2eme Regiment Suisse, 3eme bon.

The regiment was composed of three battalions that started the war scattered through the entire Peninsula. I’m going to explain each battalion in detail. 

1^st Bon.

1808

Was at Vitoria with 1174 men. Corps Dupont, 3^rd dv. Frere, 1^st brg. Godinot.

April: Moved to El Escorial.

June: Action at Valencia (28/06).

July/August: moves from Madrid to Burgos (831 men).

September: Fights at Osma (12/09) and Oña (21/09).

November: Fights at Gamonal or Battle of Burgos (10/11) in the 2^nd Corps of Soult, 2^nd dv. Merle, Lefebvre brg. Then moves from Reinosa to Santander (15/11).

December: At Leon with 644 men.

1809

January: Present at Corunna (16/11) but does not take an active role in the fight because the battalion has left several garrisons on the road. Fights at El Ferrol (24/01) losing two officers.

March: Enters at Portugal with the 2^nd Corps (Soult), 2^nd dv. Mermet, Jardon Brg. Fights at Chaves (25/03) and Oporto (29/03).

May: Battle of Oporto (12/05).

1810

January: After the withdrawal from Portugal the bon. garrisons the area Valladolid-Palencia.

November: Garrisons Zamora province were some skirmishes against Julian Sánchez guerrillas occurs at Puente Santo (21/11) and Fuente Sauco (24/11) in this last one only 50 men are involved.

1811-1813

Remains in the area Zamora – Salamanca. In 1813 returns to France. Only 127 men remain from the original 1174.

2^nd bon

1808

Was at Abrantes (Portugal) with 755men. Corps Junot, Thomieres brg.

April: Moves from Lisboa to the Alentejo

July/August: Garrisons the fortress of Elvas.

With the convention of Cintra the regiment is returned to France.

1809

January: Arrives at Quiberon (24/01) with 315 men.

3^rd bon.

Was at Catalonia with 580 men. Corps Duhesme, Chabran dv.

April: At Barcelona

June: Fights at the first battle of el Bruc (06/06) forming the vanguard of the brigade and taking several casualties.

July/August: a detachment of the 2^nd bon. and further 150 men form the 3^rd arrived at Catalonia as reinforcements in dv. Reille. The 3^rd bon. fights at La Roca del Vallès (05/07) and the detachment of the 2^nd at Roses (11/07). The 3^rd bon. fights at the siege of Girona

November: The 3^rd bon and the detachment of the 2^nd are amalgamated in Barcelona counting around 400 men.

December: fights at the Battle of Molins de Rei (21/12).

1809

Remains as garrison troops in Barcelona, 7 Corps Saint-Cyr, dv. Chabran (484 men).

1810

Remains garrisoning Barcelona and Vilafranca del Penedès.

1811

Fights near Barcelona (19/03) and at the siege of Figueres (april). By the end of the year only 156 men are fit for duty.

1812-1814

In Catalonia until 1814 that returns to France.

Credits

I have only painted one battalion (of course). As I'm painting mainly units that fought in Catalonia, this unit should be the 3rd battalion of the 2eme suisse.

28mm miniatures from French Line Infantry from Victrix. Painted with Vallejo. The shadows and varnish are from The Army Painter. Flags from Maverick Model Flags

References:

Base de datos de la Guerra de la Independencia. Instituto de Cultura e Historia Militar.

Spanish Artillery 12pdr gun

Following the post about the Italian artillery, I post some pictures of my Spanish artillery. In fact, the gun and limber they are using are the same as the Italians because all were painted dark grey. The Italian driver can be removed to reuse the equipment with the Spaniards.

The Spanish artillerymen were the most professional arm of all the Spanish army and they performed really well during all the war.

CREDITS: Front Rank miniatures a painted with Vallejo paints.

29th regiment Worcestershire

The unit was founded in 1694 and fought at Ramillies, Saratoga, The Glourious First of June acting as marines on the HMS Brunswick and were among the responsibles of the Boston “massacre” earning the nickname “Vein Openers” for causing the first deaths of a war. The regimental hymn during the Napoleonic wars was “The Royal Windsor” (1791).

During the Peninsula War:

1808

August: Fights at Roliça (17/08) within Nightingale Brigade with 806-863 men. Its lieutenant Coronel, Lake dies in the battle. Then at Vimeiro (21/08) with 616 men.
October: Arrives at Badajoz (27/10).

1809

March: Marches from Cadiz to Lisboa (11/03).
April-May: At the river Tagus (22/04); the light company fights at Grijó (11/05) and the whole battalion (622 men) fights at Oporto, Div. Paget, Bg. Stewart forming the right wing of the army.
July: Force present: 598 men. Fights at Cerro Medellín (Talavera) in 2n Div. Hill, Stewart Bg. and taking 187 casualties.

1810

September-November: Present at Bussaco (27/09) with 461 men where suffers no casualties (Hill Dv. Inglis Bg.) and at Torres Vedras (01/11) within Houghton Bg.

1811

May: Battle of Albuera (16/05) Stewart Dv. Houghton Bg. were it fights with 507 men taking 336 casualties (66%). The remnants of the regiment sent back to England (25/05).

1812

Garrison duties in North America

1813

Sent back to Spain. Disembarks at Cadiz (21/03) remaining there until 1814.

CREDITS

24 Perry miniatures painted with Acrílicos Vallejo. Flags by GMB Designs.

New miniature period on the horizon!

A couple of days ago I got very excited after my regular visit to Lead Adventure Forum.
Aly Morrison, of Warhammer and Rogue Trader fame is preparin a new line of historical miniatures that will be manufactured by Great War miniatures.

The new range maybe will be called Potemkin Wars and of course will depict Russian troops from 1786 to 1796. Here, I post three greens: Two russian and one swede.



Well, that's a dream come true. One of my favourite periods is the French Revolutionary wars and the years after the Old Regime and the Napoleonic wars, with all the differences in uniforms and múltiple campaigs. Just think on the interesting campaigns where they fought:

Russo-Swedish war (1788-1790).
Russo-Turkish war (1787-1792). With Suvorov, the siege of Izmail and the Black sea cossack fleet.
Russo-Persian war (1796), now I have an excuse to buy the superb Westfalià miniatures Persians.
The Kosciuszko uprising (1794). This is my favourite with the poles fighting for their liberty (again).

Anyway, I don't know from were I'll get time or Money to collect them but I feel that I need them.