"1808 Spanish Victory or Death infantry Regiment" Topic

One of the books I'm reading is The Peninsular War, The Spanish Perspective by J.J.Herrero Gimenez. One of the Spanish regiments that is mentioned in the numerous OOB's a few times is the Spanish Infantry Regiment Victory or Death. But I've not been able, as yet, to find any information on the regiment or their uniforms. I have Cronin and Summerfield's Spanish Cavalry of the Early Peninsular War but I do not, as yet, own its companion book on the infantry (its on my Christmas suggestion list), which may well contain some helpful info. I'm in an 1808 French and Spanish mode at the moment and really enjoying it and if anyone has any info on this regiment or advice on where it could be obtained, I would be most grateful.

Do you mean this lot?
link

I have the Cronin book but don't recall a unit of that name, if I remember I'll have a look tomorrow.

IT has to be: "this lot" since I have the OSPREY books as well as those by Jose Maria Bueno.

Billy
The way that figure on the left is holding his rifle nd the position of his canteen kind of makes him look like he is playing a banjo.

A while ago I collaborated with my friend Summerfield in the translation of texts from Spanish for his books on the Napoleonic era… I don't remember the "Victory or Death" Regiment, but I did write and report on the historical background of the "San La Muerte" or "La Muerte" Regiment
Because it was mostly made up of "Argentine" troops taken prisoner during the First British invasion of the Rio de la Plata and then they were released when Spain entered at war against the French… those prisoners never returned to our country… they fell fighting in Galicia mostly… only ten remain alive and wrote their history to their relatives here…

link

link

Armand

Had a look at the Cronin infantry volume and found no reference to them.

I will post an extract from Sanudo's database when I have time – most likely tomorrow. He lists the actions, commander etc.

I painted a Spanish regiment called Los Colorados. Equipped with British uniforms. They were prisoners taken in South America during the Buenos Aries campaign and held in prison hulks in England.

link

I didn't know about this regiment. Now I want to go paint it.

- Ix

Uniform Plate 34B "Regiment Muerte", in Uniforms of the Peninsular Wars by Haythornthwaite and Chappell, confirms the details of the link that BillyNM provides above. This regiment among others raised by regional Juntas were considered as good as the regulars.

As promised from Sanudo's database:

MUERTE, VOLUNTARIOS DE LA VICTORIA O, REGIMIENTO DE INFANTERIA DE LINEA
AÑO 1809
30-01 MOURAZO, 1 BATALLON, "VOLUNTARIOS DE LA VICTORIA O MUERTE", CAPITAN FRANCISCO COLOMBO
18-03 ACCION DE VILLAFRANCA
20-03 1 BATALLON , "DE LA VICTORIA", 500 HOMBRES, CAPITAN COLOMBO
22-03ACCION DE PONTEVEDRA, 500 HOMBRES, COLOMBO
23-03 VIGO, SE FUNDA 1 – 3 BATALLONES A 1.000 HOMBRES, EN BASE A 1 COMPAÑÍA DEL REGIMIENTO VICTORIA Y 1 COMPAÑÍA DEL REGIMIENTO ZAMORA, CAPITAN COLOMBO, BASE 1 COMPAÑÍA DE GRANADEROS PROVINCIALES DE GALICIA
26-03 VIGO
14-04 3 BATALLONES A 1.000 HOMBRES
24-04 ACCION DE SANTIAGO
24-04 VIGO , FUNDADO EL REGIMIENTO "MUERTE", 3 BATALLONES
26-04 CALDAS DE REYES
27-04 ACCION DE PUENTE CESURES , DIVISION DEL MIÑO TENIENTE CORONEL GARCIA DEL BARRIO, COMANDANTE COLOMBO
02-05 DIVISION DEL MIÑO LA CARRERA , 1º BATALLON, "MUERTE"
23-05 ACCION DE SANTIAGO, ACCION DE COMPOSTELA, DIVISION MARTIN DE LA CARRERA, COLUMNA FRANCISCO DE HANO, 1 BATALLON
00-06 SITIO DE TUY
07-06 BATALLA DE PUENTE SAMPAYO, DIVISION MARISCAL DE CAMPO GASPAR MARIA DE NAVA Y ALVAREZ DE LAS ASTURIAS, CONDE DE NOROÑA, 1 BATALLON, COMANDANTE COLOMBO
08-06 BATALLA DE PUENTE SAMPAYO, 1 BATALLON, "MUERTE"
30-06 "REGIMIENTO DE LA VICTORIA O MUERTE", 1.725 HOMBRES
03-07 "MUERTE", COMANDANTE FRANCISCO COLOMBO
18-10 BATALLA DE TAMAMES, DIVISION DE VANGUARDIA MARISCAL DE CAMPO MARTIN DE LA CARRER, 1 BATALLON, 1 MUERTO, 5 HERIDOS, 1 CONTUSO
23-11 ACCION DE CARPIO – MEDINA DEL CAMPO, DIVISION DE VANGUARDIA LA CARRERA
28-11 BATALLA DE ALBA DE TORMES , DIVISION DE VANGUARDIA LA CARRERA, 148 HOMBRES
18-12 EL CUADRO DE MANDOS MARCHA HACIA GALICIA , 135 HOMBRES PASAN AL 1º DE VOLUNTARIOS DE CATALUÑA
AÑO 1810
05-02 ¿DEFENSA DE BADAJOZ?, ¿1º DE CATALUÑA?
15-06 MARCHA HACIA GALICIA, DIVISION DE ANGUARDIA PROVISIONAL BRIGADIER IMAZ, 1 BATALLON
01-07 SE REFUNDE EN EL REGIMIENTO LOBERA POR NO APROBARSE EL EMPLEO DE CORONEL PARA COLOMBO; EXTINGUIDO

