"Portuguese line battalion mystery" Topic

This seems more confusing than it needs to be.

According to this book on p.71-72, the Portuguese line battalions had 2 battalions eaach with 4 fusilier and one grenadier company
The Armies of Spain and Portugal, 1808-1815 1993
by George F. Nafziger (Author)

However, according to Osprey's:
The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1)
Men-at-Arms 343 by René Chartrand

on p.38, on July 13, 1808 each regiment was formed into a single battalion of 10 companies; 8 fusilier, one grenadier and one light company to mirror the British regiments.

Anyone know for sure?

"For sure" may be beyond me. That said, Portuguese regiments certainly contained light companies by 1809, since I get repeated references to them in tactical accounts. Note that Foy, who was a contemporary, backs Chartrand in saying they went to two battalions per regiment in 1801 and that each battalion contained five companies--four line and a grenadier in one, and four line and a light in the other. Prior to that, they had a single 10-company battalion. I suspect somewhere along the way a word something like "flanker" was mistranslated to "grenadier" to produce the Nafziger no-light company regiment. (I'm looking at the old von Pivka Osprey Portuguese Army volume, which quotes Foy at length verbatim, but I've read Foy in English translation.)

Note that every now and then in Oman, you find references to the battalions of a Portuguese regiment doing different things or being in different places. If I had to guess, I'd say they usually formed up 8/1/1 like the British but if they were strong enough, the two wings might maneuver separately. Not unheard of with the British either, I seem to recall.

In the last century, we used to make 28-figure Portuguese battalions of 7 companies each: 1 grenadier; 1 light; five center. Our British battalions were 40 figures: 1 grenadier;1 light; 8 centre companies. I seem to remember a German Count Lippe involved in this organization.

I seen to recall the Osprey notation of single battalion regiments, split to form two 5-company units – 1 with a grenadier company; the other with a light company.

At some time during the war, the light companies were pulled way to form – along with 3 battalions of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion – Cacadore battalions 7 through 12. I assume that a new grenadier company was formed to replace the light company. But were there actually 2 battalions to the regiment, of five companies each for a battalion of 30 figures, compared to the British 40?

How sad is it that the British never took time to document such data during the war, where almost half of Wellington's forces were Portuguese infantry. He called them "the fighting cocks" of his army.

Probably less that half of Wellington's infantry were British, when one considers the King's German Legion units; the Oels; The French and Swiss in the 7th Division, etc.

GdeP

Antonio Delgado da Silva "Collecção da legislação Portugueza desde aultima compilação das ordenações – Volumes 2 to 6". makes it very clear:

1 August 1796 – the Decree ordered each Regimento de Infantaria da Linha (line infantry regiments) to comprise of 1 battalion (headquarters and 10 companies – 1 grenadier, 1 caçadores & 8 fusiliers):
Regimento de Infantaria da Linha
Headquarters: 18 men
Coronel, Tenente Coronel, Major, 2 Ajudantes, Quartel Mestre, Secretario, Capellaõ, Cirurgiaõ Mór, 5 Ajudantes do Cirurgiaõ, Coronheiro, Espingardeiro, Tambor Mór, Preboste
Companhias:
I Companhia de Fuzileiros; 94 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, Porta-Bandeira, 5 Cabos, 2 Tambores, 2 Pifanos, 78 Anspessadas & Soldados
II Companhia de Fuzileiros; 92 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, Porta-Bandeira, 5 Cabos, 2 Tambores, 78 Anspessadas & Soldados
III, IV, V, VI, VII & VIII Companhia de Fuzileiros; 92 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos,Furriel, 5 Cabos, 2 Tambores, 78 Anspessadas & Soldados
Companhia de Granadeiros; 97 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos,Furriel, 5 Cabos, 6 Porta-Machedos, 2 Tambores, 78 Anspessadas & Soldados
Companhia de Caçadores; 92 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, 5 Cabos, 2 Tambores, 78 Anspessadas & Soldados

However there was one exception – the Regimento de Infanteria de Lippe which had 2 battalions (2 batalhóes)
Headquarters: 20 men
Coronel, Tenente Coronel, 2 Majores, 2 Ajudantes, Quartel Mestre, Secretario, Capellaõ, Cirurgiaõ Mór, 6 Ajudantes do Mór, Coronheiro, Espingardeiro, Tambor Mór, Preboste
Companhias:
I Companhia de Fuzileiros; 119 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, Porta-Bandeira, 6 Cabos de Esquadra, 2 Tambores, 2 Pifanos, 102 Anspessadas & Soldados
II Companhia de Fuzileiros; 117 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, Porta-Bandeira, 6 Cabos de Esquadra, 2 Tambores, 102 Anspessadas & Soldados
III, IV, V, VI, VII & VIII Companhia de Fuzileiros; 116 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, 6 Cabos de Esquadra, 2 Tambores, 102 Anspessadas & Soldados
Companhia de Granadeiros; 124 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, 6 Cabos de Esquadra, 6 Porta-Machedos, 2 Tambores, 104 Anspessadas & Soldados
Companhia de Caçadores; 124 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, 6 Cabos de Esquadra, 6 Porta-Machedos, 2 Tambores, 104 Anspessadas & Soldados

