IR No. 107 – Royal Ecossais (Scottish)

Inhaber
1744 Comte John Drummond

Unit History
Originally the regiment was formed in 1744 from Scottish refugees in France by the 3rd Duke of Drummond. He was also one of the founders at the revival of the Order of the Thistle in 1687. The Duke joined Bonnie Prince Charlie on his arrival at Perth in 1745. At the Battle of Culloden the Duke commanded the left flank, and after the defeat was forced to flee. He died on the way to France in 1746.
As mentioned, the first battalion of the unit fought in Scotland taking part at Culloden in April 1746. The regiment initially stood in the second line at Culloden, and later some fought a desperate rearguard action against the British cavalry before being forced to surrender. Others, however, led by Major Hale, succeeded in escaping to Ruthven Barracks and did not surrender until April 19, 1746.
While many of the officers would have worn a tricorne, it is likely that some would have worn the short coat and even a kilt especially during their service in Scotland.
With the outbreak of the Seven Years War in 1756, nine battalions of Scottish and Irish Jacobite were massed on the Channel, in view of participating in a large-scale military operation in Munster. However, the naval defeat at the Bay of Quiberon in 1757 dashed such hope. These troops were then used in military campaigns in Germany and in the campaigns of 1760 and 1761 in Germany were present at Marbourg and Vellinghausen.
Helping secure Marbourg in the winter of 1760, the unit was part of a French force that was defeated there by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick in a small but smartly fought engagement.
At Vellinghausen, July 1761, the unit, along with the Scottish, d’Ogilvy, regiment and other Irish regiments, was all part of the command under Soubise on the left flank which was refused against the British. The anchor point or center of the French was the village of Nateln near Soest.
Disbanded and merged into the Irish regiment, Bulkeley, in 1762.

The Regimental and Colonel’s colour

Comments
Unpainted. While the British have their Scottish regiment, the French felt left out. So as part of the general EU clause of equality for all, the French were granted an extra Scottish unit complete with kilts so that they would feel at home when vacationing in Scotland. Actually, the unique force has always appealed to me because of the possibilities to create unique characters like Comte Drummond.

Sources
Flag: http://www.drapeaux.org/Accueil.htm
Text: Osprey’s Louis XV's Army (3) Foreign Infantry (Men-at-Arms 304)

IR No. 119 - Royal-Deux-Ponts (German)

Inhaber
1757 Christian IV Prinz Palatine de Deux-Ponts (Zweibrücken)

Unit History
The regiment was formed in 1757 for French service by the Prince Palatine of Deux-Ponts (or Zweibrücken). It fought at Hastenbeck, Rossbach, Sandershausen, Bergen and Minden, where it was in the third line of Broglie's corps. The initial uniform and flag are very French in pattern. The regiment changed uniform in 1761 to a sky blue coat with red collar and cuffs, white lining, waistcoat, breeches, lace and pewter buttons that was a standard for German regiments in French service as well as adopting a new more Germanic style flag. The facing colours later changed to yellow prior to the American War of Independence.
In 1757, at Hastenbeck, the unit, along with the Royal-Bavarie (No. 101), formed part of Duc de Broglie's division. The division was instructed to march towards the village of Hastenbeck, located in the centre of the Hanoverian battle line, in support of the attack on the left flank.
At Sanderhausen, July 1758, the Anglo-Allied commander, Prinz Isenburg, was forced to draw his converged grenadiers and the infantry regiment, Kanitz, from his centre to reinforce a crumbling left flank; leaving only the militia in the centre. The French commander, Duc de Broglie, seeing this, ordered this regiment along with Rohan-Montbazon (No. 32), Beauvoisis (No. 41), and Royal-Bavarie, all of which had exhausted their powder, to bayonet charge the centre. These regiments managed to collapse the enemy militia troops, forcing the Allies to withdraw.
During the Seven Years War, the Colonel was also Inhaber of the Zweibrücken cavalry regiment in Austrian service and the Alsace regiment (No. 36). The infantry unit retained regular status throughout the Seven Years War period.
The regiment was sent to America in 1778 as part of the first wave of French support and fought at Yorktown. It disbanded during the Revolution in 1791 to form the 99e Regiment d'Infanterie. The 99e was disbanded in 1803 after an undistinguished service record.


