1848 PROJECT: Brigade Aosta 1:1 Ratio

I saw a lot of very impressive and beautiful blogs on the Internet, dealing with wargame art. I saw that a lot of people makes projects: a single well defined project and they carry it on untill they achieve their goal. Well I do envy them for their constance.

So I summarize my (all halfway or even less) projects:

1) Battle of Leuthen 1757 1:1 Ratio

2) Battle of Turin (zone of Castle of Lucento) 1:1 Ratio

3) Battle of Santa Lucia 1848 (the attack on the village/cementry) 1:1 Ratio

4) Battle of Tarnow (part) december 1914, 1:1 Ratio

5) Battle of Austerlitz (the attack on the village of Pratzen; 1:1 Ratio

6) Battle of Halmstad 1676; 1:1 ratio (almost competed)

7) Battle of Zama (or Makedonian Wars) 1:1 ratio

So I think that in total it should make around 300.000 papersoldiers and around 5 of my lives and a lot of money.

So here I reduce my project: a 1:1 ratio rebuilding of the Aosta Brigade (on 2 regiments, the 5th and 6th) at the Battle of Santa Lucia. 

Forces:

Brigata Aosta

5th Regiment: Officers :57 - Men: 2390 - not armed men 92: TOT: 2539 men

6th Regiment: Officers: 63 . Men 2359 - not armed men 81: TOT 2503 men

NB: according to the numbers given by a General in the Piedmontese General Staff this Brigade had only 4383 men.

This numbers give some problems of interpretation: if every regiment was on 3 battalions and every battalion had 4 companies of around 200 men, this means that 1 battalion had at full strengh 800 men, x 3 battalinon: 2.400 men per regiment. It works only if we keep outside this the cooks, the General Staff of the Regiment (around 20 men).

It seams to me that this numbers must be interpretated. The first numbers are from an official report and - probably - they consider also the 4th battalion (deposit), or if we add to the normal numbers the General staff of every regiment.

I would consider just the fighting troops of the 2 regiments, so 2390 men (5th Regiment) and 2359 (6th Regiment), for a total of 4749 men i.e. 366 men more than what the General stated for the battle (4383 men). This can happen because the General that wrote the orders for the Battle of Santa Lucia had the exact numbers of the available men for that day; so which number must be considered more correct?

I will opt for the second numbers of 4383 men for the following reasons:

1) the numbers are from a General that gave the order, the other I don't know from where.

2) the total amount of a regiment accordin to the source should be of 2400 men (3 battalions x 800 men); it is normal that after 2 months of campaign the units lost around 10% of the effective (illness, disertions, even if little, some men out for other duties etc.).

So I will reproduce the AOSTA Brigade as follows:

5th Regiment 2212 men on 3 battalions 

    a) first Battalion: 751 men (officers, colour, NCO, drummers)

                    Battalion General Staff: 1 Major; 1 Captain 3 Aides

                1) Company Fucilieri 190 men (1 cap.; 1 Lieutenant; 2 Second Lieutenant; 6 NCO; 12                                  caporals; 1 colours; 2 drummers; 165 privates)    

                2) Company Fucilieri 186 men (1 cap; 1 Lieutenant; 3 Second Lieutenant; 5 NCO; 14                                  caporals; 2 drummers;  160 privates)   

                3) Company Fucilieri: 182 men (1 captain; 2 Lieutenant; 2 Second Lieutenant; 6 NCO 13                             Caporals; 2 drummers; 156 privates)

                4) Company Granatieri: 188 men (1 captain; 1 Lieutenant; 3 Second Lieutenant; 5 NCO 11                          Caporals; 2 drummers;  165 privates)

    b) second Battalion: 730 men (officers, colour, NCO, drummers)

                1) Company Fucilieri

                2) Company Fucilieri

                3) Company Fucilieri

                4) Company Granatieri

    c) third Battalion: 721 men  (officers, colour, NCO, drummers) 

                1) Company Cacciatori

                2) Company Cacciatori

                3) Company Cacciatori

                4) Company Cacciatori

    d) Regimental General Staff 10 men (officers and Aides)

6th Regiment 2171 men

1848 BATTLE OF SANTA LUCIA. The Church of Santa Lucia Extra

A thing that is quite curious is how many battles were fought around a church. It is true that Europe is dotted with churches everywhere, Catholic, Protestant or Othodox, but it's curious that the bloodiest fightings happened close to where it was (and is) preached to love each other.

The battle of Santa Lucia fought on 6th May 1848 does not make any exeption to that and saw a very hard fighting around the Church and the usual graveyard close to the church. 

Santa Lucia in 1848 was a very small village just outside the bastions of Verona, and it was a church and graveyard, a school next to the church and some farms more or less big. 

