fusiliers that will be placed on the establishment as IR5. Defense Minister Colonel Otto Bauer announced that His Grace, Prinz Heinrich von Hesse Seewald would be designated as the inhaber of the regiment.

"We are looking for young men, aged 16 to 25, who are of good spirit and fortitude to join the new regiment of fusiliers in the Hesse Seewald army. This will be the first time that the Army has employed fusiliers, so there is much opportunity for good men who seek employment in the service of His Highness, King Georg Ludwig II."

The new regiment of fusiliers is very smart looking with their traditional green coats with red facings, nicely offset by straw-colored waistcoats and breeches. The fusilier mitres have a red mitre bag trimmed in white piping. The rear base of the mitre is Hesse Seewald Green. All buttons and emblems are silver in color. Regimental musicians follow the convention of wearing reverse colors: i.e. red coats with green facings.

Colonel Bauer reports that the first three companies of fusiliers have completed their training and have been assigned to the Garrison of Gotha until the regiment is brought up to its full complement of 5 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company.

Reporters for the Gotha Times noted that the new fusilier regiment will have a total of 6 companies, compared to the usual 5 companies of the other line infantry regiments in the Hesse Seewald Army.

Colonel Bauer informed our reporters that henceforth, all regiments will add a sixth company in order to bring the regiments up to a wartime footing. Accordingly, the standard organization of all line infantry regiments will be 5 companies of musketeers/fusiliers and 1 company of grenadiers. As our readers well know, the grenadier companies are hived off from the regiment and amalgamated into standing grenadier battalions of 4 companies.

At the present time, the grenadier companies from regiments IR1, IR2, IR3 and IR4 combine to form the Rochling Grenadier Battalion, listed as IR8 on the army rolls. A second standing grenadier battalion, to be commanded by Colonel Gerhard Uchlander, is now forming and will include the grenadier companies from IR5, IR6, IR7 and Garrison Regiment No. 1.

No Convention, But Lots of Painting

Since I couldn't make it to the SYWA convention this weekend, I decided that I should reward myself with a painting binge. I have completed 18 Prussian fusiliers ( out of 30), however, they are painted as Green coated Hesse Seewald Prinz Heinrich Fusilier Regiment IR5. They have green coats with red facings, straw colored breeches and waistcoat, silver buttons and mitre front plate, red mitre bag with green base.

Please refer to the posting ahead of this one to view a picture of the Prinz Heinrich Fusilier Regiment.

Breakfast in Potsdam

The Scene: the King's Study at Potsdam. The time is 6:30 A.M. Friedrich is waiting for his morning tea. The servant, Otto Schmidt, walks into the study carrying a tray of tea service, toast and jam.

The Prussian Minister of State, Count Schadenfreude, is seated in a chair talking with the King.

Fritz: " oh, there you are Schmidt! Just set the tray on my desk. I've much work to do and won't be seated at the table .

Schmidt juggles the heavy service tray with one hand while pushing the door open.. Friedrich' s pet Whippet, Biche, races over to Schmidt, hoping to find a biscuit. The startled servant does a half spin as he tries to avoid Biche, who has now raised up on her hind legs, fore paws on Schmidt's arm. Tails are wagging.

The tea cup and a plate slide off of the tray and shatter on the floor.

Schmidt: " I am so sorry Your Highness! Please forgive me."

Schadenfreude: "Meissen pottery! Expensive stuff it is."

Fritz: " Made in Saxony, is it not?"

Schadenfreude: " Yes, but it is a bit over rated if you ask me."

Fritz: "Precisely, a little bit like the Duchy of Saxony, don't you agree?"

Count Schadenfreude emits a little cackle as he laughs at the King's joke.

Schadenfreude: "Your Highness, I wish to convey some information that I have received from sources in Gotha and Dresden."

Fritz: ( his ears perk up) "Do tell, my dear Count, what is going down there on the Saxon border."

Schadenfreude: " Well Sire, it appears that Hesse Seewald is building up stores of grain, munitions and other war materials. Dresden is quite apprehensive about these developments."

Fritz: "Hmm, yes, I have heard rumors of war rumblings. That block head Georg Ludwig aced me out of a herd of 600 of the finest horses from the Celle Stables in Hanover. Seydlitz was not happy about that development. "

Schadenfreude: ( continuing his conversation ) "Yet there is much opportunity for Prussia in this unrest, Sire."

Fritz: " There is a powder keg that only need a lit match to force events in My favor. Your thoughts, my dear Count."

Schadenfreude : " Quite coincidentally powder kegs have been on my mind of late. There is quite a large one at the Saxon depot in Torgau and I know just the person who could do the job. She is..."

Frederick interrupts the Count, putting one finger to his mouth to indicate silence. "Tisk, tisk Schadenfreude . I do not need to hear the details. Just make it so!"

Schadenfreude : "I understand, Sire. All will be taken care of in short order."

Fritz: " I have come to expect no less from you Dear Count. You may leave now. There is much work ahead of us."

