French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802

French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802

CONTENTS ORGANISATIONAL REFORMS 1789-1800

3

• Line infamry in 1789 - light infamry in 1789the Iiouschold regiments

REVOLUTION TERRY CAOWDY w.. born In I..ondoft In 1a70.lnftlally

......-tot, hi' Inl_l Inu..~and

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~,IM" .-reh'"a ~

lIuling the Matengo

__ ,ajar.. aM a hlatotY of 1M

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h

I.6e'rw.

6

• The Cardes F"ulI;aiscs remit - 14Jul)': the Bastillethe National Cuard, 1789-90 - the Nancy mutiny, 1790

THE REFORMS OF 1791-92

11

• TIle National Guard replaces the Militia • The 1792 reforms • Volunteers and irrcgulars • 1793: the Icvee, and Dubois-Crance's reslnlCturing plan

1793-94: AMALGAMATION

20

• Further reorganisations, 1796-99 • 1799: lhe Auxiliary Ballalions • Bonaparte and Benhier

UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT, 1791-1802

24

• Line infamry uniforms, 1791 • Foreign regiments • National Cu.-lTd uniforms • The 1791 'nationa1unifonn' • Lighl infantry uniforms, 1784-1802 • Weapons and equipmem

PATJIlte. COURCELLE:

w.. born In nor1hem ftllnee tn 1taO and hal been a pror-lonal lIlusttlllot tor _ 20 ~ .... Entirely

M"·Uiughl, he h. . Illultt.led II'IlIIlV booka and maasz1na artie... for Continental publ'-Mrs, _d his work hantS In a rwmbar of public ..cI "wm ooll.ellons. ... drwNItlcland Iuc:ld ~""_hlm ~

edmltlltlon In tIM fWd of mlliUiry

"'lntion. P"rica IIv. . a , . . 1I'l1'" from the bMtteflekl of Waterloo 'Mttl .... wlfe ..... - .

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

41

THE PLATES

42

INDEX

48

Men-at-Arms· 403 .

OSPREY PUBLISHING

French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802

Terry Crowdy . Illustrated by Patrice Courcelle Senes ed,tor Martin Windrow

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Artist's Note

RmderI mey ea'e to nola thath origiNII PfI""IU9 fn:Jm IIIII'hd'I the oolour piau_ WI thls book _ PteI*'Id .. aveilIIble lor

ISBN I at I10 lllIO 7 001015080708

Acknowledgements

privata ..... AI

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"'PfOduCIlort ~ wtwI~ "

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by Itla PublishenI. AI enqtA'ies should be addrMMd to:

Patrice ColI'oelle, 33 Avenua des Villloos, 1.10 Waterloo, Belgiu'n EdIlor: MMin W _ o-gn, Alan Hemp IrlCle~ bI' Alan RIm. OrIgIn&l«' !IV The Electronic: PllQll ~. CWrnInrI, UK. PmlMlIn ChIna Il\rovgIIWMd PrInt Lid.

The Publlst-s reg<et thaI they can anter Into 110 ClOfTllISPClOda upon this mallet.

Editor's Note FOR A CATALOGUE OF Al.L 900KS PUBUSHEO BV 05Pf'lEY ~n.JTARV I>U) AVIATIOH pt£ASe COKTACT' The Ma1 140 WoAOQbooougll, - . . . /'tHe 2FA, .........

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the English mamar, I.g. Deml-BriQade d'lnlanlerill.'g6re, ate.

FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY INFANTRY 1789-1802

ORGANISATIONAL REFORMS 1789-1800 N.t1ont1l Ou.rd Volunt. .r wIth cuqH, demon.t..t1ng typic.' C8mlYltn d..... of the neo..

The coat " In 'r\IItiofgl' co&ou.. - bh.. with IWd coI"r, cuffs .nd wff-fta9s ,"peel whit.; whit. ~ Mel I""ng, ,"peel Net, TtIfs _ .. trou....-. _ sI'oown •• light bntwrl with darttlH' strip".

ROM Tilt: .All of lhe Bastille to the start of lhe Napoleonic Empire, changing political ideologies and the growing needs ofa nation al war provoked a series of\\ide-ranging reforms in the French army. Although a greal many changes had been introduced since the end of the Seven Years' War (1756-63), me scale of the reorganisations in the I i90s \\-.u unprecedented. During thai decade the common infantrpnan was transformed, from a distrusled inSLnllnelll of feudal power 10 a 5)mbol of national pride and citizenship, II was nol, howC"er, an easy transition.

F

Line Infantry In 1789

In 1789 there were 104 infantry regiments, of which 79 were French and 23 were foreign (II S\\iss, eight German, three Irish and one from Liege in what is now Belgium). More than half of these regiments were stationed in garrisons on Ihe northern and norlh-eastern frontiers, with 19 battalions (just over 10,000 men) O\'erseas in the colonies. The corps of Royal Anillery (ranked 64th) and the Prmincial Troops (ranked 97th) each counted as one regimelll. Marshal de segur had set the organisation of me line regiments in 1786, \\ith some slighl modifications in 1788. Each regiment can isled of an nat-major (regimental staff) and two battalions, except the Regiment du Roi (King's Regiment) with four. The battalions were almost identical, the only difference being in their elite com pan),: gmladin-s for the 1st Battalion and chl'l.SSmrs (including six Carablllli!1' sharpshoolers) for lhe 2nd" On a war fOOling, each rcgimelll would increase its strength from a total of I,202 to 2,642 men. It would also form an auxiliary company that would remain in the depot; this company would include two or three officers, four sergeants and, according to lhe regulations, 83 Jusi/in-s (chosen from among lhe regimelll's malingerers... ). The Troupa Provinnoks were a militia, consisting of 13 regiments of Roral Grenadiers, 14 pro'incial regiments and 78 garrison battalions. In wanimc these troops constituted a rcsco"e of 75,000 men mat could replace the infantry regiments in town garrisons, and if necessary seO'c in lhe field. This Mj/ic~ (militia) was recruited in lhe countl)'Side from among unmarried male v-, peasants between 18-40 years old, selected h)' a tiTQ~ au $Uri (Iollcry). Although in peacetime thc Millet: was assembled for just a fcw days annually, militia senice was extremely unpopular among thc peasantry.

3

Light Infantry In 1789

The light infantry coniponenl of the king's anny was crcated in 1784. The six ChasSl'ur regiments wcre each composed of four squadrons of mounted chassI'urs arhn!lliand four companics of light infantry, or t:ha.sst:IIYS ti pie(l. In 1788 the light infantl)' sen;ce was reformed, \\;th 12 battalions of ch~lIrs ti plMcreated and trained for 'senices external and in advance' of the king's armies. In order of sellioril}', the titles of me Chasseur battalions in 1788 .....erc: Chasseurs Ro)'allX du Dauphine, RO)
as

The Household regiments

•

The king's household units, or Maison Militaire dll Ro~ consisted of 8,000 elite troops. These included the ClIrdes till Corps dll/wi and I.'wo regiments that protected the palace exteriors - the French and S\\;SS Guards. The ClIrrles SIIissl!S had been raised on I January 1586. On I June 1767 me regiment was organised illlo four ban.alions and an itat-majar composed of I colonel, I lieUlenalll-colonel, I major,4 aicks-majcr, 5 5OIISaicks-major, 2 cnsigns pcI' battalion, I auditor genera.! of S\\;ss Bands, I grand judge, I sccretal)'-illlerpreLCr, 4 adjudants, 3 chaplains, I /tlilrirhaland 1 aitk-/tlilrichal.-tks-Wgis (rcsponsible for me regimcnt's horses), I doctor, 4 surgeons, I dnun-major, I commissary officer and 8 provosts. TIle four battalions each had thrce fusilier companies, with I C'dptain, 2 lieUlenants, 2 solls-IicutCnants, 6 sergeants, 2 fourtiers, 12 corporals, 12 appoillles, 6 drummcrs and 132 fusiliers. In addition, each battalion had a compan\' of grenadicrs wim I captain, 2 lieutenants, I sous-lieutenalll,

In common with the G.rd•• Fr.n~.I..., the SWiM Guard, .Iways maln..lned lour companl. . 01 troop. Of! guenl at Varuma•• Unlik. the FNnch Guarda, they would _ I n 10y.1 to theIr lIdoptad monarch until the end, Hilt with whit. trlm; f.cI COIIt faced d.rk bille, with white Ioopa and te...... whlUo amallclothN.nd ~ b . The ftgUrM In th
I

2 sergeants, I foumer, 4 corporals, 4 appoint.6, I dnlmmcr and 40 gren:ldiers. \\11.h a hisl.0l) dating back LO the 1560s. lhe Gardt:5 Fmnraists plmided I.he largest contingent ....ilhin lhe Household troops, ....ilh mon=: I.han 3.600 men in six battalions. In addition to their palace duties, the Gardes Fran~ises ....ere also responsible for maintaining public order in Paris. In 1789 the et:tt-m'9or of the GareIL'S Fralll;aises included a colonel (who Llsually held the rank of Marshal of France), a licutenanl-coloncl, a tll<90r, 4 aitk-majors, 7 501l5-aifU.-majors, 2 5t'11Jf'tI/5 d'on/rt! (senior NCOs), 4 commis.mim de5 gUf'n"tS, a marechal-des-Iogis (with the rank of captain), a prO\'ost, clerk, sccret.'l'1'. chaplain and surgeon-m<90r. There .....ere six grenadier and 24 fusilier companies dh'ided equalh between the six battalions (one plus four in each). Each grenadier compan)- was 109 men strong.....ith 2 captains (normally ranking as colonels in lhe line), 2 lieutenants, 2 SOlis-lieutenants, a sergeal1l.lll<9or, a Ilrst-sergeam, 4 sergeants, a fOllrner, 8 corporals, I surgeon, 3 dnllnmers and 84 grenadiers. The fusHier companies included 132 officers and men: 1 captain, 2 lielll.enants, 2 sOlis-lieutenanL.'i, an ensign, a supernumerary

,

J

aard•• Fr....o;.l.e. fu.mer, Ind offlc:er armed with In .. ponton. All offlcel'l In the Guarda had been armed with theM Ihort piku ainc. 1&10 - altholllilh by 1189 their \1M . . . usUII11y

......-ve4 for pandea and 9..1ld ~

Flfer, fuaIller and dNmmer of the RoyM-Heue DIlmltHt, _ of the ancien ,...",... "ht

Gennarl .-gi_is:. dIor1l tINe uniforms faced red arld trimmed .nita. '"" mldkll... _ .. the

..me uniform aa the drummer, bill without the livery alol19 the I4ol19th of the .I_ve•. Th. drum h. . I b.... eue With whit. hoop•.

•

cnsign, a sergeant-major, a Ilrst-sergeant, 4 sergeants, a fournel', a corporal colour-bearer, a gunner corporal, 9 corporals, 3 gunners, a surgeon, 4 dmmmers and 100 fusiliers. The Guards band, which had been formed after the Seven Years' War in 1764, "'~dS composed of 16 musicians including: 6 clarinettists, I flutist, 2 hom players, I trumpeter, 3 b.'lSSOOnists, I 'serpent' player, I bass dmmmer, and I cymbalisl. These could be supplemented with around 50 depot insuumentalists, in the most part made up of the regiment's children, or mJant5 dll (orps.

REVOLUTION

Mem,*", 01

~

a....

Fra~ ~temlslng wtttl

Pari__n prot..t _ The

elaborate nature of their unlfonns Is cleertr aIlown, In pal'tk:ul.r the turndown coli.... on their coau: ... Pl.te "'The cent...1"gura holds aloft • bon_t de IItHrU on his can•.

•

The Gardea Franlialaes revolt Between the Battle of FontenO)' (II May 1745) and 29 October 1788, the eardes Franytises had been commanded by the Duke de Biron. A Marshal of France, Biron had enjO)'ed an excellelll relationship "'ith the guardsmen ",-hom he called 'his children', With its officers onlv occasionally preselH, Biron had ",ielded daHo-day control of me regiment through his sergeants, a practice that bred close familiaritv ",ith the men. In the words of one officer, after Biron's death in 1788 he was 'succeeded, bm by no means replaced' by the Duke de Chatelel, who earned the reputation of a harsh disciplinarian and a petty tyrant. Coll\inced that the Guard should be nm like a line regiment, Chatelet began stripping the unit of its many pri\ileges, a measure that offended officers and NCOs alike. In their public security function, guardsmen often came into close cOlHact ""ith the Parisian population. Many guardsmen were native Parisians Lhemsel\'es, with families in the capital, and more still had parttime chilian jobs to supplement their poor anny pay_ Through mis frequelH contact, re\'olmionary agents were able to target the Guard and foment the seeds of re\'olt, As political evcllts escalaled in the spring and summer of 1789, Chatclct confincd the Guard to barracks on 20 June. On 23 June a company of grenadiers sent to reinforce lhe lrdrrlSOn at Versaillcs refused to take their b.'cad ration, declaring that the people ""ould prO\;de for them. Else",'here, tWO com panics of guardsmen absconded from barracks LO attend a communal meal with civi.lians. An o\'er the cil}, sergeants pa>;ng mess bills ",-ere turned a....'3y and told mat mOlley' would not be taken from Paris' bra\'C

guardsmen. Although these acts were largely s)1llbolic, it ....'as nlmoured that t.....o companies of guardsmen had refused an order to open fire on supponers of the newly fornled National Assembly. Attention turned to nine guardsmen imprisoned at the Abb.'l)'e Saint-Gennain. Petitions alleged that they had been incarcerated for refusing to fire on chilians (though according to one officer, the nine were simply guilty of theft and desertion). On M June the men were broken out of prison and lavished ""ith attention at the Palais-Royal, the centre of revolutionary activity in the capital. Chatelds response ....'as to order the Guard out of Paris to a camp at St Denis, ....i thout their muskets. They refused to go. An open Ictter to Chatclet, purponedly from a Guard grenadier, summed up thc growing discontelll in the ranks. AltJlOUgh still dC''Oted to his sovcreign, the grenadier complained to Chatc)et that 'before the death of Marshal Biron, which we now doubly regret, .....e did not know the treaunent that you make us suITel: Do )'ou think you will give LIS courage by degrading LIS? You treat brave men like they treat American Negroes.' King Louis XVI's response to the growing insubordination "''as to C'dll in foreign mercenalies under the Duke de Broglie to protect Versailles and surround Paris. (h'er the coming weeks, as political tensions increased and the foreign troops began taking up position, the solidarity between the Cuard and the people of Paris was further cemented. On 12 Jul), a group of protesters made an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Chiltclct, who had lately been obliged to move around the capital discrectly in disguise. With the capital plungcd into anarchy, the cavall)' regimcnt Royal-Allemand \~'as sent to break up a protL'St at the Place Louis XV. In the rcsulting confusion a guardsman was shot dead. In retaliation, a battalion of the Cardes Franc;aises marched out of barracks with nags unfurled and dnuns beating, followed by a mob of angry ci\ilians anned .....ith pitchforks and clubs. In a short exchange

Th. O.rm.n men:.n.ry C8V.lry Nglm.nt Roy.1 AU.m.nd chi,.. .

prot••t.... In the PI.c. Loul, XV 12 July 178lt;."" (billow)

or!

