First Isabellino brigade

Dear Gentlemen,
Here I present you my first Isabellino Brigade consisting in two spanish line battalions, one french foreign legion battalion, one battery and command.
Now I'm busy painting my firts carlist brigade to begin playing some samll battles.
I hope you will enjoy them.

Isabellino Infantry

I've painted a couple of units of isabellino line infantry in early uniforms.
Since Perry miniatures come in packs of 6, I've decided to group my units in multiples of 3. My regular size infantry units will have 18 figures in 6 stands representing more or less a company for each stand. Trully, each battallion had 8 companies but you know, casualties and desertion made the units understrenght.

These two units represent the 2nd or 3rd battallion of a regiment because are carring battalion flags (those with the burgundian cross).

Credits:

36 Perry miniatures painted with Vallejo and the army painter products. Flags by Adolfo Ramos. Sorry because some of thee pictures are not really good.

Royal Velites of the Italian Guard

The unit which fought in Catalonia was the Velite Grenadier of the Guard. This unit and a detachment of the Italian Guard Artillery Train were the only Guard Units which entered Catalonia within Duhesme’s Corps.

1808

The battalion was composed of between 407 and 519 men and formed part of the Duhesme Corps, 2nd Division (Pino), 1st Bigade (Millossewitz).

June: First action of El Bruc (06/06). Formed part of the vanguard of the Schwartz brigade (with the 3rd bon of 2nd Swiss regiment) received a severe fusillade from the somatents. First siege of Girona (20/06).

September-November: Small engagement in San Boi de Llobregat (02/09) where 4 officers were killed, Battle of San Cugat (12/10) one officer wounded. A small detachment of 122 men fought in the siege of Rosas (Div. Pino).

December: Engagement at Creu Coberta at the outskirts of Barcelona (5/12). During the battle of Molins de Rei was situated in the left wing guarding the artillery park (21/12.

1809

The battalion fought in the 3rd siege of Girona (2/05 – 11/12). At the end of the year the unit quitted the peninsula to fight in other theaters.

Credits

The miniatures are Wargames Foundry french imperial guard grenadiers and chasseurs that I had in my lead pile from long ago the officer is one of my favourite miniatures. 12 miniatures that form a nice little unit painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter shades and varnish.
This unit didn't have a flag so after some research (follow this link for discussion on TMP) and the help of the TMP members Prince of Essling and XV Brigada(who sent me a scan) I decided to make a guidon for the unit.

Isabellino artillery First Carlist War

Following the French Foreign Legion the second post about the FCW is this stand of liberal (or isabelino) artillery. The miniatures are foot artillery painted in summer uniforms (white trousers).

There were not big arrays of artillery through all the war but a foot artillery stand is a "must have" for a lot of armies. This stand can represent a section of two guns in blackpowder or other rules.

Credits:

Perry miniatures painted with Vallejo, the army painter shades and varnish. Bases by warbases.

The French Foreign Legion during the 1st Carlist War.

As a result of an agreement between liberal Spain and France, the last gave support to Isabella sending the Foreign Legion which fought in Algeria.

1835
The legionnaires from Algeria disembark in Tarragona (19/8) and soon are joined with other recruits from France. At this time it numbers:
- 6 Superior officers
- 123 officers and medics
- 4143 soldiers from Algeria
- 571 soldiers from France (Pau depot)
- 343 horses.

During this year the legion fights in a lot of small actions in the north-western part of Catalonia: Balaguer (29/8), Guimerà (20/9), Granadella (27/9) and Tremp (17/11).

At the end of the year, the legion fights in Arguez in Aragon were the 5th bon. defends the village from a Carlist attack winning with odds of 1 to 10.

