90th de Diesbach

This is my favourite Swiss regiment in French service and pictured above are both its two battalions. Drummers of this regiment, by the way, wore yellow coats with light blue cuffs, all heavily laced in white.

In the Osprey Campaign series "Rossbach and Leuthen 1757" this is what is said about the Swiss at the end of the battle: "The time was now 4.30pm and disaster had befallen the allies, now nothing more than a disorganised mob in flight from the battlefield. The stage was set for the Prussian cavalry to apply the coup de grace and turn the flight into a headlong rout. In this they were frustrated, however, by the four battalions of the Swiss regiments of Planta and Diesbach who formed square and fought off the pursuing Prussians. The cavalry regiments of La Reine and Bourbon-Busset on the left of the allied columns also tried to intervene and win a little respite for the fugitives but with little effect. However, the two Swiss regiments were like rocks in the swirling sea of fugitives and Prussians as they steadily carried out a fighting retreat. Frederick is said to have remarked, "What is this red brick wall that my artillery cannot manage to bring down?" and, being told it was French Swiss infantry, he silently saluted them by doffing his hat as they marched off the field with flags flying and drums beating."

Well, if that does not stir the blood, nothing will! Note the interesting comment about going into square - it has often been debated whether the 'square' was used in the SYW but this would appear to indicate that it was, under certain particular circumstances.