Napoleonic
Spanish Army
1805-1808

Spain

List S1N

by Mark Bevis

1. Army of 1805-08

    Royal Guard:
      Halbedier Company: 152 men, halberds (court guards)
      Spanish Guard Infantry Regiment: 3 Bttns@ 4 companies, 1000 men
      Walloon Guard Infantry Regiment: 3 Bttns@ 4 companies, 1000 men
      Garde du Corps Cavalry Regiment: 5 Squadrons, 615 men
      Royal Carabinier Regiment: 5 Squadrons, 540 men
    Line:
      7 Infantry Brigades@
      5 Infantry Regiments@
        1 Bttn: 4 companies@ 164 men
        1 Bttn: 2 companies, 2 Grenadier Companies@ 164 men
        1 Depot Battalion: 4 companies@ 164 men
      12 Light Infantry Regiments@ 1 Bttn: 5 coys, 1 grenadier coy, 1200 men
      3 Irish Infantry Regiments@ 350-850 men in 3 Bttns@ 5 coys, 1 grenadier coy
      6 Swiss Infantry Regiments@ 1700-2100 men in 2 Bttns@ 6 coys
      1 Neapolitan Infantry Regiment: 1 Bttn: 300 mn, 6 coys
      12 Heavy Dragoon Regiments@5 Sqns, 700 men
      6 Hussar Regiments@ 5 Squadrons, 700 men
      6 Chasseur Regiments@ 5 Squadrons, 700 men
      34 Field batteries@ 4-6 guns, 0-2 howitzers
      6 Horse batteries@ 4-6 guns, 2 howitzers
      (guns vary from 24pdrs, 16pdrs, 12pdrs, 8pdrs, 4pdrs & 2pdrs)
      2 Sappers & Miners Battalions@ 500 men
      12 Marine Battalions@ 6 companies
    National Militia:
      43 Militia Infantry Regiments@ 6 coys, 574 men on average (max 600)
      4 Grenadier Regiments@ 2 Bttns@ 800 men
    Urban Militia:
      114 fortress & coastal fortress companies in 13 locations
      41 Invalid companies
      85 Garrison companies

2. Militia Units July 1808

    Old Castille Grenadiers: 2 bttns, 1605 men in 1808
    New Castille Grenadiers: 2 Bttns, 1430 men in 1808
    Andalucia Grenadiers: 2 Bttns, 1413 men in 1808
    Galicia Grenadiers: 2 Bttns, 1375 men
    43 Militia Infantry Regiments@ 6 coys, 574 men on average (max 600)
    1 Militia Infantry Battalion
    9 Militia Infantry Battalions@ 343 or 436 or 1118 or 1219 men
    Dragoons de la Reine: 213 men
    Lancers de Utreva & Xeres: 114 men

3. Militia Units November 1808

    Old Castille Grenadiers: 2 bttns, 1605 men in 1808
    New Castille Grenadiers: 2 Bttns, 1430 men in 1808
    Andalucia Grenadiers: 2 Bttns, 1413 men in 1808
    Galicia Grenadiers: 2 Bttns, 1375 men
    43 Militia Infantry Regiments@ 6 coys, 574 men on average (max 600)
    14 Militia Infantry Battalions, typically 614 or 825 men
    114 Militia Infantry Battalions@ vary from 227 - 1500 men
    Dragoons de la Reine: 213 men
    Lancers de Utreva & Xeres: 114 men
    Hussars San Narcissa: 100 men
    Volunteers of Madrid: 200 cavalrymen
    Cazadores of Toledo: 200 cavalrymen

In December add:

    6 more Militia Infantry Battalions@ 292, 546, 566, 600 or 660 men
    Cazadores of Ferdinand VII: cavalry
    Hussars of Aragon: cavalry
    Dalafox Hussars: cavalry

4. Notes

a) Infantry Regiments have a paper strength of 2186 men, but in practice varied from 600-900 men per battalion.
b) In practice most cavalry regiments are short of horses, typically 200-500 men mounted. One source suggests there are 8 Light Dragoon, 2 Chasseur and 2 Hussar Regiments, which probably indicates a more accurate strength of mounted units.
c) A typical Infantry Division in the invasion of Portugal in 1807 had 5-6 infantry regiments each of 1-2 battalions, plus a divisional Light Infantry Battalion, this totalling 5500 men on average.
d) A typical Army in 1808 has 2-7 Infantry Divisions each of 5000 men, including up to 1 Cavalry Regiment of 200 men, 1 artillery battery, and various line and militia infantry battalions.
e) A typical Army of 1812-13 has 3-6 Divisions, each of 4-7 Battalions (up to 1 Light infantry, some Militia, some guerrillas), up to 2 cavalry squadrons; 2 Cavalry Regiments each of 350-500 men; 3-5 artillery batteries each of 4x 4pdr or 8pdrs; up to 2 batteries with 6x 4pdr, 8pdr or 12pdr guns; and 250 Sappers.


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© Copyright 1997, 1998 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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