SIEGE OF TURIN 1706 - FRENCH REGIMENT FROULAY

 The Froulay Infantry Regiment is a unit whose uniform requires a particularly careful reconstruction, based not only on the limited surviving evidence but also on a broader process of uniformological deduction. The regiment was raised on 22 March 1702 by Victor-Maurice, Comte de Broglie, and initially bore his name.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, command of the regiment passed through several hands. Victor-Maurice, Comte de Broglie, remained its colonel from its creation until April 1703, when the regiment was transferred to an officer identified in the sources only as the Chevalier de Froulay. In 1711, it passed to N. de Tiraqueau, under whose name it continued to serve until its disbandment in 1714.

The regiment began its wartime service in 1702 with the Army of Flanders. In the following year, after passing to the Chevalier de Froulay, it was transferred to the Italian theatre of operations. Its most important and best-documented service took place in 1706, when it participated with 1 battallion - in the Siege of Turin from May until September. On 7 September, it was also present at the disastrous Battle of Turin, which ended in a decisive defeat for the Franco-Spanish army. It was deployed in the zone between the Dora and the Po river.

In 1707, the regiment was transferred back to Flanders. There it took part in the defence of Ath, where the garrison was eventually compelled to surrender and the regiment was taken prisoner. It was exchanged later that same year and subsequently assigned to the Lines of the Lauter, where it continued its service during the final phase of the war. In 1711, it became the Régiment de Tiraqueau, before being finally disbanded in 1714.

The gaps in the surviving uniformological evidence can, however, be partly addressed by considering that the regiment’s proprietor had already owned a cavalry regiment towards the end of the seventeenth century. That earlier unit wore red facings, red breeches and gold buttons. It is therefore reasonable to deduce that the infantry regiment raised in 1702 adopted the same distinctive colours and details.

When the regiment changed proprietor in 1703, its uniforms would almost certainly not have been altered immediately. In such cases, it was common practice to retain the existing uniform even after a change of ownership, both because military dress tended to preserve a degree of continuity and, more practically, because replacing an entire regiment’s uniforms would have involved a considerable and unnecessary expense.

DUCHY OF MONFERRATO. REGIMENT NATTA: STANDARD BEARERS & DRUMMER & OFFICER

Wishing to expand the range of figures, and having noticed the beauty of the ordonnance colour of the Natta Regiment of the Duchy of Montferrat, I decided to reproduce it. I prefer to refer to it as the Duchy of Montferrat rather than the Duchy of Mantua, since these troops were recruited within the territory of Montferrat, which was united with the Duchy of Mantua only through the Gonzaga crown.

Duchy of Monferrato. Regiment Natta. Standard Bearer
Drapeau d'Ordonnance

Duchy of Monferrato. Regiment Natta, Drummer

Duchy of Monferrato. Regiment Natta. Standard Bearer
Drapeau Colonel

SIEGE OF TURIN 1706 - MAPS OF THE FORTS AND REDOUBTS DEFENDING THE HILLSIDE

For the first time, through the study of an old 1708 map, I was able to identify the names of the farmsteads located around the Hill of Turin, together with its fortifications and redoubts, which as a whole formed the defensive system to the east.

Farmstead around the Hill of Turin

Even more interesting—and for this reason I decided to produce two separate maps—is the military defensive system, based on five forts (Cappuccini, Milanesio, Giaglione, Buoncompagni and Airasca), six redoubts (Galbagnia, Por, Fontanella, Franchignono, Canera, and Santi Bino ed Evasio), and one fortified bastion, the Crownwork of Borgo Po.

1) Forte dei Cappuccini

2) Crownwork Borgo Po

3) Redoubt Santi Bino ed Evasio

4)Redoubt Franchignono

5) Redoubt Canera

6) Forte Airasca

7) Redoubt Fontanella

8) Redoubt Por

9) Redoubt Galbagnia

10) Redoubt Boncompagni

11) Redoubt Milanesio

12) Redoubt Giaglione

Here too, this is the first map to identify by name the city’s defences on the eastern side. Therefore, what I had referred to in previous posts as Fort Genero was in fact the Fontanella Redoubt, located where Villa Genero stands today.

SIEGE OF TURIN 1706. FRENCH REGIMENT PISANCON

 A search through all my sources, however, ruled out the existence of any regiment bearing that name. Further research proved equally fruitless, even in sources that preserve at least some trace of regiments raised from local militias. There was absolutely nothing.

This naturally raised the suspicion—and in cases such as this it is entirely legitimate—that the original handwritten sources had been misread and incorrectly transcribed. The non-existent “Besançon” might therefore have been another name beginning with the same letter, ending in a similar way, and with an illegible central portion.

Coat of arms of the Family La Croix de Chevrières de Pesançon

Regiment Pesançon 

Regiment Pesançon - Officer

Drapeau d'Ordonnance

Drapeau Colonel

SIEGE OF TURIN 1706. FRENCH REGIMENT TARNAULT

 This was one of the lesser-known regiments raised in 1702 during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was formed on 14 May 1702 by N. de Tarnault, who became its first colonel.

On 16 February 1707, command of the regiment passed to Louis de Frétat, Comte de Boissieux, under whom it continued to serve until its disbandment on 10 December 1714.

The regiment was assigned to the Army of Italy in 1702. In 1706, it took part in the Siege of Turin  with 1 battalion and was deployed in the sector between the Dora Riparia and the River Po. However, it does not appear to have participated in the Battle of Turin on 7 September. In 1707, the regiment took part in the defence of Toulon. The following year, it joined the Army of the Rhine, and from 1709 to 1713 it served with the Army of Dauphiné.

