Other Installments:

War Between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and Chile (Part 1)
War Between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and Chile (Part 2)
War Between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and Chile (Part 3)

PERU

Infantry of the Line

Figure 1. Full Dress uniform: Black shako, scarlet bands, pom-pom is in the national colours; red - white - red, brass national coat of arms badge and chin-scales, blue jacket, scarlet collar, cuffs, turnbacks, white piping, collar unit number in yellow lace, cuff bar is blue with 3 brass buttons, also yellow lace loops on cuffs, the turnbacks have yellow lace bugles, (see sketch), fringe-less epaulets are on a white board with the outer lace in scarlet and the inner lace being blue, trouser are blue with a scarlet stripe, short white gaiter are worn over black shoes.

Large Illustration: Figure 1-4

Figure 2. Service uniform: All in white linen or sail-cloth, scarlet collar, cuffs and piping, on the trousers there is a scarlet side stripe, stable cap in blue with white piping and tassel, the base band of the cap is scarlet, unit number on collar is as on the full dress jacket.

National Guard

Figure 3. Full Dress uniform: Blue jacket with scarlet collar and cuffs, light blue turnbacks and fringeless epaulets, white piping to jacket, on the collar a white lace badge of a crossed musket and palm branch. White trousers, blue trousers worn for non-full dress and winter wear, short white gaiters with black shoes. Shako is black without coloured lace bands, the top of the shako is black leather which overlaps, national colours for pom-pom, brass shako plate with unit number and chin-scales, officers shako's had gold lace bands with cords

Cavalry of the Line

Figure 4. Full Dress uniform: All units had black shako with coloured lace bands according to the particular unit colour, pom-pom is red-white-red, brass chin-scales and shako plate. "Guias" had blue jackets and trousers with green collar, cuffs, turnbacks and piping, the shako bands would also be in this colour. "Lanceros" scarlet uniform with blue distinctions. "Cazadores" green uniform with crimson distinctions.

Figure 5. Service Dress uniform: Jacket and trousers in white sailcloth for all units, the collar, cuffs, turnbacks and piping were in the unit branch colour (green, blue or crimson), a service cap was worn which was blue in colour with yellow stripes. Sketch of shabraque used, this was blue but with the unit colour as the trim, above is a detail of the cavalry collar badge.

Large Illustration: Figure 5-7

Figure 6. Regiment Husares de Junin: (decree 10th March 1832) This being the most famous of the army's cavalry units, it's members wearing a uniform that was based on the style that this unit wore during the Wars of Independence. Black busby with scarlet and white national colours plume, yellow cords, gold lace for officers, red busby bag with yellow/gold tassel, light blue dolman, with yellow/gold lace frogging, crimson pelisse with brown fur, dark blue trousers with yellow/gold lace trim, officers in service uniform used crimson or light blue trousers, green and yellow barrel-sash.

National Guard Cavalry

Figure 7. Dress uniform: No shakos were worn, these were replaced by blue and yellow service caps, these caps had unit numbers rather than the larger shako plates, officers had shakos, blue jacket and trousers with scarlet cuffs and collar with light blue turnbacks, the piping to the front of the jacket was scarlet.

Supreme Protector General Santa Cruz

Figure 8. General Santa Cruz: Reconstructed from paintings, black bicorne with white feathers, gold lace and the national cockade under a gold lace holding strap, blue coat, gold lace trim, white trousers, waist-sash in the Confederation national colours; red - yellow - green, the shoulder sash is light blue.

Large Illustration: Figure 8-10

Figure 9. Officer, Hussars of Junin, Full Dress uniform.

CHILE

Infantry

Figure 10. Infantry: Shako black with yellow lace upper band, red pom-pom and cords, national cockade is blue - white - red, brass unit letter "P" (Infantry Portales) and chin-scales, jacket blue (azul turquí) with red collar, cuff flaps, turnbacks and piping, yellow unit letter on collar, the turnbacks have either a star (fusiliers), grenade (grenadiers) or bugle (chasseurs), brass buttons, blue trousers for winter or white for summer.

