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.

2nd Battalions of the 1st and 2nd regiments of the Garde de Paris

1808

The second battalion of both 1st and 2nd regiments of the Garde de Paris formed within Dupond’s Corps, Barbou Division. The II/1st with 707men and the II/2nd with 747 men. They depart to Cadiz in May 25. The first battalions fought in northern Spain

June: the two battalions fight at Alcolea (18/6) taking the bridge and suffering heavy casualties with 14 officers dead and wounded. The 21 of June at Andújar with 893 men.

July: Battle of Bailen (19/7) with 10 officers dead and wounded and both battalions as prisoners. They ended as prisoners in Cabrera Island in very bad condition with low supply of food and water committing in some cases cannibalism.

Note about the uniforms. There is some debate as if the uniforms where red and green (the old ones) or they had the new white uniforms (with green turnbacks for the 1st regiment and red turnbacks for the 2nd). As Francisco Vela points in his book “Bailen 1808” ed. Almena, We know for sure that they were dressed in white because Pedro Agustín Girón, Marques de las Amarillas, who fought them at Alcolea, tells in his memoirs “the French were dressed as my grenadiers” he was the coronel of the Provincial Grenadiers (whose uniform was white faced red)

CREDITS: 28mm Victrix miniatures painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter products. Flags from Maverick Model Flags.

Chasseurs de Montagne des Pyrénées Orientales

The whole battalion was in Catalonia between 1808 and 1811 fighting its detachments in countless small actions. It also fought as a complete unit in some important batles.

1808

The unit enters Catalonia with Reille’s corps.
August: A detachment of 40 men fights at Campmany near Girona (06/08).
October: As garrison at Figueres fortress.
November-December: Siege of Roses (7/11) and frontier action at La Junquera (3/12). Transferred to Gouvion Saint-Cyr’s 7th Corps, Dv. Chabot counting 564 men.

1809

The battalion spends the year garrisoning Barcelona and takes part in several small actions out of the city.
January-March: battle of Molins de Rey (20/1), action at Monistrol near Montserrat (16/2) at the end of March the unit has 313 men fit for service.
August –December: Under General Ordonneau fights in several actions around Barcelona: San Boi (12/08), Montealegre twice (9, 17/9), Badalona (17/10), Coll de Montcada (18/10) and the whole unit at Santa Coloma (6/11).

1810

The whole battalion fights at Vic (20/2) but by the end of June, it only has 267 men fit for service. It is post as garrison at Montjuich fortress in Barcelona.
August-December: Small actions around Barcelona: Viladecans (19/8), Montcada (4/9), Pallejà (18/11), Sant Andreu (21/11), Montgat (28/11). The unit finishes the year with 126 men.

1811

The unit is re-founded into the 1ere Bon Chasseurs de Montagne and fights at Sant Adrià (21/1), Montealegre (22/8) and Montgat (12/11). Finishes the year with only 50 men.

1812

No important notices

1813

Finally amalgamated into the 18eme légère.

CREDITS

5 Victrix miniatures painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter products.