Chasseurs des Vosges
The Chasseurs des Vosges was a light infantry battalion of the French Royal Army which was created just before the French Revolution. The battalion would see light service during the initial stages of the conflict, but the lineage ended after being amalgamated with two volunteer battalions to form a demi-brigade. The battalion's successor, the 83éme Régiment d'Infanterie continued to serve in the modern French Army until 1940 when it was disbanded following the Battle of France.
| Chasseurs des Vosges 8éme Bataillon de Chassers (Vosges) | |
|---|---|
 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 Alps |
| Headquarters | Collioure |
Formation
The Chasseurs des Vosges was formed in and was to recruit exclusively from troops of the Vosges region of Lorraine and Barrois. The battalion was formed from the infantry companies of the Chasseurs à Cheval des Vosges, and consolidated in Collioure, where it setup its headquarters. The battalion was placed 8th in precedence of the chasseurs, after the Chasseurs d'Auvergne and before the Chasseurs des Cévennes.[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, pink cuffs, and white buttons.[1][3][4]
In 1790 the battalion moved to Montpellier, where it remained until early 1791 when it transferred to Lunel.[2]
Revolution
On 1 April 1791, provisional regulations were announced following the initial stages of the French Revolution, and the regiment renamed as the 8éme Bataillon de Chasseurs (Vosges), 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, pink cuffs, and white buttons.[1][3][4]
War of the First Coalition
In 1791, the battalion moved towards Lyon but ordered into the Alps for the upcoming conquest of Savoy Savoie under General Anne-Pierre, Marquis de Montesquiou-Fézensac, and didn't leave the border of the Alps until 19 June 1795 when it was incorporated into the 8th Light Demi-Brigade.[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 19 April 1795, two years to the day after they saw their first action, the battalion amalgamated with the 1st Battalion of the Cantal and 2nd Battalion of the Legion of the Moselle to form the 8éme Demi-Brigade Légère, thus ending the royalist lineage and traditions.[1][2]
Commanding Officers
Commanding officers of the battalion were:[2]
- 1788–1791 Louis François Périn de Précy
- 1791–1792 Firmin, Chevalier de Laas
- 1792–1792 Joseph Henri de Belcastel de Montausen
- 1792–1792 Jean Martin Méric de Gardebosc
- 1792–1795 Jacques Louis Donnezac de La Ruscade
Footnotes
- Susane, Volume I, pp. 311, 313–314, 364, 369, 399, 404.
- Susane, Volume VII, pp. 385.
- 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.