Artillery

Figure 11. Artillery: Shako black, red pom-pom and cords, brass shako plate and chin-scales, blue jacket with red collar, cuffs and piping, the collar has blue piping with a gold lace flaming bomb, the cuff flaps have under each button a small square of gold lace, blue turnbacks with gold lace embroidered crossed cannons, pyramid of cannon balls and wreath, trousers are blue with a red stripe, black leather bottoms to trouser legs.

Large Illustration: Figure 11-14

Cavalry

Figure 12. Cavalry: Shako black, red pom-pom and cords, brass unit badge (grenade for Granaderos, bugle for Cazadores), national cockade, brass chin-scales, blue jacket with red collar, cuff flap, turnbacks and piping, yellow embroidered unit badge on collar, turnbacks have a yellow embroidered star on a white field or backing cloth, blue or white trousers worn depending on season these are reinforced with black leather like the ones used by the artillery.

Engineers

Figure 13. Engineer Officer: Bicorne black, it would have had a national cockade with gold lace holding strap although this one is shown without them, could be a daily dress bicorne, coat is blue with black lapels and gold button lace, gilt buttons, red collar, cuffs, turnbacks and pocket piping, the collar is piped in blue with a gold embroidered castle, gold lace bars on cuffs, the turnbacks have a gold embroidered flaming bomb, trousers are either white or blue depending on the season of the year, these could be reinforced with leather inserts.

Inspector General of the Army

Figure 14. Inspector General: Bicorne in black with white feather crest. Officers of this corps used a long blue coat with 4 gold button lace on the chest with gilt buttons, the front of the coat has two lines of piping with the buttons in the blue middle, collar and cuffs are blue the collar having two rows of lace with a small round gilt corps emblem, the cuffs have a double row of red piping and three gold lace bars, turnbacks are blue piped red with a gold embroidered star within a laurel wreath, see sketch. Trousers are white, sword-knot is white, waist-sash is also white, all gold bullion epaulets.

General of Division

Figure 15. Divisional General: Bicorne hat in black with national cockade and gold lace holding strap, feather crest was all white for Generals of Brigade and white and red for Generals of Division. General officers had a blue coat with long tails, red collar, cuffs and piping, lapels and turnbacks in blue, all lace is in gold, notice that in the design of the lace is included a crossed halberd and quiver of indian arrows next to the oak leaf, on the cuffs the lace would be a single row for Brigade Generals and two rows for Divisional Generals, the waist-sash would be white for Brigade Generals and blue for Divisional Generals, epaulets were in gold bullion, trousers were in white or blue with gold lace side stripe.

Large Illustration: Figure 15-18

Figure 16a. Escudo for the Battle of Buin: A special shield was presented to troops that had fought at this battle, it was a red cloth field and embroidered in yellow silk is the legend " A LOS BRAVOS DEFENSORES DE BRUIN" and under the central star are the words "EN ENERO DE 1839"

Figure 16b. Medal for the Battle of Yungay: Light blue ribbon, a white enamelled five pointed star, the edge and balls of the star are in gold, the rays from the centre are also in gold, in the centre of the star is a gold disc with a picture of a pointed mountain with a laurel wreath on it's summit under the mountain are the engraved words "PAN DE AZUCAR" , encircling this disc is a red enamelled band with both of it's outer edges being in gold, there is a legend on this red band in gold that says "EL GOBIERNO DE CHILE A LOS VENCEDORES EN YUNGAY"

Figure 17. Chilean Private in Marching Order (Carampangue Battalion): As per the details for figure 10.

Figure 18. Chilean Vivandiere (Cantinera): These women used a uniform loosely based on the regular line infantry one but with some non-regulation additions, black felt shako with a yellow lace top band, red plume, national cockade, black leather visor and chin-strap. Tunic in dark blue with red collar piped in white, lapels are white piped in red, blue cuffs with yellow lace design, white metal buttons, skirt is in medium blue with two red stripes around the bottom, trousers are in dark blue with a red side stripe, white gaiters with black shoes.

(Many thanks Alberto for this article, a new little war for you wargamers to re-create. T.D.H. )

Other Installments:

War Between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and Chile (Part 1)
War Between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and Chile (Part 2)
War Between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and Chile (Part 3)