Nizza Infantry

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Hierarchical Path: War of the Spanish Succession (Main Page) >> Armies >> Savoyard Army >> Nizza Infantry

Origin and History

The regiment was raised in 1664.

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

Service during the War

At the end of 1704, after the capture of several Savoyard units at San Sebastiano the previous year (29 September 1703), the Duke of Savoy reconstituted and redeployed his army. The regiment was then stationed at Ivrea. It surrendered as prisoners of war at the end of the siege of Ivrea.

In 1707, the regiment was finally re-raised from men of the levy.

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 red 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 red, each with 3 pewter buttons
Turnbacks none
Waistcoat grey-white with pewter buttons
Breeches grey-white
Stockings grey-white 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 black 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 cuff.

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 cuffs, and with gold buttons.

Officers always wore a blue sash around the waist.

Musicians

no information found yet

Colours

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: blue cantons , each with 3 red flmes; a white cross; the arms of Nizza 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