Bonaparte and Generals for the 1790s

Just received a package from CP Models of Leicester (tel. 0797 1185155). It comprised prominent commanders for the French Army of the 1790s. The castings portray from left to right, Kleber, DeCustine, Bonaparte, Kellerman, Desaix. They are quite a lot taller than Dixon/WF, but as they will be serving on separate command bases, this will cause no problems. I must say they are flash free and very fine. I paid by cheque and they arrived about a week later. Including postage at £3.50, these figures worked out at £10 for the set of five, but are well worth the investment. MGB

ESTABLISHMENTS, do they have any value?

It is my contention that to raise a Republican army for the French Revolution with units all having the same number of figures, and linking it to their establishment, is at best simplistic. I think we should be inspired to incorporate the difficulties faced by French commanders to distribute very irregular formations on the battlefield. I know many AWI wargamers have already begun to better appreciate 'Orders of Battle' over 'establishments', regardless of whether they intend to refight historical actions. After all, an establishment is nothing more than a commission to try and recruit an approved number of men, and the hopeless task of trying to maintain that number during a war. For my part, I am planning to re-evaluate my numbers and figure-ratios using 'Orders of Battle' for inspiration. Regular viewers of this blog will be aware that my collection already includes a fair number of units with various strengths. I feel, you not only gain a superior knowledge of the units you are painting but your collection also has greater character and interest.  MGB

THE FRENCH ARMY IN THE LOW COUNTRIES, c.1793

Apologies for any errors, I hope the following will assist wargamers to represent the composition and real strengths of the various troops serving in a French revolutionary army c.1793
MGB

ORDER OF BATTLE for the French in Belgium, 1st March 1793, General Dumouriez commanding

ADVANCED GUARD Generals Stengel and Dampierre

19th Regt. 2 battns - 900

29th Regt. 2 battns - 946

54th Regt. 1 battn - 464

72nd Regt. 2 battns - 910

9th Chasseur Battn. 518

10th Chasseur Battn. 293

14th Chasseur Battn. 330

1st Combined Grenadier Battn. 200

2nd Combined Grenadier Battn. 306

3rd Combined Grenadier Battn. 348

4th Combined Grenadier Battn. 290

5th Combined Grenadier Battn. 209

6th Combined Grenadier Battn. 500

Compagnie franche de Magnée 41

Compagnie franche de Cambrelots 67

1er bataillon franc 300

3e bataillon franc 200

1st Battn. of Volunteers d'Indre-et-Loire 347

1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Meurthe 115

5th Battn. of Volunteers de la Meurthe 368

1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Marne 260

2nd Battn. of Volunteers de la Marne 266

2nd Battn. of Volunteers de la Meuse 117

1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Nièvre 503

13th Battn. of Volunteers of Paris  (bataillon de la Butte des Moulins) 297

9th Battn. of Reserve Volunteers 654

3rd Battn. of Volunteers of Paris 400

9th Battn. of Volunteers of  Paris 475

4th National Battn. of Federals 312

The Liégeois  225

1st Regt. of Hussars 3 squads - 271

3rd Regt. of Mtd. Chasseurs 3 squads - 355

6th Regt. of Mtd Chasseurs  352

12th Regt. of Mtd. Chasseurs 2 squads - 367

5th Regt. of Dragoons 281

7th Regt. of Dragoons 1 squad. - l57

18th Regt. of Cavalry 2 squads - 254

3rd Regt. of Horse Artillery 1 coy. - Hanique - 74

6th Regt. of Horse Artillery 1 coy. - 80

Artillery Company de Cuny 69

GENERAL Miaczynsk
99th Regt. of Infantry 645
Légion des Ardennes Foot 954
Légion des Ardennes Horse 296
Light Artillery on foot 92
Light Artillery on horse 59
Compagnie Clemendat 89
Compagnie d'Abbeville 4
3rd Battn. of Volunteers des Ardennes 352
1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Charente 464
2nd Regiment of Hussars 223

 GENERAL Frégeville
1st Battn. of Volunteers de l'Aisne  (bataillon de Vervins) 377
13th Regiment of Dragoons 2 squads - 351
11th Regiment of Mtd. Chasseurs 331
1st Battalion of Volunteers de Seine-et-Marne 493
Artillery

MAIN ARMY
5th Regt. of Infantry 1 bataillon - 350
34th Regt. of Infantry 1 bataillon - 448
49th Regt. of Infantry 1 bataillon - 359
74th Regt. of Infantry 1 bataillon - 426
83rd Regt. of Infantry 2 bataillons - 973
94th Regt. of Infantry 1 bataillon - 390
98th Regt. of Infantry 1 bataillon - 473
104th Regt. of Infantry 2 bataillons - 723
Chasseurs des Quatre-Nations 92
1st Battn. of Volunteers de l'Allier 435
Légion bavaroise 368
Corps brestois 60
1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Côte-d'Or 418
2nd Batt. of Volunteers de la Corrèze (29^e bataillon de volontaires des reserves) 446
1st Battn. of Volunteers d'Eure-et-Loir 297
11th National Battn. of Federals 346
1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Mayenne-et-Loire 326
4th Battn. of Volunteers de la Meuse 408
5th Battn. of Volunteers de l'Oise 327
2nd Battn. of Volunteers of Paris 465
7th Battn. of Volunteers of Paris 480
1st Battn. of Grenadiers of Paris 213
1st Battn. of Volunteers du Pas-de-Calais 106
Republican Battalion 399
1st Battn. of Volunteers de Seine-et-Oise 489
1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Somme 383
2nd Battn. of Volunteers de la Vienne 390
1st Battn. of Volunteers de la Vendée 420
3rd Battn. of Volunteers de l'Yonne 420
6th Battn. de volontaires nation 560
7th Regiment of Dragoons 1 squad. 88
12th Regt. of Horse Chasseurs 1 squad. - 91
13th Regt. of Horse Chasseurs 1 squad. - 75
Gendarmerie nationale 62
1st Regiment of Artillery det. 93
6th Regiment of Artillery det. 66
8th Regiment of Artillery det. 17
Sapeurs-mineurs 17

FRENCH BATTALION FLAGS c.1792

I have always painted my own flags using sticky-back address labels, a system described by Stuart Asquith some thirty years ago. Modern wargamers are now spoilt with superbly printed renditions for sale, but I will stick with my familiar method. So here are my flags for six white-coated battalions, the soldiers in two of these battalions still needing some serious work before they can take the field. The flag designs are taken from the 1791 regulations, with 1792 tricolour patches placed over the fleur-de-lis (this actually happened). These designs still look very typical of the French army in the 18th century so I hope the collection will serve in several earlier conflicts, while still taking their place as centre battalions in 1794 demi-brigades. MGB

   

FRENCH WHITE-COAT BATTALIONS c.1792

Work has limited my spare time to paint up miniatures but I have just allowed myself a spell to re-vamp some of the white-coated figures restored to my collection. I'm pleased to report that three battalions are now pretty well ready for the wargames table, only awaiting to be issued their regimental colours. I've decided to paint up the 1792 pre-amalgam style flags despite the likelihood of them forming a centre battalion for Line demi-brigades. These figures can be utilised to provide French regulars for several earlier conflicts (for wargame purposes) so I will keep the white cross of Saint Denis with distinctive cantons which was so much a feature of French military flags in the 18th century.

Two more 'blanc' battalions still to complete, and my box of spares may well provide two more 'bleu' battalions. MGB