Pictures from before the war seem to suggest that the tricorne did not immediatly replace the floppy hat as the civilian fashion in Sweden but that it instead was a period when both types co-existed. However there are no written evidence of how the tricorne replaced the floppy hat in the army and wh...

Yes, I understand the differentiation between companies, my question is between battalions . If ALL regimental colours are similar, how do you tell 1st battalion from 2nd battalion? I am sorry that I did not read your first post as carefully as I should. But I now realise that you seem to have misu...

I do not think so. As I understand it the Russian method to differentiate their company colours was to add a unique number of stars to each colour. This is a company colour with three stars from the Semenovski Guard regiment (which was lost at Narva 1700). http://media31.dimu.no/media/image/S-AM/AM....

BTW. Weren't you tempted to write not-very-long description of both battles in English on your page, for use of all us, non-Scandinavians ? :wink: It might happen, but before that I will do a partial translation of my Swedish pages into English. I hope to do the translation in the autumn since I ha...

Dear Tacitus, I see that you are Swedish deeply interested in GNW. There are so few good reads about this war in English. There are some books about Poltawa, Sjöström's book about Fraustad was translated to Polish (I'm a Pole), but maybe you would be able to point some non Swedish language descript...

That's funny. It seem's that this was a battle with tryouts on both sides than. I wonder if it would have been of any difference if the Saxon's would have kept their 6 rank formation instead of the 3 ranked one. I doubt it :roll: Maybe they would have lasted longer but I too do not think it would h...

Also the Saxon Commander v.d.Schulenburg decided that for the first time the Battalions should be formed in 3 ranks instead of the usual 6 ranks. Interestingly the Swedes decided to form their battalions in six ranks instead of the usual four in this battle. This was done in order to have the pikem...

Gunter, Thank you. Now that I have a better look at the map, it appears that the frozen marshy spots were behind the Saxon line...right? Is this what they mean that the army placed themselves in a bad geographical position? Just finish placing 5 soon to be Saxon units on painting sticks. Thanks aga...

A digital and more 'readable' map you'll find here http://www.tacitus.nu/karoliner/slag/Fraustadt/images/Fraustadt.PNG As the page is made by a swedish fellow you will notice some differences in terms of the location of troops. I don't say that the swedish version isn't accurate but I have my doubt...

First picture with breastplate and buff clothes are from the squad parade in the Royal Palace on ceremonial occasions and to be dressed like a copy of King Karl XI's bodyguard in 1680 -1700. This ceremonial uniform is however not historically correct. Two sets of ceremonial "drabant" uniforms were ...

They did not have any. This is a well documented unit but there is no evidence at all for the existance of a standard for the Drabant corps. On the other hand an OOB written by the Cavalry commander at Poltava (Creutz) suggest that they fought without a colour. Each box in the attached image represe...

I have the book "The Great Northern War 1700-1721 - Colours and Uniforms" for the Swedish Army, Does anyone have the second book same tile but covers the Russian Army? A check in there might worth a look too. I know the Swedish one has more information than I expected. Yes, that one was actually on...

I have two books that says the helmets came later. In the third book of Lars-Eric Höglunds GNW uniform trilogy it is mentioned that the English made helmets were not issued to the Preobrazjenski guard until after 1709. He gives the impression that mitre caps were used before then, although he is not...

Oh and also did the Danes have grenadiers in their battalions, if so what headgear would be worn? All grenadier companies had 1701 been removed from their regiment in order to create the Grenadier corps. But it was decreed in 1704 (april 3) that the ordinary regiments should have 8 grenadiers in ea...

Bear in mind that the famous grenadier helmets of the guard were not introduced until 1712. Before then the Preobrazjenskij guard grenadiers had bearskin caps. As far as I know the guard regiments only had one company of grenadiers each which they retained. So any guard grenadier battalions are unli...