Bergh Infanterie
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised on August 12 1744 in the country of Juliers (present-day Jülich).
During the War of the Austrian Succession, the regiment served in Flanders from 1744 to 1748.
The regiment counted one battalion.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment ranked 108th and was under the command of:
- since 1744: Baron de Bergh
- from 1757 to 1760: Baron de Bergh (son of the former baron)
On January 18 1760, when the German Infantry was reorganised, the regiment was disbanded and his unique battalion incorporated into Alsace Infanterie.
Service during the War
By August 1 1757, the regiment was in Germany with the army of the Weser. It took its winter quarters in the first line in the area of Bremen.
In February 1758, when Ferdinand of Brunswick launched his offensive in West Germany, the regiment retired on the Rhine with the rest of the French army. From March 30 to April 4, it was in the first line of Clermont's army in the camp of Wesel on the Lower Rhine. By July, it had joined the army of the Prince de Soubise assembling near Friedberg in Hesse.
On March 13 1759, upon Broglie's request, d'Armentières sent him a corps (1,400 foot and 1,200 horse, including Bergh Infanterie) under the command of d'Auvet. This corps took post at Hachenburg with detachments at Siegen. On April 13, the regiment took part in the battle of Bergen where it formed part of reserve of the left wing deployed in regimental columns behind the Warthberg. In June, during the French offensive in West Germany, the regiment was part of the main army under the command of the Marquis de Contades where it was deployed in the second line, on the right wing of the infantry centre. On August 1, the regiment took part in the battle of Minden where it was deployed in the second line of the infantry right wing under the command of the Comte de Saint-Germain. As part of the Anhalt brigade, it covered the retreat of the defeated French army but was thrown back by the Prussian dragoons.
To do: campaigns from 1760 to 1762
Uniform
Privates
Headgear |
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Neckstock | probably black | ||||||||||||
Coat | blue with 3 yellow buttons under the lapel on the right side
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Waistcoat | white | ||||||||||||
Breeches | white | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | probably white | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.
Officers
no information available yet
Musicians
no information available yet
Colours
The colonel flag of the regiment was white with a white cross. In the middle: a white eagle with a white scroll underneath bearing the motto “Fortes creantur fortibus” and 3 white eaglets underneath.
The ordonnance flags had a white field and a white cross. The inner borders sides of each canton were bordered by red and blue waved lines. Each canton carried a golden fleur de lys. In the middle: a white eagle with a white scroll underneath bearing the motto “Fortes creantur fortibus” and 3 white eaglets underneath.
![]() Colonel Colour - Source: PMPdeL |
![]() Ordonnance Colour - Source: PMPdeL |
References
Anon.; Manuscript Troupes du Roi, Infanterie française et étrangère, année 1757, tome I"; Musée de l'Armée, Paris
Bunel, Arnaud, Vexillologie militaire européenne
Évrard P., Praetiriti Fides
Funcken, Liliane and Fred; Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
Menguy, Patrice; Les Sujets du Bien Aimé
Mouillard, Lucien, Les Régiments sous Louis XV, Paris, 1882
Pajol, Charles P. V., Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. VII, Paris, 1891
Rogge, Christian; The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Service historique de l'armée de terre, Archives du génie, article 15, section 1, §5, pièce 23
Sommaire des forces armées Françaises à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la France - 1er Août 1757, Service Historique de l'armée de terre
Taccoli, Alfonso; Teatro Militare dell' Europa, Part 1, vol. 2; Madrid, March 1760