Fusiliers-Guides de Plinchamp

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Origin and History

Fusiliers-Guides de Plinchamp - Courtesy of The New York Public Library

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

Uniform in 1756 - Source: Jean-Louis Vial of Nec Pluribus Impar

Uniform Details as per
Ordonnance of 1756, États militaires of 1758-1759 and La Chesnaye in 1759

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 Collar blue (as per Raspe) or white (as per Taccoli) Shoulder Straps n/a Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 pewter buttons Cuffs blue with 3 pewter buttons Turnbacks blue
Waistcoat	blue with pewter buttons
Breeches	blue
Gaiters	white or white
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt white leather Waistbelt white leather Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard black Scabbard black Footgear ankle boots

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.