Chasseurs Cantabres
The Chasseurs Cantabres (Cantabrian Chasseurs) was a light infantry battalion of the French Royal Army which participated in the early stages of the French Revolutionary Wars until being disbanded in 1795. The regiment's successor, the 79éme Régiment d'Infanterie continued to serve in the modern French Army until 1940 when it was disbanded following the Battle of France.
| Chasseurs Cantabres 5éme Bataillon de Chassers (Cantabres) | |
|---|---|
 Regimental uniform after formation in 1788. | |
| Active | 1788–1795 |
| Country |   .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Allegiance | King of France French Nation |
| Branch | |
| Type | Chasseurs à Pied |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | Army of the Western Pyrenees |
| Headquarters | Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port |
| Nickname(s) | "Los Osos", "The Bears" |
Formation
The Chasseurs Cantabres were formed from and were to recruit exclusively from troops of the Pyrénées provinces of Béarn and Gascony, because of the battalion's region from which it was recruit and troops of the region, it became a Princes' Regiment. This new designation meant that the battalion would keep the titles, salaries, and prerogatives established by its Colonel, on formation, the Comte de Montréal. On 17 March 1788, as part of the 1788 Ordnance, the Régiment de Montréal was transformed from the infantry corps to the new light infantry corps (Corps d'Infanterie Légère), under the new title of Chasseurs Cantabres. On formation, the new battalion became 5th in precedence, after the Chasseurs Corses and before the Chasseurs Bretons.[1][2]
The regiment's first uniform consisted of; black tricone (officers in bicorne), dark green collar, dark green turnbacks, dark green jacket, dark green breeches, dark green gaiters, black boots, dark green pockets, dark green pockets, dark green cuff flaps, bright yellow cuffs, and white buttons.[1][3][4]
The ordnance of 9 April and the reorganisation of the corps on 1 May expanded to battalion when it absorbed the 'non corsican' elements of the Chasseurs Royaux Corses. Shortly after, the battalion reached its establishment size, it formed in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and its headquarters established there. The battalion would remain here, and never leave the Western Pyrenees or on the border of France–Spain border.[2]
Revolution
On 1 April 1791, provisional regulations were announced following the initial stages of the French Revolution, and the regiment renamed as the 5éme Bataillon de Chasseurs (Cantabres), but they continued to be known as their former title until 1792. In addition to the new title, the regiment adopted a new uniform; peak casque, with stiff black horsehair crest and mock leopard skin turban helmet, dark green collar, dark green turnbacks, dark green jacket, dark green breeches, dark green gaiters, black boots, dark green pockets, dark green pockets, dark green cuff flaps, bright yellow cuffs, and white buttons.[1][2][4]
War of the First Coalition
Defence of the Border
When the War of the Pyrenees began in March 1793, the battalion was still stationed in Saint-Jean, but on 23 April moved to a frontier post near Biriatou. As the Spanish tried to cross the Bidasoa into France, the battalion held off and killed 30 and drowned 40. That day, the enemy army attacked Fort d'Andaye. The republicans, surprised, were seeking their salvation in fight, when Lieutenant Colonel Willot, at the head of the major part of the battalion, rushed on the enemy and awakened the courage of the volunteers. This small action was instrumental in helping push the Spanish across the Bidasoa yet again. After this action, the new Army of the Western Pyrenees Armée des Pyrénées Occidentales was formed, and the battalion assigned along with their colleagues from the 1er Bataillon de Chasseurs (Provence).[2]
Battle of Château-Pignon
On 6 June, during the Battle of Château-Pignon, near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the battalion, under the orders of Marshal Bon Andrien Jannot de Moncey, Duke of Conegliano, overwhelmed the enemy and took six cannons from them. But, when the fog cleared over the battlefield, the Spanish realised how much of a disadvantage the republicans were in, and charged the hill forcing them to withdraw. At the same time, the volunteers abandoned their positions, and the chasseurs along with a company of grenadiers from the 80éme Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne (Angoumois) held off the Spaniards for a further three hours. During this occasion, surrounded with no hope of escape, General Largentère took refuge within the ranks of the chasseurs, cried, and said "Puisque je ne puis rallier les fyards, que je vienne au moins périr au milieu de vois", (roughly translated): "Since I cannot rally the fuguitives (assuming these are the volunteers), (that) I at least (can) come to perish in the middle of you".[2]
The Spaniards eventually had to retreat and the republican bravely held their ground. During this campaign, according to official Spanish documents, the battalion were nicknamed "les Ours", "The Bears" for their defence and illusion to the mane of their casque helmets.[2]
End of the Campaign
On 5 February 1794, the battalion again distinguished itself and took immense glory through its troops during the defence of the Sans-Culottes. Moncey ill for 15 days, despite his illness took to the front of the battalion, held against the Spaniards and charged them, before returning to camp later that day. During the initial attack, Corporal Dufour was taken prisoner by four Spaniards but, seized the bayonet of one of them, killed three, and seized the fourth by the collar and brought him back to camp.[2]
The years following the Revolution saw great changes for the French Army: the old royalist infantry regiments were to serve as the stiffening for the tens of thousands of new volunteers who answered the patriotic Levée en masse. In the First Amalgamation of 1794, each old royalist battalion was put together with two new volunteers battalions to become new Demi-Brigade de Bataille or Demi-Brigade of Battle. Therefore, on 23 April 1795, two years to the day after they saw their first action, the battalion amalgamated with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Chasseurs of the Mountains to form the 5éme Demi-Brigade Légère, thus ending the royalist lineage and traditions.[1][2]
Commanding Officers
Commanding officers of the regiment were:[2]
- 1788–1791 Jean Baptiste André Isidore, Comte de Ruault de La Bonerie
- 1791–1791 François de Bazent du Balay
- 1791–1792 Alexandre de Lalain
- 1792–1793 Amédée de Willot
- 1793–1795 Bon Andrien Jannot de Moncey
Footnotes
- Susane, Volume I, pp. 311, 313–314, 364, 369, 399, 404.
- Susane, Volume VII, pp. 361–364.
- Lienhart & Humbet, pp. 57–58.
- Smith, Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars, p. 42–47.
References
- Louis Susane, Historie de l'Ancienne Infanterie Français, Volume I, 1849 Naval and Polytechnical Military Library of Paris, Paris, France.
- Louis Susane, Historie de l'Ancienne Infanterie Français, Volume VII, 1853 Naval and Polytechnical Military Library of Paris, Paris, France.
- Dr. Constance Lienhart & Réne Humbert, The Uniforms of French Armies 1690–1894; Volume 3: The Infantry, Originally published in 1906, re-printed in 2020, Zanica, Italy. ISBN 978-8893275255.
- Digby Smith & Jeremy Black, An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars, 2015 Lorenz Books, London, United Kingdom. ISBN 978-0-7548-1571-6.