The 1761 Regimental and 1761 Colonel’s colour

Comments
This is another of my ‘Bergen’ units. The unit is very interesting in that it changes uniform and flags late in the war. The sky blue uniform so typical of the German troops also has the common diagonal cross pattern for the flag. The earlier uniform and flag look very French. The figures are Dixon and the flag is from GMB Design. Unit painted in 2002.

Sources
Flag: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm
Text: Osprey’s Louis XV's Army (3) Foreign Infantry (Men-at-Arms 304)
Sandershausen 1758 by David Cookman in Battlefields Vol. 1 Issue 6

Dragoons No. 2 - Mestre Camp de Géneral

Inhaber
1754 Count of Coigny, 1761 Marquis de Ville

Unit History
The regiment originally raised by the Count of Tessé in 1674 as a gentlemen regiment. It became the Mestre Camp Géneral of dragoons in 1684 when Mr. de Tessé obtained this office by purchasing that of Mestre de Camp of the Carabins which at that time belonged to the count of Quincy, Marie François Henri Franquetot. Count de Coigny possessed this regiment from January 24, 1754 to October 16, 1761. The unit ranked second in seniority and was one of the three 'General Staff' regiments with the others being the Colonel General and the Commissaire-General.
Saw distinguished service at the battle of Hastenbeck. Later the unit occupied Minden, Hanover and Celle. It participated in the 1758 campaign in Germany and was present at Krefeld. In 1759, the regiment returned to France to duty along the French coast. The unit performed as a regular unit.

Comments
Originally this unit had three squadrons as I used to group my cavalry into 24 man units but with my switch to Piquet, I decided to split the unit into squadrons of 8 men rather than a single regiment. The best part of the switch is that there are many more uniform variations and lots more colour in my cavalry formations. Unit painted in 1991.

Sources
Flag: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm
Text: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm

Dragoons No. 4 - Du Roi

Inhaber
1748 Count de Scey, 1761 Marquis de Créquy

Unit History
The unit was raised in July 1743 from six companies. Each company came from a different Dragoon regiment: Royal, Mestre de Camp General, Bauffremont, Orleans, Nicolai, and Mailly.
In 1757 it was brigaded with the Flammarens Dragoons and participated at the sieges of the fortresses at Gueldres and Juliers; then the conquest of the Haute Frise and later occupied Meppen, Venner, Leer and Emben. In December 1757, it joined the French army at Celle. In 1758, the regiment fought at Krefeld subsequently seizing the town of Schwartzhausen and the castle of Calze. Later the unit skirmished at Lutzelberg.
At Bergen, 1759, the regiment was in the 3rd line along with the La Ferronnays Dragoons and both saw little action. That fall the regiment participated at Minden. In 1760, the unit was engaged at Warburg. Distinguished itself at Radern chasing away enemy cavalry established on the heights. It helped withstand the siege of Ziegenheim.
In 1761 engaged at Kindelbruck. In February 1761, attacked an artillery convoy and took seven cannons at Kreimberg. Later the unit quartered in Eimbeck. Later that August, the Hanoverian Freicorps, Luckner, attacked the infantry regiment, Belzunce (No.10), on the heights of Alsar. After the French infantry flags were taken, an officer and two dragoons from the regiment, Du Roi, rode after the enemy and after a brief skirmish re-took the flags that were restored to their colonels. The regiment performed as a regular unit.

Comments
This is one of my ‘Bergen’ units. Given the choices of dragoon units are limited by the OB, I have ended up painting all dragoon units present at the battle. One minor side effect of the switch from 24 man units to 8 man units was that I ended up with a lot of French Dragoons. The result is that I have a lopsided weighting of French Dragoons to Cuirassiers. Unit repainted in 2003.