So for wargaming it is quite simple. I checked on google.map out it looks like today the church, and it remained the same as then. Just the rest of the farms were incorporated in the current town of Verona.

Santa Lucia Extra's Church now

On the left (West), there is the graveyard and the side from where the Piedmontese attacked the village; on the right (East) the town of Verona. So the church is with its back on the street that now like then was leading to the town. The bell-tower is quite high. while all the buildings on the right are after the battle. The front of the churc is is baroque style, while the rest with old bricks.

At the beginning I did some mistake and I did all the church in a baroque style. First I did the facade, and I glued it to a (baby-milk) box, that I covered with walls like the façade. Wrong!

I know, it seems like I didn't have a great enthusiasm for this church. But then I started to study it and I added 4 buttresses and started the first (yes I am going to do more transformations!).

Here the fisrt results:

As you can see I also did (mistake!) some long windows, that are totally not correct.

Then I proceeded to add the posterior part of the church (I should have done longer, by the way, and maybe I will do); but keeping in this way (maybe in 1848 was in this way) I can re-use this Italian style church also for the Battle of Turin (1706) where close to Castle of Lucento there was in fact a church, similar to this one.

Here the back-adding:

I then added the roof and linked it with the buttresses

From this point on the Church started to match with my wargame-taste, and made me make some major efforts on it. I covered all the sides and back of the church of bricks (the first versione of bricks were too big, so I had to recover the walls a second time with the correct size of bricks)

I covered the roof with typical Italian "tegole" 

I finished it with the yard around made of stones

I proceeded then with the towerbell, but maybe its proportions are not correct, above all it is too short. So other works to be done and corrections to do.

Yes! Defenitly I will increase tge height of the towerbell; it has to grow around 5 cm, and I have to had the watch.

But how my little paper armies look like next to this church? Here the effect, hoping you will enjoyed it.

Important PS: I just read on wikipedia that the church in 1898 had a total breakdown while they were building some enlargement to the church. So it means that the current vision with long tail (that in fact doesn't match with the proportions) was added. So I will keep the church in ths way, without any building around it, but the belltower. Good news, less work!

1848 AUSTRIAN ARMY: JAEGER - 10th Battalion "Koppal"

 The Jaeger Regiment were organized like the normal Infantry. They were supposed to fight like skirmishing, but at the very end they foight like Infantry. The defense of the cementry at the Battle of Santa Lucia (6th May 1848) gives you a very clear idea of it.

Coming back to my project (the Battle of Santa Lucia at 1:1 Ratio) I drew this time a Jaeger of the 10th Feldjaeger Battalion called "Koppal" from the Major that commanded it.

They were on 6 companies.

Each company had:

1 Kaptaen (captain)

1 Oberleutenenat (Lieutenant)

2 Unterleutenant (Second Leutenants)

2 Oberjaeger

12 Unterjaeger

20 Patrouillefuehrer

2 Trumpets

1 Pionieer

180 Soldiers

4 Aides for officers

Here I present a picture of their Corsican hat, with plumes, and the badge (a trumpet) of the 10th Battalion, i.e. "Koppal"Battalion

And here I present a figure of Jaeger with and without the coat around his shoulders.

10th Feldjaegerbattalion "Koppal"

Battle of Santa Lucia 6th May 1848

10th Feldjaegerbattalion "Koppal"

Battle of Santa Lucia 6th May 1848

- second version - 

This particular Corsican hat and above all the style of wearing feathers was adopted by the Bersaglieri Corp of the Piedmontese Army (funded 18.6.1833), because at the epoch the Piedmontese Army was still following the Austrian style.

Here a Bersagliere in 1848 uniform:

1848 Bersagliere

1848 PIEDMONTESE ARMY (ARMATA SARDA). Nizza Cavalleria

 This is one of the most historical regiments of all the Piedmontese/Italian history, still existing and with long and glorious tradition.

Contrary to other countries the best uniforms were during the Risorgimento (and now still used in cerimony).

As far as I know there are quite few representation on Internet of this uniforms. I thought it is time to cover this mistake and give glory to the superb Piedmontese Cavalry.

I started with a Lancer (they all wore lance and sword) of the NIZZA CAVALLERIA Regiment in 1848.

1848 - Nizza Cavalleria.

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

and hereafter in a second plastic pose:

1848 - Nizza Cavalleria.

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

1848 - Nizza Cavalleria.

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

The result of this papersoldiers, once cut, trimmed and glues is as follows:

They are 2 pelotons of the first Squadron of the Nizza Cavalleria, i.e. 50 men

1848 PIEDMONTESE ARMY. NCO's Ranks

 It was unclear to me the system with which the NCO and caporals were distiguished in the Piedmontese Army. It is possible to say that the system remained the same during the post Napoleonic period, until 1848 and later. Hence I was able to re-build the ranks of the NCO.

