Fusiliers-Guides de Plinchamp
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Origin and History

The unit was created by a decree dated December 26, 1756. It consisted of a single company of fusiliers-guides comprising:
- 1 captain
- 1 lieutenant
- 1 second-lieutenant
- 2 sergeants (including 1 mounted sergeant)
- 2 corporals (including 1 mounted corporal)
- 2 ansepessades
- 21 fusiliers (including 10 mounted fusiliers)
The company was attached to the maréchal-des-logis of the army where it served. It was charged to carry urgent orders.
On March 19 1760, the mounted fusiliers were increased from 12 men to 40 men.
During the Seven Years' War, the unit was commanded by:
- from 1756: M. de Plinchamp
- from 1760: M. de Brunelli (aka Brunelly)
The company, then consisting of only 40 mounted soldiers and serving with the French army in Germany, was disbanded by a royal decree dated November 20, 1762.
Service during the War
By August 1757, this units was with the French army in Germany.
By June 1, 1761, the unit formed part of the Army of the Lower-Rhine.
In March 1762, the unit formed part of the Army of the Upper-Rhine.
Uniform
Privates

Headgear | black tricorne laced false silver with a white cockade fastened with a small pewter button | ||||||||||||
Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
Coat | blue lined blue with pewter buttons on the right side
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Waistcoat | blue with pewter buttons | ||||||||||||
Breeches | blue | ||||||||||||
Gaiters | white or white | ||||||||||||
Leather Equipment |
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Armaments consisted of:
- for mounted troops: a musket and a dragoon style bayonet, a pistol, a sabre and a cartridge box (20 cartridges);
- for foot soldiers: a shorter musket (6 inches shorter), a hunting knife style bayonet, a cartridge box (20 cartridges) 1 tool (shovel, axe or pickaxe).
Mounted troops rode 4'5 to 4'6 horses equipped with a saddle, a blue bordered white saddle cloth and blue bordered white housings.
Officers
Officers wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:
- silver laced tricorne
- silver buttons
- no turnbacks
- black boots with white knee covers
NCOs
NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions:
- sergeants: silver laced tricorne with 3 silver brandebourgs on each sleeve
- corporal: 3 white woollen brandebourgs on each sleeve
- anspessade: 2 white woollen brandebourgs on each sleeve.
Musicians
There were no musicians attached to this company.
Colours
This company carried no colours.
References
Expilly, Louis Alexandre; Dictionnaire géographique, historique et politique des Gaules et de la France, 1764
Menguy, Patrice; Les Sujets du Bien Aimé
Pajol, Charles P. V., Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. VII, Paris, 1891, p. 220
Mouillard, Lucien; Les Régiments sous Louis XV; Paris 1882
Rogge, Christian; The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Service Historique de l'armée de terre; Sommaire des forces armées Françaises à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la France - 1er Août 1757
Raspe, Gabriel Nicolas, Recueil de toutes les troupes qui forment les armées françoises, Nuremberg 1761
Taccoli, Alfonso; Teatro Militare dell' Europa, Part 1, vol. 2; Madrid, March 1760
Acknowledgements
Jean-Louis Vial of Nec Pluribus Impar for the initial version of this article.