4th Terço Auxiliar de Aveiro

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Origin and History

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. The regiment was known as the Terço Auxiliar de Comarca de Aveiro (Auxiliary regiment of the county of Aveiro).

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

• in 1762: Marechal de Campo (Field Marshall) Jose de Mello e San Payo

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 in 1762 - Source: Ibrahim90

Uniform Details as per
the Journal de Exército

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced white with a red and blue cockade fastened with a small pewter button Grenadier n/a
Neckstock	white
Coat	dark blue lined red with 11 pewter buttons on the chest on each side and 1 pewter button on each side in the small of the back Collar red with 2 large pewter buttons on each side Shoulder Straps none Lapels none Pockets horizontal pockets, each with 3 pewter buttons Cuffs red with 3 pewter buttons Turnbacks red
Waistcoat	red lined red with two rows of 20 pewter buttons, the 2 buttons of each row were attached in a single buttonhole; horizontal pockets
Breeches	dark blue with pewter buttons and buckles
Gaiters	white fastened with small pewter buttons
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather Waistbelt natural leather Cartridge Box black leather Bayonet Scabbard natural leather Scabbard none Shoes black leather with a pewter buckle

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:

• red lapels on the coat, each with 11 pewter buttons
• red waiscoat edged silver with pewter buttons
• officer stick
• sword

Musicians

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

• white laced collar
• an intricate white lace on the chest of the coat
• white laces on the seams, around the pockets and along the edges of the coat
• white laces disposed in a chevrons on the sleeves and under the pockets of the coat
• white laced red waistcoat with laces disposed in a zigzag pattern along the edges

The drums had an ocher barrel, red rims and 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

Ribeiro Rodrigues, Manuel A.; Uniformes Militares in Journal de Exército, p. 31, 35

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

Acknowledgement

Manuel Ribeiro Rodrigues and Joseph O'Neill for the initial version of this article.