"King Joseph's Spanish Guard" Topic

Would anyone know how King Joseph's Spanish Guards were organised? Were they organised the same as the French or something different?

I invite correction, but here's a start:

I recall in one of the 3 Osprey books on the Spanish in the Napoleonic Wars, that there were 3 Guard infantry units:

Grenadiers, in two battalions. They looked like the Old Guard Grenadiers, but with yellow/straw breeches. Experienced French soldiers drawn from the line. Probably organized as the French Old Guard Grenadiers – I would use 8 stands of 4 figures for 8 companies at 1:20, and possibly a separate command stand with officer, drummer, colour (if they had one), other.

Fusiliers: Spaniards, two battalions. I would to 4 companies of 8, plus a command stand as above (these ideas come from the old Fred Vietmeyer system, Fort Wayne, Indiana of the 1960's).

Voltigeurs: Frenchmen again. 4 companies of 8, as would be the Young guard, with 4 command stand figures. I seem to recall that they wore long-tailed coats as line voltigeurs, not the short coats of the young guard.

I think Joseph has Guard hussar, and Guard light horse, a squadron or two of each at most. I would use 6 figures for a squadron, worn down in Spain.

GdeP

I believe the Guard Hussars were Spaniards, and the light horse Frenchmen.

The light horse had crested helmets much like the later French lancers, but their shabraques were more like the dragoon blankets – square at the rear instead of pointed.

GdeP

?? October 1808 – Regimiento de Infantería de la Guardia Real formed from a battalion each of the Grenadier and Voltigeur Guard from the Kingdom of Naples.
8 March 1809 – Regimiento de Infantería de la Guardia Real was broken up into:
1o Granaderos de la Guardia Real
1o Tiradores de la Guardia Real
Each regiment was to consist 2 battalions of 6 companies each of 100 men rising to 160 men when circumstances required.
November – 3rd battalion to be added to the Tiradores but went to form the Fusileros.
25 November 1813 – dissolved.

?? December 1809 – Regimiento de Fusileros de la Gardia Real
2 battalions- originally to be of 6 companies each, but ended up with 4 companies each.
1813 December – dissolved

23 June 1809 – Artillería de la Guardia Real
4 x 8pdr cannon; 4 x 4pdr cannon; 4 x 6" howitzers;
2 companies each of 121 men – teniente, subteniente, sargento primero, 4 sargento segundos, Furriel, 7 cabos, 2 mariscales, 2 Guarnicioneros, 100 soldados, 2 trompetas

22 January 1811 – Compañia de Gendarmería Real á Caballo
1 squadron of 73 men – capitan, 2 tenientes, 1 subteniente (habilitado), 1 Sargento primero, 3 sargento segundos. 8 cabos, 1 trompeta, 56 gendarmas (40 mounted) divided into 8 squads of 5 mounted & 2 dismounted under a Cabos; 2 squads under a sargento, 4 squads under a Teniente,

31 December 1811 – Compañia de Zapadores de la Guardia Real
106 men. – capitan, primer teniente, Segundo teniente, sargento primero. 4 segundos, 8 cabos, 20 obreros, 30 zapadores primero, 40 zapadores segundos

Regimiento de Caballería de la Guardia Real – 4 squadrons

Regimiento de Husares de la Guardia Real – 2 squadrons

October 1809 Compania de Alabarderos de la Guardia Real – 70 men

Thanks for everyone's help. Here is question for Volley & Bayonet players. Since each of King Joseph's guard infantry regiments seem to be 1,200 men each (at best). Would you mount them on a single massed base with 6-7 strength points (two of which can skirmish), or represent each regiment on a two SP Linear base? I suspect I know the answer, but I am curious to read the responses (if any).

Cheers!

This is a good thread to save for Joe's Guard, in "favorites!

GdeP

There is more here that amplifies the information presented in the Prince of Essling's excellent summary:

link

It is clear that Fred Vietmeyer's suggested organization for the Guard is not representative of their actual strength; I do not use it for my CLS army.

Rick

I don't play V+B, but I would assume you should treat as a single brigade.

The infantry any way seem to have fought as a single unit. But its main role (at Vitoria anyway) seems to have been guarding the valuables at the rear – though wargamers can rarely resist throwing it into the main fight at some point.

Hello Major! Looking through some 1813 Orders of Battle, the Spanish Guards made up a brigade in the reserve division (along with Italian and German brigades). So I'd say best to field them as a single 4-5 SP (that's what the OBs show in terms of strength) massed base. Unless of course you're looking at a different timeframe?
best regards, Aris K.

From the NYPL: Spanish Napoleonic Uniforms of Joseph Bonaparte

MIRROR SITE
Spanish Napoleonic Uniforms of Joseph Bonaparte

Druzhina
Spanish llustrations of Costume & Soldiers