"Portuguese Uniforms" Topic

I am somewhat confused on Portuguese Napoleonic uniforms. I am finding both the stovepipe shako as well as the barretina worn. Did one replace the other at one time? I am also seeing black as well as white cross belts as well as black and white breeches. I am assuming the white breeches were worn in Summer but am not sure. Also, the uniform chart I was able to find lists regiments by names while all the OB's I have use numbers. Does anyone have some more information?

Bernhard

Yup, white and blue-grey trousers in winter usually.

The stovepipe did replace the barretina later on in the war though nobody seems to know to what degree and how much impact this would have had in the field.

Portuguese equipment seems to vary a bit, presumably between their own patterns and the ones given by the british. I know the LLL were recorded with both a single crossbelt and with paired crossbelts. I dont know for certain if you'd have found the white and black belts in the same unit, they probably tried to keep them uniform.

As for the numbers, not sure of a source for that online, all I can recall from my own books (not to hand) is that the 11th and 23rd line were the 1st and 2nd Almeida regiments, as thyre the ones Im painting.

Hi Bernhard,

The Portuguese Line and Light Infantry regimental names and numbers for the period 1808-15 were as follows:

1st, SOUTHERN DIVISION
Line Infantry
1 Lippe's
2 Freire's
7 Setubal
10 Lisbon
13 Peniche
16 Veira Telles
19 Cascaes
22 Serpa

Light Infantry
1 Castello de Vide
4 Beira

2nd, CENTRAL DIVISION
Line Infantry
2 Lagos
5 1st Elvas
8 Castello de Vide
11 Penamacor
14 Tavira
17 2nd Elvas
20 Campo Major
23 Almeida

Light Infantry
2 Moura
5 Campo Major

3rd, NORTHERN DIVISION
Line Infantry
3 1st Olivenca
6 1st Oporto
9 Viana
12 Chaves
15 2nd Olivenca
18 2nd Oporto
21 Valenca
24 Braganca

Light Infantry
3 Tras os Montes
6 Oporto

Source: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars by Digby Smith

Just beginning to get into this myself in preparation for next year.

Chartrand indicates that the stovepipe started replacing the barretina by virtue of British supply from around 1809 after Beresford took control, but it would seem it perhaps only achieved general distribution by around 1810 or 1811 when there were increased shipments from Britain (especially as the first few shipments were generally not well-received nor of good quality).

The white (or light-grey after 1809/10) breeches were worn during summer, and the black trousers are possibly the dark blue winter dress as Mike has indicated.

I too thought the cross-belts were generally white, apart from those of the cacadores. Could it perhaps be a flank-company thing, or some of the equipment left over from the unliked 1809 grey-uniform shipment and perhaps kept within the same battalion as suggested?

In terms of line (only) regimental names and numbers, Chartrand differs from SJ Donvan's Digby Smith list with regard to the following:

2 Lagos
4 Freire
8 Evora
11 1st Almeida
23 2nd Almeida

It will be interesting to see what others come up with.

Hi Plutarch,

The mistake with Lagos and Freire was mine not Digby Smith's. I copied it out incorrectly. You are right: 2 is Lagos and 4 is Freire.

I just checked in Haythornthwaite's Uniforms of the Peninsular War and he agrees with Chartrand: 11th is 1st Almeida and 23rd is 2nd Almeida

When the French invaded Portugal, the Portuguese infantry wore the Barretina – looking much like the British Waterloo shako. I believe the top of the Barretina was rolled to confirm to the high front, low bottom – not a false-fronted headgear. Allegedly, they had 7 company battalions with one Grenadier and one light company.

Osprey suggests that their regiments were actually one battalion of 10 companies, much like the British, and that they split to form 2 5-company uinits (in most cases). Osprey also pushes the idea of black belting.

My own choice many years ago – when we had so little to work with – was to use French Voltigeurs of the Bardin era, file the shako to a Barretina using green stuff for cording and bow, mounting the shorter plume on the left side. Scrape away the French epaulettes, and the short sword to still have crossbelts for all. The French back pack was also appropriate for this era. They wore tight breeches with black leggings below the knee – white in summer, dark blue in winter, and are shown with white overalls.

Our old sources suggested that as the Portuguese evolved to the British stype and stovepipe, they also picked up French short swords along the way, so this might add some "class" to the later Portuguese. Also move to the British backpacks, canteens, side satchel, etc.

I am still puzzled at how murky the information is. They were essentially half of Wellington's army, yet about 5% of the reliable information!

GdeP

It is my understanding that the old Portuguese system of 7 companies per battalion was supposed to be used to take the grenadier companies away to create Prussian style converged Grenadier battalions (since the original structure was formed by Count Schaumberg-Lippe in 1762).

Sources are contradictory but the Portuguese seem to have adopted 10 companies per regiment in 1801. What there is no doubt about is that in 1809 Beresford reorganised the army into 5 company battalions (two per regiment). Some, including both George Nafziger and Rene Chartrand) have interpreted this structure as designed to operate tactically as a single battalion, however various accounts show the two battalions operating separately.

What I think is far more likely is that a shortage of suitable company commanders led to an adoption of the administrative large company, operating tactically as two half companies, exactly as was done by the French Imperial Guard, Prussians and 1815 Hanoverians.

Rod

I recall that at about the same time the light company (Tiralieurs or something?) was removed, possibly to have been combined into the Cacadores Battalions, but my go-to book on the Military Dress of the Penninsular War implies this isnt known for certain.

Find the first order of battle showing the presence of the 7th through 12th Cacadores, and just before that would be when the light companies were taken from the line. I recall that one battalion of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion was at Albuera in Lowry Cole's IVth Division, and the Legion became the 7th, 8th and 9th Cacadores.

I will probably move my 28-figure Portuguese line battalions to 30 figures, keeping the light companies when they were wearing the Barretina.

Does anyone know if they converted to two battalions of 5 companies each, and if each had a grenadier company? That would be for the stovepipe era.

I am adding murk, murk, and more murk!

GdeP

I am also seeing black as well as white cross belts as well as black and white breeches. I am assuming the white breeches were worn in Summer but am not sure.

As others have noted, white pants in summer, dark blue in winter.

Belts were supposed to be white, and usually were, but the Ospreys on the Portuguese (by Chartrand) note the high proportion of black belts sent to the Portuguese, and some period illustrations show Port. line with black belts. So some regiments probably had them.

Does anyone know if they converted to two battalions of 5 companies each, and if each had a grenadier company?

My understanding is that each battalion had a grenadier company.

Here are the facing colors and piping. Regiments 1 through 12 show the facings on the cuffs only, 13 through 24 have it on the cuffs and collar.

Rgt. Facing Piping
1 & 13 White White
2 & 14 White Scarlet
3 & 15 White Yellow
4 & 16 Scarlet White
5 & 17 Scarlet Scarlet
6 & 18 Scarlet Yellow
7 & 19 Yellow White
8 & 20 Yellow Scarlet
9 & 21 Yellow Yellow
10 & 22 L. Blue White
11 & 23 L. Blue Scarlet
12 & 24 L. Blue Yellow

Hope this helps some.
Mark

Great illustrations of Portuguese uniforms in the Total War Center Forum thread at link