Jean Chrétien de Fischer

Jean Chrétien Fischer was a German mercenary fighting for the French. He was born in Stuttgart on 17 Jan 1713. During the War of the Austrian Succession, in 1743, after he distinguished himself at the siege of Prague, he was authorised to raise a corps which was called the Chasseurs de Fischer. Their fame caused them to attract many recruits and they formed two companies, one of mounted men and one of infantry. They were dressed in green hussar-style uniforms. After fighting at Bergen op Zoom they increased again to 400 infantry and 200 cavalry.
In the Seven Years War Colonel de Fischer was promoted to brigadier for his bravery at Arloff in 1759. The corps distinguished themselves at the battle of Kloster Kampen in 1760 and in the following year Fischer resigned his command but continued to serve in the unit as a lieutenant-colonel. The Marquis of Conflans was appointed Colonel and the corps changed its name to the Dragons-Chasseurs de Conflans and later was transformed into the Régiment de Saxe. They survived until the French Revolution when, as a foreign corps they were disbanded, but elements remained and became the 4th Hussars. Colonel de Fischer died on 1 July 1762. The print is titled Fischer, Commandant les Chasseurs de Fischer, dated 1748.

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