THE CORPS OF SAPPERS OF THE GUARD

Each company was to have a first captain, a second captain acting as a second lieutenant, two lieutenants, a first sergeant, 6 second sergeants, 12 corporals, 2 drummers, a bugler and 108 men. The corps staff was to consist of a commander of the battalion, a captain, a second sergeant writer, a corporal of buglers, and a band of 10 soldiers.

By the 26th July 1854 decree, two adjutants and two sub-adjutants were added to the regimental staff.

The uniform was a turkish blue tail coat, the collar, cuffs and lapels of black velvet, the buttonholes of yellow thread, turnbacks and piping crimson, with a torch (“frasco de illuminación”) on the collar and turnbacks, crossed sapper tools embroidered on the left arm, double sardinetas, crimson epaulettes, trousers of turkish blue with crimson stripe, black leather shakos with patent leather band, top band, triangles and pom-pom crimson, with an elliptical plate bearing the torch and the inscription “Zapadores de la Guardia”.

The medio uniform was a blue tunic, the collar and cuffs of black velvet, trousers blue with a crimson stripe, and a blue kepi with crimson piping.

ENGINEERS OF THE GUARD

A section of engineers was to be formed made up of officers by the decree of 26th July 1854. The section consisted of a lieutenant colonel, two captains and two lieutenants.

THE ARTILLERY OF THE GUARD

A field division of artillery was formed by decree on September 6th 1853, made up of a foot battery and a battery of horse artillery to be constituted as those of the existing battalions and light brigade. It was to be designated “of the Supreme Powers,” serving in the Guard. The uniform was to the same as that of the Regulars but with crimson breeches which, like the blue ones of the Medio uniform, were to have gold lace on the seams for the officers, yellow stripes for the men.

By the June 1854 decree the staff was made up a colonel major, two chiefs of division, a second adjutant, a sub-adjutant, a first sergeant armourer, a first sergeant trumpet-major, a corporal of trumpets and 8 musician trumpeters.

Each battery had a captain, a lieutenant, two sub-lieutenants, a first sergeant, 6 second sergeants, 14 corporals, of which 6 were artificers, 60 drivers of the artillery train, 60 artillerymen, two wheelwrights, two smiths, a marshal, a mancebo and three trumpeters (in brackets after the trumpeters is written “two tailors and a shoemaker”). The horse artillery had the same strength except that there were 50 artillerymen, and a second sergeant instructor of equitation and a horse breaker/riding master (picador).

By the 26th July 1854 decree, a captain paymaster and a first sergeant marshal were added to the staff and a leatherworker was added to each battery.

The brigade was then made up of two foot and two horse batteries, each of 6 guns.

Uniform was to be a turkish blue piqueta, with collar, cuffs, piping and turnbacks of crimson, bombs embroidered on the collar and turnbacks, double pockets, lapel of black velvet, the buttons hemispherical with crossed cannons and bombs embossed on them, the buttonholes of yellow thread, yellow lace 1 1/2 “pulgadas” wide on the cuff, crimson epaulettes, and crimson breeches with a yellow stripe. The shako was black with a patent leather band, the top band and triangles each side, falling plume and forrajera all crimson. The shield had two crossed cannons and the inscription “Artillería de la Guardia”. Equipment was white.

The medio uniform was a turkish blue tunic, piped crimson with bombs on the collar. The trousers were blue with a crimson stripe and the shako had an oilcloth cover. Officers wore a kepi with crimson band.

The mounted batteries were distinguished by three diagonal sardinetas worn on the sleeves from the elbow to the cuff. They had a blue shabraque with edging and bombs in the rear angle of crimson, cylindrical valise and double holster covers also of blue with crimson edging.

By the decree of 26th July 1854, fur colbacks were to be worn with red cords in “grands formations”. Yellow stripes were to be worn in place of crimson and tunics were to be worn by the foot artillery, piquetas by the mounted batteries.

Mexico 1853 - 1855: Part 1 Uniforms of the Army in Santa Anna's Last Presidency

Introduction
Officers and Staff
The Presidential Guard
Guard: Sappers, Engineers, and Artillery
Guard: Grenadiers and Light Infantry Bttns
Guard: Horse Grenadiers and Lancers
Squadron of Guides of the President
Medical Corps of the Guard