Prussian Grenadiers of the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763

Standing and combined Grenadier Battalions of the Seven Years’ War

Prussian Grenadier Battalion von Waldow (12/39).

Grenadier Bataillon von Waldow (12/39) pictured here, consisted of four companies, two grenadier companies detached from Regiment zu Fuß (Regiment of Foot) von Finck and two companies from Füsilier-Regiment von Jung-Braunschweig. These 40 mm Holger Eriksson miniatures have been cast in Prince August moulds. The converted grenadier drummer received a new head with the Prussian mitre cap replacing his tricorne hat. The figures are painted with artist oils, and they are based on an upscaled 100 × 50 mm regimental stand compatible with the Volley & Bayonet game system. The unit represents a grenadier brigade of two or three battalions which deployed on the same frontage as an infantry regiment.

Prussian infantry of the Seven Years’ War was deployed in regiments of two battalions each. Few regiments had three battalions, the garrison regiments up to four battalions during wartime. Each battalion consisted of five companies: four Musketier- or Füsilier-Kompanien and one Grenadier-Kompanie.

The two grenadier companies of a regiment joined the grenadiers of another regiment to form a combined Grenadier-Bataillon of four companies for the duration of the conflict, which was named after its battalion commander, typically a Major. One exception was the Grenadier-Bataillon 3/6, which consisted of three companies of Regiment zu Fuß von Anhalt-Bernburg und the Flügelgrenadier-Kompanie (flank grenadier company) of the Grenadier-Garde Bataillon (Nr. 6). The grenadiers of garrison regiments were permanently detached from their parent units, they formed six standing grenadier battalions – stehende Grenadier-Bataillons (SGB) – which served with distinction during the Seven Years’ War.

Grenadier battalions were shock troops, compact and well-led units designated to lead attacks, secure flanks and hold key battlefield positions. Prussian grenadiers carried no flags, allowing them to concentrate fully on the task at hand not worry about losing precious field signs.

The following table list the Prussian grenadier battalions of the Seven Years’ War from 1756 to 1763, the regiments they were drawn from, and the names of the officers who led them.

