Russian Dragoon regiments raised 1698-1700 (Narva campaign)

In 1700 Russian army includes 2 Dragoon regiments, Gulitc & Schnewetc.

Officer & Dragoon
Gulitc Dragoons, 1700-04
(Reconstruction by S. Letin)

First dragoon regiment was created on 1 Sept 1698 in strength of 4 coys. It was raised in Preobrazenskoe village & was also known as Preobrazenskiy Dragoons. In January-February 1700 3 more coys were added, & by August-1700 it reached 12 coys. When the regiment left Moscow to Narva in August it numbered 1 042 men: 1 Polkovnik, 1 Major, 10 Kapitan (captain), 1 Polkovoy kvartirmeyster (regimental quartermaster), 10 Poruchik (lieutenant), 1 Polkovoy obozni (Regimental Train-master), 12 Praporshik (ensign), 1 Adjutant, 1 Polkovoy pisar (Regimental Clerk), 24 Sergeants, 12 Kaptenarmus (Captain-de-armes), 1 Polkovoy lekar (regimental doctor), 12 Podpraporshik, 12 Rotniy pisar (company clerk), 36 Kapral (corporal), 8 Barabanshik (Drummer), 64 Denshik (Officer's batman), 828 dragoons. In 1700 regimental commander was colonel Andrey Schnewetc. In summer 1700 Schnewetc Dragoons was assigned to the Golovin’s Generalstvo (Division) & was also known as Golovin Dragoons. In 1706 (!) regiment was named after Kiev – Kievskiy.

The second dragoon regiment was created on 20 Jan 1700. It was also known as Preobrazenskiy Dragoons. It’s first commander was colonel Efim Gulitc. In summer 1700 the regiment was assigned to the Weide’s Generalstvo (Division) & was also known as Weide Dragoons. In 1706 (!) regiment was named after Moscow – Moskovskiy. In August 1700 the regiment numbered about 800 men & was divided into 12 coys.

Schnevetc & Gulitc colors of 1700 are described here:

http://rusmilhist.blogspot.com/2010/11/standards-of-russian-dragoon-regiments.html

In 1700 Gulitc Dragoons were dressed in green coats (so-called “Hungarian” or traditional Russian) with red hat (traditional Russian). Dragoons were armed with a sable & a fusil. List of Gulitc Dragoon’s ammunition in April 1701 includes 30 sets of armor. Evidently dragoon officers had reitar cuirasses & helmets. In addition 286 lances are mention. 

Below are List of officers of Schnewetc & Gulitc Dragoons (5 Feb 1701) & List of ammunition of the same regiments (17 April 1701).

Драгунские полки Шневенца и Гулица: Имянной список штаб и обер-офицеров на 5 февраля 1701 и Ведомость всяким полковым припасам на 17 апреля 1701.

Swedish colors taken at Erestfer, 30 Dec 1701

Sheremetev's Campaign Journal of 1701-05 includes a list of Swedish colors taken at Erestfer. Russians took 2 reitar standards, 2 dragoon colors and 7 infantry colors. Below are their attribution & drawings from Dan Schorr’s booklet (many thanks for his kindly permission to use them). At the bottom of the post is the original part from Sheremetev’s Journal with list of trophies & captives (in Russian).

Army of Livland under GM Wolmar von Schlippenbach at Erestfer includes the following troops (end of Dec 1701):

Cavalry

-        Abo-Bjorneborg Rytter

-        Karelska Rytter

-        Estniska Adelsfan

-        Stenbock’s squadron from Uppland Standsdragoner

Infantry

-        Osterbotten regemente (not participated in the main battle)

-        Freiburg’s battalion of A. De la Gardie varvade regiment (also known as Revalska Garnisonsregemente)

-        Liewens varvade infateribataljon

-        Stackelberg varvade infateribataljon

-        Skytte’s battalion of Dorptska och Pernauska garnisonsregimente

Swedish colors taken by Russians

Many thanks to Maxim Nechitailov & Dan Schorr for their assistance in attribution. 

