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 AUSTRIA |
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The Cavalry
Hussars (Cont'd)
The sword knot was of black leather with gold stitching and a black and gold silk tassel. A black leather pouch with gilt trim, bearing a gilt, crowned double eagle on the flap, was worn on a black leather belt over the left shoulder, with varied gilt fittings (typically a lion's mask connected by chains to a a shield), and sometimes edged with lace. The sabretache had a narrow braid edging and a 5cm lace, or wavy, embroidery within the edging; the red cloth face bore an elaborately-embroidered crowned cypher, 25cm by 14cm, or for field officers a smaller cypher over an embroidered trophy of arms. Usually most of the mebroidery was in the regimental button colour, with additional trimming in the alternate colour (silver on gold or vice-versa). The forage cap was of the dolman colour, with gold and black braid trim, but usually without additional lace; the white cloak was like that of the men, and the sabre of a similar pattern.
1. Hussar (c.1806); 2. Light Dragoon (c.1812); 3. Cuirassier (c.1807); 4. Uhlan (c.1805).
Horse furniture was as for the men with the black leather 'Hungarian'-style harness and gilt fittings dependent upon the individual's taste __ some having additional gilt stud trimming; the breast plate bore the regimental number and the letter 'H'. The shabraques were laced like those of the 'German' cavalry officers; for service dress, the lace was narrower and bore no cypher. Field officers, on occasion, had additional lace, and a more elaborate cypher may have been used. The black lambskin saddle cover had a red cloth edging, and on service a red cloth valise was carried. Unlike officers of 'German' cavalry, hussars wore moustaches like their men.
The hussar, who originated in Hugary as a border fighter, continued to be the mainstay of the German and Hungarian light horse, for he could be used as line cavalry and yet apply himself to a dozen specialist tasks; in particular, scouting and reconnaisance, outposts and picquets, escorting and convoying, and deep raiding. He never carried a lance but was armed with a carbine, a pair of pistols and a light pattern sabre with the single Bugel guard. At the turn of the century there had been little change in the traditional dress of the hussar except that he had taken the buttoned-up overall trousers into use, these being worn over the boot. The shako, used by infantry and other arms, had also been adopted either additional to, or instead of, the fur cap and coloured bag (Colpack). The circumference of the shako was greater at the top then at the lower hatband so that it presented a funnel-like effect; officers and non-commissioned officers wore the customary gold-edged peak and gold stripes round the top of the cylinder. |
