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I wanted to thank you all for your comments and for following the blog.

Selling figures

Dear Friends,

I have decided to sell off this collection. I just don't have the time to dedicate to it any more and my other blog takes up any free-time I have.

I will sell these figures on eBay if I don't get any interest here but meanwhile I have painted all these units you can see here:

5 battalions of 28 figures each.
5 companies of their grenadiers (each 4 figures)
4 extra 'dead/wounded' figures based individually.
One mounted c-in-c base.
One mounted officer
8 Horse in two squadrons.

I can add (but they are currently unpainted) two further battalions and 2 companies.
Some artillery.

Obviously I'd prefer that they all went to one home but I'm relaxed about sending them in different directions.

Feel free to contact me if you are interested at nigbil at free.fr
I'm looking at about GBP5 a figure.
Cheers

Nigel

PS. I'll probably leave the blog in place without any further postings.

Major-General Burkhard Wilhelm von Fürstenberg

Here is the first of the Brigade commanders - a Front Rank figure. He is pictured
leading his brigade of three battalions IR1, IR2 and his own regiment, IR3.

This is what I have said about him previously: "This is the first time we come across a general for my Hessian Generalkommando and, strangely enough, he was not even Hessian. Major-General Burkhard Wilhelm von Fuerstenberg was given this regiment in 1753 and he had been in Palatinate service previously (his probable nationality). In 1751 he was offered sevice in the Hessian army and promotion. His stay though did not last long and in 1758 he re-entered Palatinate service. I imagine that he knew he was going to be put in a somewhat embarrassing position as the Palatine Army was in service with the French and therefore on the other side. On his return home he was given a regiment and you can find details on the Kronoskaf website. He died in 1766."

Generalkommando

Here is the Commander in Chief of the Hessian Army – the Erbprince (Crown prince),  assisted by Lieutenant-General Prince Christian Ludwig of Isenburg-Birstein. On the base is also a Calvinist pastor reading the Scriptures to his bored looking congregation. The Erbprinz has converted to Catholicism and so is perhaps less than attentive and Prince Christian just looks thoughtful.

Prince Frederick, the Erbprinz and future Landgrave Frederick II, converted to Catholicism in 1749 and this army is designed for the mid 1750s and this caused something of a difficulty in the Calvinist state (see my early post on this blog titled Landgrave William VIII). Frederick is in his early 30s age-wise.

His companion is, on the other hand, a seasoned old military salt probably sent by the Erbprinz’s father to keep an eye on his son and make sure he does not do anything foolish with the Landgraviate’s major money-spinning asset – it’s army. Christian Ludwig von Isenburg-Birstein was born on October 10 1710 in Birnstein. He was the son of Prince Wolfgang Ernst I of Isenburg and Budingen and Princess Friederike Elisabeth von Leiningen-Dagsburg. In January 1741, he was appointed Chef of the Reiter Regiment von Diemar (K4). In 1746, he was apppointed major-general and in 1750 lieutenant-general and Kommandeur of the Hessian Corps in the Low Countries and, later, of the 8,000 strong Hessian Corps stationed in England during 1756. A close friend of the Landgrave, he left the army in 1757 and was awarded “Ritter des Deutschen Orden”. His younger brother (who was killed at the battle of Bergen in the SYW), commands the Grenadier brigade.

Finally, uniforms. The Erbprinz wears the colonel’s uniform of his own Infantry Regiment (IR7) and Prince Christian wears the colonel’s uniform of the 4^th Horse Regiment mentioned above. Two of the portraits show the Erbprinz post 1760 when he has become Landgrave of Hessen Kassel. The third portrait shows a much younger Erbprinz in his Prussian Infantry uniform but I don’t think he would have worn this uniform when he was on the field commanding Hessian soldiers.

IR5 Leib Regiment

The unit was raised in 1688 as “Prinz Friedrich” regiment of foot. It took part in the campaign against the Turks in Greece. In 1698, the unit became known as the “Prinz Friedrich Bataillon”. In 1702, the unit was renamed “Prinz Friedrichs Regiment zu Fuß“ (aka Erbprinz). When the Erbprinz (Hereditary Prince) Friedrich became King of Sweden in 1721, the regiment assumed the name König (King’s) regiment.

The regiment was part of the Imperial District contingent during the Wars of the Spanish and Austrian Successions. In 1746, the regiment was sent to Scotland. In 1751, the regiment was renamed “Leibregiment Infanterie”. From 1760, it bore the name of its Kommandeure.

During the Seven Years' War, the successive Chefs of the regiment were:
-since 1751: Landgrave Wilhelm VIII.
-from 1760 to 1785: Landgrave Friedrich II.

During the Seven Years' War, the successive Kommandeure assuming effective command of the regiment was, from 1749 until 1776, Major-General von Wutginau who, in my OOB, commands this brigade as well.

During the American War of Independence, as “Regiment Landgraf”, the regiment was sent to North America and fought at Fort Washington, Newport and Spingfield. In 1789, the regiment was amalgamated with Infanterie Regiment Nr. 7.

I have now done 5 out of 12 Foot Regiments so 'progress'!! Figures are all Black Hussar except for the officer who is from Foundry.

Prinz Wilhem Cavalry K1

Here is the first of four Hessian Horse regiments, each consisting of two squadrons or about 300 men in total. There were also two dragoon regiments of 4 squadrons each.

This regiment was raised in 1672 and had a distinguished service record. During the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment took part in the battles of Blenheim (August 13, 1704), Castiglione (September 8, 1706), Oudenarde (July 11, 1708) and Malplaquet (September 11, 1709).

Each squadron carried a standard and I show both examples. Figures are a mix. The horses are all from Front Rank as are the officer, standard bearer and musician. The rank and file are from Crusader. The illustration is from Saudelli and Pagan.

Revamped IR4 Prinz Johann Casimir von Ysenburg

So I have caught up and increased the size of all the units I had painted. They are now all 28 figures strong with an extra company of 4 grenadiers. I have now switched to these lovely Black Hussar figures and will be using these from now on. The grenadiers will still come from Foundry for the time being.

I have also used Army painter as you can see. Soon IR5 and then some cavalry.

Revamped IR 3 Fürstenberg

Continuing the process of increasing the size of these battalions, I've now augmented IR3 above. At the same time I have added ArmyPainter to give them a more weathered look. I'm also conscious of the fact that the terrain is non-existant! So I'm about to make some terrain and I'm just awaiting the arrival of various products before I can start making a landscape. Then I'll re-photograph everything.