Monferrato Infantry

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Origin and History

To do

At the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment counted one battalion.

Service during the War

On 3 July 1701, during the campaign in Northern Italy, the regiment, as part of the Savoyard Contingent, arrived at Cerea to join the Franco-Spanish army. By 17 August, the regiment, was deployed in the centre of the first line of infantry. On 1 September, it was present at the Battle of Chiari. On 17 November, Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy quit the Franco-Spanish army with his entire contingent, marching back to his duchy before the end of the campaign.

On 5 May 1702, the regiment was part of the troops of the Duke of Savoy who marched from Vercelli to serve once more with the Franco-Spanish army in another campaign in Northern Italy. From 26 May to 5 June, the Savoyard regiments gradually arrived at Goito on the Mincio River. By mid-July, the regiment was deployed on the extreme left of the first line of infantry. On 12 November, the Savoyard contingent left Vendôme's Army to march back to the Duchy of Savoy.

At the end of 1703, after the capture of several Savoyard units at San Sebastiano (29 September), the Duke of Savoy reconstituted and redeployed his army. The regiment was increased to 2 battalions (it retained this organisation till 1709).

At the end of 1704, the two battalions of the regiment were attached to the field army.

To do: campaigns 1703 to 1709

Uniform

From 1701 to 1709, the unit wore the model 1691 uniform described hereafter.

Privates

Uniform in 1701 - Copyright: Richard Couture

Uniform Details as per Michel Savasta Fiore

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne, laced white and with a white cord around the crown; the brim was already turned upwards (by 1709 the brim was firmly fastened to the crown in three points, a blue cockade appeared on the left side of the tricorne and the cord around the crown of the tricorne had been removed) Grenadier bearskin cap, called bonnet, with a blue hanging bag
Neck stock	white, wrapped several times around the collar of the shirt to keep it closed, and knotted with the ends hanging freely on to the breast (from 1714 the ends were fastened behind the neck and were not hanging freely)
Coat	grey-white with pewter buttons on the right side Collar none Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets placed low on the coat, each pocket flap was fastened with 3 pewter buttons Cuffs blue, each with 3 pewter buttons Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	blue with pewter buttons
Breeches	grey-white
Stockings	blue fastened under the knee with a natural leather strap
Gaiters	???
Leather Equipement	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 Pouch natural leather grenadiers had a bigger black pouch to carry grenades Bayonet Scabbard blach with a brass tip Scabbard black with brass metal fittings Footwear black shoes with a brass buckle

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

NCOs

Uniforms of NCOs were almost identical to those of privates but had a silver lace edging each cuffs.

NCOs carried a halberd.

Officers

Until 1750, officers didn’t have to wear any official uniform. In fact, they usually wore a uniform similar to the one of the troops but of better quality, probably decorated with golden lace on the edges of the coat and with gold buttons.

Officers always wore a blue sash around the waist.

Musicians

no information found yet

Colours

Tentative reconstructions of the colours of the regiment circa 1706.

Colonella Colour (same for all line infantry regiments to the exception of the Guardie): blue field with a white cross; bordered with a wide blue frame; centre device consisting of the crowned cipher of Duke Victor Amadeus II.

Ordinanza Colour: red field with a white cross; bordered with blue and white flames; the crowned arms of Monferrato in the third canton (lower left canton).

Colonella Colour - Copyright: Michele Savasta Fiore

Ordinanza Colour - Copyright: Michele Savasta Fiore

References

Bona, Federico: Bandiere e Uniformi Sabaude

Cavalieri, Giorgio: Uniformi Piemontesi 1671- 1798, L'Arciere - 2004 - Riva di Chieri

Deputazione Sopra gli Studi di Storia Patria per le Antiche Provincie e la Lombardia: Le Campagne di Guerra in Piemonte (1703- 1708) e l'Assedio di Torino (1706), Vol. I, Torino Fratelli Bocca Librai di Sua Maestà

Fiorenti, Fabio: A me i miei dragoni, Gaspari Editore, Udine, 2006

Mola di Nomimaglio, Gustavo with Roberto Sandri Giachino, Giancarlo Melano, Piergiuseppe Menietti: L'esercito ducale sabaudo nel 1706. Organizzazione, uniformi, bandiere., Turin: Centro Studi Piemontesi, 2006

Acknowledgements

Michele Savasta Fiore for the initial version of this article