Uniforms of the
Neapolitan Army 1806-1815

Artillery

by Colin Allen, U.K.

iv) Line Artillery

The Origins of the Batteries

This section is especially difficult; detailed records are non-existent and the following is pieced together from odd snippets and orders of battle.

On assuming the throne in 1806 Joseph decreed the formation of a foot artillery battery and, the following year, a battery of horse artillery was added. The foot battery was equipped with six Austrian 6 pounders and two howitzers while the horse battery was equipped with six French 4 pounders, all of which were painted either light blue or in the same colour as French pieces.

By 1811, the strength had risen to twelve foot batteries and one horse battery, two of the former having six Austrian 12 pounders and 2 howitzers while the others maintained the same equipment as the first battery.

The artillery does not appear to have escaped the effects of the general reorganisations of 1811/13; the horse battery seems to have been promoted to Guard status while the number of foot batteries may have been reduced to ten. All that can be said with any certainty is that this was the organisation for the 1815 campaign. It is also possible that, by 1815, the foot batteries had been reduced to six guns and that the Guard Horse battery had been reequipped with 6 pounders.

UNIFORMS

Foot Batteries

Coat

The first coat was a long tailed habit coat as worn by the first infantry regiments but in dark blue with red collar, cuffs and turnbacks, the latter bearing a blue grenade. The lapels, pockets and cuff flaps were dark blue piped red while all buttons were brass. Blue piped red shoulder straps were supposed to be worn but red epaulets seem to have been popular. A blue waistcoat with brass buttons was worn beneath the coat.

In 1809 the artillery adopted a new short tailed jacket, similar to that issued to the line infantry at this time, with the same colours as the previous coat.

This was replaced in 1811 by a "Spencer" coat with amaranth facings and epaulets.

Trousers

Breeches and trousers were dark blue with brass buttons for parade and blue cloth buttons for campaign wear.

Headgear

The first uniform included a bicorn with a red, carrot shaped pompon but, by 1809, a black shako sporting a red plume or pompon, red cords (for full dress), a French cockade, a diamond shaped brass plate bearing crossed cannon barrels over the battery number and brass chin-straps was in use. The 1811 regulations altered the cockade to amaranth and white while the plume and cords were changed to amaranth and the plate became shield shaped but bearing the same device as before.

Equipment

Equipment was identical to that of the line infantry grenadiers, except that the greatcoat was dark blue and the cartridge pouch bore a brass grenade. All belting was whitened leather.

Officers' Uniforms

These were identical to those of the men with rank insignia of the same style as the infantry in gold.

Horse Artillery

Coat

Initially, the horse battery wore a dark blue chasseur style coat with the facings as for the foot batteries; this was replaced in 1809 by the shorter tailed jacket with the same colours. Both jackets were worn over a dark blue hussar style waistcoat with red braid and edge piping.

Trousers

The tight breeches were dark blue with red Hungarian knots and piping and were worn with red trimmed and tasselled hussar boots.

From 1809 trousers were adopted with black leather strengthening and red piping.

Headgear

The battery wore a shako with a brass lozenge plate bearing the same emblem as the foot batteries, French cockade, red plume and cords and a band of red trim around both top and bottom edges as well as brass chin-straps.

Equipment

Equipment was as for the cacciatori regiments except that the cartridge pouch bore crossed cannon barrels in brass.

The troopers' horse furniture was also identical to that of the cacciatori but with red "wolf's teeth" and a blue portmanteau piped red.

Officers' Uniforms

Again, as for the men but with gold rank markings. Officers' saddlecloths were of the cacciatori style in dark blue with gold trim and a gold grenade badge in the rear corner.

Musicians

Musicians wore reversed colour uniforms and had black sheepskin saddlecloths.

Artillery Train

No contemporary information is available as to what was worn before 1811 but it seems to be sensible to assume that it was similar to that which was worn after this date but in the earlier cut.

1811 Uniform

Coat

Grey-blue "Spencer" with dark blue cuff flaps, turnbacks and lapels, the latter being piped in the coat colour while the turnbacks bore white grenade badges. The collar, shoulder straps and cuffs were in the coat colour piped dark blue and all buttons were white metal.

Trousers

Grey-blue breeches were worn with black, knee length riding boots.

Headgear

The shako was covered in blue-grey material with dark blue trim to the top and bottom edges, a blue-grey pompon, Neapolitan cockade, shield shaped brass plate bearing a grenade over crossed cannon barrels and brass chin-straps.

Equipment

The train troopers wore a sabre and a plain black cartridge pouch on whitened leather belts.

More Uniforms of the Neapolitan Army 1806-1815

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