In ...ulllltlon for ttloe killing of

• com"', • 1t8tt8l1on of ~l~ht~

opens

n,.. or! ttloe Roy8l AlIem8ncl

ouQl6e ttloe ~~ b8n"8eb.

Th8 front rank 'chBrv- bayon8t8' ••• def.nCB q.ln,t tM ho....m.n whll. th8 mlddl.

.nd

I'8Ir

ranki n,...

7

Membe,. 0' tM CbrdH Fr1I~.I... )oln wIth ,nned clymen, firing ,t the d.f.nd..... of 1M B•• tlUe. The .,'tlllery lolled we. thet Hb..-d ,t the lnvalldq _ the O_rd artme.... did not arrive

InU_.

they lilled two troopers and three horses. Suspee:ting an imminent a((ad. by foreign U"<)()ps on the capiml, protesters began breaking into gun shops in a bid to seize \\"capons. On 13July, as guardsmen helped plunder weapons from the slores in me Hotel Royal des 100
8

On the morning of 14 July, gllardslllell in IXlITacks awoke to the rumour that their officers had tried to poison the SOllp. Then came the news that protcslers were going to aHack the Bastille. Solls-Iieutenant de i\laleissye desclibed the chaos as his men went to support them: 'Arriving at ban,leks, I found the greatest disorder. The soldiers were laking up their weapons and throwing their belonbrings Olll oCtile ....indows. The gunners were hallles.~ing their pieces ... I found all the officers gathered in a first floor room. The soldiers were loading their .....eapons and appeared to w;:ltlt to fire on us. Two deputies per company came 10 ask the officers if they wanted lO follow them - yes or no? The officers replied: MO ur orders are to stay in barracks, .....e will not budge without new orders.~' Unable to control their men as they .... heeled artillery in the direction of the Bastille, the officers fled for the s,"1fety of their homes. The Chateau de Bastille, with its small garrison under the command of Marquis de LaunC), was Louis XVI's last major foothold in the capital. Sensing the importance of this fortress, on 12Juh the Duke de Broglie had reinforced the 80 jnvali(/~s (soldier-pensioners) guarding the B.."1.Stille ....ith 32 grenadiers commanded b)" Lieutenalll Louis de Flue of the Swiss Salis-Samade Regiment. On 14 july around 1,000 protesters

•

• •

gamered oUlSide the Bastille. After the clccteurs tried to reason "';th De launC}', the crowd attacked and came under heavy fire from the professional soldiers. On duty at me nearln Hotel dc Villc police post were 36 grenadiers under Sergcant-Major Wargnier and Sergealll 13 Barme, with 24 fusilier'S under Sergcant de Richemont. After the first wounded began arriving at around 2.30pm, these guardsmen joincd in the f".ly, supported by somc light artillel1' wkcn from thc Ilotel des Invalides. After dcciding nOt to blow up me fonrcss' considcrable gunpowder stores, De Launey surrendered and lowered mc drawbridge at around 5pm. Although only one Invalid had been killed on the ramparts, 98 protesters ""ere killed or monally wounded, ;th a funher 73 injured. When the dra....' bridge came dO\\Tl Dc Laune,' as seized and dragged through the streelS towards the Ilotel de Ville. On his way there hc .....as beaten to death and decapitated, his se\'ered head being placed on a pike and paraded through the streelS a<; a grisly trophy. Dressed in grey working smocks (sarmux), tbc Swiss troops were mistaken for inmates of the prison and were able to make their escape. A massacre of the Invalids was only prevented by the intervention of Gardes Fran~aiscs who escorted them b.'1ck to barracks. On 15 July li89, Colonel Chatelet and the entire officer corps of the Gardes Fran~ises resigned. TIle king penniued all I.he guardsmen and deserters who had taken pan in the prC\;ous da)"s auack 1.0 join I.he Garde Bourgeoise. TIlis body (which included 45 of the Guard's depot musicians) was officially recognised and placed under me command of the Marquis de Lafayette. On the night of 31 July, the last guardsmen on duty at Versailles desertcd the palace and rejoined their comrades in thc city, to popular acclaim. The Gardcs Fran~aises werc officially disbandcd on 31 August 1789. The National Guard, 1789-90 In response to the ci\;1 unrest caused by a spate of poor harvests, local militias were fomled in the pro\;nces as earl) as January 1i89. lllat summer a host of bourgeois militias were spontaneously raised across France, bom in solidarity with the evenlS in Paris and in reaction 10 that summcr's 'GrandI' Pltllr' ('great fear') - a series of rumours of crol>-buming and banditry. Unlikc the Milke, service in the Garde Nat;Qllau - as it was increasingly called - ....'as extremely prestigiOllS. The members had to unifonn and equip themselves at their own expense, so it .....a s vcry much a middle class institution and often commanded by local nobles. This status ....'aS affinned on 12July li90, when the National Asscmbly decreed that only 'acljvc cit.izens' (those paying the equivalent of three days' labour in taxes) cOlild be mcmbers of the Guard. J-1o.....e\'cr, aftcr a law of Novcmber 1790, those non-acti\'e citizcns already in sen;ce were permitted to stay.

A burty llIuantsmi1n .f~ SUR'hIors of h BMtiI'- ~ from h impauioMd - 0 (Nl ttMW ~ bKk to barrKb. Accounw ~ that It . . . h SwfH lW9ut.,.. who tt,..t opened ttra, whit. h In~.l1ft• •_

Ill'll.ty ....pon.lbl. tor forel"" De Laun.y to loWer Itt. dl'llwbrldg••

A reaUlre or Guard seno'ice was the Festival orthe Federation. marking the annh'ersal]' of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July. In 1790 National Guard delegates from all over France convened in Paris ....o'ith great pomp to mark. me first anniversary and to reaffinn meir ci,;c oath, At this time, me Palis National Guard alone was a significam force. di\o'ided into two corps - one of infantI]' and one of ca\'all]'. The infantry was organised into 60 battalions, each named after one of the capital's 60 districts. Each battalion .....as composed of five companies of 100 men each. The 60 battalions fanned six di\;sions of ten battalions each, ....; m a compan)' of grenadien and a company of chasseurs. The ca\'all", comprised eight companies of 100 maitfl!S (masteOl) each, fonning four squadrons. The Nancy mutiny, 1780

The N.t1on81 Con,edeRtIon hefd to m.r1l the ",.t .nnhoMswy of a.,ti.- .,. 1ft t Teo. The aar.,. bicoIour n.g with the Mlp emtMem at the centN betongI to _ of the P.rh fbtlcH* OUlird

bafU,11ons. The

N~

OUlird

otncer Ofl the I1tht tin wnlt. "pels. c,,"-> Clrff.tl,p, end tumble., piped red. with , red col.., end plume.

10

In a drive to make the ann}' more proficient after me rC\'erses of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), discipline and conditions of scn;ce had become progressivel}' harsher. As conditions ....· orsened. the prospects of advancemem diminished. Promotion mrough the ranks to the officer corps had always been difficult, but after 1781, in a bid to check the gro\'l;ng influence of the middle classes, officer commissions .....ere rescn'ed for the nobility. In the last yC'.lOl of me 1780s the momle and public esleem of the amlY reached its nadir. Follo\'o-ing me C\'ents at the Bastille, and no doubt influenced by me example of the Gardes Fr,ulI;aises, a ",.we of disobedience gripped me ann}. sc\'erely .....eakening the king's ability 10 stem me tide ofrC\ulution. Soldiers began to fonn links \'Iilh chi!ian popular societies and the National Guard to air their grie\'llnces. Many soldicrs hoped that the Re\'olutioll .....ould lead 10 military refonns. sweeping a\'l'llY the fcud,ll nature of the aml}'. and lhey were impaticlll for change. TIle year 1;90 was marked by an epidemic of mutinies and acts of disobedicnce by infantry regimcllts. Al Mea the Regiment de Salm-8alm seized the regimenml colours and pay chesl, while Lhe Regiment de Poi lOU implisoned its lieutenamcolonel, and Bassign)' drovc away its colonel. Royal-Champagne revolted against its officers, and the regiments de Ikallcc and Nonnandie in ganison at Hresl madc pacts with Parisian revohllionalies. The Regimcnt de L..m guedoc quil its ganison at MOtllaub.'m without orders, and the Regiment de Noailes refused the order lO rcplace it. Other acts of insubordination ....'cre notcd in the regiments de Royal Vaisse:lllx. La Couronne, Touraine and Vennandois; and there were also rC\'olts among lhe troops overseas. In an 3uempt 10 rcstore discipline. the National Assembly voted to abolish political associations in lhe arm}'. This measure was ignored b), the Regiment du Roi. which set up a committee ",;th links to members of the

Sgnd-off at the Su.lnvlll. O.t.: during the Haney mutiny AUIIU.t 17110, Soua·lIeulenllnt OHllies of the R'sllment du Rol tned to prev.nt mutineers opening tire on gov.rnment troop-. by IItIIndIng In front of •

0'

24-pdr cannon loaded wlth <:anlster. DftJllee . . . Pf'O'I\PIty shot foiIr tl~, .nd the _nnon

wa. tired, killing around eo go....rnm4lnt troopllllgndlnll

Juat !so pae•• away.

NanC)' National Guard, the Jacobin Par£) and other like-minded soldien' committees. Matters came to a head in August 1790. when this committee demanded to audit all the regimenral account<; since 1767. The}" arreSted the quartennaster and confined their officers to barracu while they seized the pay chest. Also in g-.mison at N,lI1C)'w'a'l a Swiss regiment, Ch;itcaU\ieux, which made similar demands ag
THE REFORMS OF 1791-92 As early as I October 1789. a military committee had been fOrmed bv the Constitutional Assembly to look at the pressing question of annv reform; and on I January 1791 a series of refonns were enacted. The rank of officer "''as opened to all citizens, regard Ie of birth, Recruiunent would henceforth come under the surveillance of local

11

municipal authorities; a code ofmilita'1'juslice was Table 1: Former titles of introduced; and tJ1C management of rcgimenL.'l1 regiments, 1791 finances ""as rcfonncd. 52ede iii Fn 1« clJ CoIoneI~ Regimental strllclmc was also modified. 28 de Acan:liB 53e d'Alsace (GemIan) 3e de Nrnc:w'1t Commanded by a colonel. the regimclll would ... do""",, .. do """"" have two bmL.'l1ions each commanded by a lieu 5odo-.o ""'do_ tenalll-coionci. The major and major-en-sccond 57.de~ 7e de ""'do_ were replaced b). two adjlulanl-11UlJO"'S\\ith the rank aed-~ ""do_ of lielllenalll, rising to captain afLcr holding the ge de Norm!I de eoe Royal III Mcme post for two rears, The rank of 'cadct-gcllllcman' 1011 de Neus1rie 819 de 'M".1doIs 629 de SaIm Sam (Ger) 11 9 dEl Ia MM:1e was abolished, and the captains and lieUlcnants 630 """" _ 129 d'AuxllfToIs en-YeO/ltl were suppressed. The battalions each 13ede~ 64e SaIs Sfmede ~ had eight fusilier companies instead of four, 1-48 de R:riI 6511!1 SOl •• 'iblrg 15ede8Mw'n 6600with an elite company of grenadier.;; we 2nd 16ed'~ 67. de l¥Q.lIdoc BaIL.-t1ion's chasseur company was disbanded. 179d'~ "'doe-. TIle most dramatic change saw the regiments 188 Aoyal-AlNerp 199 de F1lwlcte losing their traditional titles. Henceforth regiments 700 do """'" 7 19 de VIvat
...

_-

....

_-

...

---

4

50'''''''''' 0.,.....,..

"'-

,&""....

"'""" ""'"

....""'"""'" -----

·2

_-

.......

Sedan to fonn its ganison, the inhabitants refused to receive them. TIle dtilens of San'elouis went a stage further, threatening to open fire with canister if the regiment came within range of the dty's guns. When it finally arrived in Metz, a duel between a Nassau grenadier and one from the Regiment de Conde developed into a pitched battle between the twO units. final! .. a number of Frenchmen sening in the regiment quit the ranks and cut ofT their unifonn buuons in disgust. declaring that they no longer wallled to serve in a regiment classed as foreign. Following lhese e"ents, tlle 12 foreign regiments were a.~imilated into lhe French anny proper on 21 July 1791. However. the II S,\iss regiments continued to retain their traditional titles and codes of lav. on paper, at least. In realil}' me Swiss regiments barel) existed by then. as large numbers of officers and men had already left France. The National Guard replaces the Militia

Grenadier of the R6glment du Colonel·G6Mn1 n.ter, 1itr1. The r.ct "pels, collar .nd cufh .re pitied .... edged In yenor, the plume on the bun.k.ln I. white with • red tip.

With lhe prospect of war increasing daily, the gcn'ernment debated how the anny would attain an additional 274 recmits per battalion to reach a wartime footing. With a marked increase in the desertion rate. and the poor conditions of scnice publicised by the Illutinies and revolts, the incrcasingly unpopular allny ""as unable to meet even its peacctime complement. Politicians were reluctant to reson to the traditional solution of calling up the Militia, which was hated bv the peasanl.n. A ne'" solution needed to be found. On 28 Janua'1' 1791. Alexandre L.·uneth called for a force of 100,000 reselVisls who would sign up for three rears, li.. ~ng and .,':orking at home, but required to repoT'l for service during wartime. This idca "'"as adopled by lhe go,·ernment. bUl prcn'cd somcwhat utopian, as on I)' 25,000 men enlisted. Despite this-failure, the \tilice was disbanded on 4 \farch 1791. Although the measure"dS a popular one, France "''as no.... left v.ithollt a contingency plan for calling up reserves. On 11-13 Junc 1791 the National Assembly decided to use the National Guard to prcnide a new ......a rtime rescn'e, holding about 5 per cent of their number read)' for senice on the frontiers. On 21 June the National Assembly learned of the king' attempt to flee France and his capture at Varcnnes. Fearing foreign inten'cntion in support of Louis XVI, on 3July a decree ordered the mobilisation of 45 battalions (26.000 men) of Ganks Xatiollaw \biolltairn On 28 Juh a nev. decree called for this figure to be increased to 97,000 mcn. By 17 August there were up 10 101,000 volunteers from the National Guard ready for scn;ce. On 4 August 1791 a decree set the organisation of the National Guardsmen ...: ho volunteered to defend lhe frontiers. ThC}' were di,ided by the Commwail'l!:f tIn Dipartnnrots imo corps of 568 men, each dCSlined to fonn a battalion. Each baltalion would be composed of nine 63-man companies of fusiliers and one company of

13

So+d'- fn>Il'l the l'rO\tpn Prowtnct.... In the 1711 t ..nlform, lind lright) • nwn from • Chu....r HtuUon. In the 1788 light Inf.ntry ..nlform with. 17111

s.e Plate 0; the co.t Ie IlI'Nn 'ac.-d .1WI11nec1 yelloW. end not. eleo the ahort ilelt.,.. c .. t to .....mbl. h.....r boot•. C4t~w.