1836
Fights in the battle of Arlaban (16-17 /01) and is destined to Pamplona and its fortified lines. At this time, Bernelle creates 3 squadrons of polish lancers, a mountain howitzer battery with French and Spanish artillerist, an engineer company and a medical corps company including a stretcher bearers section (maybe the first one of this type in Spain). The legion is posted in the following places all near Pamplona:
- 1st bon. Zubiri
- 2nd bon. Urdáriz
- 3rd and 4th bons. medical corps, lancers battery and HQ at Larrasoana
- 5th bon. Zuviain
- 6th bon. Zabaldica and Archoriz

3500 Carlist occupy Tirapegui heights (26/4) thus threatening Larrasoana. Bernelle and all the troops there fight during 6 hours retreating in good order. The carlist attack Viscarret (16/5) and Zubiri (3/07) where Bernelle and two bons joints the troops of Brig. Clonard (2 Guard bons and Borbon rgt.) to repel the carlist attack. More Carlist attacks on Puente la Reina (17/7) and Zubiri again (30/7) are stopped thanks to the Legion.

Differences with the government and the lack of pays moved Bernelle to refuse the command of the legion. At first, Colonel Beau nicknamed Lebeau (The handsome) took command until the arrival of Brigadier Conrad (summer 1836). Conrad was loved by all his man as he knew a lot of them and spoke several languages encouraging them in their own mother tongue. Conrad was nicknamed “Der Alte Fritz” and rode a white horse.

At the end of this year the legion fought at Arroniz (14/09), Villalba (19/09) and Allo (21/12).

1837
In January the legion still has 3 infantry bons, the cavalry and the artillery. In March fights at Dos Hermanas (15/03) and Larrainzar (21/03).

When the Royal Expedition departs from the north, the legion is reduced to 2 infantry battalions, 2 cavalry squadrons and a mountain battery of six guns. With those forces starts the persecution of the carlists fighting them at Huesca (24/05) where it had 350 dead and wounded (23% of the total) and Barbastro (02/06) where the liberal legion, now only one battalion of infantry, fought its carlist counterparts in a vicious fight. In this last battle, Conrad was dead.

After this battle, the legion was almost destroyed and the last remnants, under orders of capt. Bazaine were sent to Pamplona as garrison troops where it remained until the end of the war.

In 08/12/1839 the last legionnaires, numbering only 500 were sent back to France.

Miniatures
18 miniatures from Perry painted using Vallejo acrylics and the Army Painter shades and varnish. The flag is from Adolfo Ramos.

French gendarmes 1808-1814

A "must have" unit for any peninsular wargamer should be the french gendarmes. Giving the huge amount of guerrilla actions that took part in that period, it's almost sure that those chaps would see a lot of action.
Scorting comboys, guarding prisoners, or defending outpost and communication lines are examples of scenarios where can be involved.

In Catalonia, there was de 6eme Légion de la Gendarmerie with several foot companies an squadrons.

When I saw the gendarmes designed by Paul Hicks and sold by Brigade Games I decided I needed them. The six figures (now 10 as they also sell command) are full of action and are a nice addition to my miniature collection. A unit of 6 is a decent number for a Sharp Practice unit and in addition can act as a tiny unit or a skirmish unit for blackpowder or general de brigade. The pictures don't really make them justice but are great miniatures.

Skirmish at McMartin's crossroads

Dear Lis,

Last week we had our baptism of fire. It was not a happy affair for the arms of the liberty but tnaks God I'm alive and with no injuries.
Our company was ordered to reconnoitre a place called McMartin's crossroads.
We departed in three groups. The biggest one under the command of our captain took the central road as they were on parade. The secondone, under my guidance went on the right and finally, a small group under Sgt. Charles, on the left of the road.
It wnt so fast. It seemed as the rebs were expecting us. They appeared in two groups from our flanks and a severe fusillade started. We stayed sharplly untill a strange thing happened: Our captain's hat was hit and flew some yards back. Believe it or not, He abandoned the fight and fall back to take his hat! and what was even worse, at the last moment, a severe stomach pain atacked him making us to loose some precious time. Fortunatelly, the groups under my command wich had advanced to a hill, fell back in good order amd a crashing volley ordered by our sarge gave us time to fight another day.
Afterall, we oonly had two dead and two captured the others being only lightly wounded. I believe the rebs, altought they got the field, had more losses because I saw their padre working hard.
What is more strange was the behaviour of Captain Francis. Can he be a coward?
I'm sure next time we'll be more prepared. Those rebs are not an easy task!

Your beloved husband

Joseph Waterwell.