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