Between 1791 and 1809 the French infantry regiments were all organized with two, three, or four battalions. Each battalion of line infantry was organized with a grenadier company and eight fusilier companies. In contrast the legere battalions were organized with one carabinier, one voltigeur, and six chasseur companies.
When placed in order of battle, the senior battalion was always placed to the right and the less senior battalions to its left. The interval maintained between the battalions was specifically designated at 8 toises or 48 feet.
The first battalion of each regiment contained the 1st Grenadier Company, and the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, and 15th captains of fusiliers of the regiment. In a like manner the second battalion was composed of the 2nd Grenadiers, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, and 16th captains.
When the battalions were placed in line, the companies of the first battalion were arranged, left to right, 1st, 9th, 3rd, 11th, 5th, 13th, 7th, and 15th fusilier companies, The second battalion's companies were arranged, left to right, 2nd, 10th, 4th, 12th, 6th, 14th, 8th, and 16th fusilier companies.
The two greandier companies were designated the.first or second, according to the seniority of their captains. The first company was placed on the right of the first battalion and the second on the left of the second battalion
Each battalion was divided into two "demi-bartai.llons, designated by the names l'demi- bataillon of the right" and l'demi-bataillon of the left." Each company, be it of grenadiers or fusiliers, was designated as a "peloton" and these pelotons were designated as the first through the eighth, beginning on the right and finishing on the left of each battalion. This numbering ignored the company numbers. The grenadier company was not counted in this numbering.
These pelotons were then organized into divisions, the first division being composed of the first and second pelotons, etc.
Each peloton was divided into two equal portions known as "sections." The right section was known as the first section, that of the left known as the second section.
Each company was organized according to height from the right to left. The largest men were placed in the first rank and the shortest in the third rank.
The distance between each rank was one foot from the chest of the one soldier to the back of the soldier (or his haversack) immediately in front of that soldier.
When the regiments were on a peace footing they would drill in a two rank formation, by battalion or regiment, but still maintained the normal full three rank distance.
The grenadier company of each battalion remained attached to that battalion, but when excercising, the grenadier company of the second battalion was converged with the first grenadier company.
The organization of the French regimental staff for both line and legere regiments was:
- 1 Colonel
1 Major
Chefs de bataillon*
Adjutants-majors*
1 Quartier-maitre tresorier (Quartermaster Treasurer)
1 Chirurgion-Major (Surgeon Major)
Chirurgien aides-Major (Surgeon Major Aides) **
Chirurgien sous-aides (Surgeon Under Aides)*
Adjutant NCO's*
1 Vaguemestre (Baggemaster)
1 Tambour-major (Drum Major)
1 Caporal tambour (Drum Corporal)
1 Chef de Music
7 Musicians
1 Chef tailleur (Master Tailor)
1 Chef cordonnier (Master Cobbler)
1 Cher guetrier (Master Gartermaker)
1 Cher armurier (Master Armorer)
* One per battalion. If a two battalion regiment there were two, if a three battalion regiment there were three.
**A two battalion regiment had only one, a three battalion regiment had two, and a four battalion regiment had three.
The organization of the companies in the battalion were,
- 1 Capitaine
1 Lieutenant
1 Sous-Lieutenant
1 Sergeant-major
4 Sergeants
1 Fourrier (Quartermaster)
8 Caporaux (Corporals)
64 Fusiliers (Fusilier company only)
104 Grenadiers (Grenadier company only)
Total 86 Fusilier
company
126 Grenadier company
This gave a two battalion regiment a total of 2,162 men on a war footing and a reduced peace strength of 1,375. The three battalion regiment had a war time strength of 3,234 men and a four battalion regiment had a war time strength of 4,306. In addition, each company could have as many as two "enfants de troupe" or soldier's sons.
There were three grades of officers within the company and they were distributed as follows:
| Regt Type | 2 Battalion | 3 Battalion | 4 Battalion | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Capitaines | 2 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 16 |
| Lieutenants | 9 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
On occasion a battalion would operate as an isolated formation. In this case it had a wartime strength of 1,078. Its staff consisted of a chef de bataillon, an adjutant-major, a quartier-maitre, a chirurgien-major, a scus-aide cururgien, an adjutant NCO, a caporal tambor, and the four master artisians (tailor, cobbler, gartermaker, and armorer,)
When in order of battle the officers and NCO's of the company were positioned as follows: The captain stood on the right of his company or peloton in the first rank. The lieutenant stood in the line of file closers, two paces behind the center of the second section. The sous-lieutenant stood in the line of file closers two paces behind the first section. The sergeantmajor stood behind the right of the second section in the line of file closers.
