On Some Napoleonic Uniforms:

Legion du Midi

By John Cook
Illustrated by the author


BACKGROUND

There were two units known by the name Legion du Midi [7]. The first was formed of volunteers from Cette, Narbonne, Nimes and Perpignan on 27 April 1792. It served in the Vendee and existed for just over a year. The other was Franco-Italian and descended ffom the Legion Piemontaise which was raised on 18 May 1803 from the French departments of Italy. In the event only the 1er Legion Piemontaise was raised and in July 1804 it took the name Legion du Midi. It consisted of three battalions. The 1er and 2e were posted to the Caribbean where they were incorporated into the 82e de ligne in June 1805. [8]

The 3e Bataillon remained in France and was renamed 1er battalion. In 1807 it was posted to the 3rd Division of Junot's Army of Portugal, and served alongside the Legion Hanovrienne throughout its Peninsular service It remained in Spain and until August 1811 when it was disbanded and remaining personnel incorporated into the 11e and 31e legeres.

ORGANISATION

The planned establishment of the Legion Piemontaise was four legions of five battalions each, three designated line battalions and two as light. Each line battalion comprised a grenadier company and four fusilier companies, each light battalion a carabinier company and four chasseur conmpanies. The surviving 1er bataillon Legion du Midi (former 3e bataillon) appears to have been a light battalion. This is because on 24 November 1808 it was reorganised into three chasseur companies, a grenadier company, and a voltigeur company. The voltigeurs were presumably raised from one of the chasseur companies. [9]

UNIFORMS

The uniform is described as dark capucin, a brown like the colour of the clothing worn by Capuchin monks, with sky-blue distinctives, disposed differently on the habit according to the legion concerned. As has been mentioned already, however, only the 1er Legion Piemontaise was raised. The grenadiers wore the bonnet a poil with red decorations, the fusilier companies a crested helmet, in dragoons without the mane, and the chasseur companies the shako.

Those of the battalion that served in Spain apparently wore shakos, which tends to support the supposnion that it was a light battalion. The shako had yellow metal fittings with a green carrot-shaped pompon for chasseurs, a yellow pompon and a yet low over green plume for voltigeurs. The front plate was lozenge pattern according to the Reglement 1806 embossed with an eagle and hunting horn, which is further evidence that it was a light battalion. The habit had long tails with sky blue distinctives described above. The fringed epaulenes were red for Grenadiers, green with yellow crescents for the voltigeur company and green for the chasseurs. Gaiters were either black or white. Dark capucin brown overall trousers were also worn. Equipment was French.

EAGLES AND DRAPAUX

The Legion du Midi received three eagles and drapeaux modele 1804 in 1805, the drapeaux being of the type Picot. Based on the precedence of other drapeaux type Picot. It is possible to reconstruct the wording as being probably as follows.

Obverse: L'EMPEREUR DES FRANCAIS, A LA LEGION DU MIDI

Reverse: VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE 1.er./2.me./3.me. BATAILLON

Notes

[7] Knotel, H Uniformenkunde Volume 5 plate 38. Rathenow various dates (facsimile edition Freise/Lacina, Hamburg, 1988) Collection du 8ucquoy, Cdt E,-L. Ed Bucquoy, Lt Col L,-Y and Devautour G. Gardes d'Honneur et Troupes Strangeres. pp. 11310 117. Various artists. Paris 1977.
Charric, P op. cit. p. 163.
Blondieau, C. op. cit. p. 22 and 45.
[8] Charric, ibid
[9] Returns frequently appear to show the Legion du Midi as two battalions. I am unable to explain the apparent discrepancy.

The Units:

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