RIGHT N.tlon.1 Quenl Volunt_r officer .w•• riftil en _th on the F...nch Constitution, which ~ with the 'declerlltlon of the rights of m.n lind the citizen'. The offlcen white "peG end IumbKks elWl bl_ pocket ftape IN ppe>d In Nd; hi. NCl coller, cl./fts end cuf'f. fte9S _ piped In whit..... tuft

In ~ _dons of Nd, bl_ end white Ii-. from the tt1colour

-u.s. on hle~.

,.

grcnadiers. Each compan) was to have I captain. I lieutenant, 1 SOlISlicUICnant. I sergeant-major (who also perfonncd the role of fourrier), 2 sergeallls. 4 corporals, 52 men and a drummer. The baualion staff COI1SiSlCd of 2 Iieutenalll-eoionels, I adjudant-major. I adjudant- SOlISofficicr, I quarter-master and I annourer. The total strength of each b.:1.ualion ....'as therefore 574 men. Each company was able 10 eleci its own officers and NCQs by a 1l1.!jority vote, and the batL.1.1ion elected its lieutcnant-eoloncls and quartcrmaster in thc samc way. Ilowcvcr, the adjlldant-major and the adjlldant-sous-officicr rcsponsible for discipline and policing the baltalion ....·crc mken from linc regiments. The rcmainder of thc National Guard was also reorganised that September. Drawn from districts and cantons (1O....'lS with o\'cr 50,000 souls were classed as districts). each battalion would ha\'c four companies of fusiliers and a company of 80 grenadiers, The effective strength of the fusilier companies ....'as not defined, bUI cach company would be made up of men from the nearest cantons or the same quaners of a city. When united. eight to ten battalions from the same district would fom) a ligion. Each canlon would also raise a companv of vitimnsaged o\'er 60. and a company of)'Oung citizens belo.... me age of 18. Each district would raise t.....o companies of mounted Garrhs Nationaks a CMual; and .....here artillery \\'as available in (0....'15. t.....o guns .....ould be attached to each b.:'lualion.

The 1792 reforms

On 23 January' 1792, after much debate in the :\'ational Assembl}', it "dS decided mat despite the regular anny being short of 51 ,000 men, me N'ational Guard \'oluntec~ would not act directly as their resen·e. To the govemment's disma}', disobedience had continued long after Nancr The Regiment d'Auvergne had driven away its officers and refused lO obey any commands. The 17lh and 18th regiments had openly insulted their officers; while lhc 2nd Battalion of lhe 68th Regiment (ex-Beauce) 'g-.we proofs of il.'l insubordinalion' on tile way back from the Americas. With their authority badly undennined by rebellious troops, the aristocratic officers had begun to quit the anny in droves. On 25Jul) 1791 the r\'ational Assembly had been forced to issue a general amnesl)' for all acl.'l of indiscipline in order to draw a line under the mutinies. In future, force would be used against regiments in remll. TIle dealh sentence would apply to officers and ~COS, whilc seditious soldiers would be sentenced to 20 years in irons. Even this measure did not prcvent further acts of insubordination, causing almost all the officcrs of thc 40th Regiment (ex-Soissonnais) to abandon their posts on 26 January 1792. The politicians feared lhat the disease gripping the regulars would contaminate the National Guard baualions. Therefore cven a motion calling for regular and volunteer battalions to be brigaded together en l~ of being fully amalg-dmated was rejectcd; lhe volumeer b.,ttalions would fighl as units in their own right. By the time "oar was declared against the threatening Austro-Prussian alliance on 20 April 1792, there "'ere a t01
Ch_

at the 'Tl.Il*,,", to August

nez, .ner the Swfu GII8f'd t1... on riot.... ~ted ell8f'dameft tnde t1... wlth N.8tlon8l O~ from the ~ wIndowa; eloM to the buDding, on the light, P'Q-""'-ldlne eftb_ C8n be _ 8nteftng

......

N.t1on.1 GII8f'd llntn8dl.....seort Klnll Loul. XVI .nd ChlMn M...... AntolMtt. frvm the l\.llloerln to Nf.tv on 10 Augu8t ne2.

15

Tuileries Palace on 10 August 1792 from an angry mob calling for the abolition of the monarch}'- As the king sought shelter at the National Assemblv, around 900 S\\'iss Guards opened fire on the protesters, who stonned the palace and massacred the defenders, mutilating and burning their bodies. As a result of this C'o'ent the remaining elements of the Swiss regiments \'I'ere disbanded on 20 August. The Assemblv suspended the monarchv; and Frdnce was proclaimed a republic on 22 September, Of the slIr"i,ing Swiss guardsmen, around 300 joined the equally ill-fated Legion Cennanique (see Plate (3). Volunteer. and Irregulars

VOlunleen trom th. a. 8.18lllon d. l'Aln. Th.lr coat•• 1'11 ca.ually halt unt••t.nttd, .nd th.y w••r clvlll.n cl'1lva18 lnat.ad of Ngulatlon military coli.....

,.

In response to the declaration of,,".u,the go\'ernment caI1ed up another 45 baualions of\'ollinteers on 5 May. Additionally, the sU'ength of each of the '"Qhmteer baualions raised in 1791 was increased from 574 to 800 men. On 20 J ul}', after [0 PotrU had been declared in danger, the order \,ent out fOT a further 42 b."lttalions to be rd.ised. This call was answered elllhusiasticall}', and more than 275 new b.-.ttalions were raised. In addition there were 31 resene battalions, 8 coastal defence battalions and a host of other ad hoc battalions, nOI to mention 5,000 troops j>ro\ided by the colonies. On 8June, 20,000 Ftdiris (federates) were called up from units of the National Guard across the country to defend the capital from attack. These mcn wcre supposed to be the elite of the regional National Guard. and were housed in a camp to the north of Paris. Howe\'er, on 30July, 500 fMeres f!'Om Marseilles appeared - allegedly wilh some escaped jailbirds from the plisons of Genoa and Li\'orno in their ranks - and evcnts soon took a tum for tlle ,,·orse. Along with their Breton comrades, the federes from Marseilles took pan in the SIOI,n of the Tuileries and the massacre of S"iss Guards on 10 August, and also in the infamous 'September mass.acres' of priests and suspected Ro\-alists. When some of the ft.X1eres were E"\'entualh sent to the front, the} took advantage of a retreat to pillage magazines at Chfilons and to assassinate the Iieutcnanl
Gencmls Luckncr, L.'lfa)'cltc and Kcllcnnann. On 7 July a fourth was created at Antilles, complising 18 light infd.nlr)' comp....nies and four comp.'\nies of light horse. This formation, first titled the Legion du Midi, was soon rcnamed the Legion des Alpes. On 13 July the Legion Franche [tranger came into senice ",ith 2.822 men, this title succeeding that of the Legion Bauwe, which had been organised by General Rochambeau on I MOl). On the same dar' the Legion dll Rhin was mised, followed by the Legion des Allobroges crcated at Grenoble on 13 August. On 4 September a Legion Gennanique. was fomlcd, S\\ifLiy follo","cd by thc Legion Americain on the 7th, the LCgion des P)'Tenees on the 16th and the Legion de Rosenthal on 21 September in Alsace. To pro,ide reinforcements for these legions, 54 compafllUs Jrnnches ('free companies') were created on 28 May. The appeal for vo1unteel"S to join lhesc ISO-man independent units was so popular that by the end of September 1792 no fewer than 140 companies were in existence. Some of these united 10 form complele battalions. such as the Corps Fmnc de Monk formed on 8 September, the Bataillon des Chasseurs Belges fanned at Lille, and the Uataillon des Chasseurs de la Meuse formed at Sedan. By 20 September, the irregular tl"00PS had a theoretical strength of 12 legions (17 battalions with 20,528 men), 8 free battalions (4,800 men), I free corps (400 men) and 140 free companies (19,760 men), giving an overall total of 45,488 men. By the end of the year, this figure had riscn to 73,616 men.

1793: the lev6e, and Dubols-Cranc~'. restructuring plan In the winter of 1792/93 the victorious Frcnch anny in Helgium found itself in a precarious position. Thcrc were shortages of 30,000 pairs of shoes, 25.000 blankcts and enough camping equipment for 40,000 men. Bread. meat and fomge had become scarce, and thcre were frequent dashes with the Belgian population who bore the bnmt of the soldiers' frustrdlions. The misery' and hardship hit the volunteer battalions very hard. Under the tenns of their engagcment the volunteers could resign from the ann)' on I December prmiding that lhe}' had given two months' notice to their captain. Therefore, haling seen ofT the immediate threat of invasion. in December 1792 as

EumplH of t"-

wom

~1aI

unIfORM

by '"-gular light infantry.

TN f9J,. on t"- right, In ....,.. wlth black ~ t I I , .. .nned with • rt1I.cI eIIrb1ne - "ell",". _I~ M 1 ~ frvm his Cl"ON belt for hammer1ng balls down t"- H"*. The prlnclpsl tactic of the leillons w•• to U.k. the w., Into ~

t.mtory, ,""..t.tlng supply train••nd mountlng lightning raidS.

17

many as 60,000 volunteers headed for home. On 13 December 1792 the Convention was forced to act, declaring 'to all citizen soldiers that the Republic still has need of their services and invites them not to quit their flags'. To reinforce this plea town halls were asked to publish lists, which in effect would shame the volunteers illlO reluming to their units. The regular army, although it had acquitted itself well in action, fared lillIe beuer than the volunteers. The regular regiments had still been unable to recnlit enough men, let alone replace the casualties sustained on campaign. Worryingly, infanu-ymen continued to desert their units in order to join volullleer battalions where the men enjoyed better conditions and a higher rate of pay than the regulars. After executing King Louis XVI on 21 January 1793, Republican Fnmce found itself with enemies on every border. The undersrrength a1111ies faced the combined might of Austria, Prussia, the Gennan states, Iiolland, England, Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, Naples and the Vatican States. To defend the frollliers against these enemies the govemment calculated that it would need 502,800 men. On 7 Fcbnlary 1793, Edmond Dubois-Crancc presented a Defence Commiuce report to the National Convention that included a proposed rcstnlctlll;ng of the anuy. He declared that on I December the tine almy was 34,122 men shon of iL~ complement, while the average strength of volullleer battalions was only 559 men per battalion rather than the 800 decreed. This calculation ....'as made before the 60,000 volunteers had gone home; after the harsh winter, Dubois-Crance calculated that the !ine battalions would now be 40,000 men shon. As grenadier companies were almost alW'dYs detached from their parem unit, Dubois Crance feared that some battalions would go illlo action critically depleted. I-Ie explained that it was only with battalions over 750 men strong tbat the tactics and manoeuvres of the day could successfully be realised. To complete the battalions, Dubois-Crance noted that the govemment was preparing a Ie,'}' of 300,000 men. If all the existing battalions were successfully brought up to strength, Dubois-Crance pointed out that the army would have over 800,000 men under arms. Unless the number of battalions was reduced by half, the cost of maintaining such an army would send government expenditure spiralling completely out of cOlllrol. He argued that the line battalions were the most complete, the men betl.er trained and more ready to fulfil .the obligations of service' than in the volunteer battalions. It ""as ....~dely

I

The e.ecutlon of Loul. XVI on 21 January 1793. TtIe revolutIonary vogue of wearlni ahort jacket. '. Ie Carmagnole'. a. demon.tralad by the executione,., would have an In"uence on military fa.hlon.

18

recognised that in most cases the volunteer battalions had much to lcarn from the rcgular officers, qllartCl'lnasters and sergeant-majors, who "'erc wcll \'crsed in accounting and running cfficicnt councils of administration. In order that the regulars could 'givc cxamples of instruction and disciplinc' to the volunteers, he proposed incorpomting two battalions of volullleers into one battalion of regulars, creating an entirely new corps called a lltmj.fmgad~ To present this conccpt in a wa) that was palatable to even the most extreme members of the government, Oubois-Crance emphasised thai his proposal would effectivel) spell the end of several centuries of Ror.dist regimental tradition, and create a new national anny enthused \\;th the patriotic spirit of the volunteers. The draft organis.'ltion called for 198 demH>rigades, each ,,;th 2,437 men and six 4-pounder cannon, gh;ng the line ann)' a total strength of 477,622 men ....;th 1.176 field guns. The ler Oemi-Brig-dde would be created from the lsi Battalion of the fonner ler Regiment and twO battalions of \'olullleers (the nearesl in the field, and if possible from rroops of the same INparthnnlJ). The 2e Ocmi-Brigade would be created around the 2nd Bal1alion, fonner ler Regiment, the third around tJle lst Battalion, fonuer 2e Regiment, and so on. Despite some opposition, on 21 february' Dubois-Crance's argumenu prevailed, and the amalgamation ....'as agreed in principle. IlowC\-er, \\;th a new campaign season fast approaching and the country surrounded b)' enemies, the Committee of Public Safety postponed the implementation of the refonns. On 24 february the gO\'emment announced the IC\'}' of 300,000 bachelors or childless \\;dowers belween the ages of 18 and 40 to bring the existing battalions up to full strength. This le\'y employed the somewhat contradictory principle of '\'Oluntary conscription', which meant that in areas where the number of volunteers did not meet tJle quotas, the authorities would resort to drawing lou. This process "''
TM ~ inftux of volunt.-s In 17.2 .u.tdted unlfonn IWppl)I' to the limits. Onu in the "-kt the-. weN few mMlns 01 ~ belng ~ll~, Ioreing many 10 adopt of eMlian ctottllng. In Midltlon to the wide v...wty 01 footwealr and "-ts dl~yed MN, the lIgurn Mow how hair . . . Inc.....lngty IeIt und,..Md.

It_.

,.

2 sergeants, I caporal-fourrier, 4 corporals, 4 2 drummers, and either 48 grenadiers or 74 fusiliers, Finally, to ensure that the parent battalions "':ere broken lip completely, the 27 companies were reallocated by seniority of the captain as follows: 151 Bn: 1st grenadier captain, 1st. 13th. 4th, 16th, 7th, 19th, 10th, 22nd fllsilier captains 2nd Bn: 2nd grenadier captain. 2nd, 14th, 5th, 17th, 8th, 20th, 11th, 23rd fusilier captains 3m Bn: 3rd grenadier captain. 3rd, 15th, 6lh, 18th. 9th. 21st. 12th, 24th fusHier captains. This pattern ensured that the most experienced captains were e\'enly distributed throughout the thrcc battalions. Once reorganised. compan" strength \\'Ould then be equalised, causing integration among e\-en the lowest ranks. In a second attempt to complete the baualions before the amalgamation commenced, on 23 August 1793 the Com-ention took the draconian step of declaring a ~ tTl ma.ut: 'From this moment, until the enemy has been pursued from the territol)' of the Republic, all Frenchmen are in a Slate of pennanelll requisition for milital)' senice.' All unmarried, childless males between 18 and 25 years were ordered to the frontiers with \'ery few exceptions, bringing at least an additional 300,000 men into senice. appoinu~s,

AnrMod wtth. pol..., ~ live weapon of u... Hft,.ig.n ~ , • _ _lotte alb wlth • grenadier Ngul., and • voIunt_. Thto polk_ _....

• Phrygl.n cap,

u... ')'ft\boI of

liberty. AlthoUgh '" ••cellent pt"OpaelinchI tool, polk. . . . , .

never ..nou.ly .mplo,1od .. • bIIttlefteid _.pon,

20

1793-94: AMALGAMATION On 22 NO\'ember 1793, the Convention decreed that the new IC\ies would only be used to complete the strength of infantry battalions formed before I March that year. The newly e1ecled officers and NCOs of the provisional battalions were to be incorporated into the existing cadres 'withoul regard to the mnk they have occupied provisionally', and lhe standard pl-dclice of volunteers electing lheir officers was henceforth discontinued. Anyone nOl conforming 1.0 this law would be denounced as a suspect, anesled and sentenced accordingly. With Fmnce tcrrOlised by the guilloline, the government c1aliried their intent on 21 December, dedming that anyone refusing lO be incorporated would be deemed a conspirator and punished by dealh. As lhe process of incorpomtion continued, lhe Commiuee of Public Safety ordered the immediale ~mbrigadenu!nt of volunteer and cx-royal anny battalions on 8January 1794. In addition to the 198 dcmi-brigades lll! blltllilil!. 15 prmisional demi-brigades .....ere ordered. to be composed of the surplus \'O!unteer b.'1ltalions, On 28 Janual)', Dubois-Crance obtained a sepamte decree ordering the amalgamation of the ChassellI' b.,ualions and Cmp5 fralla. Duling 1793 the go\'cmmcnt hail increased the number of ChassellI' battalions from 14 to 22. TIle ne\\'comers ....·ere four battalions fonned in Corsica on 5 Febnlal)' 1793; the 1ge Legere. created from the Corps de DutJ'uy on 26 Febmal)'; the ZOe Ugere. created on 4 March from the Chasseurs du Midi; the 21e Legere. from

the Corps de Muller on 3 May; and fmally the 22e Legere, from the Infantclic de Rosemhal on 4 June 1793, By August 1793 the process of amalgamating the mlunteer 'free companies' had begun, with 14 Legions (34 battalions), 49 free baualions and 175 free companies, totalling 87,048 men. The amalgamation of these battalions with the Chasseur batlalions started after 21 January 179-1. By I May. just nine legions, 55 free batlalions and 74 free companies had )'et 10 be incorporated, On 25 Aplil 179-1 each demi-bligade was ordered to fonn an artillery company of 2 captains, 3 lieutenants, 6 sous-officiers (sergeants). I caporal-foumer, 5 corporals. 75 gunners and I dntmmer, sening six 4-pdr cannon, This measure was not extended 10 the Ught infanuy demi-brigades, which would remain \\ithout artillery. AI the Slart of the 179-1 campaign season France's 11 field annies had reached Ihe unprecedenled strength of 750,000 men. Modem studies have re\'ealed thai of this number around 37 per celli had not seen action; 15 per cenl ",'ere Ihe rccntits of 1793 ",'ho had seen some action; 23 per cent were volunteers from 1792; 5 per cenl were "olunteers from 1791; and 18 per cent. soldiers of the fonner ropl anny. II is estimaled that in total only 5 per cent of soldiers in 1794 had seen an)' militan' senice before the RC\'Olution in 1789.

.. t-.gu&ar IfI wttlte, '" tIIk caM

piped light blue........ N.ltlonail O_1'dsmM, IfI bllHl wltn white "pMi piped 1M Mod 1M

con.

Mdcutt..TM~

Further reorg.nl •• t1on. , 1796-99 Inevitably, such a huge wartime I'eorganisation did not go entirel)' smoothl)', In tOlal 205 dnni.J:nigaths tk bataillL and 35 dnni-lmgatks Iigm were fonned in the period up to October 1795, blll many of these came nowhere near reaching full slrength, and many battalions a\'Oided the refonns altogether. With the end of the National Convention on 26 October 1795, the incoming government of fh'e Directors decided to nltionalise these discrepancies by what amoumcd to a second amalgamation. On I November 1795, it ordered that the line infantry would comprise 323,000 men org-J.nised into 100 demi·brigaiUs de ligne, each composed of three battalions, these being subdivided into eight companies of fusiliers and one of grenadiers. On 8 January 1796, 30 demibrigades d'illfllllterie figi!re totalling 96,960 men were ordered to be formed. On 13January 1796 the generals in thc field received orders to begin the reorganisation of their infanul' into a set number of the new demibrigades: Anny of the Sambre and Meuse: 21 linc & 5 light demi-brigades Anny of the \Vest: 16 line & 6 light demi-bligades Anny of the Alps: 4 line & 4 light dcmi-brigades Anny of the Interior. 14 line & 2 lighl demibrigades Anny of the Rhine and ~Ioselle: 21 line & 5 lighl demi-brigades

of 1M fonner roy• .""", tIM N.tlotYl Ou.nl YoluntMrS -..d tIM '-In 01 17N c:...-ted • _tIOMf .nny, wlth • a1ngle ~tlon, Jla1 __ Ie, cocM

of dlKlpllne Met uniform.

21

A mou"tMl I"f.... try ~ (h" ....". tuos Men riwed ope" .t the . . .m) ,Iv.. dl~tlons to his bedraegled ~,,: _ Pl• • F a O. Thto laden IIgu,. 1WfttI the bonnet ~ poI~ I. d.pkted w•• ri"" sky-bill'S _ks with blscll stripes, .nd rwd .no.tontues. HI. cOtnINl"lon h.. his co.t opoen _ blS<:1l

."d

.m.lI.

cloth••, w . . . . . crimson s.c.rI IOONty .bout hi. "selt.

22

Army of llaly: 12line & 6 light demi-brigades Anny of the North: 12 line & 2 Iiglll demibrigades The reconstituted demi-brigades then drew lots at random to find out which number they would receive (e.g., the 131e Demi-Brigade became the ler DB on 13 Febnlary 1796). On 18January the number of linc demi-brigades was increased to 110. In October I i98 the auxiliary companies were re-formed, each forming a depot under the command of the capttaiM d'hnbfllmtnlJ (clothing officer). A final change to the demi-brigades came on 9 September I i99, fixing the number of line units at 100. Each demi-brigade totalled 3,231 men, in three battalions, with an additional six-company garrison battalion; each of the three ''''~M' battalions "'"as composed of dght companies of fusiliers and one of grenadiers. The etal-major included a chef de brigade... chefs de bataillons, 4 adjudanLS-majors.... adjudanls sous-officiers. I quarter-master, I ~tl? (post-master). 3 medical officers, 1 drum-major. I drum-corporal, 8 musicians, ... master-crnftsmen (I masrer-tailor, I master-cobbler. 1 master-gaiter maker. and I master-armourer). Each company had a captain. a Iieulenanl. a SOlISlieutenant, a sergeant-major, .. sergeants, a fourrier, 8 corporals. 2 drummers and 104 fusiliers or 64 grenadiers. 1799: the Au:a:lllary Battalions With the eSlablishmelll of the ann}' apparently resoh'ed, only the question of recruitment remained. On 18 August 1798 discussion began on how to introduce a fair and egaJit"lrian system; and on 5 September, General Jourdan's conscription law was adopted. This declared that all Frenchmen had a dury to protect the homeland, and that men between the ages of 18 and 30 years could \'olllnteer for a term orsenice, of four years in peacetime or for the duration of a war. However, all young men between the ages of20 and 25 were no\\' liable for milit.1.ry conscription. The potential conscripts were di\~ded into five annual classes. The first class included all those aged 20 on the first day of the Republican calcndar (I Vcndemiaire, 22 September), the second class, those aged 21, and so on. All those eligible for service would be entered onto a register in their local to\\'Il hall. A ballot would draw the number required for military scno1ce. \\o1th a portion of men kept on a resen'e list to replace those failing the medical examination. The first ballot would be drawn from the youngest class - the 20-)'car-olds; if more men were required, each class would be balloted in tum until rhe required number was attained. On 28 September I i98 the government called up 200.000 consCripts. The follm\1ng rear opened badly for France, in particular in the Italian theatre of operations. The government's response "'"as to call up all five classes of conscripts; but when deciding how best 10 employ them, the autJlorities displa\'ed a moth-like tenderle}' to repeat past

mistakes. Rather than using me conSClipLS to reinforce existing demibrigades, on 28 June 1799 it was decided as a malleI' of urgency that l.hey ",,'Ould be used to form bataillons al4xiliaim mat would operate independently from tlle demi-brigades. As each DCpartemem collected iLS conscripts, it was to equip, ann and uniform mem before forming them into battalions. Each battalion would have I grenadier, 1 chasseur and 8 fusilier companies. TIle grenadiers ""'ould be formed of the tallest mcn, while the chasseurs wcre selected 'from among tllosejudged most propel' for thatsemcc'. E..'\ch company would ha\'c a captain, a lieutcnant, a solIS-lieutenant, I scrgeant·m~or, 4 sergeants. I caporal-fourrier, 8 corporals, 2 drummers and 152 mcn. Each battalion staff included I chef de b."1taillon, I quartermaster-treasurer, I adjudalll-major, I surgeon-m_tior, I a{ljudant. sous--officier, I dnull-major, I master-tailor, I master-cobbJer and 1 master-armourer. The battalions ",,'ere to have a regional identity. Each \\'ould have a flag in the national colours ""ith me name of their Departement on il., and the number of the battalion, if more man onc had been formed. Wherever possible me gO\'cmment would choose local officers from retired or supernumerary officers wanting to return to action. Iialf of the NCOs ....·ould be selected from retired soldiers and the remainder from the conscripts lhemselves. Any surplus conscripts were to be formed into companies and pooled logether .....ilh troops from neighbouring Dcpanements. The western Depanements affeCted by tlle civil war (Sanhe, Orne, Mayenne. lIl~t.vi1aine, Morbihan, Loire-Inferieure and Maine-et-Loire) were ordered to form 'free companies' instead of auxiliary' ballalions. These companies were ordered to guard the coasts, man the batteries and maintain the peace. When Dubois-Crance was named Minister of War on 13 September 1799 he found the amI)' in a deplorable Sl<'lte. Soldiers in the field .....ere practically naked, shoeless, ""ithout weapons, brcad or pay, and we I'e living on local requisitions. TIle factOIies were deserted, the hospilals devoid of evclything, and corruption WdS rife. DuboisCrance ....'as amazed thal a musket could be bought and sold as many as five times before being placed in the hands of a soldier - many people ....· ere profiteering from this war. Ha\ing argued since 1789 for me establishment of a single national arm)', he saw the auxiliary battalions simply as a source of reinforcements for the demi-brigades. Ho.....ever, me la....• restricted him from directly incorporating these b."1ualions into existing units. as had happened after me ku« t1I mll.SY in 1793. To get round this he told the Directorale lhat he wllllted to attach the conscript ballaliolls lO the demi-brigades lO form their

TM Consul., P.rlod.ttet- 17" uw "m.thlng of ....tum to p...·R....olutlon.ry .",.~t.l _ PI.I. H. Thts ch..Hl.lt has powd.red h.lt and wears • neck slock. He c.me. ItIs fuslI .t 'I'Mme. ¥DIonti', the 'l\tOUred ,,"p 0' NtUefteld 1 k I ~

23

fOUl1.h 'garrison' baltalion. He ..·:ould then have all lIle infirm and wounded soldiers transfen'ed to the depot, while the conscripts were transferred into the three field battalions, retaining lIlcir existing ranks. Dubois-Crance did nOt Slay in office long enough to see his plans bear fnait. Following General Bonapane's 'Bmmaire' lOOp dna/., General Benhier took over the War ~linistr" on II NO\'ember li99. With power no....•centralised in Bonapane's hands. Berthier .....as able quick-h- to force through military, refomlS ....ith an authoriry that oubois-Crance had never enjo)"ed. The auxiliary baualions were incorporated into me demi-brigades by the law of 24 January 1800, a measure mat became elTective on 20 Februan'. An example of the auxiliaf)' baualions is recorded in lhe memoirs of Captain Coignel. Conscripted in I i99, Coignet joined me Bataillon Auxiliaire de Seine-et-~lame fonned on 3 Seplember at Fonminebleau, which found itself incorporated into lhe 96e Oem i-Brigade after the Brumaire coup. Although the grenadiers and fusiliers went into lhe 96e DB, the chasseur company was separated and sent to the ge Legere. The records of the ge Legere show lhat along with the chasscurs of the Scine-et-Mame they received lhe chasseurs from the ball..1liolls of the Seine (formed 15 August 1799), Scine-el-Oise (29 August), Eure-et·Loire (8 December), Oise (29 September), Nord (4 August) and Mozelle (10 September 1799).

UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT, 1791-1802 In the course of the reforms that followed the Seven Years' War, infantry unifomlS had to a large extent been standardised. The coat adopted for French infalHf) regiments went through SC\'eral changes, but the royal order of 21 February 17i9 adopted a white, long-tailed coat. The 17i9 pauem was furuler clarified by the detailed uniform regulations of I October 1786. This last regulation pro\ided the basis for thc uniform worn by Line infantry for most of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Line Infantry uniform., 1791

On 1 April 179 I a new instruction madc slight modifications to the design of1l1c coat. To idcntify llle individual rCbrimcllts, seven distinctive colours \\lcre allocated, one each to seven scrics of 12 regiments. Each regimelll in the series was distinguished by a combination of distincti..-e colour, button type and pocket flap positioning. TI1C scven distincth'e colours ....·ere applied in variOliS combinations to thc lapels, collar and culT flap or cuffs (see Table 2). If lhe distinctive colour was not applied, thcn the material as white edged ....itJl piping in tJle appropriate colour, The coat had hite lumbacks decorated with a jkur ck IyJ (lily flower) in the distinctive colour. and Wilh a grenade for the grenadiers. The lapels ....· ere decorated on each side ....ith seven sma)) buuons placed. except the highesl, at equal diSl3nce. There were three large buttons beneatJl the right lapel that were purely decorati\·e. The tJlree-pointed pocket flaps were also purely omamental, placed horiLontally or venicall)', piped in the distinctive colour and decorated ....ith three 24

(COfIt,,,wd CItI /MJV JJJ

•

-

,....,.,.17::m.. .. ~

SUMMER

.

2:......-.n

~-.

o.dMFt.",.1111

,

..

• NATIONAL GUARDS. 178&-Q1 1: . . . . . ~ 2: GNMdI.- omoer,,.... au.d

3: 4:

B

Full"" P..t. NatlonlIl au-d PMtiI NatIoMI Ouerd ~

2

,

,

UNE INFANTRY, 1791 1:"",_~

2: fWd

~ ~

3: CIrwIwMr.3lSIl

.. lIOilt

c

3

UGHT INFANTRY, 1791 1:~,8ee.tal1lon

2: CotponIl, 7. s.t.IIon 3:~1... ~

4: a-c..DInIIr.11.

~

• D

VOLUNTEERS ANO IRREGUlARS 1:"""" au.d ......... 1791 2: 0 - . L6glan." g..,17'Sl:3 3: 0 - , L6glan o.m..... 17'Sl:3 4: 0 - , ~ ... Ft'rocheo. r~ 17'Sl:3

•

-PL~ E

REPUBt..JCAN DEMI-BRIGAOES 1.._ 1b. 1c: ~ _ _ '1fIlIv-lot dIItell8

~-

3: GrenadIer, 1'194-4ll

F

3

,

• DIRECTORY PERIOD 1:~.

v.ndM, 1,..

2 : ~ , IJgtIt

IrIf8ntJ)'

:t:: a-w, 1«lAgIon" ffWIClI, 11'f7 4: a - . 21tlAglon eM F..-; ~ 11'f7

G

2

TJ

CONSULATE PERIOO 1: Infarrby oonecr1pt, 1eoo 2: LJM Inf1lntJy omow, 1100 3: e..tItnler, Ie ~ 1100

H

large uniform buttons, Thc cliff had a cuff-flap with thrce buttonholes fastened by three small llnifonll buttons. TIle fusilier shoulder SUOlpS were made from the samc material as the coat, piped in the distinctive colour; they ",'crc sewn ontO thc shoulder near thc seam of the sleeve and Hxed nearer the collar by a small buuon. Sincc 17 March 1788. grenadiers had worn red, fringed epauleues. TI1C large or small uniform buttons carried the ntllllbcr of the regiment, surroundcd by a clasp. The drummers wore a blue coat \'lith chevrons in the ro}'allh'ery, musicians wore the .s..... me uniform as dnllllmers but ",ithout the Ih·cry. In addition to the white CO
An lnf.nlrym.n In tM 1781 uniform: __ PI.t. C. In thl. ca..

the dl.tlnctlve COlour 0' thl. ..rI•• 0' ...,Imena lac.. tM

"P4cI., coU.r, cuffs .nd cuff· pl~ In whit., wtIll. tM horl.lonal pock.a and 'duck1001' .m.u1d
ft.p.,

now... tumbac:k _mena _

alllO In the 'acing cotow; tM uniform bvtI_ _ yalloow; Itta pltan are blKk, and Itta Itta turban palntacf to -..nbla Iaopantakin..

cNq4Ia " "

Foreign regiments

Vntil tll(.1' were imegrated into the French aJlllY proper (see Table 3). tlle unifonn dislinctions oftlle 12 foreign regiments were applied as folio'" : 53~ (Alsaa): Sk}'·blue coat; scarlet lapels. collar, cuff-flaps and cuffs: white buttons. \'cnical pockets. 6:h (Salm Salin): Sky-blue coal, collar and culT-flaps; scarlet lapels and culTs; whilC buttons, "crtical pockets, 77e (UI MlHrk): Sky-bluc coat; scadet lapels, collar, cuff-flaps and cuffs; white buttons, \'elucal pockcts, 87e (Dil/oll): Rcd coat; black lapels, collar, cuff-flaps and cuffs; yellow bUllons, vertical pockets, 8Se (lkrwiek): Red coat, collar and culT-flaps; black lapels and cuffs; yellow bUllons, vcrtical pockeLS. 8!k (Royal SlIidou): Sky-blue coat; scarlet lapels, collar, cufT·f1aps and culTs; white buttons, vcnical pockets. 92e (\\'tllsh): Red coat and cufTs: black lapels, collar and cufT-f1aps: )'el1ow buttons, horizontal pockcts. 94e (J-Ie3s~Danll.stll(i(): Sky·bluc coal, collar and cufT·naps; scarlet lapels and cuffs; white bllttons, horilOntal pockets, ~ (Na.J.SUlI): Sky-blue coal and cufTs; scarlet lapels, collar and cufT-f1aps: white buttons, horilOntal pockets, 9& (&uiiloll): Sky-blue coat; black lapels, collar, culT-flaps and cufIs; white buttons, horilOntal pockets. ~ (RLJ)'ul Ckux-Potlu): Sk}-blue coat, collar and cufT-flaps; black lapels and black cufTs; white buuons, horizolltal pockets. IOle (RUJ'al Liigtois): Sky-blue coat and cufTs; black lapels. collar and cufTflaps; white buttons, horiwnml pockets.

33

The I April 179' regulation stipulated that the Swiss regiments should attach red cuff-flaps to their C(hlts, bill it appears that this aheration ne\'er took place. TIle few Swiss troops remaining in France at this time would ha\'e continued to wear their 1786 unifonns, including the chu/Nau.. These coats had white tumbacks, with piping on the shoulder straps and pocket (Japs, and the turnhack ornaments in the same colour as the lapeL The distinctions were: 6)e Ernest: Black lapels and cuffs; red collar; white piping; horizontal pockets. 64e Sa/is Samalk: Lemon-)-ellow lapels and cuffs; red collar; horizontal pockets, 65e Sormnnbog: Sk}··blue collar, lapels and cuffs; \'I~:nical pockets. 66t Cast,lla: Blue collar, lapels and cuffs; white piping; horizontal pockets. 69r \'igitT": Chamois lapels and cuffs; red collar; horizontal pockets. i& CJuiUauvieux: Yellow lapels and cuffs; red collar; ",hite piping; horizontal pockets. 85e Ditshach: Sky-blue lapels, collar and cuffs; white piping; horizontal pockets. 8& Courtnt: Blue lapels and cuffs; red collar; white piping; horizontal pockets. 95, Salis Grisons: Blue lapels and cuffs; red collar: horizontal pockets. 97, Stnnn-: Blue lapels, collar and cuffs; horizontal pockets. 10lk RLinach: White lapels, collar and cuffs; horizontal pockets. All the unifoml buttons of the Swiss regiments were white metal ""ithout any stamped numbers.

A g~nIIdler weel1n; the ctNIjH'u, 17'11, but Id~tltl~ by hIe red frIng~ epaulett"; the het tuft Ie elM red. The th .... buttone ehowlng below hie right

lapel WWWl ~talned from tIM 178e !N'ttem co.t, but the ~ I n g buttonhol" below tIM lett I.potl WWWl omitted. The buttone Of! tIM eleeved weletCOllt a~

34

the

NnM

type _ thoR

Of!

the cuffe .nd ..Pltl.. The 'acing colour not been appl~ to tIM col"r, wtllch _Ine .....nlte.

"'*

National Guard uniforms The coat worn by the National GU31'd in Paris was similar in cut to the standard infantI)' coat (habit), but instcad ofbcing white it .....as hku-b-roi ('king's blue'). lined white, with a red collal', and white lapels and cufTs piped in red. The yellow metal buttons were st."lmped with a ship (an ancient badge of the city), ncur-de-I),s symbols and the number of the didsion and batli:l1ion. The tail tum backs were decorated with a red cloth badge in the shape of a ship. Although the majority of National Guard units copied the Paris guards' bleu-de-roi coat thcrc wcre somc local variations recorded in 1790, In Castelnaudry (Languedoc), for instance, the Guard adopted a white-collared red coat, with sky-blue cuffs and lapels. In DeBes a dark green coal with chamois collar, cufTs, waistcoat and breeches were worn; while a sky-bluc habit with scarlet cufTs was worn at Lure in the F.-anche-Comptc. The Guard at l\hrsal in Lor.-aine also wore a green coat; but the citizen guardsmcn of Altkirch in Alsace had no uniform at all, and wore their civilian clothes at drill exercises and on parade. In September 1791 the uniform in the national colours was standardised, but not made obligatory for those in the Countf}'slde. The company of vitirans wore this standard unifonn, distinguished with a white s..."lSh and a 'chapeau Ii hI Hmri IV'. The Veterans were armed "'ith an esponton, a half-pike 6 to 7 feet long. as traditionally camed bv officers in the rop.l army.

Table 2: Regimental distinctions, 1 April 1791 When the unilS of National Guard Volumeers ""ere selll lO the fromier they ""ore the unifonn 12 BIllck 1 2 3 4 6 7 6 VloleI 13 14 15 16 22 23 20 decreed by the National Assembly on 27 July PnI 25 26 27 28 32 33 1791. The co.'lt or habit national W"d.$ made in the Sky bUl 37 38 39 40 same blue doth as lhe I'aris National Guard, with Cf'm!lon 49 50 51 52 76 79 Scarlet 67 68 70 71 72 73 searlet cufTs and collar piped ""hite. ""hite lapels Fqal BUll 82 83 84 90 and turnbacks piped scarlet. The volunteers L.apeIs X X X X x x x x x x x x would .....ear a threc-
, ,. " ,. .. "" " "" " " '"'" ""

, ."" "'"" """ " "" "" " ""

... .

- I ---

....

. ..

I~ x...:~(

"""""'" I

0'

ttl. 12 forel"n ....Im.nlt In ml6-17"'. The "rst lour url•• 1....lm.nUi1-48) rem.lnttd ••

Ll9ht Infantry uniforms, 1784-1801

The provisional regulation of 10 August 1784 described a uniform for both fOOL and mounted Chasseurs almost identical to that wom by the infanul' since the regulation of 21 February 1779. The long-tailed coat or habit was of dark green limp (woollen doth). with a chamois vtSU (sleeved waistcoat) and cuiolt~ (brecches). Each regiment had a distinctivc colour for thc coat lapels and cufTs. The white mctal buttons were stamped with a cors~h~ (hunting hom) insignia, with the regimental number in the centre. An cpauleue with a whitc fringe and background, with a lozenge design in the regimental colour, was worn on the left shoulder only. On the right shoulder

.hown In T.ble 2.

Table 3: Uniform modifications, 15 January 1792

.. '" _ .... ""'" " em.oo

53 54 55 72 70 79 90 62 63 84 87 101 102 93949698 108109110111

" "68 iJo
-'-

e-

""""

""'-. """'"-.

67

X

X

X

X

'" X

" X

X

56 73 88 103

57 74 89 104

58 75 90 105

59 77 91 100

60 78 92 107

X

X

X

X

X

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

"""'" ---I

-I

"""""'" ---I

....

35

Two young

N.~I G~rd

11"""''- itl • P..... uo". Their ..-cI plumea .,. tipped itl

3.

bl~.

...."IS it fringeless cOIllrt-ejJalllml! of the s.1.me dark green cloth as the coat. The n:gimenL.1.l distinctions were as follo.....s: Cha.urors d~ AlfMs: Scarlet; bUlton number 'I' C!llilleurs d~ Pyrblm: Crimson; '2' Chlillmrs d~ lh5ges: Lemon-rello.....; '3' Chassmrs lies Ciuolnes: Chamois; '4' Cha.Ul!urs du Civaudan: Pale ornnge; '5' Chaunm dLs ArdnUl~: Dark green; '6' The men wore a white neck collar and a pair of long infanuJ-5tyle gaiters, which were worn with ganers and buckles. They had a pair of while gaiters for parade and two black pairs for Olher duties. The headdress was a felt bicom hat, decor;:tted ....ith a IUft ofgreen wool worn O\'er a .....hite cockade. Their equipment consisted of a gibrrnL (canridge box) on a strap and a belt forcam;ng the sabre. which "''35 .....orn by both NCQs and chasseurs alike. The uniform was completed "'ith a calfskin haversack and a cloth 'distribution sack'. As in Line unilS. the drummen wore a blue habit ",irn cufTs and lapels in the regiment's distinctive colour, the slee....es and edgings ....·cre decornted ",ith the King's livery'. As a ponent of the RC\nlutionary egaliL.·uian spirit to come. the ordinance stated that 'thc clothing of the officers shall be perfec:th uniform to that of the chasseurs of their regiment and shall not differ other than b)' the quality of the cloths, as .....ell as 1» that of the buttons which shall be sih·ered·. On I October 1786 a far more dctailed regulation replaced the 1784 prO\isions. The implemcnt.ttion of this regulation ....'as slow. since coalS, for ex;unple. had a life span of three )'ears. The most noticeable changcs were that the breeches ....·erc rcplaced ",ith a trOlIscr-slyle garment cut just 4 inches above the ankle. The external scams of this pmltalon were open from the b.1.SC up to the Ievcl where the ganer su-ap had prC\;ously been worn, and were closed by six small bUltons. The colour of the trousers and waistcoat ....'35 changed from chamois lO dlll'k green. The new gaiters were entirely difTcrelH from the infalllry model: they were cut 10 resemble hussar boots. and were closed by lcn small bUllons, with a double bUllonhole al lhe lOp which faslened lhe gailer to one of the lrOllser leg bunons. The habit was lined in the distinctive colour of the regimelll and the turnbacks .....ere decorated Wilh a cors-de
culS. '111e men would also be issued "''ith a bonnet de police CUt in the dragoon style and made from lhe scraps of material from old coalS. A flat, round, woollen 'Icmil' wom above the cockade would distinguish each company: 1st scarlct, 2nd sk)'-blue, 3rd pink. 4th dafTodil·\ellow. and the euu-major, white. The officen' unifonll again differed only in the qualit), of c10lh used, which the regulation slated should be 'from Elbocuf or manufactures of identical type'. The officcn' hats were bordered ",'ith a black silk lape. 5 liple! (clltnm) ....'idc, without plumes or feathers, absollildy identical to those of the chasscurs; they were trimmed above the cockade ....'ith a goat-hair lemil in tllc colour assigned to their com pan)'. Chassellr officers wore green cloaks, with the collar edged by a silver lace I jJQua (2.7cm) wide, faced in serge of the regiment's distinctive colour. In place of gaiters the officers now wore hussar-st)'le Hungarian boots. In common ....ilh the Line infamry, Chasseur officers ....'cre ordered to call)' a musket and a sabre as well as a grhnn~ (caruidge box), but the inspection records oflhe Chasseurs des Gevenncs show that this practice "''as ignored by that unit atleasL The sabre ....'as decorated ",ith a knot or cord mixed ",'ith threads of gold and 'fire coloured' silk. \\11en on duty, all Chasseur it pied officers, including those of the etal-major, were 10 wear a gilded copper ha!wtXol (gorgel) omamented ....'ith a silvcr mcdallion in the middle bearing the king's anl\S. The ordinance of 1 November 1789 introduced some additional modifkations. TIle green habil had white piping and rellow melal buttons. TIle coat's lurnbacks and the edging on Lhe shoulder straps were in lhe distincti\'e colour. The \'eSle and culoltes wcre while, as in the Line infantry. Drummers ....·ore a habil in the distinctive colour, edged in the king's Iivcl)'. Then, on 27 loohy 1790, the Chasseur battalions adopted the uicolour cockade. On 24 April 1791 came another pro\'i. sional instruction on the ChassellI' uniform. Each baualion had while melal buttons with the rclevalll number inside a stamped cor-de-chasse. Twelve small uniform 'l bUllons fastened the

O,..n·unl,ormfKl C,...Nu,. • pled In 1787. TlMo ~ure on "'right Is an omcw, Idantifted by "'- gilded gorget ~ , below his coI'-r. He cam.. ... . . . from • bett undemNtttl "'- wMk»8t and _ _ boots

In8tHd of shott pliers. Uk.