BillyMN – that could well be the regiment because Gimenez has them in the OOB (page 88) for Chapter 19 The Reconquest of Galicia: from Vigo to Pontesampaio. He also includes them in the OOB offered in Chapter 24 (page 118), for The Battle of Alba de Tormes, 29th November, 1809, which is mentioned in the excellent info provided by Prince of Essling.

Prince of Essling – many thanks for info. Much appreciated.

IronDuke596 – I've got that book but they have the regiment dated as 1808 and the uniform looks more of a blue than the green jackets shown in the link. Saying that, the link does depict one of them in blue trousers. Ah, the fun of research!

Thanks to everyone for help and info.

Will get around to painting up a Spanish Victory or Death regiment, once I've actually bought the miniatures. LOL

Would you believe it but I was just looking through the plates of uniforms in various books and came across an image of what might be the same regiment. The image is found in Napoleon's War In Spain by Tranie and Carmigniani, Colour plate – British and Spanish Armies, 1808-12 (page 157) Figure No 23. The figure is wearing a blue jacket and grey trousers. However, the plume in this case is shown as red. It is not marked as the Victory or Death regiment- just La Muerte. I have a feeling the 'fun' of research will continue.

Gazzola, the aforementioned uniform plate 34B definitely depicts a green coat with medium blue facings (collar and cuffs) and trousers.

In addition to the Jose Bueno & OSPREY books (mentioned above), I also own the Tranie book. For over 50 years "Muerte" has been a 30mm Scruby unit in my Peninsular War Game Army.

IronDuke596 – Spot on! I made the mistake of looking at the image under a dull light. Under a brighter light it is clear that, as you say, the figure in shown wearing a green jacket, blue trousers and green plume. The only puzzle is that the text does not mention 'Victory or Death' regiment, just death? Even so, I can see myself painting this regiment up in the not too distant future, as soon as I can make my mind if to collect 28mm or 40mm miniatures.

Muerte 1808 in the Vinkhuijzen collection.

The 1808 date is only from the pencil mark made by Vinkhuijzen.

The 1910 creation date is the last possible date that Vinkhuijzen cut it from the original source.

Druzhina
Spanish Napoleonic Uniforms, Selections from the NYPL Digital Gallery

The NYPL picture is taken from "Album de la Infanteria Española : desde sus primitivos tiempos hasta el día (1861) – Serafín María de Soto, Conde de Clonard,
Copy can be downloaded via link
This is the full set of illustrations and text (note Muerte is on page 29 of the text).

What a great website this is and with so many helpful members. I think I just have to put the Spanish Victory or Death regiment on my list to buy and paint up list now, albeit it probably won't be until sometime in the New Year.

Many thanks to everyone for info provided.

Hope to see your troops soon my good friend…

Armand

Just had a quick look and realised one of the 28mm samples I obtained will do for that regiment, after a bit of filing of the shako badge. It will still be next year some time before I have enough miniatures for an actual wargame but it looks I'm going to go with 28mm miniatures, although I was almost tempted buy 40mm and 54mm miniatures. LOL

The NYPL picture is taken from "Album de la Infanteria Española

Thanks. The Vinkhuijzen collection suffers from a lack of sources.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers