"Adjudant sous-officiers 1809" Topic

Hello everyone,

As I am finishing the Etat-major of the 3eme Ligne I have a few questions on how the Adjudant sous-officier would be armed and the placement of the NCO in the ranks during a battle. Please correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is the Adjudant sous-officier would be behind the officers on the right of the battalion formation. The Chef de Batallion (mounted) in the center behind the battalion and the Captain Adjudant-major (mounted) would be on the left half of the battalion.

Also, how was he armed? With just a sabre briquet? musket? He would be wear an epaulette on his left shoulder with red and yellow/gold fringes? On his shako would he have any marks representing his position? I have seen some with a small gold band with a red line in the middle. I am guessing that before the 1812 Bardin regulations this was mainly up the Colonel.

Here is what I have so far. Any comments welcomed!

Thank you for your help

I think you have pretty well got it here. There may have been a few variations between regiments but mostly in detail. Though a sous-officier he would be equipped like a 'proper' officer. I have not seen any illustrations of the rank carrying a pack, but there is no reason why he would not do so on campaign.

Here are some examples:

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he would carry an officer sword, but draw it only in self defence, otherwise he would carry his stick, he did wear boots – I doubt that he would carry a back pack, even on campaign, in case I remember correctly he would stand behind the left half of a battalion when it was deployed in line, I did see two different kind of epaulettes, one was a pair of fully fringed ones, the other with a contre epaulette. in the manuel d'infanterie should be more about his dress and equipment.
So for your image you should at least give him his stick, about the headdress, not sure if he would have carried a hat.

Changes based on the suggestions made. Should he wear hessian boots or french boots?

Passage from Règlement concernant l'exercice et les manoevres de l'Infanterie. Pour le 13.e regiment de ligne
January 1, 1808
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The Colonel and the two Chef de Batallions will be on horseback; the Adjutants majors and Adjutants will be on foot, The Colonel will be placed thirty paces behind the rank of the queue-keepers, opposite the center of the interval, which separates the two battalions from his regiment; Each Chef de Batallions twenty paces behind the rank of the ranks of his battalion, opposite the line of the flag The Adjutant Major of each battalion, eight paces behind the rank of the rows of his battalion, vis- opposite the center of the mid-right battalion.

Thank you for the help!
Michael

The Adjudant Major was an officer – usually a capitain, the Adjudant sous officier was placed as the Adjudant Major but ivs – opposite the center of the mid left battalion, for line infantry I would opt for English boots for light infantry – light cavalry style.

von W,

Thank you for the help! Here are the Adjudant-major and Adjudant sous-officier.

Michael

Adjudant sous officier should not wear a hausse col, gorget that was for officers only.

I don't know if an Adjudant Major would wear a cane when on duty, most likely not, he would just carry his sabre with an officers sabre strap.

The plates to the French 1791 regulation show the Adjudant Major with his sword drawn (position "hors des rangs"), and the Adjudant with a cane.

Here a plate from a contemporary German translation, figures f and g:

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for sure there must be more either in the dictionnaire of Bardin or in the manuel d'infantrie,

Thank you both for your help. I made the changes and here is the 1e Batallion 3eme Ligne under the orders of the hero of the regiment Chef de batallion Jean-Baptiste Laffithe.

I believe my confusion with the Adjudant-major came from these three images.

Michael