"'-'r men, 8nden

~ In'MIry offlc'-Ily rwqulrwd to C81rn' mustl"*-

ome-

weAl

37

~h ~ ...

this light infantry ftgUN

to H .n onoduty otr\l;W,

1M Is Ihown .....-tng • ~m~ c: , . . . _ .-paulettes on btu.- c:_t with red collaf', cuffa and c:uff-ftaps ~ whtt.. TM th~poInted cuff flaps and four bvtton, befow the ..... _ , varlfltlorl on the ~ r d

UftIfonn

~.

TM pk:tuN

clearty shows the -ucal fal. .

11I11 pock.ts; .nd demon,tnll_ tIM f.shk>nabl. light cav.lry· st)tle pnlCtk:. of _.rlng button....med trousers.

38

waistcoat. The cuff received a flap with three buttons. The distinctions were as follows: In': Scarlet, applied to collar, cuffs and cuff-flaps. ~: Scarlet, cuffs onl)' J~: ScarlCt, collar and cuff-flaps onl) 4~: Daffodil-ycllow, collar, cufE and cuff-flaps ,~: Daffodil'yellow, cuffs on I)' &: Daffodil-rellow, collar and cuff-flaps only 7~: Pink, collar. cuffs and cuff-flaps &: Pink, cuffs only ~: Pink, collar and cufT-fiaps only lOt: Crimson, collar, cuffs and cuff-flaps I I~: Crimson, cuffs only I~: Crimson, collar and cuff-flaps only When the 13th and 14th ball.lliions were crcatcd, they formed a fifth series: IJ~: Whitc, collar, cufTs and cuff-flaps J4~: Whitc, cuffs only. Like thc Line infantrr, the Chasscurs adopted thc leathcr casque headgear, with a white plume tipped in the distinctive colour. The carabiniers adopted scarlet epauleue5 and a bearskin, slighlly shoncr than the grcnadiers without plaque or \isor, but with a scarlet plume. In ordinal) dress the carabinien wore the felt chapeau. Officers wore a green O\'erCQat and, in keeping ",ith the Chasseun a chC\'3J, probably wore a green surtout jacket for non-parade dress. Although thc gO\~m.ment pfO\ided the main items of unifonn. each man ",'ould be responsible for 1I1C following items, paling through deductions from his wages: 3 chnnises (shirts), I ""hilc collar, I black collar, I collar buckle. 2 handkerchiefs, 2 pairs of couon hose, I pair of grey woollcn hose, 2 pairs of shoes, I pair of shoe buckles, I pair of gancr bucklcs, I pair of grey canvas gaiters, I pair of black gaitcrs faccd with can\laS. I night cap, 1 bag with powdcr and puff, 2 combs, I clothes brush, 2 shoe brushes, I copper brush, I lrousse garni~ (a bag with a razor, leather, yarn and ncedles), I lincn bag for 'distributions', I hidc havcTSt'lck, 2 cockades, I queue (pigt.'1i1) ribbon. I button pull, I awl, I tire-!xmm (musket ball extractor), ) vent pick, ) screwdriver and ) account book. TIle law of 21 Februarr 1793 stated that the future light infantry demi-brigades would be dressed in a blue coat of infantl)' CUL The National Com'enrion's decree of 7 September 1793 clarified this law. The Co.'1l would have pointed lapels, a scarlet collar and cuff-flaps. white piping and yellow metal buttons. This

uniform also reaffinned the light infalllry's lTaditional affinity with light camlry fashions by readopting Hungarian-style breeches and halfgaiters. The unifonn ""as completed by a green leather casque. Although the decree originalI}' called for a long-tailed coat, another st}le became increasingly common. This shan-tailed coat had first become the vogue among chasseurs in the volunteer companies, /igioru and free corps fonned since 1792. lIS design was based on the Carmagnokjackct. \...hich had originated in the lO\\'Tl of Cannagnola in I'iedmont, 1t..1Iy. The working classes .....ore this gannent \,..ith \"e'1' shan tumbacks rather than the trJ.ditional, cumbersome long-tailed coal. This style, and its cousin the lH!S1e a in Mm-seillaiM, became fashionable amongst French Jacobin revolution.u;es. and so may have been adopted by the free-wheeling irregulars as botJl a pau;otic gesture and a means of funher distinguishing themselves from the regular anny. Perhaps more significa.mly, shan-tailed coats had already been adopted by light trOOps of a number of rival nations. The BI;tish had cut do""n their red COOts during the American Revolution. GennanJagers also adopted the shaner co.1I. being influenced by the costume of Ilungarian/Balkan irregulars. Brabant rebels in Austrian-ruled Belgium also adopted this 'llungarian' coat in I i90; and after losing Belgium to the French. the Austrians equipped their 0\\'Tl local FmJwrps with captured Brabant coats.' Despite the order to adopt the blue national unifonn, it .....ould seem that the old green coats did not dis..'l.ppear immediately. Due to supply problems and the three-year lifespan ofa coat, a number of green coats would have remained in circulation .....ell inLO 1794. There was also perhaps a more practical reason for light inf.mtry not wanting to lose their green coats. A report by the War Committee to the National Con\'cntion on 2 March 1794 stated that the nature of sen;ce of light infantry (i.e. advanced"'b'llard missions) did not lend itself to wearing a uniform in the national colours. Thc report suggested a different unifonn for chasseurs, consisting of a natural green Cannagnolejackel "'ith a .scarlet collar and sk}'-blue cufTs, which was different enough from the old ro}-alunifonn to be accepmble to the Republican go\'emment. In practice it was the short-miled coat in the national blue that was universally adopted, and remained in sen;ce until the intr<xluction of the Bardin regulations in 1812. Contemporary illustrations show a bcwildering mixture of long- and short-tailed coats, and a not insignificant trend towards wearing light cavalry-style overalls. Styles of headgear also changed dramatiGllly, again with an increasing tendcncy to follow light cavalry fashions. As in the Line, the casque was replaced by the \'olullteer-style chapeau, solllcwhat larger than the one wom in the da}'5 of the royal anny. This was then replaced "';th the shako by some units. On 26 October ISOI this trend was officially recognised when light infanuv officially adopted a shako 17.&m high, "i111 a detachable \;5Or, and a plume wom O\'Cr the cockade on the left hand side. General Mortier gave a demiled description of the unifonn wom immediately prior to the Imperial period in the often-quoted insp«tion of the ge Ugere in 1802. Ha\~ng praised the unit for il~ fine conduct in \'/al', he went on to poim out some of the many irregul:u;ties he noticed in the appearance of the troops: 'Although tJle tUIllOut is generally

, s.. MAA m. AultrlAn ~ rl'OClPl 179l-IBI6. p.l1 & "'-I. 01

3.

Germ." d~lctJon of • h.,vlly laden French _Idler, willi

cheqUfifil trouaen, •

* ..

sh II\d • ~.lIow Crllllit. The -.qulpment ,nown !M;ll>d•• everything from, coif. . pot to • beer eteln. In between g••, 111m. end heme can be . . . n lad I••, pins end I cluldron, wIth what eppe,.... to bto • ~ul.tlon

,.u..

marm/f, .1r1lp~ on top. He c.rrl•• two loa.",. on , Itlek. el••rty the plclu", I, Hmoenlnll

the French troope' almoll complete ...lIencl on 'requleition,'.

Ioc,'

40

good, ...he inspector general would like to sec more unifonniry. The officers are nOl all h,HlCd in the same manner. They wear their hal. indifferently over one or the oilier eyebrow; all the boots are nOt unifonn and do not carefully conforrn. Mall)' ortlte officers carry their belt buckle over the waistcoat, despite the rcse....m.ion of this right to senior officers. 'Some of lhc NCOs place lheir chenons incorrectly 011 the sleeves of their co.'us; the corporals ",'ear them in red wool instC'd.d of )'ellow, The sergeant-majors and Joumns are not all armed with a musket - they should be so. 'The hair of the NCOs, carabiniers and chasseurs is not e\'enl)' CUI at the face and al the qUL1U, ",hich is not held "'ith a pin as dire<:lCd by regulation. 'TIlere are many dirty collars and neckerchiefs in loud colours, and a few have a narrow beard along tJle line of the jaw. The epaulelles of the car..biniers and chasseurs are placed too far back; the, should be celllred equallv on the shoulder. 'The hahil·wsles are generallr badly beaten and brushed. TIle,' are tOO narrow at the breast and the sleC\'es are a little short, as are the collars. 'The pantal.ons Ii l'inJanlnU ligm being only tolerated, [they] must be dosed by a seam on the outside instead of being dosed b)' buttons; this fashion has been adopted for the stable trousers of the hussars, [but] the, are nOI 10 be considered as parade dress for the light infantry, 'Some men cany their cross belts too long, which pre\'elllS them properly crossing on the breast and obliges tJle soldier lO bend backwards when reaching for a cartridge, as well as causing the s..'1bre to cross bct......een the legs on fast marches.' Weapons and equipment

The plincipal armament of the French army was the single-shot, smooth-bore Model 1777 Jusil d'inJall/ene (infantry musket), which served throughout the Revolutional)' and Empirc pCliods with only a minor modification made to the S)'SLCm in 1802 (Year IX). It was of 17.5mm calibre (O.68in) and weighed 4..375kg (9.6Ibs). The lead ball weighed approximately 27 grammes (0.9507), and was propelled by a 12.5g (0.440z) charge of black powder. It ""'US lethal up to 240m (though nOI accurate enough to hit a man"5ized l..:'1rget at more than about a quarter of that distance), and could wound at 600 metres. In perfect conditions a soldier could expect to load and fire an average of three times a minute. Howe\'cr, with a misfire rate of one in every six or seven shots, the musket \~~dS all but useless in wCt weather, when the soldier was forced to rely on a 46.5cm (l8in) stcel bayonet for protection. In addition to the musket, NCOs, grenadiers, chasseun, dnJmmers and musicians carried a Ja!nr-briqud, which served as a hatchet on campaign. The infantry cartridge box ""'US made from hard, black.ened cow leather ""ith a Yo'ooden box inside, di'ided into twO comparunems

Cerablnler of tIM c-.uler perlod. TIM princlP81 uniform dtotllnl 1nc:tud8 tIM -'Y P8tt.m th8ko wfttl I"8d 109 b8nd. p I _ 8nd coni.; e dou~t8d w"tC08t wfttl braa uniform button.; I I"8d coIl8r pll*lln whlt8, end I"8d 898ulett... po+ntMl blue cuffl pll*l wtU'I .nne; Ind. unusuilly for I .tlor1

h8b1f-N,'e, three bno" uniform button. below tIM right lepel. Th. troule,.. hive I ~d lid.· Itrlpe, whU. the d..-gMn. (Iword knotl, gllter piping end tuMls I'" elso ted. The soldl... ~,.. to be ermed with I certMne tlItner ttNln tIM usuel 'fttte.foot clerlnet' Notl sbo thet his hair Is pl)'MCI...cl but he ...... I dattl mousIKIM.

(!milk.".

each large enough to hold a packet of 15 cartridges. Between the two compartments was a block \\ith six holes drilled into it. which held an additional five cartridges and a phial of oil. The gibeme incorporated a small leather purse in which ....'as placed spare flints. a wooden practice nint. an oil) rag and the musket ball extractor tool. The NCO's gibeme was slightly smaller and did not ha\'e the block separating the t.....'O cartridge compartments. Soldiers also had to cany their camp utensils, in bags or on Icatllcr stmps. For e\'elY 12 mcn there were 2 /1umnila (cooking pots), whose lids wcrc also used as frying pans; 2 ga"ulkf (communal eating dishes), 2 grflllf~bidon.s (large walCI' cans). 2 shovels, 2 pickaxes. 2 axes and 2 billhooks with tllcir cases and straps. Each mall would carry a jNiit-birkm (small water can). There would also be another thrce pctit-bidons per com pan), containing "inegar used for softening drinking .....ater.....·hich were carried by the sergeants.