Sources
Flag: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.html
Text: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.html

Dragoons No. 8 - Flammarens

Inhaber
1756 Beuvron, 1758 de Flammarens, 1762 Count de Coigny

Unit History
The regiment was at Lille in 1757. It joined the army of Germany at Stockheim where it formed a brigade with the Du Roi dragoons. Distinguished at Hastenbeck, Minden, Hanover, Klosterseven, Celle and Krefeld in 1758 where it suffered heavily.
Returned to France in 1759 and remained on the Norman coast until 1761 when it returned in Germany. The unit distinguished itself at Johannisberg in 1762. It performed as a regular unit during the period.


Comments
When switching to 8 man units from 24 for cavalry, I needed yet another Dragoon squadron. The flag for this unit is so colourful and different from each side that I had no choice but to raise a squadron. Unit repainted in 2003.

Sources
Flag: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm
Text: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm

Dragoons No. 15 - Apchon Dragoons

Inhaber
1756 d' Apchon, 1761 Nicolaï

Unit History
The regiment of dragoons was raised in 1675. The count of Apchon became colonel by commission on 29 November 1748. On February 20th 1761, Armand Charles François, marquis of Nicolaï of Osny obtained this office and held it until 5 June 1763.
In 1757, the regiment was with the Soubise corps and suffered heavily in the retreat from Rossbach. After the battle, it retired to Hanau. In 1758, the unit served with distinction at the battles of Lutzelberg and Sanderhausen. At Sanderhausen, it was in the second line along with the Royal Nassau Hussars. The unit participated in the battle of Bergen on April 13, 1759. Later that month, on the 19th, combined with the Chasseurs de Fischer to crush the Hanoverian Grenadiers and Prussian Finckenstein dragoons, taking two flags. On June 26th, the unit expelled the enemy from Debrucke. It was present at Minden. During the next campaign seasons they were at Korbach and Warbourg. Later in 1762 the unit served with distinction at Johannisberg but suffered heavy losses. The unit performed as a regular unit.

Comments
Although not the most colourful of flags, the unit itself saw a lot of action in the Western theatre being present at almost all major engagements. No self-respecting French cavalry brigade should be without this unit. This is another one of my ‘Bergen’ units. Unit repainted in 2003.

Sources
Flag: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm
Text: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm

Cuirassiers No. 36 - Balincourt

Inhaber
1756 Grammont - Fallon, 1759 Balincourt

Unit History
The unit was formed in 1674. Present with two squadrons at Bergen, Minden and Warbourg. Considered a regular cavalry unit until December 1761 when, like many other regiments, it was disbanded and incorporated across the remaining cavalry regiments.
At Minden, August 1st 1759, the unit was part of the French cavalry centre. The unit was attached to Lt. - Gen. Chevalier du Mesnil's cavalry division and participated in the assaults against the advancing British and Hanoverian troops.
At Warbourg, July 31st 1760, the French centre, that again was made up of cavalry including the Balincourt squadrons, wheeled to cover the French infantry withdrawal through Warburg. As they formed up, they were hit by Granby’s British cavalry and thrown back in disorder. British units involved in the cavalry charge included The Blues, 1st Dragoon Guards and 3rd Dragoon Guards.

Comments
The flag of this unit was also used by Conti (No.23), La Rochefoucald (No. 42) and Fitz-James (No. 56). Balincourt is one of my ‘Bergen’ units. The uniform of all the regiments was almost the same - a gray-white coat, red facings, deep buff trousers and vest with tin buttons. Conti had grey-white facings instead of the usual red while Fitz James wore a red coat with sky blue facings and tin buttons.
In the Seven Years War, the regiment La Rochefoucald saw service at the battle of Hastenbeck, Krefeld, and Minden while the regiment Fitz-James was present at Hastenbeck and Rossbach. Unit painted in 2005.

