Armada Infantry

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Origin and History

The regiment originated in the Terço da Armada, raised in 1641. In 1668, this unit became the Regimento do Principe. In 1682, it took back its original name of Terço da Armada. By a decree of November 24 1707, the unit became the Regimento da Armada.

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

• in 1762: viscount de Mesquitela

When the count of Lippe-Bückeburg reorganized the Portuguese army in 1764, he divided the regiment into the 1st and 2nd Marine Regiments. These two regiments were abolished in 1797 and replaced by the Brigada Real de Marinha (Royal Marine Brigade).

Service during the War

On October 12 1762, auditor-general Miguel de Arriaga wrote to the count of Oeiras, and sent him, among others, these complaints by the marshal (probably the count of Lippe-Bückeburg), that "our army was under the gun with 3,020 soldiers, but the Armada and Swiss regiments have not appeared nor the small pieces with which they defended the mountains, and, finally, that success depended on the hand of God, but that he would exhaust all their efforts."

Uniform

The uniform described in this section is based on an illustration of the 1st Marine Regiment in 1764. Furthermore, it seems that green with red distinctions had been the uniform of the Armada Real regiment since 1723.

Privates

Uniform in 1762 - Source: Ibrahim90

Uniform Details

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced yellow with a silver cockade fastened with a yellow strap Grenadier no information available yet
Neckstock	black
Coat	green lined red with 3 yellow buttons under each lapel Collar red with 1 very narrow yellow buttonholes on each side Shoulder Straps yellow epauleettes Lapels red edged yellow with 7 yellow buttons on each side Pockets horizontal pockets piped yellow, each with 3 yellow buttons Cuffs red with 3 yellow buttons and 3 very narrow yellow buttonholes Turnbacks red
Waistcoat	red edged yellow with yellow buttons, very narrow yellow buttonholes and horizontal pockets (also with yellow buttons and yellow buttonholes)
Breeches	green
Gaiters	dark grey
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt white Waistbelt white Cartridge Box n/a Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard black

Armaments consisted of a musket, a bayonet and a curved sabre.

Officers

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

• a gold gorget
• red cuffs edged yellow
• red sash with tassels

Musicians

no information available

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

Condray, Pat; The Portuguese Army during the War of the Spanish Succession , 1992

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

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

Chartrand, René; Bill Younghusband; The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars, vol. 3, Osprey Publishing, 2001

Acknowledgement

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