Infantry

Throughout the 18th Century, the kings of Piedmont-Sardinia learned to leap nimbly between alliances with the major Bourbon and Habsburg powers to ensure Piedmont-Sardinia's continued independence and to stop either power from gaining Italian hegemony. To this end, Piedmont maintained a large army, good engineers and strong fortresses (that naturally took advantage of the mountainous terrain). [1]

Infantry battalions had one grenadier and six fusilier companies of 100 men each. By 1744, all of the line and Italian infantry were of two battalions with the exception of the Corsica and Sardinia regiments which had only one battalion each. The Provincial (militia) regiments were of one battalion each wilh a 300-man reserve company. The Swiss, German and Grison foreign regiments also had 700-man battalions, but they were organized in four companies with 25 grenadiers per company. These were usually formed into ad hoc grenadier battalions (A practice that would be followed by the line regiments after 1743) And the light infantry Micheletti Sardi had only a single 80-man company throughout the war. (Although partisan bands were apparently raised too, mainly fighting the French, that could fill a wargamer's need for light infantry.)

There had originally been three other foreign regiments beside the ones listed (Hackbrett, Roguin and Outriger/Utiger) but they were incorporated into other regiments during the course of the war. There had also been three other foreign regiments (Du Pasquier/Paquie, Ghidt/Kydt, and Tonatz/Donnaz) but these had been disbanded by 1736.

Infantry Uniforms

Regulations of September 17, 1741 entitled "New uniforms for the infantry, cavalry and dragoons" governed Piedmont's uniforms until 1751. It sanctioned the change from earlier styles to wearing closer fitting coats with turnbacks and smaller cuffs, the use of white gaiters, and discarded infantry swords for all but a few units.

At right, #1 is a pioneer from a Savoy regiment. #2 is a fusilier from the Roie Regiment. Grenadier bonnet tassels at top. Pictures from Le Regie Truppe Sarde 1750-1773.

Coats were white for all of the Line, Provincial and Italian units (without collars); and in blue for the Guards and the Foreign units (with most having collars and some having lapels). The coats and waistcoats (which will be referred to as vests for the rest of this article) of all units had horizontal pockets with three buttons except for those infantry regiments marked with an asterisk in the Table which had vertical pockets with four buttons. A further exception was the Meyer Swiss regiment, which had a pair of vertical pockets with four buttons on each.

Neck stocks were supposed to be red for most of the native units; and black for most of the foreign and some of the Italian units, for the artillery and for the Marines. All troops were also issued with white ones. Later clothing contracts either do not mention neck stocks or show that the colour changed often, subject to availability, and that occasionally red ones were changed to black in one unit or another.

All leatherwork was uncoloured buff (including musket slings), with round, brass buckles. Scabbards and cartridge-boxes were black with the flap of the cartridge-box edged red. The cartridge-box belt was worn over the left shoulder, while the waistbelt with frog was worn under the coat (and over the vest).

Fusilier officers and men wore tricornes which had a bright blue cockade on the left 'wing' of the hat. The edges were laced in metallic lace for the officers and sergeants and in yellow or white cloth for other ranks.

Grenadier officers and men had tall fur caps with a triangular bag generally in the facing colour, trimmed and tasseled in the lace colour. Grenadiers retained their curved swords and wore a brass match case on their right shoulder crossbelt as an elite distinction.

At left, Grenadier bonnet tassel details. Pictures from Le Regie Truppe Sarde 1750-1773.

Officers wore their coats loose--not turned-back--and had metallic cuff and pocket lace. Sashes were blue with a gold fringe and were worn around the waist under the coat. (The ones with the variable width gold stripe down the centre would only definitely come into use 30 years after our period.) Fusilier officers carried spontoons and swords. Grenadier officers carried swords and fusils instead. The most senior officers and generals also had lace on their cuffs and breeches, and they wore tricornes with a 'plumage' of white feathers. In peacetime, but not while on campaign, officers wore their hair powdered.

Sergeants carried a halberd and a sword, and had gold or silver lace on tricorne, cuffs and pockets. In some regiments there was only a single strip of lace along the cuff edge above the buttons, but others had two strips of lace-one over and one above the cuff buttons.

Corporals had lace edging on cuffs and pockets in yellow or white goat-hair as a sign of their rank. They carried swords as well as muskets.

All drummers and fifers of the national regiments wore the King's livery--a red coat with dark blue breeches, cuffs and turnbacks. An S-pattern of bright blue lace edged on both sides in silver was sewn along all of the coat seams with six strips around the arms (where British and Prussian musicians had chevrons). Fifers also had lace loops across the coat front. Drums were painted red or blue with thc Savoy or regimental coat-of-arms, sometimes framed in a trophy of arms/flags.

Unit Uniform Specifics