No. 1 – Erzherzog Joseph Dragoons

Inhaber
1740 Altmann, 1748 Erzherzog Joseph

Unit History
The unit was present at Lobositz, and Hochkirch. The bearskin worn by these riders were only for the grenadier company while the rest of the unit wore the typical tricorne of the period. Was the favourite regiment of Erzherzog Joseph, the later Austrian Kaiser. He often wore the regimental uniform for state functions. The regiment converted to Chevau-légers in 1765.
At Lobositz, October 1756, Frederick the Great, frustrated by his inability to discern the placement of the main body of Austrians, sent eight squadrons of cavalry consisting of the Garde du Corps, the Gens d'Armes, and two squadrons of Prinz von Preussen, all under Lt. Gen. Kyau, as a reconnaissance in force to divine their location. Charged in their exposed flank by six squadrons of this dragoon regiment, Erzherzog Joseph, the Prussian cavalry had to be rescued by the Bayreuth Dragoons who were thrown into the melee. First peppered by musketry fire from scattered Croats and then driven back by the Austrian cuirassier regiments of Stampach and Cordua, the Prussian survivors rode back to their base at the Homolka Hill. At Hochkirch, October 1758, this regiment was part of Wiese's support column that arrived late to the battlefield.

Comments
This squadron wears the grenadier cap not the normal tricorne only because I had a few figures with the bearskin. I thought it only appropriate to paint the grenadiers as they were the favourite regiment of the Austrian Kaiser. The unit was painted in 2003.

Sources
Flag: Warflag at http://www.warflag.com/
Text: Osprey’s The Austrian Army 1740-80 (1) Cavalry (Men-at-Arms 271)
Austrian regimental information at http://www.kuk-wehrmacht.de/regiment/index.html