We can point out the following ranks

- Soldato

- Caporale

- Caporale Furiere

- Caporale Maggiore

- Sergente

- Furiere

- Furiere Maggiore

They were distiguished by a white stripe edged with the colour of the Regiment for the Caporals, while the NCO had in silver. The same for the ranks on the shako. Only the Savoy brigade had -  in place of white, yellow and in place of silver, gold.

Caporale:

Caporal Furiere

Caporal Maggiore

Sergente

Furiere

1848 - SARDINIAN - PIEDMONTESE ARMY. The Officers' ranks

 One of the most difficult matter I hjad to face in the investigating the Piedmontese Army was the distinction in the uniforms for every rank.

Just thanks to the encyclopedical work of Quinto Cenni (I invete you to google this name) it was possible to me (with some effort) to understand it.

The distinctive signs for rank was actually the epaulettes in silver on the shoulders. This was clear to me. Unclear was how it in concrete worked.

Finally I had the answer that now I want to share:

                                          

Infantry Second Leutenant (Sottotenente)

Infantry First Leutenant (Tenente)

Infantry Captain (Capitano)

1848 BRIGATA AOSTA. Standard-bearer. The history of the National Italian Flag

Today this blog is 5 years old!. Happy birthday !

I have done some works on the "Alfiere" i.e. standard-bearer, of the Brigade AOSTA; actually the history of the Italian flag starts with the opening of the First Italian Indipendence War. The first colour was indeed a real motus of enthusiasm for the Italian cause that was also embraced by the King Carlo Alberto of Savoy.

After my researches I painted this 2 different poses of a standard-bearer of the Brigade Aosta; the first from a basis of a Russian Grenadier in winter coat of 1812 ... the second from another Russian 1812 figure.

1848 - Brigade Aosta - Standard-bearer

This officer (Leutenant) of the 5th Infantry Regiment of the Brigade AOSTA is carrying the first version of the Italian flag with at the center the Savoy (but also of Piedmont) coat of arms. The history of this flag is really very interesting. 

The tricolor was a already consolidated tradition from the Napoleonic period, where the French simply substitued the blue of their flag with the green. Well the history is a little more complicated, but it is enough to say for now that the three colours - green, white and red - were  considered already as the "Italian" colours, but also somehow rivolutionary and liberal colours.

In fact, in the Statute that Carlo Alberto of Savoy issued on 4th March 1848 (and that was valid untill 1946) it was stated that the colour of the Sardinian (Piedmontese) State was its flag that was this one:

(figure from "Uniformi Militari italiane dell'Ottocento dalla Restaurazione alla Unità Nazionale", Volune II, Part 1, by Valerio Gibellini - Rivista Militare)

So simply the Savoy coat of arms (and also of Piedmont); the Statute of 1848 then added that the cockarde would remain azure. Notwithstanding this, just few days later, on 25th March in Turin the King, on that very evening showed himself - under strong public pressure, but maybe also convinced of it - grabbing a green-white-red scarf. The same day the King did his proclame to the people of Lombardy and Venice where he stated that "to better show with external signs the feeling of the Italian union, we want the our troops, by entering in the territory of Lombardy of of the Venice - Venetian territory - carry the Savoy coat of arms over the Italian tricolor"

At this point of the history, came a certain Signor Bigotti, Secretary by Ministry of Internal Affairs, who was asked by the Board of Ministries to realize some sketches for the flag, according to the desire of the King. He was a good painter and he prepared 3 sketches (now all lost), but we still have their description, so I reproduced them:

All the Ministries chose the version 1, but at the monent some problem arose. The version 1 had the problem that the red of the coat of arms of Savoy could confuse with the red of the flag. Hence Signor Bigotti had the idea to add to the coat of arms of Savoy a blue (colour of the Savoy family) to the coat of arms, in this way

4th  (and definitive) version of the Bigotti's flag.

During the process some Minister wanted the edge to be gold. Signor Biagiotti simply noted that the colour yellow would have been to similar to the Austrian flag, or at least it was not a colour to mention in the brand new flag. He then added: "let the azure edge wake in the souls the dear and glorious memory of the national colour, till then adopted by the Piedmontese Nation" Everyone accepted this suggestion (and still it has its followers, considersing that all the National Teams of Italy wear the azure colours, and are called "gli azzurri"). All the Ministries agreed.

So this sketch was presented to the King that at once approved it.  The Regia Segreteria (Royal Secretary) gave immediate order to produce the maximim number of these flags to deliver to the Piedmontese troops that were entering Lombardy. Just it happened that in the confused process the original sketch went lost and the burocrats had to remember how it was the lost (and original) sketch.  In particular, the confusion arose because already the evening of 25th  March 1848 (the Piedmontese were and are very fast!) the Secretary sent a message (by horse) to the Governors of the Division in Alessandria and Novara stating that "all the troops had to have the Italian flag, white, red and green with in the centre the coat of Arms of Savoy (white cross on red field)".