(original Russian text – short English translation – attribution):

# 1 – «значик королевской, камчатой песочнаго цвету, около бахрама и кисти шелковыя с золотом, на нем вышит серебром и золотом королевской герб и кайма». - Yellow silk standard with gold silk fringe & tassels, decorated by embroidered Royal arms in gold & silver. –Company standard of Abo-Bjorneborg Rytter (1683 pattern)

# 2 - «значик же рейтарской, киндяшной, на нем написан королев­ской герб» - reitar standard with Royal arms. – The exact unit is unknown. Abo-Bjorneborg Rytters had yellow colors, Karelska Rytters – red. Estniska Adelsfan in 1701 got 1 white and 3 blue standards with royal arms, but Hoglund writes that they did not take them in field. It’s possible he is wrong. Using the method of exclusion the only variant – regimental standard of Estniska Adelsfan

# 3-4 – “2 знамя драгунскiя, камчатыя василковыя с бахрамою и с кистьми шелковыми, на нихъ написаны  звери: на одном гриф, на другом лев” – 2 cornflower-blue damask dragoon standards with gold fringe and tassels, one decorated by lion, the other by griffon - Uppland Standsdragoner, Skaraborg and Sedermanland coys respectivly

# 5-6 – “2 знамя солдацкiя, тафтяныя белыя, на них выши­ты: на одном кавалерской герб, на дру­гом вверху птица” - 2 white taffeta colors, one with royal arms, the other with a bird in the upper corner.- The exact unit is unknown. De la Gardie had blue-yellow colors, Stackelber – blue, Skytte – yellow-blue. So using the method of exclusion – regimental & company colors of Liewen. After Hoglund it’s colors are unknown.

# 7-9 - «3  знамя солдацкiя же тафтяныя рудожелтаго да василковаго цветов, на них вышит герб  королев­ской разными цветами» -3 yellow-blue taffeta colors with embroidered Royal arms. – Company colors of Skytte's battalion

# 10-11 - «2 знамя солдацкiя же, тавтяныя василковыя, на них напи­саны в верху птицы» - 2 blue taffeta colors with birds in the upper corner – company colors of Stackelberg’s battalion

Трофеи, захваченные в сражении при Эрестфере

(Военно-походный журнал (с 3 июня 1701-го года по 12 сентября 1705 года) генерал-фельдмаршала Бориса Петровича Ше­реметева, посланного по высочайшему повелению в Новгород и Псков для охранения тех городов и иных тамошних мест от войск Шведскаго короля // Материалы Военно-учетного архива, Вып. 1, Спб, 1871, стб. 90-91)

«…А на том вышеписанном бою и в походах взято в полон Свейских людей, и артилерiи и ружья по­рознь. Пленников: полковник Густав Иншилт, подполковник Рейнголт Ливен, маеор Геимерт Яган Колкин, ротмистр Гиндрик Вранвел, капитаны: Матис Пейцынберх, Пейцшберх, квартермистры: Вилим Меллер, Яган Палман, порутчики: Никлас Еин, Эверт Филип Крушентер, Эрик Поликан, прапорщики: Клавер Гарин, Яков Фун, Андрис Гелт, Вилгелм Анрен, Андреюс Фон Штаден, урядников 15ч., рейтар 44 ч., драгунов 8 ч., солдат 42 ч., барабанщиков 3 ч., полковничiй человек 1, ротмистровых людей 2 ч., порутчиковых людей 2 ч., пушечной возница 1 ч.; и того 134 ч. Артиллерии: 4 пушки медных, на летних станках и на колесах, 3-х фунтовыя; 2 пушки чугунныя, на летних же станках и на колесах, 3-х фунтовыя же; значик королевской, камчатой песочнаго цвету, около бахрама и кисти шелковыя с золотом, на нем вышит серебром и золотом королевской герб и кайма, да значик же рейтарской, киндяшной, на нем написан королев­ской герб; 2 знамя драгунскiя, камчатыя василковыя с бахрамою и с кистьми шелковыми, на нихъ написаны  звери: на одном гриф, на другом лев;. 2 знамя солдацкiя, тафтяныя белыя, на них выши­ты: на одном кавалерской герб, на дру­гом вверху птица; 3  знамя солдацкiя же тафтяныя рудожелтаго да василковаго цветов, на них вышит герб  королев­ской разными цветами; 2 знамя солдацкiя же, тавтяныя василковыя, на них напи­саны в верху птицы. Всего 2 значка, 9 знамен с дротики и с чехлы; ящик, в чем ядра и дроп возят; 8 пар шор. 9 узд, 4 седла, 44 ядра 3-х фунтовых, 14 гранат ручных чиненых, 16 картузов, 45 картечь 3-х фунтовых без ядер, 9 картеч с ядрами 3-х фунтовых же, 5 фурманов; ружья: 251 фузея, 115 фу­зей с жагры, 18 фузей с Немецкими замками и с богинеты, 98 фузей с Не­мецкими же замками без богинетов, 16 фузей без замков, 3 фузеи без курков, 2 замка фузейных, 12 стволов фузейных, 34 карабина, в том числе 28 колесных, 2 без курков, 2 без прикладов, 5 алебард, 49 шпаг, в том числе 25 с ножнами, 24 без ножен, да богинет Руской без ножен же, 24 пары пистолетов, в том числе 17 пар с олстры, 7 пар без олстр, 28 лат переднiя, 18 барабанов, 20 лошадей Швецких…».

