1st Novoserbskiy Hussars or Horvat Hussars

This regiment of hussars (and the 2nd Novoserbskiy Regiment which wore the same uniform) was recruited from Serbians who had fled the Ottoman occupation in 1739. They had been offered land to settle on by the Russian authorities in what was then borderlands of what is today, Ukraine. In Serbian history there were two great migrations – the first between 1689 and 1692 and the second in 1739. Decendants of these people still live there and the administrative centre of New Serbia was Novomirgorod (literally New Peace City), which is now Novomyrhorod, Ukraine.

Kronostaf says: “On December 24 1751, Horvat, a former lieutenant-colonel in Austrian service, was allowed to establish a separate Serbian settlement, called New Serbia, in Southern Ukraine. In exchange for land along the border with the Crimean Tartars (on the right bank of the Dniepr, between the rivers Kavarlyk and Amelnik, around Novomirgorod), these newcomers had to serve during wartime. As the Cossacks, New Serbia had its own administrative and military organisations and kept its customs and traditions. It counted 20 districts.

Military service was extended to all adult male population: half always being on active service, patrolling the borders. Each district had to supply one company of hussars and one company of light infantry. The 20 companies of hussars formed the 1st Novoserbskiy Regiment: 10 active and 10 in reserve.”

This regiment was present at both battles of Zorndorf and Kunersdorf. 

This concludes the Hussar phase and next will be Tatars and Cossacks.