"4th French Light Infantry in Spain?" Topic

Does anyone have uniform information about the 4eme Leger, French light infantry regiment "brigaded" with the 2eme Leger; the 15th de ligne; and the 36eme de ligne.

They were in the 2nd Corps.

Colpak for carabiniers? For voltigeurs? Short tailed coat or long as the 2nd leger wore?

Plume and epaulettes color combinations for the voltigeurs?

Drummer uniform information?

Help!

GdeP

I'm moving soon and thus and frustratingly, all my books are packed away ready for the big day so I can't help as much as I have in the past, but here are a couple of links that may be of use.

link

link

Paul :)

Hello, Paul!

Thanks for your help! I have no idea how you access all these data.

Sadly, this seems to be the classic light regiment. The only "unique" feature I can see is the all-green epaulettes for the voltigeurs.

Years ago, I set aside 36 Stadden 30 mm figures to convert to a 2nd Nassau Battalion, but there are so many to select from today, and I wanted to use these for the 4th Leger. Fortunately, I did not scrape away the epaulettes, or try to change the coat shape to show the vest at the bottom, but I did use "liquid steel" epoxy to shape colpaks for two of the Nassau grenadier figures. I had hoped that the 4th might have worn the colpak in their carabineer or voltigeur company.

The figures are all in overalls, so not need to do legging edges. The shako has the diamond, so ready to paint. No cords or plumes to worry about.

With no information on a drummer, etc, I may just "wing it," and "geusstimate" a cornetist uniform for one of them!

Thanks, Paul. Big help.

GdeP

GdeP

There are a couple plates of the 4th Light in this book at Gallica – plates 21 to 24 :

link

Thanks, Camcleod!

These show scarlet Polish (pointed) cuffs, edged white. Diamond on shako is good!

I wonder about those tabs on the collar on two of the plates.

The first figure appears to wear a black or dark grey vest, edged and corded white. Civilian gear?

The footwear offers a lot of variation – Spanish sandals will be good for some figures; white leggings for others; black, under the overalls.

I always wonder is some regiments gave different details to their battalions. I recall in the Bucquoy book on the French infantry, that the 8eme de ligne is mostly shown with red cuff edged white, but no cuff flap – just a scarlet edge on the opening. Yet they show one figure with a colour with red cuffs, white flap!

GdeP

In the process of doing the 4th Legere myself and have had to wing it on some details.

GdP I went for Grenadiers with bearskins based on the pictures by Dionisio Álvarez Cueto at

link

I would guess they would hang onto them – although I have no idea of the accuracy.

As for drummers – I went totally speculative with a yellow and red coat :)