Sources
Image: http://perso.club-internet.fr/slouis/cimier15en.html
Flag: Uniform and Flags of the French Army during the Seven Years War by Ken Bunger in The Courier Volume 2 No. 1
Text: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm

Hussars No. 69 - Royal Nassau

Inhaber
Unknown

Unit History
It was formed in April 1756 as the Nassau-Saarbrück Volontaries. The unit was renamed the Royal Nassau in 1758. The facing colour was changed to orange in December 1762. It was engaged at Rossbach and Sanderhausen.
At Rossbach, July 23 1758, one squadron formed the flank guard, along with one squadron of the Apchon Dragoons, of St Germain’s brigade. The brigade arrived in the early evening in time to cover the retreat. The units actually began the battle between six and seven kilometres away from the main army.
At Sanderhausen, July 23 1758, two squadrons were in the second line along with the Apchon Dragoons and supported the attack on Ellenbach Farm located on the left flank. .
A regular unit heavily used in scouting and screening the army from the enemy.

Comments
This is one of my ‘Bergen’ units in a round about way. I happen to live in the Hoch-Taunus in an area between Idstein and Usingen which is northwest of Frankfurt. In Idstein, there is an old Nassau residence while closer to home there is the Rettershof (an old Nassau hunting lodge) where I celebrated my wedding a few years ago. That should give a few hints as to why a Nassau based force was a natural for the collection (in addition, I really did not like the flag from the Nassau-Usingen infantry regiment preferring the Alsace much more due to the unit’s history). The figures are originally Dixon Prussians. Unit painted in 2003.

Sources
Text: Osprey’s Louis XV's Army (4) Light Troops and Specialists (Men-at-Arms 308)
Sandershausen 1758 by David Cookman in Battlefields Vol. 1 Issue 6
J. Mollo, Uniforms of the Seven Years War 1756-63, Blandford Press, page 160.
Image: http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/fusiliers/vwp?.dir=/Eric+Veitl%27s+pictures&.src=gr&.dnm=Nassau+Saasbrucken+Hr.+1757.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/fusiliers/lst%3f%26.dir=/Eric%2bVeitl%2527s%2bpictures%26.src=gr%26.view=t

Freicorps - Hainaut

Inhaber
1757 Thiersaint, 1763 Auguste

Unit History
The unit was created in March 25, 1757 through the disbandment of the Flanders Volunteers. The unit was a mix of fusiliers and dragoons. The Volunteers of Hainaut were composed of the 2nd brigade (ex-Grassin) and half of the 1st brigade (Breton ex-vol.). In 1757 there were 420 men which grew to 600 by February 1758 and finally to 950 by November 1759.
The corps was first present at Hastenbeck where they fulfilled their role which was to act as a light force that screened the regular force from the enemy. They then participated in the surprise attack on Harbourg where it captured hundreds of enemy soldiers and several flags. Later in March 1758, the corps surrendered along with the rest of the garrison at Minden after a stubborn resistance.
Re-raised by Thomas-Auguste de Grandmaison, the later author of ‘La Petite Guerre’ (a book on partisan warfare), the corps was again deployed in Germany to fight at Bork, Minden, Mardorf, Nordecken, and Langhaus in 1759. In 1760 the corps rescued the Bercheny Hussars in a skirmish and briefly captured Minden. In August 1761, the corps captured infantry of the Prussian Freicorps Gerschray at Nordhausen.
In December 1762, the Volunteers d Austrasy were incorporated into the unit which then was named the Légion d’Hainaut on March 1, 1763. Later in 1768 the unit was renamed the Légion de Lorraine before being disbanded 1776.

Comments
Work in progress. The figures shown are dismounted dragoons who are acting as fusiliers. The usual fusiliers would have had a tricorne edged in the button color but with an excess of figures with the dragoon style helmet I adopted some minor poetic license. The flag for the fusiliers is shown above. The dragoons wore the Schomberg style helmet and had a banner as show below.

