One aspect of the #RevWar which often receives less than its fair share of attention is training - specifically, officer training. European nations throughout the #18thcentury were beginning to warm to the idea of preparing their general for the job before actually sending them into the field, and one way of helping them to learn … Continue reading Learning on the job?
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
Chapeaux Update
Another example of us continuing to learn and improve. After we posted about our 1779 chapeaux, historian Dr Robert Selig was able to provide us with some new information from the journal of Jean-Baptiste Dupleix de Cadignan. As Lt.-Col. of le Régiment de Agenois, Dupleix noted that, in August 1779, the regiments stationed in Saint-Domingue … Continue reading Chapeaux Update
Making a Habit out of this!
With the first of our regimental coats (or "habit", pronounced a-bi) completed, we wanted to take the opportunity to talk a little about a few of the finer details. The garment itself is built to last (many of the edges are piped, rather than left raw) and for good reason. The French army only issued … Continue reading Making a Habit out of this!
Versailles: Science and Splendour at The Science Museum
In a slight detour from our usual programming, we just wanted to give a totally unsponsored shout-out to this new exhibition from the Science Museum in London, which runs until April 2025. "Versailles: Science and Splendour" looks at how the Royal Courts of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI all used scientific discoveries to demonstrate and … Continue reading Versailles: Science and Splendour at The Science Museum
Winter Training Weekend 2024
Although in winter quarters, our soldats' work is never done. This weekend we met for a day of drill practice, socialising, and inducting our newest member! He's already begun mastering the foundational elements of foot drill, alignement (dressing), and marching in time. And if you want to join the ranks of the army of le … Continue reading Winter Training Weekend 2024
Who’s in charge?
Knowing who's in charge in a military formation is crucial, and in the #Frencharmy of the 18th century this was no different. For NCOs, unlike the British, rank was fairly obvious. Our Caporal here is shown with his mark of rank: 2 blue bands of lace around the forearm. Sergents wore one silver band, and … Continue reading Who’s in charge?
Uniform – Gaiters!
We promised a post about gaiters, and so we deliver! 3 pairs might seem excessive, and it certainly produced a lot of work with 20-24 buttons and button holes per leg, but having the options was to both spread the wear and prepare a soldat for the whole year. This winter pair would have seen … Continue reading Uniform – Gaiters!
Re-enactment is a topsy-turvy world
Re-enactment is a topsy-turvy world, where people portray peasants and princes as much as their imagination (and wallets) desire. This also makes for a world in which those who are French…aren’t. This is therefore a challenge – how does one portray someone in a different language? All the sources relating to our regiment, such as … Continue reading Re-enactment is a topsy-turvy world
What’s in a name? Quite a lot actually!
Unlike the British Army, where upon joining a regiment a soldier might be allocated a service number (it wasn't until 1920 that these were standardised across the whole army), the French Royal Army assigned each new recrue a "nom de guerre" - literally a "name of war". This would be based upon a soldat's surname, … Continue reading What’s in a name? Quite a lot actually!
Le Régiment Gatinois 