The first sergeant stood behind the captain in the third rank. This sergeant was designated in the various evolutions as the "sous-officier de remplacement" or replacement NCO, and acted as guide for the right of his peloton.
The second sergeant stood behind the left of the second section, in the line of file closers, and served as the left guide for his pel~ton.
In the eighth peloton of the first battalion the second sergeant was placed on the left of the first rank of the battalion, having behind him a corporal in the third rank.
This pattern was repeated in each company and in all battalions of the regiment.
The caporal-fourrier served as the guard for the battalion standard. The caporal-fourriers of the fusiliers were placed in the second or third rank of the eagle's or standard's guard. The fourriers of the grenadiers or voltigeurs were never taken for this duty because their company was considered very susceptible to being detached from the battalion. When formed in line of battle the fourriers of the grenadier companies were placed between the sous-lieutenant and the fourth sergeant while those of the voltigeurs were placed behind the left of the second section.
The corporals in the ranks were placed on the right and left of their peloton, according to their heights, and with preference to the first and third ranks. A corporal was on the left of the first rank of the first section and another was on the right of the first rank of the second section.
The replacement of officers and NCO's in the companies necessitated by casualties was made by the regimental commander on an equivalent basis. However, should it be necessary the regimental commander could designate a lieutenant from another company to assume command of a company in the absence of its normal commanding officer.
When the regiments were brought to a wartime footing the third sergeant of each company was placed in the rank closer's line on the left of the first section of his peloton.
The senior officers of regiment were distributed and positioned as follows: The colonel, major, and chefs de bataillon were mounted. The adjudant-majors and adjudants were on foot. The colonel was placed thirty paces behind the rank of the file closers, near the center of the interval separating his two battalions.
Each chef de bataillon stood twenty paces behind the file closers of his battalion in line with the battalion standard.
The adjutant-major of each battalion stood eight paces behind the file closers of his battalion and centered on the right demi-bataillon.
The adjutant of each battalion stood eight paces behind the file closers and centered on the left demi-bataillon.
In peace time the battalion drummers were formed in one rank and in two ranks during wartime. They stood fifteen paces behind the fifth peloton of their battalion. The drum major was at the head of the drummers of the first battalion and the drum corporal was at the head of those of the second battalion. The musicians stood in one rank and were placed behind the musicians of the first battalion.
The flag guard of each battalion was composed of the eight caporaux fourrier of the fusilier companies and was placed on the left of the second section of the fourth peloton, forming part of that section.
The first rank of the flag guard was composed of the sergeant-major, who carried the flag, and the two caporaux-fourriers placed on either side of the sergeant-major. The other two ranks were formed with three caporeux fourriers each.
The caporaux-fourriers, as well as the NCO's placed behind the peloton commanders and the NCO file closers, carried their musket in their right arm.; The second rank of the flag guard was composed of the three caporaux-fourriers who displayed the greatest martial skill.
The colonel, and in his absence the regimental commander, chose from which battalion the sergeant-major who carried the flag came. This was important because this NCO set the pace of the regiment as it marched and controlled its direction of movement.
In the case of the regimental eagle the first rank of the guard was composed of the "porte-aigle," on his right the second "porte-aigle," and on his left the third "porte-aigle." The second rank was formed by a fourrier and two corporals. The third rank contained three fourriers.
The first rank of the "garde de l'enseigne" was composed of the sergeantmajor porte-enseigne and the third and fourth sergeants of the peloton. The second and third ranks were formed like those of the eagle's guard.
Bibliography
Regelment concernant l'excercice et les Manoeuvres de l'Infanterie, of 1 August 1791, Chez Magimel, Librairie pour l'Art Militaire, 1es Sciences et Arts, Paris, 1811
Alombert & Colin, La Campagne de 1805 en Allemagne, Librairie Militaire R, Chapelot et Ce, Paris, 1902
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© Copyright 1980 by Jean Lochet
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