Sources
Flag: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm
Text: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm

Freicorps - Schomberg

Inhaber
1743 Saxe, 1750 Friezen, 1755 Schomberg

Unit History
The unit was raised in March 1743 by Marshal de Saxe and consisted of both Uhlans (lancers) and Dragoons. The Uhlans were used as an escort for the Marshal and were recruited from free Blacks in France. They were mounted on white horses.
The Dragoons were present at Hastenbeck where they fulfilled their role which was to act as a light force that screened the regular force from the enemy. Fully converted to Dragoons in 1762. The rest of the French dragoons adopted the Schomberg helmet as part of their normal equipment after the SYW.

Comments
Until 1762, there were no other Freicorps other than Schomberg who wore this distinctive helmet. The flag is based on the the Mouillard Plates for the 17th Dragoons (the unit that the Schomberg dragoons became in 1762). The troops themselves are actually from the Front Rank AWI French Cavalry who had adopted the distinctive helmet. Unit painted in March 2006.

Sources
Flag: Uniform and Flags of the French Army during the Seven Years War by Ken Bunger in The Courier Volume 2 No. 1
Flag image: Nec Pluribus Impar site at http://vial.jean.free.fr/new_npi/index.htm
Image: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=588872&imageID=1235936&total=74&num=20&parent_id=585393&word=&s=&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&lword=&lfield=&imgs=20&pos=35&snum=&e=w

Text: Osprey’s Louis XV's Army (4) Light Troops and Specialists (Men-at-Arms 308)

Freicorps - Clermont Prince

Inhaber
1758 Prince de Clermont

Unit History
The unit was authorized on the 27th of April 1758 as two companies of 53 grenadiers, nine of 105 fusiliers, sixteen of 53 dragoons and two regimental guns. The cavalry formed two squadrons that were present at Hastenbeck 1757. After capturing two enemy standards in February 1759, it joined the 1759 summer campaign after the battle at Bergen. Part of the corps and most of its officers were captured in September 1760 when they were surprised in an Allied raid on Zeiernberg. The remains of the unit spent the 1760 winter quartered at Eisenach. Renamed Legion Conde in 1766. The unit could be used either as a legion or separated into its two components - Cavalry and Light Infantry.
Generally used as a Light force that screened the regular force from the enemy. An elite unit disbanded in 1776.

Comments
Years ago when Front Rank put out these figures, I bought the Light infantry. Like so many SYW collectors, I like the Schomberg helmet. When I actually started to research which troops wore the helmet, I found I was limited and rather than paint the Schomberg troops, I decided to paint a less well known force – although I suspect many of us have discovered these particular troops and added them to our SYW collection just because Front Rank has such nice figures. Unit painted in 1991.

Sources
Text: Osprey’s Louis XV's Army (4) Light Troops and Specialists (Men-at-Arms 308)

Artillery

Inhaber
Unknown

Unit History
The guns shown are of two calibers - 6 pounds and 12 pounds. These were not very mobile nor were they rifled. The Seven Years War marked the end of the Lavallière's system that had in October 1732 imposed the standardization of calibers and the width of axle. In spite of the ordnance, pieces remained too heavy, too difficult to operate and ill-adapted to the evolving conflicts.
The adoption of the Gribeauval system in 1765 began the reformation of the artillery that carried on to Napoleonic times. However, the artillery of the Ancient Regime remained very dependent on the "Intendance" (supply corps or commissariat), especially for transport. The artillery did not possess a separate train rather the Commissariat settled contracts with civil entrepreneurs or requisitioned horses from the local population to move the artillery.














A group of civil entrepreneurs

Comments
The text says it all… slow, cumbersome, heavy… but they sure pack a punch! Unit painted in 2002.

Sources
Image: http://www.wargamer.com/articles/18c_fr_main.asp
Text: Osprey’s Louis XV's Army (4) Light Troops and Specialists (Men-at-Arms 308)