Nizza Provincial Militia
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Origin and History
In 1703, the "Piedmontese Battalion: was reorganised in 12 regiments of Provincial Militia. Each regiment consisting of a single battalion without grenadier. A regiment was formed in Nizza (present-day Nice).
The regiment counted a single battalion of some 400 men.
In 1704, the regiment was reorganised and became the Reggimento di Milizia Scelta Du Villar.
Service during the War
During its brief existence, this unit did not take part in any action.
Uniform
In 1703, the battalion probably wore a uniform quite similar to the one of the future Reggimenti di Milizia Scelta. This section describes such a uniform (the uniform of Du Villar Milizia).
Privates

Headgear | black tricorne, laced white (maybe unlaced) with a white cord around the crown; the brim was already turned upwards | ||||||||||||
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 | ||||||||||||
Coat | grey-white with pewter buttons on the right side
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Waistcoat | probably red with pewter buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | probably grey-white | ||||||||||||
Stockings | probably red fastened under the knee with a natural leather strap | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | ??? | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Armaments consisted of a musket, a bayonet and a sword (brass hilt).
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 with gilt buttons.
Officers always wore a blue sash around the waist.
Musicians
no information found yet
Colours
It is not clear if each Provincial Militia regiment carried a colonella colour. If so it would have been similar to those later carried by the Reggimenti di Milizia Scelta (blue field with a white cross; bordered with a wide blue frame).
Ordinanza Colour: red field with a white cross; bordered with a wide red frame; the crowned arms of Nizza in the first canton (upper left canton). The white scroll carried the motto “NICEA CIVITAS” (Town of Nice).
References
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