Italian Infantry Organisation
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Introduction
At the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War, the French Army counted two Italian regiments. According to the ordonnance of January 29, 1757, each Italian regiment had a single battalion of 9 companies. Their organisation differed from the organisation of the French infantry regiments.
Composition and Organisation of a Regiment
Regiments were ranked according to their seniority. This was THE rule regulating precedence in the French army of this period. However, they were always designated by a name.
Regimental Staff
The regimental staff consisted of:
- 1 colonel
- 1 lieutenant-colonel
- 1 major
- 1 tambour-major
- 1 chaplain
- 1 interpreter
The regulation of February 25, 1758 granted “provostship” to the Italian regiments, thus increasing its staff with:
- 1 provost
- 1 lieutenant-provost
- 1 clerk
- 5 archers
- 1 justice executioner
Organisation of a Battalion
Italian regiments counted 9 companies per battalion: 8 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company. Thus each battalion totalled 37 officers (including 2 ensigns) and 685 men.
Organisation of a Fusilier Company
A fusilier company consisted of:
- 4 officers
- 1 captain
- 1 second-captain
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 second-lieutenant
- 10 NCOs
- 5 sergeants
- 5 corporals
- 7 ansepessades (lance-corporals)
- 15 appointees
- 46 fusiliers
- 2 drummers
Organisation of a Grenadier Company
A grenadier company consisted of:
- 3 officers
- 1 captain
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 second-lieutenant
- 6 NCOs
- 3 sergeants
- 3 corporals
- 5 ansepessades (lance-corporals)
- 33 grenadiers
- 1 drummer
In wartime, grenadiers were converged with grenadier companies of other regiments.
References
Bacquet, Capitaine d’infanterie: L’infanterie française au XVIIIe siècle – L’organisation, Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1907, pp. 64-65
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 5 Hastenbeck und Roßbach, Berlin, 1903, Appendix 10
Vial, Jean-Louis: Nec Pluribus Impar
