[ Introduction ] [ History ] [ The wars of 1807-1814 ] [ Uniforms and equipment ] [ Skies and ski equipment ] [ Weapons ] [ Contact information ] [ How to join ] [ Photo Gallery ] [ Links ] [ Articles ] [ What's New ] [ Guestbook ]

Regimental Distinctions of Norwegian regiments 1807-14  

 Ola Johnsgaard Moen, Elverumske Skieløber Compagnie, Norway  

Line infantry:  

Enlisted regiments:

• Nordenfieldske gevorbne IR (Northern Enlisted regiment): dark blue w/ white edging, yellow buttons.

• Søndenfieldske gevorbne IR (Southern Enlisted regiment): dark blue w/ white edging, white buttons.

These regiments were not enlisted in reality, only a bigger percent than the conscripted regiments. 

Conscripted (”National”) regiments:

• 1^st Akershusiske IR: dark blue, yellow buttons

• 2^nd Akershusiske IR: dark blue, white buttons

• Oplandske IR: dark green w/ white edging, white buttons

• Telemarkske IR: dark green w/ white edging, yellow buttons

• Vesterlenske IR: black w/ white edging, yellow buttons (some sources say green with white buttons from 1809)

• Bergenhusiske IR: black, yellow buttons

• 1^st Trondhjemske IR: yellow w/ white edging, white buttons

• 2^nd Trondhjemske IR: yellow, white buttons

The regimental names are showing their region, belonging to a county or province. 

All these regiments had red jackets, blue or gray trousers, with hats, later chacots for ordinary personnel, and until 1809, fur caps for grenadiers. White feathers for fusiliers (musketeers), blue tipped for grenadiers, green or green tipped for regimental jaegers/sharpshooters.

Light infantry:

• Norwegian Jaeger Corps (this was an all enlisted elite rifle-battalion): green jackets, gray trousers, black facings, white buttons. Black leather, and hats with green feathers  

• Norwegian light battalion: green jackets w/ black facings, white edging, gray and white trousers, white or black leather, hats with white green tipped feathers, white buttons. Equipped with muskets.

• Laerdalske light infantry company (really a company of the Bergenhusiske IR, ment to be the 7^th ski-company): green jackets w/white edging, black facings, gray trousers. White or black leather, hats and cachets (same type of headdress as my unit uses), green or white green tipped feathers, white buttons. Equipped with muskets.

• The Ski soldier corps (two battalions, northern and southern, each of three companies): green jackets w/black facings and white edging, white buttons, white leather, white and gray trousers, (blue overalls in winter), hats with white green tipped feathers (for officers, NCOs and possibly some soldiers), cachets for privates.

Artillery:

The artillery had the same kind of equipment as the line-infantry.

Red jacket with blue facings, yellow buttons. Unique for the artillery was that they had blue turn backs on the lower front of the jacket, infantry had white turn backs. Hats with white feathers, white leather, and an artillery sabre on a waist belt. Blue trousers.

Cavalry:

In 1808, the cavalry consisted of four regiments of dragoons. They had jackets of same cut as the infantry, hats with white feathers (red tipped for trumpeters), and hat cords of red and yellow cord intertwined. A Dragoon carried two pistols, a carbine (a small part of the regiment was supposed to have carbine rifles), bayonet and a ”pallask”, which is a heavy straight bladed sword. White buttons for all regiments. Trumpeters also had white swallows nests on their shoulders, and white lace down their arms.

• Akershusiske Dragoon Regiment: White facings

• Smålenske Dragoon Regiment: Yellow

• Oplandske Dragoon Regiment: Light blue w/ yellow edging

• Trondhjemske Dragoon Regiment: Dark green w/ yellow edging

  Changes.

Due to both political, economic and fashion reasons, the army organization and equipment was altered, at least partly, from 1812. The first change however, happened in 1810, when the two enlisted grenadier-companies that had existed in each infantry regiment, were transformed either to Jaeger companies or ordinary musketeer-companies. (The Norwegian ordinary infantryman was a musketeer).

Grey trousers were made regulation, in 1808-1809 they had only been used as a stopgap. This was because the prices of indigo-dye and the British blockade made it almost impossible and far to expensive to equip the army with them. After the war in 1809, the Chacot (of French pattern) was introduced as the standard headdress, replacing the so-called Castor-hats (same kind as British Royal Marines used) that were in use until then.

In 1812, the waist scarf and epaulettes of officers were removed, except for generals. In stead, a system of stripes and dots above the cuffs were introduced. In reality, it seems that the old system, partly at least, was in use up to 1814.

For all soldiers, the cuff flap on the jacket (same as on French uniforms) was removed, and the cuffs were supposed to be pointed instead. Also, in 1814, King Christian Fredrik declared that the entire army was to have gray uniforms; regimental distinctions as before, a few officers, new units and the royal staff only followed this.