3rd Terço Auxiliar do Porto

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Origin and History

In Portugal on the eve of the Seven Years War, the term “Auxiliary Infantry” designated militia units. In 1762, at the beginning of military operations, the northern provinces and the province of Alentejo were requested to raise a few auxiliary companies or regiments of horse and foot.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was under the command of:

• in 1762: mestre de campo José Cardoso de Carvalho

The unit was disbanded at the end of the conflict.

Service during the War

No information available yet about the service of the regiment during the Seven Years' War

Uniform

Privates

Uniform Details as per
the Direcção-Geral de Arquivos

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced yellow with a cockade Grenadier black bearskin; red flame laced yellow with a yellow tassel
Neckstock	white
Coat	medium blue lined red with 7 yellow buttons on each side on the chest and one yellow button on each side in the small of the back Collar red with 2 small yellow buttons on the right side Shoulder Straps yellow aiguillette on the right shoulder Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons Cuffs red, each with 3 yellow buttons Turnbacks red
Waistcoat	red with 1 row of yellow buttons; horizontal pockets, each with 3 yellow buttons
Breeches	medium blue
Gaiters	white
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather with a pewter buckle Waistbelt natural leather Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard black Scabbard none Shoes black buckled leather shoes

Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet.

Officers

The officers wore a uniform very similar to the one worn by privates with the following distinctions:

• a gold laced tricorne
• a thin gold lace at the collar
• red waistcoat edged gold with 2 rows of yellow buttons; gold edged pockets
• officer stick of natural wood with a silver handle with a silver cord and tassel
• sword (golden hilt with a silver tassel; black scabbard with golden locket and chape)

Musicians

The drummers of the regiment wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following differences:

• white laced seams, cuffs and pockets
• all buttons on the coat and waistcoat had white buttonholes
• white edged waistcoat with white laced horizontal pockets

The drum barrel was light brown with black cords.

Colours

The exact pattern of the Portuguese colonel colours during the Seven Years' War is unknown.

The ordonnance colours were chosen by the colonel of the regiment. For the moment, we have found no source depicting specific colours for this regiment.

Please refer to our article on the Portuguese Line Infantry Colours for more information.

References

Amaral, Manuel, O Exértico Português em finais do Antiguo Regime

Kirby, Mike, The Portuguese Army - Seven Years War, Seven Years War Association Journal, Vol. XII No. 3

Moskowich, Emilio; Portuguese Army in SYW, 1st ed., March 2006

Ribeiro Rodrigues, Manuel A.; 300 Anos de Uniformes Militares do Exército de Portugal 1660-1960, Exército Portugués and Sociedade Historica da Independéncia de Portugal, 1998

Acknowledgment

Manuel Ribeiro Rodrigues, Joseph O'Neill and Juan José Torres and the Asociación Cultural de Modelismo Histórico Alabarda for the information and counselling provided for this article.