Taking of Suse, 6 March 1629

Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal has a map titled “Batalha nos Alpes na fronteira de França e de Itália” & dated 1630 (http://purl.pt/3496/1/P1.html ). It looks like the taking of Suse by French on 6 March 1629 during the War of Mantuan Succession 1628-31. French under Crequi & Bassompierre had 10 coy of French Guards under mestre-de-camp Canaples, 10 coy of Swisses under colonel Salis, 12 coys of Piemont regiment under lieutenant-colonel marquis Tavannes, 15 coys of “montagnards dauphinois” (Alpine chasers from Dauphine) under count Sault, 800 “chevau-legers ou gentilshommes volontaires”, company of carabiners d’Arnauld, Mousqueteres du Roi. (Perini. Batailles francaises. V. III, p. 108)

Taking of passages at Suse, 6 March 1629
"Batalha nos Alpes na fronteira de França e de Itália"
(Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal)

Russian colors captured at Narva in 1700.

Swedish “True relation about arriving of the Russian POWs & trophies to Stockholm” (Sannfärdig berättelse om the ryska fångars ankomst till Stockholm, theras vphämtande, och huru the äro fördehlte, och hållas vthi sin arrest. Jämpte en richtig förtekning uppå the wid Narva erhållna trophéer, stycken, fahnor och standarer. Stockholm, 1701) includes the following list of the Russian colors captured at Narva:

146 colors:

·                 1 blue color with double-headed eagle – company color of Vasily Kozodavlev Pskov Streltzy (see my post http://rusmilhist.blogspot.com/2010/11/pskov-streltzy-in-1700-campaign-changes.html )

Company color of unknown Novgorod Streltzy
(State Trophy Collection, Army Museum, Stokholm)

·                 2 “provincial” colors with St. Constantin & St. Helena – company color probably belonged to one of the Novgorod Streltzy regiments

·                 1 white-blue-red color with gold double-headed eagle – unknown

·                 10 white colors with double-headed eagle – regimental color of foot regiments of 1700 pattern

·                 131 colors of various colors with palm branches, arm with a sword coming out from a cloud & St. Andrew Cross – company colors of 1700 pattern (both foot & Guards – I will place a post about these colors soon) See here about Foot colours of 1700 pattern

16 standards:

·        5 green standards – company standards of Gulitc Dragoons (see my post http://rusmilhist.blogspot.com/2010/11/standards-of-russian-dragoon-regiments.html )

·        4 black standards – company standards of Schnewetc Dragoons (the same)

·        Large white standard decorated gold – company color of Moscow Nobles of 1696-97 pattern (see my post http://rusmilhist.blogspot.com/2010/10/standards-of-moscow-noble-levy-in-narva.html )

Company color of
unknown mounted unit
(State Trophy Collection, Army Museum, Stokholm) 

·        White with double-headed eagle – regimental standards of Gulitc Dragoons (the same)

·        Rich-decorated standard - unknown cavalry unit

·        4 small painted standards -???

Below is trophy colors description from Petrelli (Petrelli T.J. Narvatrofeer. Uppsala-Stockholm, 1907. рр. 14-16). It repeats the “True relation”.    

Russian foot regiments raised in 1700 (Narva campaign).

To raise new troops for forthcoming war with Sweden Russian government in October 1699 opened recruitment of volunteers (volnitca). They were promised the same service terms & conditions as Preobrazenskiy & Semenovskiy regiments had (annual payment of 11 rubles, supply, dress, etc.). In addition to volunteers government also asked landlords to provide so-called datichniy (=given) recruits (1 from 25-50 households depending on fief’s type). Landlords could provide money (11 rubles = annual soldier’s payment) instead of a recruit. Datochniy were called for service on the same terms & conditions as volunteers. Recruitment was opened in central provinces (Moscow), Volga river region (Kazan), Smolensk & Novgorod.

