Whilst we are heavily focused on our impression of the French army during the #RevWar, this is not to suggest that we are only a military group! We have a growing range of civilian impressions - the "Voices of Williamburg" - reflecting the interactions between soldats of le Gatinois and the Virginian population they lived … Continue reading Introducing the Voices of Williamsburg
Moira Furnace 2025
Our latest visit to Moira Furnace Museum and Country Park was a little different to our previous outings. We provided our usual demonstration of French uniform and weaponry, sentry duties, and continual public engagement...but this time the main scenario was set around Lexington and Concord in 1775, so we were not able to participate in … Continue reading Moira Furnace 2025
Caption Competition
Here we see the Caporal with his signature (French?) look of disdain...but what has attracted his ire this time? Our favourite suggestions included:- “Who left the cheese out in the sun?”- "Did someone use the wrong glass for the wine?"- "Soldat Saintpierre, again!" Photo by kind permission of Pat Patrick
Drill…again!
Every army had to teach its men to load and fire its muskets: the British had their 1764 Manual Exercise, and the French had the 1776 Ordonnance de Roi. In this image, we can see the soldats at the first step - "chargez vos armes". They are about to be ordered to "ouvrez le bassinet" … Continue reading Drill…again!
Les soldats en piquet recherchent la chaleur / Soldiers on guard duty seek warmth
Photo by Emma Norfolk
Le Soldat Mécontent?
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one reenactor in his time plays many parts. At first, the recrue, with his borrowed uniform and shining morning face, creeping like snail semi-willingly to drill. Then, the experienced soldat, full of strange oaths, … Continue reading Le Soldat Mécontent?
A sentry passes the time by dreaming of colder climates than Saint-Domingue…
Photo by kind permission of JackProphotographypicture
Portez vos armes!
As illustrated here in this wonderful photo captured by Daz's Photography, French soldats only ever carried their muskets on their left shoulder, whether at the "portez" or "au bras" positions. By contrast, a French Officer or "bas Officier", a supernumerary NCO such as a sergent or a caporal acting as a sergent, always carried their … Continue reading Portez vos armes!
Avoncroft International Living History Festival
What a weekend! An unexpectedly warm time at Avoncroft Museum with Redcoats and Revolutionaries saw our soldats busy with drill, speaking to the public, and some work on an exciting media collaboration (more on that later this year). We even got to introduce our newest recrue to the wonderful world of le Gatinois at his … Continue reading Avoncroft International Living History Festival
Marching on with more equipment
Now whilst it may be fair to say an army marches on its stomach, crucially it actually marches on its feet! Information about French army footwear in this period is "helpfully" vague and, as with many other issues, the first time any official standard was set was during the reforms of the late-1780s. We therefore … Continue reading Marching on with more equipment
Le Régiment Gatinois 