"AWI Martinique/Guadaloupe Militia " Topic
6 Posts
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| Au pas de Charge | 27 Apr 2019 1:20 p.m. PST |
In Osprey's Men-At-Arms book #244 "The French Army in the American War of Independence", plate A, there are several Island units illustrated. One of them, figure-A3 the Martinique Militia is an officer. Now I know in this time officers were generally Europeans but the question is for wargames figures painting purposes were the Martinique/Guadaloupe militia privates white too? Or were they black or a mix of both? It seems like there wouldnt have been enough Europeans on these islands to fit out so many militia units. Any further reading on Militia units in the Caribbean/India from 1750-1800 would be very much appreciated |
Frederick  | 27 Apr 2019 3:04 p.m. PST |
Not sure about AWI but in SYW the majority of the Martinique militia were white – they had eight infantry battalions, one of "freebooters" (so may be mixed race) and one with black troops – I think the other six were white |
| jurgenation | 28 Apr 2019 5:12 a.m. PST |
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| Lilian | 28 Apr 2019 2:14 p.m. PST |
Like in Spanish America there were white companies where only the drummer could be black or mulatto but also separated free colored men companies under white officers, all men from 15 to 55 years old (or 60 for free colored)
La Martinique divided in 8 quartiers should have 8 white battalions with blue uniform, each with a distinctive color on the cuffs as precised by René Chartrand,
8 artillery companies,
? companies of Dragoons, if possible, thanks to gentlemen ables to have an horse
8 free colored companies
in 1778 there were 850 colored militiamen in la Martinique
while in 1777 in la Guadeloupe there were 62 companies and 3335 militiamen of which 721 free colored militiamen gathered in 9 blue-uniformed companies
if you read french for la Guadeloupe :
PDF link |
| Lilian | 29 Apr 2019 6:42 a.m. PST |
La Martinique divided in 8 quartiers should have 8 white battalions with blue uniform, each with a distinctive color on the cuffs as precised by René Chartrand,
8 artillery companies,
? companies of Dragoons, if possible, thanks to gentlemen ables to have an horse
8 free colored companies
I forgot
-company of gentlemen of the Arrière Ban same uniform as the battalions with its own distinctive color (green)
-company of Gendarmes at Saint Pierre (red uniform inspired by the Gendarmerie in France) |
| Au pas de Charge | 29 Apr 2019 6:09 p.m. PST |
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paints brigs for the British fleet.