1848 - Brigade AOSTA 

Standard-bearer with flag with the Coat of Arms of Savoy edged in blue

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

So this dispatch didn't explain any measures, or shape and neither that the coat of arms should have the blue edge made a huge confusion; so at the very beginning the flag were of different dimensions, some with the edge, other without and so on. 

There were - in the first phase of the conflict - 1 flag per battalion, i.e. 3 per regiment. Starting from 14th June 1848 the colours were reduced 1 per regiment. 

In that period, were distributed 70 Italian flags to all the units, using the red flagpole model 1832, with azure scarfs (with in white the name and number of the regiment, see picture above); to these, usually were added 3 scarfs white green and red.

Then stating from Autumn 1848 the super picky Piedmontese administrative machine very precisely stated the shape, measurements of all flags, but for the moment I stop to the first part of the War, i.e until the defeat of Custoza the 25th July 1848, or even earlier to the Battle of Santa Lucia on 6th May 1848.

PS: all this news you will not find in the Osprey publishig. All what is said in Osprey Men at Arms nr. 512 is this (pag. 14): 

I think this is the result when you want to shrink a huge history in some pages. I do like the series, but this time I was really disappointed.

So it also interesting to know that this speedy reform, done in few days, was in concrete carried out in April 1848.  In fact, the Piedmontese Army, crossed the river Ticino, marking the border between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Lombard-Venenetian Province of the Austrian Empire, still carried the "old" colours, issued in 1832, according to the desire of the King Carlo Alberto.

This fact is easly understandable, and also the sources of the epoch confirm this. 

In the painting "Carlo Alberto greets the Piedmontese Troops crossing the River Ticino (on 29th March 1848, i.e. 4 days later than the order issued to change the colours of the Regimtn) it is clearly visible a standard that is not Italian, but Savoyard.

hereunder, detail:

In fact, the Piedmontese Army had - till that very moment - a quite singular system of colours for its units.

There was a "Bandiera di Brigata" (Brigade colour), given to the 1st Battalion of the first Regiment of that Brigade. 

1848. BRIGATA AOSTA

Bandiera di Brigata.

5th Regiment - 1st Battalion

(Source http://www.bandieresabaude.it/)

March 1848. BRIGATA AOSTA

Bandiera d'Ordinanza I Battalion of the 5th Regiment

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

Then there was the "Bandiera Reale" (Royal colour) that was similar to the Bandiera di Brigata, just without the Orders of Cavalry of the Savoy Family. It was given to the 1st Battalion of the 2nd REgiment of the Brigade.

1848. BRIGATA AOSTA

Bandiera Reale.

6th Regiment - 1st Battalion

(Source http://www.bandieresabaude.it/)

Not all first Battalions units had this Bandiera d'Ordinanza; the Regiment Cacciatori Guardia and the 2nd Regiment of the Savoia Brigade had the Savoy cross. 

Then the second battalions of the 2 regiments forming the Birgade, had the same colours.

1848. BRIGATA AOSTA

Bandiera d'Ordinanza

5th and 6th Regiment - 2nd Battalions

(Source http://www.bandieresabaude.it/)

Not all second Battalions units had this Bandiera d'Ordinanza; Brigade Guardie and Brigade Savoia had the Savoy cross, visible in the next picture. 

The third battallions of every regiment had the following colour:

1848. BRIGATA AOSTA

Bandiera d'Ordinanza III Battaglione

5th and 6th Regiment - 3rd Battalions

(Source http://www.bandieresabaude.it/)

This colour was also given -d ue to some refunishment problems - also to the second battallions of the following Regiments:

- Brigade Guardie (Grenadiers Regiment and Cacciatori Regiment)

- Brigade Savoia (both Regiments)

- Brigade Casale (the 12th Regiment)

- Brigade Pinerolo (the 14th Regiment)

- Brigade Savona (the 16th Regiment)

- Brigade Acqui (the 18th Regiment)

An example:

March 1848. BRIGATA AOSTA

Bandiera d'Ordinanza III Battalion of the 5th Regiment

(Copyright Michele L. SAVASTA FIORE)

This last colour is that visible in the painting above (see details), meaning that the troops entered in Lombardy on 29th March 1848 with their old flags. It was then issued to return them to the deposit in Piedmont and some of them went lost or captured during their travel back home.

Here a last example of Piedmontese standard-bearer

1848 - Brigade Aosta - Leutenenant Standard-bearer

Well I remade it with a more natural flag, at least, I hope so.

I decided to remake it different: