Freiwilliges Feldjäger-Korps von Schmidt ( en, Volunteer Riflemen Corps von Schmidt, or perhaps more naturally, von Schmidt's Volunteer Corps of Riflemen) was a group of

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...

n volunteer

infantrymen 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 ...

that formed in late 1813 when the

Grand Duchy of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden (german: Großherzogtum Baden) was a state in the southwest German Empire on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918. It came into existence in the 12th century as the Margraviate of Baden and subs ...

joined the cause of the Allies after the

Battle of Leipzig The Battle of Leipzig (french: Bataille de Leipsick; german: Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig, ); sv, Slaget vid Leipzig), also known as the Battle of the Nations (french: Bataille des Nations; russian: Битва народов, translit=Bitva ...

. Most of the men were students of the

university of Heidelberg } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

. It was founded on the initiative of a former Prussian officer, August v. Göckel, who until 1807 had been a Sekonde-Lieutenant in the Prussian ''Feldjäger-Regiment'' ( en, Rifle Regiment). In mid November 1813, v. Göckel, who had been severely injured by falling off his horse, had to resign, and handed the command over to Frohwalt von Schmidt, a student from the Lower Rhine, who henceforth was to lend his name to the corps. In contrast to the Baden ''Freiwilliges Jägerkorps zu Pferd'' ( en, Horse Volunteer Corps), the ''Schmidtschen Feldjäger'' ( en, Schmidt's riflemen), as they were also called, did not receive official recognition by the

Grand Duke of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden (german: Großherzogtum Baden) was a state in the southwest German Empire on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918. It came into existence in the 12th century as the Margraviate of Baden and subse ...

. Thus these volunteers who equipped and armed themselves, had to provide for their own supplies as well, which caused them to be accused at times as plunderers without discipline. However, their proven value in combat and the diplomatic skills of von Schmidt always regained them the goodwill of their superiors. The corps rose to a strength of 43 volunteers, and on 17 December 1813 attached itself to the volunteer detachment of the

Fusilier Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French language, French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has ...

battalion of the Prussian ''1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß'' (1st Foot Guards), in whose ranks it took part in the 1814 winter campaign in France. Having been reduced to 22 men, due to losses in combat and through illness, it also saw action in the Battle of Paris on 30 March 1814. In mid May 1814, the corps was dissolved, and the volunteers returned home or to Heidelberg.

Uniforms and Equipment

The volunteers had dark green double breasted coats with red collars and cuffs. They wore showy pale blue trousers, decorated on the front with black knots in the Hungarian style. They wore black leather boots and their belts were coated with black wax. The corps was equipped with privately purchased rifles of different calibers. In December 1813, the Baden cockade was replaced with the Prussian one.

Sources

* Vereinigung der Freunde des Wehrgeschichtlichen Museums Rastatt: ''Unter dem Greifen''. Rastatt 1984 * Carl von Reinhard: ''Geschichte des Königlich Preußischen Ersten Garde-Regiments zu Fuß''. Potsdam 1858 {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Freiwilliges Feldjager-Korps von Freikorps of the Napoleonic Wars Units and formations of the Prussian Army * Heidelberg University