THE WORLD OF MILITARY UNIFORMS
1660-1914
THE ARMY OF BAVARIA
1864
COMING NEXT
CAVALRY, ARTILLERY & ENGINEERS
The Army of the Kingdom of Bavaria 1864
Following the devastating losses of the Napoleonic Wars, Bavaria's Army was slow to recover. Fortunately, there was generally peace in central Europe for the next fifty years.
The Bavarian Army was still the second largest after Prussia in Germany. It had fought in all the European wars since the sixteenth century. Sometimes as an ally of Prussia and some allied with Austria.
In 1815, the Bavarian Army consisted of a Grenadier Guard regiment, 16 regiments of Line Infantry, two battalions of Jäger, seven regiments of light cavalry , one regiment of Uhlans, two Hussar regiments, one regiment of Garde du Corps (mounted royal bodyguard), two regiments of foot artillery and one of horse-artillery along with a Engineer/Sapper unit.
By 1816, the 7th (National) Light Cavalry regiment had been formed into two Cuirassier regiments. The Hussars and Uhlans were disbanded in 1822, for financial reasons, In 1826 one infantry regiment was converted into two Jäger battalions, and the Grenadier Guard regiment into an Infantry lifeguard regiment. The Garde du Corps became the 1st Cuirassier Regiment, and the former 1st Cuirassier Regiment was merged into the 2nd Regiment.
The Bavarian Infantry had worn cornflower blue uniforms since 1684 (except from 1785 to 1800 when the coats were white). In 1800 they had adopted a black crested helmet called a Raupenhelm which went through several manifestations until 1886.
By 1864, the Infantry were wearing cornflower blue tunics and trousers with the raupenhelm which was in its third version, shorter and more conical. There were 16 Infantry regiments each with different facings as Follows:
The Leib Regiment had red collar and cuffs( with two white bars on the cuffs), with white metal buttons
REGIMENT COLLAR & CUFFS BUTTONS
No. 1 Dark Red Yellow
No. 2 Black Yellow
No. 3 Red Yellow
No. 4 Yellow White
No. 5 Pink White
No. 6 Red White
No. 7 Pink Yellow
No. 8 Yellow Yellow
No. 9 Crimson Yellow
No.10 Crimson White
No.11 Black White
No.12 Orange White
No.13 Dark Green White
No.14 Dark Green Yellow
No.15 Orange Yellow
The two Jager regiments wore the same uniform but with light green collars and cuffs. with yellow metal buttons.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Cavalry consisted of 3 Cuirassier regiments in Cornflower Blue. Helmets and cuirasses in polished steel. They had crimson distinctions. There were 6 Chevaux Leger (Light Horse) regiments in green tunics with Red or crimson distinctions.
The Artillery and Engineers had dark blue uniforms with red collars and cuffs. Yellow buttons for the Artillery and white for Engineers.
