11. The Great Modernizer
When Frederick II ascended the throne, he immediately disbanded his father’s expensive Potsdam Giants, and redirected their budget to raise 7 new regiments and 10,000 troops. As the kingdom’s chief general, he modernized the Prussian army, and emphasized not only drill and discipline, but also the training of officers. The resultant well-trained officer corps allowed Frederick to grant his subordinates greater autonomy to use their own initiative to further his overall plan. It would become a German military hallmark. Frederick also introduced annual maneuvers, in which the Prussian army tested out new formations and tactics.
The Prussian army was relatively weak in cavalry, and relied instead on infantry. Frederick’s favorite unit was his 1st Guards Battalion, of about 1000 men, which he used to test out new theories. He also used it as a military academy to train new officers, and as a refresher for officers he thought could use more training. His next favorite outfits were grenadier units, comprised of select soldiers with at least two years’ experience in regular infantry battalions. The bulk of Frederick’s army were musketeers in standard infantry regiments. His men carried about 55 pounds of equipment, and they routinely marched about 15 miles a day.
