The Life of a Line Soldier

The Life of a Line Soldier: Memoirs of a Prussian Line Soldier




The late 1720's

Drills. Day in, day out. Drills. Marching in formation. Maneuvering. Drills. Line Fire. Bayonet practice. Constant Drills. Warm weather. Cold Weather. Rain. Sunshine. Snow. It doesn't matter. We drill constantly. It keeps the population in check - Saxony was a recent addition to the Prussian Empire. The population was kept in check - no Rebellions like when Poland-Lithuania had been added to the Prussian Empire.

There was already talk of invading Hannover. It would be a real test, with over 30 Divisions of armed Soldiers. All this talk on foreigners and suppressing newly conquered territories and people forgot about the local population. And guess what happened?

Revolution!

The Monarchy was over thrown. Loyalists in the capital were defeated by Revolutionary forces. A Republic has taken its place and all plans for the invasion of Hannover are put on hold. Our proud, Prussian Flags are replaced with new ones - Black, Red, and Orange stripes running parallel to the ground. I haven't decided if I like them yet and they are untested in battle. Many a foe cringed in fear a the Black-white-Black flag with Eagle of the Prussian Army. Will they cringe at the sight of the new Republican Flag?

One thing remains the same. Drills. Day in, day out. Drills. Marching in formation. Maneuvering. Drills. Line Fire. Bayonet practice. Constant Drills. Warm weather. Cold Weather. Rain. Sunshine. Snow. It doesn't matter. We drill constantly.

With the new Order installed, talk returns to Hannover. We are to be joined by three divisions of Artillery - Mortar units used in the Revolution in Berlin - noe equipped with the new 'Carcass' Shot shells that are said to burn a man to the bone. Surely these new weapons will make our enemies fear the sight of our new flag? Our own weapons are improving too - I can remember the days of Plug-Bayonets. Now we have ring-Bayonets that allow use to fire our rifles and engage in close combat. Prussian soldiers are also developing a new field maneuver to better advance our lines while keeping up a firing formation.

War is coming. We can feel it in the air. Hannover is close and the cannonballs will start to fly soon.

-Konrad Roht, Prussian Line Soldier. Dresden, Saxony, Prussian Empire-
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