One-year volunteer, circa 1866

S

Schnabeltier

New member
I'm new to this board (and just about all things Imperial German in nature), so I'm asking the experts among you to confirm my identification of the soldier shown in the attached image. I think he is a one-year volunteer in the Infanterie-Regiment Herzog Ferdinand von Braunschweig (8. Westfälisches) Nr.57. It looks as if he has a m/1860 pickelhaube with a fluted spike. The 57th were in Wesel until 1866, then in Hannover until 1871, when they went back to Wesel. This photo was made by a Hannover photographer, so that would date this photo between 1866 and 1871.

The fact that he has an m/1860 'haube (rather than the m/1867) tells me this photo was likely made in 1866 or 1867. That assumes that he would have purchased a m/1867 or later pattern if he had volunteered after 1867.

Is this logic sound based on the info at hand? Can anyone determine any additional facts from the photo? Thanks.
 
I am no expert, however, I can confirm that he is a one year volunteer due to the black and white piping on his shoulder straps. His spike is not fluted, that is just photographic lighting. No Prussian Infantry Regt ever wore a fluted spike, except for the officers of the 1st Garde Regt . Prussian Generals did but he obviously is not a general. JR 57 was created in 1860 and where part of the VII Army Korps district.
 
Hi, I think you are spot-on Schnabeltier and welcome to the Forum. I would only add that you can also see the pommel and scabbard tip of his Faschinenmesser with the white waistbelt indicating he served in one of the two Grenadier battalions, the Fusilier battalion would have been black. Love the photographers name, the American Photography Studio..cool :D
 
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