Canonniers des Côtes de l'Océan

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Origin and History

Officer and Soldier of the Canonniers des Côtes de l'Océan circa 1702 - Courtesy of The New York Public Library

A company of 6 officers and 200 men was raised at La Rochelle on 1 June 1702.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the unit was commanded by:

• Ferrand d'Escossay

The unit was disbanded in 1720 and incorporated in Royal-Artillerie.

Service during the War

no information available yet

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1702 - Copyright: Richard Couture

Uniform Details

Headgear	black tricorne laced white with a white cockade
Neck stock	white
Coat	royal blue with red lining; yellow buttons on the right side and 1 yellow button on each side in the small of the back Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets none Cuffs red without any button Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	red with yellow buttons
Breeches	red
Stockings	red fastened under the knee with a natural leather strap
Gaiters	none at the beginning of the war, white later
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather (often whitened with pipe-clay) with a brass buckle Waistbelt natural leather (often whitened with pipe-clay) with a brass buckle Cartridge Box natural leather Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard black with white metal fittings Footwear black shoes with a brass buckle

NCOs

n/a

Officers

n/a

Musicians

n/a

Colours

Colonel Colour: none.

Ordonnance Colour: white field; centre device consisting of medallion representing a cannon on brown earth with a blue sky in the background; above this medallion 3 golden fleurs and a small red bar on an azure field surmounted by a golden crown with red cushion; a white scroll edged gold bearing the black motto “TONANTIS IMAGO”; a red horizontal bar in the middle within a golden frame; under the central medallion, a red field within a golden frame

Ordonnance Colour - Copyright: Gilbert Noury

References

This article incorporates texts from the following books which are now in the public domain:

• Susane, Louis: Histoire de l'ancienne infanterie française, J. Corréard, Paris, 1849-1856, Tome 6, p. 201

Acknowledgement

Jean-Pierre Loriot for the initial version of this article