Serbian army uniform info found on another site
There is no doubt that the military organization with which the Serbs in the Freycorps were familiar, was of great help to the Insurgents when organizing their army. On account of this, the Austrian influence was strongest in the first moment. In the beginning, the Serbian Army had no uniform but wore their own clothing. The French consul David in Travnik gives this description in 1806: "The leaders of the rebels wear a magnificent suit and other valuable objects which they took from the Turks. Their cavalry has marvelous horses and the regular soldiers or peasants, dressed in a rough white homespun woolen fabric, fight with bitterness bordering on madness". Another contemporary Petar Jokic says in his memoirs that the Insurgents disguised themselves in Janissary clothing taken from the Turks so.that they would not be recognized.
However, in the reports of Austrian agents and spies from Serbia, there are many references to a uniformed revolutionary army. In 1807 they report that the Serbs wish to form two regiments and to uniform them in the Cossack style, and with time all would be "regularized" and dressed in the same fashion. In 1808 there is mention of Russian greatcoats which should arrive for the Serbs. In 1809 a regular unit was founded which wore a shako with a red cockade and long peasant jacket (gunjac). A detailed report follows on this: "Continuous exercises are still taking place and every day more soldiers are uniformed. They have dark coffee brown blouses with red facings, dark blue breeches with red stripes, shako with a red cockade and yellow upper border, shoes with buckles and laces as is our custom. The pandours (Council guards), of whom there are only four, are dressed in green". Lazar Arsenijevic Bata Laka gives a detailed description of the uniform introduced in 1808: "In the regular units officers, drummers and buglers had Russian uniforms. The officers, cannoneers, and drummers of the people's army had the same uniform and regular infantry wore a national style uniform: a black shako with a black belt chin strap, narrow peak, and tricolor cockade; in the summer each soldier had a sleeveless embroidered jacket (jelek) of a black coarse fabric and to just below the hips a short-waisted peasant jacket with sleeves, a shirt and breeches of strong linen, leggings of white fabric, socks knitted from thick colorfully spun wool and opanci on their feet. In the winter every soldier had breeches of strong black cloth and a peasant coat to the knees, all tailored in the national style. As for arms and other ammunition, every soldier had a gun with a bayonet. Across the shoulders, he had black cross straps, from one hung a cartridge box and from the other a bayonet when it was not on the gun. Apart from the above mentioned each soldier had a string knapsack for carrying soldiers' usual requirements." These "regulars" were organized by the Russian officer Ilya Novokreshcheny who according to the same author changed his Russian uniform for tight red breeches decorated with gold lace and trimmings, waistcoat and dark blue dolman adorned across the breast with lace and braid, while on the belt he hung a saber without which he was never seen.
A French reporter from Bosnia also speaks of Serbian cavalry and infantry organized in two regiments. The infantry has Russian and the cavalry Cossack uniform. The Cossack uniform consisted of white trousers, a green close-fitting blouse, and their weapon was a lance. The informers thought that the Serbs wished to deceive the Turks in these uniforms which were however produced at a period when the military organization in Serbia had reached a high standard and its requirements were similar to those of other European armies. There is evidence that Karadorde's bodyguard had a uniform or at least a red cap richly decorated with gold piping and tassels, which came from Russia.
Jakov Jaksic, a captain in the Serbian regular army, portrayed on a miniature probably from the period between 1808 and 1810, is represented in an interesting uniform. He has a blue tunic with rose collar and lapels. Double laces for decoration over the lapels fasten with round metal buttons. His epaulet is also made from lace. Over the left shoulder, he has a black cross belt. Across his forehead his hair falls in thin locks a la Titus, he wears sideburns and a pigtail whose bow is seen behind. In the right hand, he holds a helmet with a brown fur crest and black plume. Apart from Bata Laka's there are very few descriptions of officers' uniforms from that period.
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