lieutenant Egyptian battalion available now/28mm Maximillian range

[gringo]

i will answer Hildred first as im still taking in Arthurs magnus opus of a reply ..wow!

hildred, im working on a few bits for the Mexican Revolution and will have possibly

a few figs out Dec/Jan time............

regards

Ged

pa first few are a suprise ( ish!!)

[gringo]

Arthur really helpfull and informative  information , made me google them on

same and came up with a book" trois ans en Afrique 1864-97, par un ancien officier

d.infanterie de marine, wonder if its in English as well.  So in essence the Marines

are primarily noted for their Paletot ,thinish trousers and kepis.....is this how you

depict them? i guess the remaining gear was French army issue. what sort of

numbers were they present in Mexico.  at the momemt im reading the classic hand

of Danjou, great for info on naturally the FFL , but also the company strenght

actions of the Egyptian battalion , and some line units...great stuff and of course


the contra guriellas and their exploits.   regards Ged


ps  the plate of leliepvre didnt come oy...

[Arthur]

So in essence the Marines are primarily noted for their Paletot ,thinish trousers and kepis.....is this how you depict them?

Yes, that's what period illustrations show : kepi (either uncovered or with a havelock), double-breasted frock coat reaching at mid-thigh with yellow epaulettes, and regular trousers with canvas gaiters worn over or under them (naval infantry do not seem to have adopted the 1860 regulations baggy trousers and seemingly stuck to their narrow trousers). As I wrote above, shell jackets were also worn in hot climates, but no specific figures are required there : standard French infantry in shell jackets will do with the right paint job on the trousers and the epaulettes.  

i guess the remaining gear was French army issue.

Absolutely : standard accoutrements and equipment

what sort of numbers were they present in Mexico ?

One régiment de marche took part in the Vera Cruz expedition, i.e a composite unit made up of companies drawn from the 1st and 2nd naval infantry regiments and seemingly organised into two battalions of 600/700 men each. 800 sailors drawn from the fleet were also involved in the Vera Cruz operations. 1,200 Marines and 500 sailors were present at the battle of Puebla and the subsequent siege of the city : the sailors supported the two zouave battalions while the Marines remained in reserve. 1,000 to 1,200 naval infantry and about 500 sailors appear to have remained the norm for most of the war. Nafziger provides the following orbats for May and December 1862, then December 1863 respectively (the sailors are listed as marins-fusiliers) :

http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/862UEAA.pdf
http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/862ULAA.pdf
http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/863UKAA.pdf
    

ps  the plate of leliepvre didnt come oy...

Try this link, but you're already familiar with it if you have The Long Endure :

http://18edelignesecondempire.xooit.fr/t213-2-planches-de-Leplievre.htm

[Dewbakuk]

I assume contra guriellas are on the list? So much gaming potential with those.

[Hildred Castaigne]

i will answer Hildred first as im still taking in Arthurs magnus opus of a reply ..wow!

hildred, im working on a few bits for the Mexican Revolution and will have possibly

a few figs out Dec/Jan time............

regards

Ged

pa first few are a suprise ( ish!!)

Thanks, Ged! So they're just around the corner, I can't wait to get my grimy mitts on them! 

[gringo]

thanks Arthur more then helpfull, just the sort of information i was after........

i have the excellent "Tradition article on the FFL now and wonder were there

others including the Marines and sundry french units?

Dewbakuk the Contras under Dupin are a must do , your right of course

 regards

Ged

www,gringo40s.com

ps i have the whole Set of Military historian books including the "long endure
essential for ma and my svulpter!!

[Arthur]

You're welcome, Ged : just ask here or PM me if you need further info. I'm no genuine expert on the French Second Empire, but I've always had an interest in the Mexican campaign and I've done a bit of homework as a result.  

Off the top of my head, dunno if there was a Tradition special on mid C19th Marines and sailors : I'd have to look into it. Later naval infantry are much better covered, especially after 1901 when they lost the 'naval' tag and were renamed colonial infantry, which is what they had been all along anyway (Marines' always was a bit of a misnomer for these troops as they had been earmarked for colonial service from the word go...).  

[gringo]

Arthur

appreciate the feedback , at the moment im gathering information on the Belgians

African Regiment and the Austrians..........especially photos of the period as im

trying to base as many of the real character sculpts from photos....Dupin is a point

in case ..........whaaat a character....... i have a question the french Knapsacks for

the FFL have what appears to be a blanket strapped to the top as im trying to

ascertain what the back of the knapsacks looked like..i have a poor photo you

can see additional cases attached, but hard to fathom. any info welcomed

best regards  ged  www.gringo40s.com
 

[Dewbakuk]

Dewbakuk the Contras under Dupin are a must do , your right of course

Woo and indeed Hoo

[Arthur]

I have a question the french Knapsacks for the FFL have what appears to be a blanket strapped to the top as im trying to ascertain what the back of the knapsacks looked like..i have a poor photo you can see additional cases attached, but hard to fathom. any info welcomed

Is it the M1854 knapsack you are interested in ?




The 81st regiment line fusilier below wears the full 1860 regulations uniform and has a large cooking pot attached to his pack :



I've also found this pic of an 1850 model water canteen in case you're interested :

[gringo]

Arthur

tremendous stuff most kind of you, just what i need.......looks like the 81st eme

soldat is from a Tradition article? and i wonder if the  Goddilot book is still

available.  knapsack info is invaluable..i guess not every guy carried a cooking pot

and a large pot was carried between a squad. fascinating to be sure............what

would the ratio of cooking pots / marmites be?

regards

Ged  www.gringo40s.com

[Arthur]

Hi Ged

The Godillot book actually isn't a book at all : it was the official catalogue of the Godillot company, which was one of the French army's main suppliers during the Second Empire and beyond. I suspect that such a catalogue is now a highly sought after collector's item that must command interesting prices on the antique book market. The company was such a major player that its name passed into the French language and 'godillot' became a slang word for heavy and not particularly elegant shoes.

The 81st Line fusilier pic is a scan from Uniformes, a long-defunct French magazine which predated Tradition by a few good years. The article on the French infantry of the Maximilian campaign appeared in issue 40, dated November/December 1977. Its author, Louis Delpérier, went on to write the articles on Second Empire French military subjects in Tradition. The scan is courtesy of Pacofeanor's blog, which you might want to have a look at : http://pacofaitlezouave.blogspot.com/

Not sure the issue of cooking pots and marmites was truly regulated during the Mexican campaign but without having researched the matter, I'd say one large cooking marmite between eight or ten men probably isn't far off the mark.

  

[gringo]

thanks very much Arthur im suitably enlightened

looked at the blog of Pacofeanor ...really excellent.

love the colour print of the French in Mexico? hard to tell

looks like a Horace vernet print i have never seen.

been looking up the Belgian army as i will need to do them

they seem to have a fair abundance of lace , but very french

in dress and equipment...looks to be the same with the African regiment

now if i could find a book full to the brim with actual items of

uniform that would indeed be brilliant..........................
                                                                                           
for all the "unusal " units i would be a happy man. still must press on

your input has been invaluable Arthur

best reagards

Ged. www.gringo40s.com

[Arthur]

been looking up the Belgian army as i will need to do them. they seem to have a fair abundance of lace , but very french in dress and equipment...

Belgians you say ?

Ask and ye shall receive :






These are scans from an article by Liliane and Fred Funcken published in a very old issue of campaigns, dated January/February 1981

[gringo]

Arthur

your a star!! brilliant stuff..............

just what i needed

best regards

Ged

www.gringo40s.com