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY TIle principal sources used in this .....ork include: Anon. I..m" d'u" Gmwdi" da Corrks-Fran(oiMs aM. ~ Due du Chat&t (no date)Arrhiws Parljmlll'1ltllirt!S 1787 a 1860. Vois. L1X (19 FcbnlaJ'y-8 March 1793), LXXII (11-24 August 1793). LXXIII (25 AUgtISI-17 September 1793) Arthur Chuquct, La Ligion G"nlaniqut, 1792-1793 (1904) H.Coutanceau. La Campagn, tk 1794 a IElnnti' du ."om (1903) E.Dubois-Crance, AmJyst' tk fa Riuolution Fr01l(oist' (1885) Andre Folliet, \'Olonlll'im ck Savorto, I i92-1 799/iJ l..igion Al1ogbrogc! d its baIlljlimu du Monl-BIll1u: (1887) T.e.Johnson. Morrmu (1896) ~brquis de ~laleiss}'e, MenlOlrtS d'lIn OjJit:in aux Corda Fran(f1ises 1789-1793 (1897) Thomas Pakcnham, The )"llr of Libmy, The Omit Irish RelNllioli of 1798 (1997) G.Poisson, L'tlnnie el Ul Garb Notionale 1789-1792 (1858) Dadd Salmon, The Desant of iN f'rm£h Oil PnnbrrJJtLJhirr (1930) Louis Susane, I..·Histoi" tU IEl"ciDltle Infanln'le Fra1l{oist' - 8 \'015 (1849--53)

Etat Miljta;" de fa Corrie NationalL ck Frana pour l'tmnn 1790 Journal des Sciences ~mitaires, La Frana Milila;rr Prodllllt III RnJolution (1877-78) The following websites .....ere also consulted: wtllw.Gallica.b"fJr, www.1789-18U.etml,and wt/lw.geme.eom

41

THE PLATES A: SUMMER

178~

Al: Militiaman, Parisian Garde Bourgeoise 'Ntlen the P3l'lSlafl militia was formed on 13 July 1789 it was armed WIth muskets taken from the HOtel de Ville. The COfM'Wttee of ElectOfS Otdered that they wear a red and blue cockade (the cokxJrs of Pans' rnedievaI coal of arms) to dishnguish them from the protesters they were charged with poIiaog. The militia's red and blue cockade was 'HOm I,lI'ltii the end of July. when the tricolour cockade was adopted.

A2: Parl.'an rioter On 12 July the revolutionary camille Desmoulins encotxaged felow protesters at the Palais AoyaI to adopt a green cockade as a S)'mt:d of hope. However, the ptOtesters' green was also the ~very of the despised Count of Artois, the king's reactionary brother. On the night of 13 July the protest6fS therefore adopted a cockade slmilar to that worn by the militia, but with white added 10 the blue and red to distinguish between them. Other recoo:led varialioos being worn In the various city districts Included combinations 01 green and while, or blue and white. An officer of the

Guards, de Maleissye, recalled a green and red combination associated with the ex-finance minister. Necker. 'This was the day, 1.. July, that the lricoIoI.w cockade was displayed; at Bight o'clock in the morning it was Qf&8l'I and red, the colours of Necker, at ten o'clock this cockade was prosaibed and the tricolour of Orleans was adopted.' On 17 July, King ~ XVI was ~ed WIth and wore a tricoloor cockade for the tnt br'ne. The tricoloor cockade's popuIanty contlnued to spread, until by October 1789 it was recogmed as a national symbol. PoIitlaans explained that the three colours symbolised the reconciliatIOn of the lang (white) with the city of Pans, whose coat of arms was blue and red. Pemaps not entirety COIOCldentaIy, these colours were also closely associated WIth the king, blue and red being the monarch's p&fSOna/ colours. A3: Grenadier, Garde. Fran~alses The French Guards' characteristic 'king'. blue' coat with red lining and cuffs was first introduced in 1665. The French Guards were recruited from among French nationals only, with a minimum height of 1.73m (5f! Sins) compared with 1.68m (5f! 6ins) in Una regiments. Enlistments W8l"e for a minimum of eight years. B: NATIONAL GUARDS, 1788-81 81: Marquis de Lafayette He is seen here in the uniform of convnander of the Paris Guard (the Gasde Bourgeoise, which by now contained many former members of the Gatdes FrllfMt8IS9S). HaVIng gained celebrity while SElI'VH"Ig in the American RevoIutton, Lafayette (1757-1834) was elected to the Estates GeoeraI in 1789. Talong a prnrTment pan in its proceedillgS, on 11 July he pn!lS8nted a dedaration of rights, mocIeIed on Jefferson's DeclaratIOn of Independence of 1 ne; two days later he was made Vice-president of the NatIOnal Assembly. On 15 JtJy, Lafayette was the popuIat choice as coloneI-generaI of the

Paris Guard. As an aristoctat and a general in the royal MTJy L.alayette was always regarded WIth suspicion by nrvolutionary extremists, however. His tan from grace began on 17 July 1791 when he ordemd the National Guan::1 to fi'e on protesters calling for the king's removal on the Champ de Mars. After a :shor1 spell in retJrement Lafayette was placed in command of the Armlle des Ardennes. With one eye on events in Paris. he attempted to use his army to restore the conslitutional monarchy af!8l" the attack on the TuBenes (10 August). His army refused to follow him, and Lafayette was forced to seek refuge with France's enemies. He was Imprisoned, first by Prussia, then Auslria. He was not allowed to retum 10 France until 1799. 82: Grenadier officer, Paris Guard Note the tricolour c:ockade, with its addrtionaJ outer ring of white: and the cap plate bearing cartouc;hes and trophies arranged beneath a Ptwyglan cap. In addition to the 'natJonal colours', other symbols and mottos on barvI9fS and even weapons went used to convey poiticaI messages. The F'tvygian cap symt:JoMsed Uberty, the liOn Strength. the dog Fidelity, a beetwe and bees the I..aboU" of Patriots, and the

42

Gardft F~l... C)'Inbloltst. TNtI ........ "","-. wttII Nd tw.Khn ~ sn.h, Is decorated wittt • "rtmson OVer wtVte ~Ur. 11w'N. Ohlgn of tIM p8<1rt-dKonIted twt-Iwu _PtNI.-ntly Wlaplred by 'pll.nt lnelien.'.

n..

Cockerel, Vigilance. Badges W«8 emblazoned with mottoes InCluding the words 'Nation', 'Uberty' and 'Law'. 83: Fuallier, Paria National Guard From the storming of the Bastille until 1795 the NabOnal GoaId was the onty effective JXlIice force in the capital. As moRl and more guardsmen marched off to the defence of the frontiers, by 1793 the Parisian Goard nad become little more than a body of armed sans-culottes. At the advent of the DlractOfBte in 1795 the anny resumed its traditional role of policing the capital. 84: Standard-bearer, Parla National Guard The flag-bearer of the Paris National Guard from the St Aoch district. The upper red canton displayed diagonally In yellow/gold the motto 'INTREPIDIrE ET PERSMRANCE' ('Boldness and Perseverance'), and the lower red canton 'NOTRE UNION FAIT NOTRE FORCE' ('OUr unity Is our strength'). He also wears a sash in Bourbon white to show conllnued support lor the idea of a constrtullOl'lal monarchy, despite the lllYOIutionaty events taking place.

C: LINE INFANTRY, 1781 C1: Fusilier, 70e Regiment A soldier of the 708 (ex-M8doc) showng the modificatJoos 10 the 1786 regulations Introduced on 1 April 1791 - see Table 2. Although unrt morale naturally suffered during the mutInies and political upheavals, the royal anny's long traditions were not entirely forgotten during the Revolutionary Wars. Ahhough the 1791 regulations had discarded their former titles. regiments went Into battle remembering their former traditions. At Jemappes the colonel of the 58 RegllTl8flt (ex-Navarre) gave the old regimental cry: 'En avant, Navane - sans peurl' ('Forwards. Navarre - Without fearl') before leading them into an attack. This was echoed by the 17e R6glment. with the cry of 70uj0urs AtMwpne - Sans tache!' ('Auvergne forever - Unstained!'). C2: Line Infantry oHicer A field offICeI' - note frvlged epaulettes on both shouIdefs01 the 2e Regiment (ex-Picardie). On 14 July 1789 theAl were over 6,280 infantly offlC8l'S in the army: by 1793 around 4,000 had either emigrated or resigned. This movement opened the way for an unprecedented level of promotions, both amoog the remaining offICers and, most slgnlficanlty, from among ambitious NCOs. From 15 October 1791 citizens between the ages of 16to 20 with good morals and conduct. who were abla to present certificates of clvisme (public-spiritedness) from their municipalities, were considered StIitable for vacant $OU$lieutenant posts. To give just one example 01 these promotions: in the 55e Regiment (ex-Conde), 22 officers emigrated and 11 died or retired in 1789--90. These were replaced by 31 officers from other corps, who in tum lost 16 to emigration and a further eight to other causes. The NCOs provided 11 OfflO8fS, WIth the remaining 13 posts filled by ordinary soldiers or volunteers, including a lawyer, fOU" students, two clerks, and CItIZen Geofge. who had taken part in the arrest of King louIS XVI at varennes 10 1791. C3: line Infantry drummer A drummer of the 358 RlIgiment (ex-Aquitalne), stl1l wearing a coat embellished with the king's 'livery' lace. Its adoption after the Seven Yaars' War, In place of the proprietary colonels' individual colours, had beer! part of the

In a fit of ,.trlotlam, this Natlof* Qu.'1t officer ~ • ,.Ir of ~ tMHtzonlitly mtped I n ~ . To com"'t. the ftamboyllnt _tIM, hie; ttMJIt ~ ....... an cMc:Of1It" with gold end ctirnson edging, the coet with • col.., lind cvl'b to "",tel\. anemptto 'nationalise' the French army. HoweY«, after the king's abortive flight and fall from grace all symbols of monarchy W8f8 abolished, Including this livery. From this point onward there are examples of drummers wearing either tricolour lacing or plain Infantry coats.

43

D: LIQHT INIlANTAY. 1781 01: Challeur·Carablnler, 8e Bataillon, with carbine Note the yelloW lacings of this battalion. According to the 1768 ordinance, In lieu of a grenadier company, each battalion of chasseuts B p#ed would select 12 chass6ur-carabiniers per company. Unijke grenadiers In the Une regiments, who went selected for a combination of their imposing beating and bravery, these chasseur-carabiniers wouk:l be chosen 'wrttlouI a singI& regan:! for their height, from among the best soIdi&rs In the baltalion, grMg equal prefMlllCe to the most sI
them. The stripes were usualty backed In red cloth to aid visibility. Sergeants were distinguished by a single silver stripe on each forearm (two for a sergeant-major), and epauIetIes with milled green IIIld sliver fringes. The cspcxaI-focJrrier wore corporal's stripes on the forearm with a sergeant's SIIv9r gaJon on the upper arm. Adjudants were identJfled by a green and silver lnnged epaulette on the left shoulder only, with two silver bands M'lI"Iing the length of the strap; on the nght shoulder they wore a green con~. 03: Captain This officer of the 1&r Bataillon displays its red lacings, and wears a chape8u In place of a casque, 'SouvaroIf' boots and tight breeches. Both Lne and Ligtlt infanuy captaInS W&fe allocated lhree horses - one for hmseIf, one lex hls orderty

D4 bolow.

and one for his eqUIpment. Subaltem offlcers were also

02: Corporal of Cha . .eur8, 7e Batamon

mounted, but had to sh8I9 a bat-horse. 04: Challeur-Carablnler, 11e Batalllon The battalion is iden1rfIed by the crmson fllClOgS. Although they were officIaty armed WIth the standad fusI d'infanrane, tf'lenlo was a move 10 eqUIp chasseln-carabners WIth the more accurate rifled carbine. On 14 April 1789 two a;ccles des CIlasset.n-caratwliers were established under the direction of the Duke de Gunes to school soldiers In the art of fhng German carblnes. Each infanuy I'8gII'l'lel"It and battalion of Chassetn was to 98I'ld a sergeant and !tYee men chosen fmm among the best tTI8l1<smen, who would return to their respective corps In september and pass on the instruction they had received. The school at Arras, commanded by the Chevalier de Bachmann, lieutenantcolonel of the Swiss regIment Sslis-5amande, lasted between 27 Juoe and 24 August. The second school, at Neuf-Brisach, commanded by the Marquis de Deull-Ponts (c01onei of the regiment beanng the same name) began on 27 June and ended on 10 September. At Neuf-8osactI the fl'18fqUI$ el(hlbiled some favoootlsm towarns hIS own men, who scored the largesl number of hits. It is also recorded that the leading maI1<sman earty on (not a soIcfiet from Deux-Pontsj was accidentalty shot dead MIt way through the course

~ battalion facings; and the distInCtions on his headgeat - a codo:ade, a spherical blue company pompon. and a hooting hom badge. &'lOll 1789, wtwte waIStcoats and l:neches had been Introduced, but these were replaced In Iu'n by gr9lll'\, wrthoIJt offlaaI teglA81ions. CorponlIs wore doI.b6e stripes made from a doth tape 23m'n WIde, with a woven-in c::tl8quert:loa pattern WIth a double line nn1ing down each edge. The stnP8S were attached to the sleeves 20mm above the cuff al the front seam and 95mm above the cuff at the back seam. WrIh double stnpeS, the second stnpe was placed above the first WIth 14nvn spacrog betw'8en

Note the

E: VOLUNTEERS ANO IRR.aULARS E1: National Guard Volunteer Volunteer wearing a special coat with red facings and piping, over a red waistcoat. Although well supplied before leaving for the frontier. the rigours of campaign soon took a toU on the volunteers' uniforms. The system of resupply was at best sporadic, arxl always open to abuse by unscrupulous contractors and profiteers. On 12 December 1792, Adjudant-Gltnltral Lacu6& in Toulouse wrOle that the ' ...troops are in a real state of dilapidation'. The replacement uniforms he received were of very poor quality, especialty the gait9r!l. which he described as 'defective'. He also asked for 40,000 new weapons, the ones lhat had been issued to the troops being in very poor condition. To further highlight the poor quality of the uniforms arriving at the front, In January 1793 the National Convention was presented WIth a shabby This soldier Intends to s.urvlve the wlnt... with the help of s "Ny wooI,-" hat .nd mitten.. It bt..nkltt - In .... tu.... oftwtln. wltn fWd stripes - sume.. In pWlce of a lNatcoM; he _ , . . short IWd trou..n _ . longer, buttoned INIlr

44

in bt_ and whit. stripes., wtIHe shoes and ........ haw been ~ wtth shWy wooden does.

canvas-lined greatcoat and socks that would only survtve a single wearing. The vokKlteers' inability to resupply in the lieId was one of the pnnclpaI concerns behind the amalgamation pI'OJX)S8Is. E2: Chasseur, Legion Allobroges, 1793 On 31 May 1793 the lAgion AIlot:lfOgeS comprised a battalion of carabiniers (7 companies), a battalion of chasseurs (7 companies), 3 companies 01 dragoons and an anillary company. Bonaparte mentioned the legion in his pamphlet 'The Supper of Beaucaire' dated 29 July 1793: 'The A1lobroges! ... Who do you think they are? Africans or the inhabrtants of Siberia? Not at all: they are your compatriots !rom Prov~, the Dauphll'oOis and 5avoy... These soldiers you cal brigands are our besl troopS and most dlscipIlned battalions: thw reputalton is above all slander.' The legiOn saw actlon at the siege of Toulon in 1793, and fought the Spanish in the Eastern Pyrenees (1794-95). It was joined by the 4e Bataillon de VoIontatres Natiol'lault des Chassetn de Montagne, to make up the 4e Demi-Brigade LAgere, which was more commonly known as the 'Demi·Brigade Allobroge'. During Bonaparte's first Italian campaign (1796-97) the unit became the 27e Demi-Brigade Ulgere.

