Rouergue Infanterie
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised according to a decree of 20 November 1667 from an infantry company belonging to the Comte de Montpeyroux, in garrison at Arras.
In 1668, the regiment was reduced to only four companies. In 1669, these companies embarked to relieve the Venetians in Crete where it took part in the defence of Candia (present-day Heraklion) before returning to France in October. In 1671, it took the name of the Province of Rouergue.
In 1672, at the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War (1672–78), the regiment was increased to 16 companies. In 1673, it campaigned in Germany. In 1674, it was transferred to Flanders under the command of the Prince de Condé and fought in the Battle of Seneffe. It was then sent back to Germany where, under Turenne, it took part in the battles of Sintzheim, Ensheim, Mulhausen and Turckheim. In 1675, it was at the retreat of Altenheim and at the relief of Haguenau and Saverne. In 1676, it fought in the combat of the Kokersberg. In 1677, it took part in the siege and capture of Freiburg which it garrisoned. In 1678, part of the regiment stormed the entrenchments of the Imperialists at Alberspach. Then the entire regiment, along with Touraine Infanterie stormed the post of Saint-Pierre. It then left Freiburg in July and took part in the attack against the bridge of Seckingen, in the storming of Kehl, in the storming of Strasbourg and in the siege of Lichtemberg, where its colonel, Montpeyroux, was mortally wounded. In 1679, the regiment took part in the combat of Minden.
En 1683, the regiment was at the training camp of Bouquenom on the Sarre. In 1684, it took part in the siege of Luxembourg.
In 1688, at the beginning of the Nine Years' War (1688–97), the regiment was attached to the Dauphin's Army and took part in the capture of Philisbourg, Mannheim and Franckenthal. In 1689, the regiment worked at the fortification of Landau and took part in the capture of Brücksaal. In 1690, it campaigned once more in Germany. In 1691, it was transferred to the Alps where it took part in the conquest of Savoy and of the County of Nice, distinguishing itself at the siege of Montmélian. In 1693, it took part in the defence of Pinerolo and in the Battle of Marsaglia. It continued to serve in the Alps until 1696. In 1697, the regiment was sent to the Moselle.
In 1698, the regiment was at the training camp of Compiègne.
Just before the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment counted one battalion but was soon increased to two battalions in February 1701.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment was commanded by:
- since 30 April 1692: Philippe de Montboissier-Beaufort, Marquis de Canillac
- from 17 November 1704: N. de Rigaulet
- from 21 July 1706 until 6 May 1719: Louis-Athanase de Puechpeyrou de Comminges, Comte de Guitaud
On 10 April 1715, the regiment was reduced to one battalion.
Service during the War
In February 1701, the regiment was increased to two battalions. The first battalion initially served on the Rhine but was sent to Italy in July. By mid-August, this battalion had not yet joined the Army of Italy.
On 31 January 1702, the first battalion of the regiment formed part of the garrison of Cremona when Prince Eugène de Savoie unsuccessfully attempted the storming of Cremona. By 21 March, it was still stationed in Cremona. By mid-July, it was attached to the army of Prince Charles de Vaudémont, governor of Milan where it was placed in the second line of the infantry left wing. It then took part in the capture of Luzzara and Borgoforte.
On 15 February 1703, Louis XIV asked Vendôme to send 3 additional bns (2 bns of Royal-Comtois and I./Rouergue) to reinforce the Maréchal de Montrevel in the Cévennes who was trying to quench the Camisards Uprising. On 29 April, the battalion was at the combat between Le Vigan and Anduze where it lost 1 captain killed and 3 officers wounded. By the end of the year, it had joined the army of the Duc de la Feuillade operating in Savoy.
The first battalion then remained in Languedoc until 1706.
In 1706, the regiment was recalled to Italy for the siege of Turin. On 8 September, it was virtually annihilated in the Battle of Turin, only 320 men managing to retire to Provence.
In 1707, the remnants of the regiment took part in the defence of Toulon. Once the Allies had retired behind the Var, it was sent to the Army of the Rhine where it served until 1712 on the Sarre and in the Lines of Wissembourg.
In 1713, the regiment took part in the sieges of Landau and Freiburg.
On 10 April 1715, the regiment was reduced to one battalion.
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neck stock | white | ||||||||||||
| Coat | grey-white with yellow buttons on the right side and 1 yellow button on each side in the small of the back
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| Waistcoat | red with yellow buttons (in 1720: edged with a yellow lace and yellow laced buttonholes as per Funcken) | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | grey-white (red in 1720 according to Marbot and Funcken) | ||||||||||||
| Stockings | white fastened under the knee with a natural leather strap | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | none at the beginning of the war, white later | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.
NCOs
n/a
Officers
n/a
Musicians
The drummers of the regiment wore the Royal Livery: blue coat lined red; red cuffs, waistcoat and breeches; laced with the braid of the small Royal Livery.
Please note that in the accompanying illustration, the drummer carries a drum at the arms of Navarre. The drum barrel should be royal blue decorated with golden fleurs de lys.
Colours
Colonel Colour: white field with a white cross.
Ordonnance Colour: a white cross with four green cantons, each charged with a red rhombus. These ordonnance colours remained unchanged from 1671 to 1791.
 Colonel Colour - Copyright: Gilbert Noury |
 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, pp. 61-67, 75
Other sources
Funcken, Liliane and Fred: Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle, p. 55
Lemau de la Jaisse, P.: Abregé de la Carte Générale du Militaire de France, Paris, 1734, p. 113
Lienhart, Constant; Humbert, René: Les Uniformes de l'Armée Française de 1690 à 1894, Vol. III, Leipzig 1899 – 1902
Marbot, Alfred de and E. Dunoyer de Noirmont: Les uniformes de l'armée française, T1 "1439 à 1789"
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