Friedrich waves off Count Schadenfreude towards the doorway. The count bows and backs his way out of the study.

Fritz: "oh and Schadenfreude, send for Winterfeldt. We need to start mobilizing soon."

Count Schadenfreude nods in understanding and exits the room. Biche ambles over to the King seeking a comforting scratch behind her ears. As Schadenfreude leaves, he hear a muffled cackling behind him in the King's Study.

The Hesse Seewald Army Goes on Maneuvers

IR4 Birkebeil in front row and IR1 von Glasenap in the second row. (click pix to enlarge)

Now that there are a symmetrical four line infantry battalions (plus one guard battalion), the Kronprinz Friedrich has decided to give the brigade a workout on the Marchfeld so that the new recruits could participate in brigade maneuvers.

IR3 Holstein in front row and IR2 Charlottenburg in the second row.

At least that is what Kronprinz Friedrich wants the rest of the world to think, that the Heer is going on  Spring Maneuvers. In reality, he plans to march the brigade from Gotha east to the Saal River and the Saxon border.

Reports have come back to the capital, in Gotha, of a mysterious band of brigands, clad in all black uniforms, burning farm houses and barns on both sides of the Saal. If that is indeed the case, then the Kronprinz is prepared to cross the Saxon boder and hunt down these near-do-wells, who undoubtedly are in the employ of Saxony.

IR4 Birkebeil Musketeer Regiment Is Ready

King Georg Ludwig conducts a practice review of the new Birkebeil Musketeer Regiment, IR4 on the  army rolls.

Colonel Andreas von Birkebeil contemplated the world with disapproval. He had reached the conclusion that it was no place for a gentleman.

This discovery percolated through his mind while he gazed out the window of the War Ministry and watched the newest regiment in the Hesse Seewald army form up on the parade ground below. The soldiers were fitted out in dark green coats with straw yellow facings and waistcoats, white knee britches and black gaitors.

He was rather pleased with their initial appearance, but this was offset to some degree by his displeasure in not seeing the bases terrained and based. That would come in due time. For now though, the regiment, HIS REGIMENT, formed into pelotons and went through their paces on the parade ground.

"It is a hard world," he said aloud to no one in particular, "made somewhat better when one is backed up by 600 armed and well trained men."

There was the sound of the clatter of horse hooves on the cobble stone parade ground, and this quickly grabbed von Birkebeil's attention. It was the King, arriving in his wicker chariot to inspect the regiment. No one had bothered to tell him that the King was going to review the regiment today. Someone was going to pay for this surprise, as von Birkebeil always liked to stay two steps ahead of everyone else, by owning information that nobody else had.

He really wasn't ready to have King Georg Ludwig of Hesse Seewald come unannounced to inspect his regiment. Nonetheless, the King looked to be pleased with what he saw. It was a fine looking regiment indeed.

Here are a couple of closer view of the von Birkebil regiment:

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Birkebeil Musketeer Regiment Is Being Raised

IR4 Birkebeil Musketeer Regiment

The Quartermaster General of the Hesse Seewald Heere, Ernst von Jung, paid a visit to the training barracks to view the progress of the new Birkebeil Musketeer Regiment, that is now forming. He watched as the three new companies (of a five company establishment) went through their paces on the parade ground and was pleased with the progress being made.

He noted that the regimental tailor, Herr Haberdasher of the renowned firm, Minden & Saville Ltd., was busy going over bolts of Elven Green cloth and Rucksack Yellow that would be used to outfit the rest of the regiment.

Von Jung: "Guten tag, Herr Haberdasher! How are the uniforms coming along?"

Herr Haberdasher: "It was slow going at first as I had to measure all of the recruits and order sufficient material to sew the jackets and small clothes, but now the pace seems to be picking up and I should have Company No. 4 kitted out and ready to go within another day."

Von Jung: " And what about Company No. 5; how are their uniforms coming along?"

Herr Haberdasher: " We have enough cloth and green dye, but we are missing sabots, of all things. I was certain that we had plenty of stock on hand."

Von Jung: "The lads can not march and fight without shoes/sabots. The King will not be pleased to hear about the delay. What do you propose to do about it?"

Herr Haberdasher: "I will have to send Captain Joachim Birkebeil of Company No. 5 to Prospectberg to see if the lumber yard has the timber that I ordered awhile ago."

Von Jung: "And what is your back up plan? What if the lumber yard did not reorder the wood, what shall you do? The King expects to have the regiment filled out and ready to train by next week."

Herr Haberdasher:" then I shall cut my own lumber and make my own sabots. It is not an easy task, but it can be done. You may inform His Majesty that the Birkebeil Regiment will be up to full strength by the middle of next week."

Von Jung: "Very good news, Herr Haberdasher, very good news indeed. You know that there may be a new war on the horizon. I would imagine that the Quartermaster's department can keep you fairly busy as the King has authorized the further build up of the army."

Possible New Map of Imaginary Germany

Map of Modern German States and Major Rivers