Free infantry (german: Frei-Infanterie) units were autonomous military units established in the second half of the 18th century, which operated as light troops independently of armies using rigid
linear tactics
The line formation is a standard tactical formation which was used in early modern warfare.
It continued the phalanx formation or shield wall of infantry armed with polearms in use during antiquity and the Middle Ages.
The line formation pro ...
. They are not to be confused with the ''
Freikorps
(, "Free Corps" or "Volunteer Corps") were irregular German and other European military volunteer units, or paramilitary, that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenary or private armies, regar ...
''. Depending on their size they could be free battalions (''Freibataillone'') or free companies (''Freikompanien'').
Emergence
The term ''Freibataillon'' emerged in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
in the second half of the 17th century for troops formed outside of the
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
al system. With the development of linear tactics, light troops were needed for outposts, security and reconnaissance tasks. The soldiers recruited were supposed to be "free" of the normal
discipline
Discipline refers to rule following behavior, to regulate, order, control and authority. It may also refer to punishment. Discipline is used to create habits, routines, and automatic mechanisms such as blind obedience. It may be inflicted on ot ...
of the main army.
Pandurs
The Pandurs were any of several light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line i ...
and
Croats
The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...
were used in this way by the
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
in the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...
.
Frederick II was impressed by them and created the ''Freibatallione'', which operated independently and disrupted the enemy with sudden, surprise attacks. They were also used to defend the Pandurs of
Maria Theresia
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...
. In the
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army (1701–1919, german: Königlich Preußische Armee) served as the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It became vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.
The Prussian Army had its roots in the co ...
, free battalions were often formed from the
hussars
A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...
,
jägers and regular
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
and were ''detachiert'', i.e. just detached for the role. A battalion could comprise about 1,000 men, often with a light battery of several guns. In the course of the war, a total of 14 units was established, mostly under the leadership of
Huguenot
The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...
nobles:
*
Le Noble (F 1),
*
Mayr
Mayr is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Andrea Mayr (born 1979), Austrian female long-distance runner
* Ernst Mayr (1904–2005), German American evolutionary biologist
* Georg Mayr (1564–1623), Bavarian Jesuit pri ...
/
Collignon/
Courbiere (F 2),
*
Kalben/
Salenmon (
Favrat) (F 3),
*
Angelelli/
Collignon (F 4),
* Chossignon/
Monjou (F 5),
*
Rapin/
Lüderitz
Lüderitz is a town in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia. It lies on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.
The town is known for its colonial architecture, includi ...
(F 6),
*
Wunsch (F 7),
*
Du Verger/
Quintus Icilius (F 8),
*
Hordt (F 9),
*
Jeney (Voluntaires d'Ostfrise) (F 10),
*
Schack (F 11),
*
Heer
Heer may refer to:
People
* Jeet Heer, Canadian author and journalist
* Jeffrey Heer (born 1979), American computer scientist and entrepreneur
* Kamal Heer (born 1973), Punjabi singer and musician
* Oswald Heer (1809–1883), Swiss botanist and ...
(Schweizer Volontaires) (F 12),
*
Bequignolles (F 13),
* La Badie (Volontaires Etrangers) (F 14).
Particularly well known was the advance of Mayr's ''Freibataillon'' (F 2) from Prussian-occupied
Electoral Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony (German: or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356–1806. It was centered around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz.
In the Golden Bull of 1356, Emperor Charles ...
to
Franconia
Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch'').
The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper Fr ...
in May/June 1757.
With the transfer of the
light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
into
line regiment The line regiments formed the majority of the regiments in European standing armies in the early 20th century. These were all the regiments that did not have a specialist role - such as guards regiments. They are also often referred to as regiments ...
s at the end of the 18th century, free battalions disappeared.
Literature
* Hans Bleckwenn: ''Die friderizianischen Uniformen 1753-1786''; 4 Bände; Hardenberg, Dortmund 1984; . pp. 79ff.
* Franz Fabian: ''Die Schlacht von Monmouth.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben (born Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Louis von Steuben; September 17, 1730 – November 28, 1794), also referred to as Baron von Steuben (), was a Prussian military officer who p ...
in Amerika.'' Militärverlag der DDR, 5th edn., Berlin, 1988, . pp. 23-25
* ''Wörterbuch zur Deutschen Militärgeschichte''. Militärverlag der DDR, Berlin 1985.
* Frank Wernitz: ''Die preussischen Freitruppen im Siebenjährigen Krieg, 1756–1763. Entstehung, Einsatz, Wirkung''. Podzun-Pallas, Wölfersheim-Berstadt, 1994, {{ISBN, 3-7909-0516-X.
Military units and formations of the Early Modern period
Light infantry
Army of the Habsburg Monarchy
Units and formations of the Prussian Army