An otftcer m CIImP'llgn -..-.11. (right 'onogroundl dllWCta • mlJIMi group of wouncMd F'*"Ch MkIIen to tM _ , The _ and ' - ' to ttM _ .. ~ Is obVIoUs - -'most

.. of ..... ~. . . . -.ound tM _ ............ At e.ntre 'onoground _ _ .. _.rtng • bon,..t de iXHJc. ~ ClIp). The flgu,. In tIM casqu. . . . CII....lry trooper fnHn

tM e"...."" • chilII'M.

E3: Cha . .eur. L'gion Germanlque. 1793 On 20 April 1792 the government passed a decree encouragw'lg foreigners to filtrI under the tnc::oIolI flag. WI response, the lAgIon Get'TnaBque was rased in Pans In December 1792. With e theotetJcaI total of 2,500 men, under the initial name of l.8gIon des Germatns. it was otganlS8d into 4 squadfOns of Culrassiers Lagers, 4 squadrons of Dragonspiquiers, 1 battalion 01 Arquebusiers In 4 companies 01 120 men, 2 battalions 01 Chasseurs a pied eact1 WIth 4 companteS 01 120 men, and en anjllety company with 158 men. Under the orders 01 C01oneI Dambach, the Legion Germarnque left Paris lor Fontall'l9tlleau in December 1792, provid'ng a l"UTlber of detactwnents to gu
during the loss of5aumur. of the 110 men engaged, 80 were killed and the others wounded or dismounted. The majority of the legion soon went Ovef to the rebels, but not before pillaging the pay chest. Under the rwne Veogeurs de Ia Couronne ('avengers of the the company fonned by the former SWISS Guardsmen was finally massacred by the hussars of the Legion du Nord at the battle of Chltillon. In June 1793, the debris of the L6gion de Ia Fnltemite's infantry was irlcollxuted into the 22e Demi-Brigade l8g8re. E4: Chaneur, Compagnie Franche de l'Egaliti. 1793 Thcs 'free company' was a Pansaan unrt that saw action dl.ring the amexation of the 'Provlnces Belgiques' (later Belgun). llVs move allowed the French to threaten both the English ChameI coast and the frontier WIth Germany. The provinces were then annexed to France, fonTllng six new Departements. Note the buff waistcoat piped red at the edges, and the matching breeches with red quatrefoil thigh knots.

crown',

P: REPUBLICAN DEMI·BRIQADES F1: Infantry flags A selection of the standards typically carried by French Infantry units. The tricolour patterns followed no single rule, with even Individual battalions receiving their own variations. The obverse of the flag always bore the device 'REPUBUOUE FRANQAJSE' and the reverse 'DISCIPLINE ET SOUMISSIQN

lor oai!/SSANCEJ AUX LOIS MIUTAlRES'.The examples are:

inustrated

F1a: 21e DB, obverse, with typical republican symbols. F1 b: 104e DB, obverse - the Uberty cap in solid red Is

"""""'.

F1c: 1068 DB, reverse. F2: Drummer A typical drummer boy as shown in a contemporary German pnnt. Coats in various shades of blue or even '¥"f were frequently seen due to shortages of dark blue doth.. The exact meaning of the whrte chevron on hls upper sleeves IS uMnown, but was probably the dislJnctlOn of a first class soidlerfchosen man. F3: Grenadier, 1794-£16 Although ttoopS often resorted to weanng cMkan clothes from necessrty, there was also a polrtJcal angle to these uniform irregularities. Garments In tricolour patterns were an obvious statement of revolutionary patricrusm, and luIlength trousers worn in place of knee breeches would ideotity the wearer with revolutionary sans-culottes. To exhibit unkemptness was to reject the formality and neatness of the ancien regime.

Q: DIRECTORY PERIOD G1: Fusilier, Vend'e, 1794 The Royalist and catholic insurgents In the Vendee tied down as many as 200,000 Republlca11 troops at the height 01 the civil war in the West. With France gripped by La Teml/Jr, the government's policy towards the insun'ectJonasts was one of extermination. Men, women and children, vtllages, crops and ivestock were put to sword and flame in !tlIs brutal campcugn. G2: Light infantry standard·ba.rer Standard-bear8n were selected from among the battalion's sergeant-ma,ors. At !tis lime the light infantry dllmI·brigades were amaJgamallOnS of many small PfOW'CiaI VClbtteer tnts, many of whom had kept their own flags - in tIllS case, that of the \Jok:JoIalRts du Vat. ThIS figure shows an examp6e of the 'national blue' long-taiIec:t coat adopted by some Chasseur units after 1793. Although the rank and file of most light infantry banaJlons would eventually adopt the shorttailed habft-veste by the end of the decacIe, most officers retained the long-tailed coat G3: Chssseur, 1er L'gion des Francs, 1797 Preparing for the expedition to Ireland In 1796, General Hoehe formed the 1er Legion des Francs by taking selected men from existing units. Described as 'true devils Incarnate', the legionnaires were dressed In captured British coats In hla al1lumanta lor amaillamatlon, DubcHs-Cranc6 polntad out that a~h the lJO'Iammant had an annual military budgat lopping 300 mlllkHl franca, fnlontilM boopa _ t without . _ ttIa moat b...le It_a of n. figUN In ttIa middle of thla group haa badly tom trouaara and reaort:a 10 _ring an ImprovlMd cloak lor ptOtactlon -eaJnat ttIa elements. H'- comnde (right! ~ _ to " 'liberaWd' a pleca of atblr cloth for tIM """" ~ In common wtth many com.mporwy prtnts, 1M offtcaf" (\aft) Is aftown ~ a ~I«'a Iu\apUdl on campaign; tie alao _ _ a black '-ttler sabra batt. SuIlIlll>1rllll dacent quality footwaw _ a conti"'* problem: Dna atoHaP mathod used In Ncwembar 17113 waa to ttwM~ tIM ariatOCRta of Straabou'1ll wlth 1M gunlotiM ""'"' they nP91led tO,OOO ~ ovamJgnt.

"""ifOttI'l.

which had been recut like light infantry uniforms and dyed da/1( brown (thus ttl& nickname 'the

Black legion') with sky-

blue faongs and bfeeches; note also the distinctIVe hat, termed a 'chapeau a Ia Henri fV'. caught in a storm, the expedition never landed, but sliM lost some 500 dead ITom drowning. Survivors were sent to the eastern fronber and the IVmy of ttl& 5arnbre-et-Meuse. In 1798 they were sent to Switzerland, where the infantry were fonned into the 14e L&g6re; and in 1800 the former legionnaires were used in the advanced guards of three different divisions. G4: Chasseur, 2e Legion de Francs; Wales, 1797 On 22 February 1797 a French fOf'Ce landed on the Welsh coast n88f the port of Fishguard to divert attention from a planned expedition to Ireland. The fOf'Ce had Intended to march on Uverpool, raising Insurrection, p1undefing public stOfes and mansions as it went. Commanded by the Irish-American Colooel Tate (who could not speak French), the expedition was ill-fated from the start and stmll"ldered to the militia after ;ust two days, eatJSlng

-damage. The 1,200 troops chosen for lhls mISSion were ex-soldiers eondef1y)ed to prisons and galleys: 'The men In ttvs expedition ought to be, as far as possible, young, robust, and daring, with minds open to Ihe lure of booty... They should know how to carry IfIm)l" and death into the midst of Iheir eoemies... In this corps might be incorporated men sentenced to prison Of Ihe galleys, If they are known to have the physical and moral qualities necessary.' Well armed with muskets and grenades, this unit 100 was given uniforms made from red British cloth taken from the Royalist troopS killed and captured at Ouiberon Bay. dyed da/1( brown. Local eyewitnesses recalled that tlle half-starved. pool1y dressed Frenctvnen wore black leather caps WIth black horsehair blushed

down one side. H: CONSULATE PERIOD

H1: Infantry conscrIpt, 1800 A typical conscnpt of the early Consulate period. Due to shonage of money In the Republic's coffers, many coosaipts found themselves well armed and equipped but WIthout uniforms. After each battle COfPS8S were stripped of everything that could be recycled and reissued to uniform new troops. In his 1801 painting of Marengo, the soIdierartist Baron Lejeune shows a similarty dressed conscript - Georges Amptil of the 30& Deml-Brigade - presenting the commander-ln-ehief, General Berthier, with an Austrian standard that he had captURld during the evening counter-

.!taCk. H2: Officer, 1800 line Infantry officer in typical cold weathet campaign dress, including a greatcoat and 'EngWsh-styie' boots. and carrymg a sabre in place of the standard epee. tn battle, officefs on loot were less vulnerable to musketry as they stood behind the three ranks during firing. Although mounted senior officers 8OIO)'ed better visibility they ran a greater risk.. Defending the Marengo farmhouse from an attack by Austrian grenadier's, GtnenlI de Brigade Olivier Rivaud recorded that In the space of 15 minutes half his line offlCtlfS and all his mounted offICers and staff were killed Of wounded (hImself Included).

t._

s.",•• nt, 107. Dttml-BriQede, In 180', w•• ring de rille ('town d,....'. HI. pita" .re ratnoV*I .m- off duty, but he retain. hi. sldNnn at .11 t l - . The long ~ .nd the high

stock

f.ahIonabla at

wound up to the baH of the chin . . -

uw. time.

H3: Carabinier, ge R'glmant d'infantarie leg'r., 1800 In his paIfIlJng of M8f8fl9O, Lejeune portrayed caral::IInIers of the ge L8g8re wearing a shako with red bands and a horwhalr plume. He also showed them weanng the ptIII. talons a l'infanterie I8gere with a red stripe down a buttoned outer seam, as mentioned in General Mortier's t 802 inspection report.

.7

INDEX ciaPfttwz 03. 14.34,34.35,~,44,45 rdorms 3, 10, 2-1 forage caps n, 33, 37. 45 1791 11-1~, 1J.-14 1192 15-16,18-19 .lImdgamation 20-21 shakos H3, 39. 41. f7 al>pear;lr>Cc HI. 19. n, 10,40,45.47 household regimenl.'l 4 R.:gilMnI de l\'assau 1~-13.:'l3 an.illcry 3.8, II, H, 21 w tdw GanW F'll'I;f~ Gsn/L$ S...wes Rcgllncm de Salm-Sa1m 10, 33 AUlCili;l",· &tu.lions (baUJUknu au.nlu...~) Regimcnt du Roi 3, I{l-II II, 15 2$-24,35 Ireland. expedition to 46-47 regimenUl.I distinction, 24, 33, 33, 34, 35(Ul.ble) irTcgulars 17,17.39 R:l5li11c. storming of the 8, S-9. 9 fordgn rcgimelll.'l 33--301 llerthier. \.><:ne",1 LOlli....Alc,,,,,,drc ligtll inf,lImy 35,36,37,.3A Jacobins It, 39 (1753-1815) 2<1 rcgimCl1l,lltitle, 12, 12{t"ble), 43 Riron, Duke de I) I"':lfarcue, Marquis de 81.9,17,'12 reservists 13 Bonaparte. Napol<-"Oll (1769-1821) 24.45 Launt'). ~1arquis de 8,9 nl).d famih, night of 12-13 ro·..al nmbob, abolition of 35, 13 Smillie. Marquu de 11 LtgiondesAllobroges Et,17.45 Ugion des Frana CS-4,46-47 sou-nUol/l !D, 46 c4fmb"..," DI. 04. H3. 3, ~. 38. 41. 44. 47 Uglon Genmlllique 0,16,17.45-46 canridge boxr:s 40-41 ~ Et-3. CH, 16-17, 39, ~;)-46, 5C:gur, \l;l.rsh~ de 3 CiI\OlIry rrgim..nu 7,7, II 'Sc'ptember m ~ ' 16 Oi~ldcl, OUU ~ 6,7,8,9 light infamn 3.4. 12. 15, 16,20-21,:57 Sc\Yn Years War, I i56-063 3 st:;l,ndard bearers Ct, 84. 43.46 cocbda At-t. 82.:13.37.42 ulllfomlS 0, C2, 113, I", 17, %3. 35--10.38,44,46,47 eo,grlCI. Cotptain 24 Ime inf.'IUJ FmJJt;QUG A3, 5, !Mi, 6, Ii, 9, 42 \'end&, the 46 at the Rasulle 8. 8, 9, 9 unifonns ct, 10, 1-4,36. ", 38.~, 40, \-olllnlCc.'r b;atwioru 16,16, 17-18, -43,43 musicians 4.2 18-19, %0,39 ~'Olt of, 1789 6-8 orgalllSOlti!ln 3,4,5, 12, IJ.-14, 23 Go. . S...wes 4,4-5,15, 15-16,45,46 dneHlnpJn 19,19-20,21. 22 "'"Citpons grcnadien A3, 82, n, 3, 13, 14, 18, !D, b;;tyont:u 40 23,34,36,40,42,42-43,46 P'oIm 6. 6, 7-8. 8, -43 carbines 41 rioters A2, 42 tJportl(Jrt half-p-kes 5, 34 h;ul'st)'les 19,36,41 Paris NatIOnal Guard 83-4, 10, 10, 15, muskets 40 he;odgear 3-1. :'15, 4:'1 officen 5,37,37 I'lace LQuis XV 7, 7 I)c;lorskim 13. 38 pIkes 15,20 bkolll hal.'l 36.36-37.37 rif1rod carbines 01,04,17,44 auqua 3. 14,33.33,35.38,39,45 r"cmitrncnt 11-12, 18. 19,20,22 Ja1JrNmqlUl 40 figure'S in bold ...,fer 10 illustr.uions.

......,

48

The uniforms, equIpment, hIstory and organisation of the world's military forces. past and present.

French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802 The years immediately following the French Revolution of 1789 saw an extraordinary transformation of the French army. From a distrusted instrument of the feudal power of the king and nobility, It became the symbol of liberty and dtizenship. The transition was complex and painful, as the remnants of the old professional army were jOined by a flood of civilian volunteers and conscripts, of whom even the best were short of everything except republican fervour. This book describes the stages of the rebirth that produced an army capable of beating off half the monarchies of Europe, thus laying the foundations for Napoleon's

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