Austrian Dragoon Regiment Ferdinand Prince de Ligne, 1756–1763

Austrian Dragoon Regiment Ferdinand Prince de Ligne of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763.

In 1725, Dragoner-Regiment Mérode-Westerloo was formed from remnants of the Netherlands national cavalry regiments Westerloo, de Ligne, and Holstein-Norburg, and taken into imperial service. Following the death of its Inhaber, Feldmarschall Graf von Mérode, Marquis von Westerloo, in 1732, the regiment was given to Feldmarschall-Leutnant Ferdinand Fürst de Ligne.

In 1757, Dragoner-Regiment de Ligne distinguished itself by a valiant charge, turning the Battle of Kolin from near defeat to victory. Prior to battle, the many young and inexperienced recruits who made up the regiment had been ridiculed for their lack of mustaches. In commemoration of its glorious victory, Empress Marie Therese granted the regiment special permission to not wear mustaches henceforth, contrary to common practise in imperial cavalry regiments. In 1758, the regiment was given to Christian Philipp Fürst Löwenstein- Wertheim, who established a new Chevauleger-Regiment Jung-Löwenstein as a component of his dragoon regiment by decree dated 1 February 1758. Fürst Löwenstein gave up his dragoon regiment to Feldmarschall-Leutnant Joseph Graf Saint-Ignon in 1759. In 1760 Dragoner-Regiment Saint-Ignon was converted to a Chevauleger-Regiment as well.

Proprietor

  • FML, later FM Ferdinand Prinz de Ligne, 1732–1757
  • FML Benedict Graf Daun, 1757–1758
  • FML, later G.d.C. Christian Philipp Fürst Löwenstein-Wertheim, 1758–1759
  • GM, later FML Joseph Graf Saint-Ignon, 1759–1779

Commanding Officer

  • Oberst Theodor Lefèvre, 1751–1757
  • Oberst Franz Graf Thiennes, 1757–1758
  • Oberst Carl Chevalier de la Marlier Thoricout, 1758
  • Oberst Carl Alexander Freiherr von Bietagh, 1760–1768

Uniform

  • green coat with yellow buttons
  • red lapels with seven buttons and buttonholes left and right
  • red cuffs with three buttons
  • red turnbacks
  • red shoulder strap left
  • red aiguillette right
  • black stock
  • green vest with 2 × 7 yellow buttons
  • pale straw-coloured breeches
  • black gaiters with yellow buttons for dismounted service
  • white boot cuffs and tall black riding boots for mounted service
  • black tricorne with yellow border, and black cockade with yellow button
  • red saddlecloth with yellow border, and black and white rhombical design
  • black pistol holsters, with red holster covers and border design as above
  • round red mantlesack with border design as above
  • black leather bridle

Campaign History

  • Battle of Kolin, 1757
  • Battle of Leuthen, 1757
  • Battle of Hochkirch, 1758
  • Engagement at Zurlau, 1759
  • Engagement at Maxen, 1759
  • Battle of Torgau, 1760
  • Engagement at Hartmannsdorf (detachment), 1761
  • Engagement at Adelsbach (detachment), 1762
  • Engagement at Dittmannsdorf (detachment), 1762
  • Engagement at Peilau (detachment), 1762

Dragoner-Regiment Saint-Ignon was distinguished from its 1759 sister regiment, Chevauleger-Regiment Löwenstein, by its yellow buttons.

Austrian Dragoons of the Seven Years’ War