Russian army at Narva in 1700:

- white regimental & examples of

colored company colors of 1700 pattern

- officer & soldier in so-called

"Hungarian" dress, 1700-04

(Illustration by N. Zubkov from my

article in Voin Magazibe)

Recruitment in central regions gave 10 726 datochniy & 11 787 volnitca. In spring 1700 they were formed in Moscow into 16 foot regiments, 5 from volunteers & 7 from datochniy. They were of 12 coys & had authorized strength of 1 238 men: 1 Polkovnik (colonel), 1 Podpolkovnik (lieutenant-colonel), 1 Major, 1 Kapitan-leitenant (captain-lieutenant), 9 Kapitan (captain), 11 Poruchik (lieutenant), 12 Praporshik (ensign), 1 Polkovoy obozni (Regimental Train-master), 1 Polkovoy pisar (Regimental Clerk), 36 Sergeants, 12 Kaptenarmus, 12 Podpraporshik, 48 Kapral (Corporal), 12 Rotni pisar (Company clerk), 46 Denshik (Officer's batman), 24 Barabanshik (Drummer), 24 Sipovshik (Flautist), 986 Soldat (privates). In fact their strength differed from the authorized one; see the table below for details. Fedor Balk Foot was of 9 coys instead of 12. Moscow regiments didn’t have in 1700 grenadiers or pikiners.

Recruitment in Volga region gave 10 771 men. By 7 August 1700 Repnin raised 9 foot regiments of the same structure as Moscow-based troops. But then he received Tzar’s ordnance to raise 2 additional regiments & send them to Belgorod. To complete the order Repnin revised existing regiments & reduced them to about 1,000. They were organized in 9 coys, including one Grenadier, with authorized strength of 1,006: 1 Polkovnik (colonel), 1 Podpolkovnik (lieutenant-colonel), 1 Major, 9 Kapitan (captain), 9 Poruchik (lieutenant), 8 Praporshik (ensign), 1 Polkovoy kvartirmeyster (regimental quartermaster), 1 Adjutant, 1 Profos (Provost), 1 Polkovoy kaptenarmus (Regimental Captain-de-armes), 1 Polkovoy pisar (Regimental Clerk), 27 Sergeants, 9 Kaptenarmus, 8 Podpraporshik, 36 Kapral (Corporal), 9 Rotni pisar (Company clerk), 38 Denshik (Officer's batman), 15 Barabanshik (Drummer), 15 Sipovshik (Flautist), 815 Soldat (privates). Probably Kazan (Repnin’s) regiments besides grenadiers also had pikineers: Angler Foot in 1700 received 24 pikes per company.   

Besides Moscow & Kazan two weak regiments (1,615) of 8 coys were raised in 1700 in Novgorod. Information about them is limited. Evidently they had organization similar to pre-1700 units: coys of 100 men. Number of recruits gathered in Smolensk was very low & no any troops were created there.

Moscow regiments received 2 sets of colors, one for parades (so-called voskrestnoe) & the other for field duties. Each set was of 12 colors, one white regimental for 1^st (colonels) company & colored ones for the remaining companies. Parade set was rich decorated by herbs, stars & other symbols & was never used in campaigns. “Field” colors are well known. They were with palm branches, arm with a sword coming out from a cloud & St. Andrew Cross. I will place detailed material about foot colors of the 1700 pattern soon. Colors of Kazan & Novgorod regiments are unknown.
See also colours of Foot regiments of 1700 pattern

Moscow & Kazan regiments received 2 3-pdr regimental cannons per regiment. Info about Novgorod regiments is unavailable.

#	Regimental name (1)	# in Rabinovich (2)	Type of recruits (3)	Strength in Aug 1700 (4)	Note
Regiments, raised in Moscow
1	Bolman (Polman), Astafiy	118	D	1,216
2	Bils, Ilya	119	D	952	(5)

Russian army at Danzig, 18 April 1734

Below is a table of the Russian siege army under FM Munich. Total number of active combatants is 7 594 men, plus 976 non-combatants & 1 855 wounded & ill. In addition Corps under GL A. Zagriazskiy (7 Dragoons) was about 3,5-4 000.

Русская осадная армия под Данцигом, 18 Апреля 1734

Russian army in 1763

Below is a list of the field regiments by divisions & corps as for the end of 1763. Also a list of garrisons.

Ведомости полевых полков по дивизиям ("непременным квартирам") и корпусам и гранизонов, кон. 1763

Russian army in 1765

Below is a list of the regimental headquarters (for field regiments) & garrisons in 1765. Field army was of 6 Curassier, 20 Carabinier, 18 Dragoon, 3 Hussar, 4 Grenadier & 59 Musketeer regiments. It was divided into 8 Divisions (Livland, Estland, Sankt-Peterburg, Finland, Moscow, Smolensk, Ukraine, Sevsk) & 2 Corps (in Siberia & Orenburg).