Nice Infanterie

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Origin and History

This Piedmontese regiment was formed on December 8, 1678 by Jean-Baptiste de Ferrero, Marquis de Saint-Laurent with the Italian sergeants and soldiers of the Savoyard regiments Ducal, Saluces, Savoie, Chablais and Genèvois disbanded the same year.

In 1689, during the Nine Years' War (1688-97), the regiment campaigned in Flanders. In 1690, it took part in the Battle of Fleurus; and in 1691, in the siege of Mons. On May 8, 1691, the regiment took the name of the County of Nice which had just been conquered. In 1692, it took part in the siege of Namur and in the Battle of Steenkerque; in 1693, in the Battle of Landen and in the siege of Charleroi; and in 1695, in the defence of Namur. It then served on the Meuse and the Moselle until the Peace of Ryswick.

In 1702, during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13), the regiment was attached to the Army of Germany and took part in the capture of Trier and Trarbach. In 1703, it took part in the sieges of Alt-Breisach and Landau; and in 1704, in the Battle of Blenheim. In 1705, the regiment campaigned in the Army of Flanders. In 1706, it took part in the Battle of Ramillies; in 1708, in the Battle of Oudenarde; in 1709, in the defence of Mons; and in 1710, in the defence of Aire. From 1711 to 1713, the regiment served in Flanders.

In 1733, at the outbreak of the War of the Polish Succession (1733-35), the regiment took part in the siege of Kehl; and in 1734, in the siege of Philisbourg.

In 1741, during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the regiment took part to the invasion of Bohemia and in the capture of Prague. In 1742, it participated in the Combat of Sahay and in the unsuccessful defence of Prague; in 1743, in the Battle of Dettingen; and in 1744, in the siege of Freiburg. In 1746, it served in Flanders where it took part in the capture of Mons and Charleroi and in the Battle of Rocoux. In 1747, it participated in the Battle of Lauffeld; and in 1748, in the siege of Maastricht.

On March 10, 1749, the regiment incorporated the disbanded Tour d'Auvergne Infanterie.

In 1755, the regiment was at the camp of Valence.

On the eve of the Seven Years' War, the regiment counted two battalions.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment ranked 65^th and was under the command of:

• from September 10, 1744: Louis-Gilbert-Gaspard Comte de Châteaugay de La Queuille
• May 1758: Jacques-Gabriel-Louis Le Clerc, Marquis de Juigné
• ???: Vicomte de Latournelle
• from 1761 to 1762: Chevalier de la Tour-du-Pin

On December 10, 1762, the regiment was disbanded and incorporated in Lyonnais Infanterie.

Service during the War

On May 21, 1756, the regiment arrived at Minorca as reinforcement for the French army besieging Fort St. Philip.

In 1757, the regiment was sent to Bretagne to defend the coasts against British raids.

In 1761, the regiment was among the French force garrisoning the island when the British launched an amphibious expedition against Belle-Isle.

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1758 - Source: Kronoskaf

Uniform Details as per
Etrennes militaires 1758,
and Etat militaire 1761

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced gold with a black cockade Grenadier black tricorne laced gold with a black cockade towards 1759, bearskins became increasingly common among grenadiers
Neckstock	black
Coat	grey-white Collar none (white in 1761) Shoulder Straps n/a Lapels none Pockets double vertical pockets (3 copper buttons on each single pocket) Cuffs grey-white with 3 copper buttons Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	grey-white (red in 1761)
Breeches	grey-white
Gaiters	white
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather Waistbelt natural leather Cartridge Box natural leather Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard n/a

Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.

Officers

n/a

Musicians

n/a

Colours

The colonel flag was white with a white cross. Ordonnance flags had red cantons with waved blue lines and a white cross bordered in blue. Ordonnance flags remained unchanged from 1691 to 1791.

Colonel Colour - Source: Kronoskaf

Ordonnance Colour - Source: Kronoskaf

N.B.: The reconstitution of the ordonnance flag is highly hypothetical. It is based exclusively on the textual descriptions found in the various Etats militaires and differs widely from the usual representation found in specialized publications.

References

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

Vial J. L.; Nec Pluribus Impar

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