Regiment Tarnault - Drapeau d'Ordonnance

Regiment Tarnault - Drapeau Colonel

The reconstruction of the uniform has, of course, required a certain degree of historical flexibility. The starting point was a number of secure elements: the regiments raised in 1702 all wore the usual grey-white coat, while the facings were commonly red. The choice of red is further supported by the ordonnance flag, which has a red field, and by the cavalry regiment of the same name, which likewise had red facings. To complete the picture, the family coat of arms was also based on red, with distinctive devices in gold.

Regiment Tarnault - Officer

Regiment Tarnault - Drummer

Regiment Tarnault

SIEGE OF TURIN 1706 - FRENCH REGIMENT BEAUCE

 The regiment was created on 23 September 1684 and took the name of the Province of Beauce. Its formation was part of the extensive military expansion ordered by Louis XIV in anticipation of a new coalition against France. Between 1 and 30 September 1684, the king raised thirty new regiments for the defence of the principal strongholds and strategic positions of the realm. By creating one regiment on each successive day, he also avoided disputes over precedence among the newly formed units. The regiment was initially entrusted to N. de Pompadour, Marquis de Laurière.

During the Nine Years’ War, from 1689 to 1697, the regiment remained employed in coastal defence. At the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession, it continued under the command of the Marquis de Laurière. On 20 January 1708, the colonelcy passed to Joseph-Pierre Dejean de Manville.

In 1701, the regiment was assigned to the Army of Italy and participated in the blockade of Mantua, where it subsequently performed garrison duty. It later took part in the operations surrounding Turin in 1706, participating in the siege of the Piedmontese capital. During the battle of 7 September, the regiment was positioned in the sector between the Dora Riparia and the River Po, where French troops were deployed to protect the eastern part of the siege lines and the camps established in that area.

In 1707, the regiment was transferred to the Army of Flanders. On 11 July 1708, it fought at the Battle of Oudenarde. In the following year, it was sent to the Army of the Rhine, before returning to Flanders in 1710. In 1711, it took part in the combat of Arleux, and in 1712 it participated in the Siege of Douai and in the recapture of Le Quesnoy and Bouchain.

The regiment continued to exist after the conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession. It was finally disbanded on 10 February 1749. Its grenadier companies were incorporated into the Grenadiers de France, while the remaining companies were transferred to Talaru Infanterie.

Naturally, as this was a “provincial” regiment, its drummers wore the royal livery, as shown below.

Regiment Beauce - Drumme in Royal Livery

Regiment Beauce in a print dating 1706

There were several different versions of the regiment’s uniform. Fortunately, I found a print dating from 1706 (see above) in which the regiment is depicted in a manner consistent with one of my sources. I therefore decided to reconstruct it accordingly, as shown below.

Regiment Beauce (note buttons on the pocket as distictive sign of the Regiment)

In this case, the red waistcoat has been retained, as the sources are consistent on this point. The stockings, however, have been depicted in white, in accordance with the image reproduced above. A certain concession has been made by showing the breeches in red, a colour commonly associated with officers and also consistent with the alternative source that was not adopted for the rank-and-file soldiers.

Regiment Beauce - Officer

Drapeau Colonel

Drapeau d'Ordinnance

BATTLE OF TURIN 1706 - FRENCH REGIMENT MARSILLY

The regiment was raised on 25 July 1702 by Achille Poulet, Marquis de Marcilly, who remained its colonel throughout most of the War of the Spanish Succession. On 28 October 1710, command passed to François Perron de Belleisle, under whom the regiment continued to serve until 12 November 1714. On that date, it ceased to exist as an independent unit and was incorporated into Touraine Infanterie.

The regiment first saw active service in 1703, when it was employed against the Camisards in the Cévennes. In the following year, it was assigned to the Army of the Alps and took part in the siege of Annecy. In 1705, it was transferred to the Italian theatre. During June and July, it participated in the siege of Chivasso in Piedmont, and on 16 August it was present at the Battle of Cassano.

From May to September 1706, the regiment took part in the Siege of Turin, serving with the Franco-Spanish army engaged in the operations against the Piedmontese capital with 1 battalion. After the failure of the siege and the French withdrawal from Piedmont, it participated in the defence of Toulon in 1707.

In 1709, the regiment served with the Army of Dauphiné, before being transferred to Flanders in 1710. On 24 July 1712, it was present at the Battle of Denain, although it does not appear to have been directly engaged in the fighting. Later that same year, it took part in the siege and capture of Le Quesnoy. 

Regiment de Marsilly - Drummer (reconstruction)

This is one of those regiments for which comparatively little information has survived. Fortunately, its ordonnance colour has been identified, and its colours correspond exactly to those appearing in the arms of the de Marcilly family. This provides a valuable basis for reconstructing the regiment’s appearance.

Drapeau d'Ordonnance

The predominance of black seems beyond doubt and supports the use of black facings on the soldiers’ uniforms, together with gilt buttons matching the gilded hilts of their swords. The close correspondence between the colours of the ordonnance flag and those of the family coat of arms also helps to remove any uncertainty concerning the livery worn by the regimental drummers.

Regiment Marsilly

In several surviving representations, when a black livery had to be depicted for drummers, artists tended to use a very dark grey rather than absolute black. The same approach has therefore been adopted in this reconstruction, with the main coat rendered in dark grey while the facings remain black.

Drapeau Colonel

Regiment Marsilly - Officer