July 1808 – Regimento de Infanteria de Linha– 2 battalions, each of 5 companies (1 grenadier & 4 fusilier).
Regimental headquarters: 7 men
Coronel, Major (grade of Tenente Coronel), Quartel Mestre, Capellão, Cirurgião Mór, Coronheiro, Espingardeiro,

Battalion headquarters: 16 men
Chefe de batalho (grade of Major), Primeiro Ajudante (grade of Capitão), 4 Ajudantes de Cirurgião, Porta Bandeira, Cabo de Tambores, 8 Musicos,

Companies: 162 men
Capitao, Tenente, 2 Alferes, Primeiro Sargento, 2 Segundos Sargentos, Furriel, 8 Cabos, 2 Tambores, 144 Anspeçadas & Soldados.

1809 November – Regimento de Infantaria- headquarters augmented while companies remained as before.
Headquarters: 36 men.
Coronel, Tenente Coronel, 2 Majores, 2 Ajudantes, Thesoureiro (or Pagador), 2 Quarteis Mestres, 2 Sargentos de Brigada (or 2 Ajudantes Sargentos), 2 Quarteis Mestre Sargentos, 2 Porta-Bandeiras, Capellão, Cirurgião Mór, 4 Ajudantes do Cirurgião, Coronheiro, Espinguardeiro, Mestre de Musica, 8 Musicos, Tambor Mór, Cabo de Tambores, 2 Pifanos.

29 October 1814 – Regimento de Infantaria reduced to peacetime strength:
Headquarters:
Coronel, Tennete Coronel, 2 Majores, 2 Ajudantes, Quarteis Mestre, Cirurgiao Mor; 2 Ajudantes do Cirurgiao Mor; 2 Porta-Bandeiras, 2 Sargentos Ajudante; Sargento Quartel Mestre; Coronheiro; Espingardeiro; Mestre de Musica, 8 Musicos, 1 Tambor Mor, 1 Cabo de Tambores, 2 Pifanos
10 companies each:
Capitao, Tenente, Alferes, Primeiro Sargento, 2 Segundos Sargentos, Furrieis, 4 Cabos de Esquadra, 4 Anspecadas, 82 Soldados, Tambor

For Portuguese Army Ranks and their British equivalents see post by João Centeno at link

Bravo Prince!

Indeed. Congratulations, Prince! Nonetheless, some of those grenadier companies have to have been skirmishing.

Garde, those 7 company line battalions are based on Oman, but he surely got confused somehow--possibly with the light battalions or with an 18th Century organization. No one else agrees with him on that. (And yes, I remember them well from many a 1970's and 1980's battlefield.)

Isn't a five-platoon battalion a Prussian thing?

The Russians also had five-company battalions.

The Danish also had two five-company battalions to a regiment.

The flag regulations for post 1806 certainly say that the regt had two Bn, each with a single flag.

Wonderful information, Prinz of Essling! My old units need to be revamped from 7 companies to 5.

Might you have information of when they switched from the Barretina shako to the stove pipe?

Robert, I see you are in Indiana. Might you have gamed with the Fort Wayne gamers, and Vietmeyer 'back in the day?" I have long used his organization, but with my command stands are part of each battalion.

I converted a bunch of 30mm Stadden 1815 French voltigeurs to the 8th Portuguese, running into battle at Bussaco, and they are 28 figures in 7 companies. I did them in the Barretina. I need to make 2 of the light company into grenadiers, making 6 figures; and the other 2 as sergeants or the fusiliers. One officer and a drummer brings the unit to 30. I frankly avoid colours at this point. Need to get units done!

GdeP

For infantry standards see exchange at TMP link Will look at my books later re the shako change.

"Guerra Peninsular" by Manuel Ribeiro Rodrigues suggests 1810 – will have to a dig into the legislation.

He did comment on the 3 Ospreys:
"Sobre os três volumes da Osprey direi que são bons, embora tenham algumas falhas (o que é natural) é que além da complexidade dos nossos regulamentos também existe a língua e a interpretação que por vezes não é a mais correcta. As ilustrações são excelentes mas algumas com erros de pormenor. as barretinas (schako) do modelo de 1806 estão todas mal feitas, porque como pode ver no meu livro a frente não é falsa. Nos desenhos o schako é o do modelo inglês 1811/12.

Reconheço que o autor dos livros se baseou muito em objectos e conselhos menos correctos. Observe que as fotografias dos objectos que estão nos livros: Volume (2) páginas 11, 44 e 45 e volume (3) páginas 44, 45 46 e 47 não são da época! São cópias tendo sido algumas executadas em 1908 para as comemorações dos 100 anos da Guerra Peninsular e que por acaso estão muito mal feitas e cheias de erros.

O schako da página 44 e 45 são os modelos feitos para as cerimónias anuais da Batalha do Buçaco e estão extremamente mal executados e errados, aliás eu conheço a pessoa que os fez em Lisboa na Fábrica Militar de Fardamentos ( Oficinas Gerais de Fardamento e Equipamento).A da página 46 é um modelo executado recentemente.

No volume (3) plate A figura 3 que bordados são aqueles que o pífaro tem??? Plate D e os deste tambor, excesso de bordados e o coat of arms do tambor? E a quantidade de bordados do drum-major do volume (1) plate G figura 2 ?? E muito, muito mais."

which Google translates as:

"Over the three volumes of the Osprey will say are good, although a few flaws (which is natural) is that besides the complexity of our regulations, there is also the language and the interpretation which is sometimes not the right one. The illustrations are excellent but with some errors of detail. the shako (Schako) Model 1806 are all poorly made, because how can see my book on the front is not false. In the drawings the Schako is the English model 1811/12.

I recognize that the author of the books were based on objects and less accurate advice. Note that the photographs of objects that are in the books: Volume (2) pages 11, 44 and 45 and volume (3) pages 44, 45, 46 and 47 are not the time! Some copies are being executed in 1908 for the celebrations of 100 years of the Peninsular War and that by chance are very badly made and full of errors.

The Schako page 44 and 45 models are made for the annual ceremonies Battle Buçaco and are poorly executed and very wrong, indeed I know the person who made them in Lisbon Factory military uniforms (General Workshop for uniforms and equipment) . The page 46 is a model recently implemented.

In volume (3) plate Figure 3 are embroidered that those who have the fife?? Plate D, and this barrel, over-embroidered coat of arms and the drum? And the amount of embroidery of the drum-major of the volume (1) G plate Figure 2? And much, much more."

From "Os Uniformes Portuguese na Guerra Peninsular" by Pedro Soares Branco, publishd by Tribuna da Historia, December 2oo8, page 100 has – very approximate translation of the Portuguese:

"A factor of great importance in the uniformity of the Portuguese Army, especially from 1809, was the supply by Great Britain of weapons, uniforms and equipment. Between 1808 and 1815 Portugal received materials for about 190,000 uniforms. In 1808 and 1809 green uniforms were sent for the Loyal Lusitanian Legion. Also sent in this period were jackets and gray pantaloons, materials for the local manufacture of uniforms, 53,000 pairs of shoes, 5,700 pairs of boots, belts in black leather and 30,000 barretinas (nearly all of were of the stovepipe type used by the British), with or without their plumes. The majority, except for about 2,000 already in use, were eventually sent to Spain. 30,000 new blue uniforms were made in its place, sent to Portugal in early 1810. These uniforms, however, were of poor quality. Many were too small and incorrectly coloured, so they had to be remade in order to be used. To avoid further unpleasantness, Portugal began to receive the raw textiles from October 1810, to allow the local manufacture of uniforms. Portugal continued, however, to receive from Great Britain leather belts (mostly black, but also brown), porpoises, shirts, socks and pressed."

porpoises?

sounds fishy to me…

So is "Barretina" just a Portuguese word for Shako? I always thought it was a cylinder with higher front, lower back, plume on the side, with cords, metal plate, etc, much resembling the British "Waterloo" shako.

In the past century, when we had very limited access to great wargame figures, I converted some Stadden 30mm French voltigeurs, 1815, to Portuguese with this shako. Filed the French shako into a cylinder, added a bit of epoxy steel to the front, filed down the rear. Then used "green stuff" hand mixed to string as cords. Drilled into the side, added brass wire as plume base, then added epoxy steel to bulk-out the plume. I recognized that the early Portuguese had European hide packs, so the French were fine. All troops actually seemed to have only bayonets, but I left them all with short swords and bayonets .

A lot of work, but a lot of fun as well.

GdeP

@GdeP – as I understand it from modern Portuguese dictionaries "barretina" equals shako, though must admit I had thought like you that it meant the Portuguese equivalent of the British 1812 shako. Amazing how we get brainwashed on some things.

@Minipigs – good spot, thought I had proof read it in its entirety but obviously didn't. Sentence should actually read: "Portugal continued, however, to receive from Great Britain leather belts (mostly black, but also brown), buttons, shirts, socks and footwear."

From the 1809 "Instrucções para a formatura, exercicio e movimentos dos Regimentos de Infanteria – Por ordem do Excellentissimo Senhor Guilherme Carr Beresford" – diagram illustrating how a line infantry regiment formed up in line and column. link