Grenadier-Bataillon Service Nr. Nr. Battles
von Bademer 1756–1757 1 23 –
von Wedel 1757–1758 1 23 Prag, Roßbach, Leuthen, Schweidnitz, Zorndorf
von Rathenow 1758–1762 1 23 Hochkirch, Liegnitz, Torgau, Gräthen
von Poseck 1762–1763 1 23 Freiberg
von Manstein 1756–1758 2 G II1 Groß-Jägersdorf
von Nesse 1758–1760 2 G II1 Zorndorf, Hochkirch, Kunersdorf, Torgau
von Natalis 1760–1763 2 G II1 Freiberg
von Kleist 1756–1757 3 6 Lobositz
von Hacke 1757–1763 3 6 Breslau, Leuthen, Liegnitz, Torgau, Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Plotho 1758–1759 3 6 Hochkirch
von Polentz 1756–1757 4 16 Groß-Jägersdorf
von Kleist 1757–1759 4 16 Zorndorf, Maxen
von Thielau 1758–1759 4 16 Burkersdorf
Jung-Billerbeck 1756–1762 5 20 Lobositz, Roßbach, Kunersdorf, Liegnitz, Torgau, Freiberg
von Kanitz 1756–1757 7 30 Prag
von Lubath 1757–1762 7 30 Roßbach, Kunersdorf, Torgau
von Kanitz 1762–1763 7 30 –
Alt-Billerbeck 1756–1763 8 46 Prag, Zorndorf, Hochkirch, Liegnitz, Torgau, Freiberg
von Billerbeck 1758–1759 8, 46 GVI, GVIII Maxen
von Möllendorf 1756–1757 9 10 Prag, Kolin
von Bähr 1758–1763 9 10 Torgau, Freiberg
von Gohr
(Major Georg Fabian von Gohr)		 ?–1759 11 14 Groß-Jägersdorf, Zorndorf, Hochkirch
von Beyer 1759–? 11 14 Kay, Kunersdorf, Torgau
von Waldow 1756–1757 12 39 Prag, Kolin
von Pieverlingk 1757–1760 12 39 Hochkirch
von Stechow 1760–1760 12 39 Liegnitz
von Görne 1760–1763 12 39 Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Finck 1756–1757 13 26 Prag, Kolin, Roßbach
von Bornstedt 1757–1759 13 26 Kay, Kunersdorf
von Homboldt 1759–1759 13 26 –
von Schwerin 1760–1761 13 26 –
von Kalckstein 1761–1763 13 26 –
von Bülow 1756–1757 15 18 –
von Kleist 1757–1759 15 18 Breslau, Leuthen, Zorndorf, Hochkirch
von Anhalt 1759–1763 15 18 Liegnitz, Torgau, Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Puttkamer 1756–1757 17 22 Lobositz
von Wrede 1757–1757 17 22 Prag
von Kremzow 1757–1759 17 22 Roßbach, Leuthen, Zorndorf
von der Tann 1759–1760 17 22 Kay, Kunersdorf
von Wobersnow 1760–1760 17 22 Landeshut
von Rothenburg 1760–1763 17 22 Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Ramin 1756–1757 19 25 Lobositz, Roßbach, Leuthen
von Heyden 1757–1759 19 25 Hochkirch, Kunersdorf
von Schwerin 1759–1760 19 25 –
von Woldeck 1761–1763 19 25 –
von Lengefeld 1756–1757 21 27 Moys
von Diringshofen 1757–1761 21 27 Leuthen, Schweidnitz, Hochkirch, Greiffenberg
von Budberg 1761–1762 21 27 Burkersdorf
von Grumbkow 1756–1757 24 34 Lobositz
von Anhalt 1757–1757 24 34 –
von Naumeister 1757–1760 24 34 –
von Sobeck 1760–1761 24 34 Landeshut
von Drache 1761–1763 24 34 Burkersdorf
von Arnim 1760–1761 28, 32 GV, GX1 –
von Arnim 1761–1762 28 32 Bunzelwitz
von Ostenreich ? 29 31 Prag, Breslau, Leuthen, Kunersdorf
von Falckenhayn ? 29 31 Liegnitz, Torgau, Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Nymschoefsky ?–1762 33 42 Kolin, Liegnitz, Torgau, Bunzelwitz
von Mosch 1762–? 33 42 Burkersdorf
von Schenckendorff 1756–1759 35 36 Breslau, Leuthen
von Schwartz 1759–1763 35 36 Kunersdorf, Torgau, Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Manteuffel 1756–1759 37 40 Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen, Hochkirch
von Kleist 1759–1763 37 40 Maxen, Burkersdorf
von Burgsdorff ? 38 43 Prag, Breslau, Zorndorf
von Gemmingen ? 41 44 Kolin
von Willemey? ? 41 44 Maxen
von Wangenheim 1756–1758 47 GVII1 Prag, Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen
von Carlowitz 1758–1759 47 GVII1 –
von Buddenbrock 1759–1760 47 GVII1 –
von Bock zu Wülfingen 1760–1763 47 GVII1 Burkersdorf
von Kahlden (I. SGB) 1756–1758 GIII, GIV1 NG2 Prag, Kolin, Breslau, Leuthen
von Wangenheim (I. SGB) 1758–1758 GIII, GIV1 NG2 Hochkirch
von Buddenbrock (I. SGB) 1758–1759 GIII, GIV1 NG2 –
von Carlowitz (I. SGB) 1759–1763 GIII, GIV1 NG2 Torgau
von Ingersleben (II. SGB) 1756–1757 45 48 Prag
von Unruh (II. SGB) 1757–1760 45 48 Breslau, Leuthen, Hochkirch
III. SGB (Wesel) ? ? ? ?
von Lossow (IV. SGB) 1756–1760 GI1 GXI1 Groß-Jägersdorf, Zorndorf, Kay, Kunersdorf
von Lossow (IV. SGB) 1760–1763 GI1 GII1 Torgau, Freiberg
von Hachenberg (V. SGB) 1761–>1776 GV1 GX1 Bunzelwitz, Burkersdorf
von Ploetz (VI. SGB) 1756–1758 GVI1 GVIII1 Prag, Breslau, Leuthen
von Rohr (VI. SGB) 1758–1758 GVI1 GVIII1 –
von Busche (VI. SGB) 1759–1763 GVI1 GVIII1 Kunersdorf
? 1757–1763 545 56 Pommern, Schlesien
PFGC3 von Wussow 1758–1759 PM – –
PFGC3 von Hüllesem 1759–1762 PM – –
Frei-Grenadier-Bataillon von Hüllesem 1762–1763 F III PFGC3 Burkersdorf
Provincial-Grenadier-Batl. Ingersleben 1760–1763 RB4 – Stettin
von Petersdorf 1758–? ? ? Zorndorf
von Benckendorff 1758–? ? ? Hochkirch, Maxen
von Heilsberg 1760–? ? ? Torgau, Freiberg
von Wolbeck 1762–? ? ? Freiberg
  1. Prussian garrison regiments are numbered using Roman numerals from "G I" to "G XIII" to avoid confusion with the field regiments. The grenadier companies of garrison regiments were permanently detached from their parents units, and assigned to standing grenadier battalions which drilled together even during peace-time. As a result, the level of training of the standing grenadier battalions tended to be above that of the combined grenadier battalions drawn from the field regiments only for the duration of the war.
  2. The "NG" designation stands for Neues Garnison-Regiment (new garrison regiment), the grenadiers of which were officially designated "GNG".
  3. The Pommeranian Militia (PM) raised two grenadier companies which formed the Provincial-Frei-Grenadier-Corps (PFGC) from 1758 until the end of the war. In June 1762, the provincial grenadier corps joined the four grenadier companies of Frei-Corps Schony (F III) to form Frei-Grenadier-Bataillon von Hüllesem.
  4. The grenadier companies of Rekruten-Bataillons (RB) von Tettau, von Stosch, and Bevern (Nr. 7 III) formed the Provincial-Grenadier-Bataillon Ingersleben in the Fall of 1759.
  5. Garrison grenadier battalion of the formerly Saxon regiments Nr. 54 and 56.

Seven Years’ War Miniatures