Limousin Infanterie
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Origin and History
The regiment was raised as a gentleman regiment by the Marquis de Calvisson on March 20, 1635.
In 1635, at the outbreak of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–59), the regiment was sent to Italy where it took part in the siege of Valenza, and in the capture of Candia and of the Castle of Sartirane. In 1636, it fought in the Combat of Buffalora. In 1637, it took part in the defence of Asti and in the Combat of Montebaldone; in 1638, in the reliefs of Brema and Vercelli; in 1639, in the Combat of Cencio, in the relief of Casale, in the recapture of Chivasso and in the combat on the road leading to Quiers; in 1640, in the affair of Chérasco and in the siege of Turin; in 1641, in the Combat of Ivrea, in the relief of Chivasso, in the capture of Coni and in the storming of the Castle of Démont; in 1642, in the siege of the Castle of Tortone; in 1643, in the siege of Trino; in 1644, in the capture of the Castle of Sartirane and in the siege of Santia. In 1645, the regiment was transferred to the Army of Catalonia where it participated in the siege of Balaguer, in the capture of Rocca de Vigevano, and in the Combat of the Mora. In 1646, the regiment returned to Italy and participated in the capture of Piombino and in the siege and capture of Portolongone on Elba Island. It was then sent back to Catalonia where it served in the siege of Lérida. In 1647, the regiment returned once more to Italy. In 1648, it was recalled to Catalonia for the siege of Tortosa. In 1649, it campaigned in Spain before being sent to Casale in Montferrato where it assumed garrison duties.
In 1651, during the Fronde (1648-1653), the regiment was recalled to France.
In 1652, the regiment returned to Piedmont. In 1653, it was sent to Roussillon where it took part in the capture of Caslillon. It was then transferred to Italy where it fought in the Combat of the Roquette on the banks of the Tanaro, and in the capture of Carpignano. In 1654, it remained in Crescentino. In 1655, it assumed garrison duties in Piedmont. In 1656, it took part in the siege of Valenza; and in 1658, in the siege of Mortare. In 1659, the regiment recrossed the Alps and was stationed in Languedoc.
In 1662, the regiment was sent to the Province of Boulonnais to quench a revolt. It then assumed garrison duties in Arras where it remained until 1669.
In 1669, the regiment was assigned to the relief expedition sent to Crete to assist the Venetians against the Turks. In September, the regiment returned to France where it once more formed part of the garrison of Arras until 1674.
In 1674, during the Franco-Dutch War (1672–78), the regiment participated in the siege of Fort Navagne near Maastricht, and in the Battle of Séneffe. In 1675, it took part in a combat on the banks of the Scheldt near Weler; in 1676, in an expedition in Waasland, in a skirmish at the bridge of Locker, in the capture of Condé, and in the sieges of Bouchain and Aire; and in 1678, in the sieges of Ghent and Ypres and in the Battle of Saint-Denis. After the Treaty of Nijmegen, the regiment returned to Arras where it assumed garrison duties.
In 1684, the regiment was attached to the King's Army which covered the siege of Luxembourg. On 15 June of the same year, the regiment took the name of the Province of Limosin (original spelling until 1749 when it became Limousin).
In 1688, at the outbreak of the Nine Years' War (1688–97), the regiment took part in the siege of Philisbourg, and in the capture of Mannheim and Frankenthal; in 1689, in the campaign of Germany; and in 1690, in the Battle of Fleurus. In 1691, the regiment was increased to two battalions and transferred to Piedmont where it participated in the capture of Villefranche, Montalban, Sant'Ospizio, Nice, Veillane and Carmagnola, and in the siege of Montmélian. In 1692, the regiment returned to Flanders and participated in the siege of Namur, in the Battle of Steenkerque and in the bombardment of Charleroi. In 1693, it was transferred to the Army of the Rhine. In 1694, it served in Piedmont, being assigned to the garrison of Pinerolo where it remained until 1696. In that year, it took part in the siege of Valenza before returning to France. In 1697, the regiment served on the Meuse.
At the end of 1700, the regiment was sent to Northern Italy. In 1701, when the War of the Spanish Succession broke out, the regiment fought in the Battle of Chiari and occupied Ostiglia. In 1702, it took part in the defence of Mantua, in the Battle of Luzzara and in the capture of Luzzara, Guastalla and Borgoforte; in 1703, in the blockade of Brescello and in the expedition in Tyrol; and in 1704, in the siege of Vercelli, Ivrea and Verrua (taken only in 1705). In 1705, the regiment participated in the siege of Mirandola and in the Battle of Cassano; and in 1706, in the Battle of Calcinato, in the siege of Turin, in the disastrous Battle of Turin and in the victorious Battle of Castiglione before repassing the Alps and retiring to Provence. In 1707, it participated in the successful defence of Toulon. In 1708, it served in the Maurienne, contributing to the capture of Césanne. At the end of the campaign, it was transferred to Flanders. In 1709, it fought in the sanguinary Battle of Malplaquet. In 1711, it was transferred from Flanders to the Rhine. In 1712, it was recalled to Flanders where it took part in the Battle of Denain and in the recapture of Douai, Le Quesnoy and Bouchain. In 1713, it was at the siege and recapture of Landau and at the siege of Freiburg. After the capitulation of Freiburg, the regiment assumed garrison duties in this place.
During the War of the Polish Succession (1733-35), the regiment occupied the province of Lorraine in 1733. It then served in Germany in 1734 and 1735.
During the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the regiment initially served in the army of Westphalia in 1741 and 1742. In 1743, it was at Egra. From 1745 to 1748 it served in Flanders.
In 1754, the regiment took part in the training camp of Saarlouis.
On the eve of the Seven Years' War, the regiment counted two battalions.
During the Seven Years' War, the regiment ranked 25th and was under the command of:
- from April 6, 1744: Anne-Louis-Alexandre de Montmorency, Prince de Robecque
- from February 10, 1759: Joseph-Roger de Verdusant, Marquis de Miran
- from February 20, 1761: Louis-Anne-Alexandre de Montmorency, Marquis de Morbecq
- from December 1, 1762 to April 13, 1780: Louis-Ëtienne-Fiançois, Comte de Damas-Crux
Service during the War
In 1756, the regiment was at the camp of Cherbourg for the defence of the coast of Normandy
By August 1, 1757, the regiment was stationed at Caen in Lower Normandy. It remained on the coast of Normandy until 1760.
By June 1761, the regiment was attached to the Army of the Lower Rhine in Germany where, on July 16, it distinguished itself alongside Piémont Infanterie in the Battle of Vellinghausen. On July 25, it was attached to Du Muy's Corps.
By March 1762, the regiment was attached to the Army of the Lower Rhine. By May 29, the regiment was at the camp of Düsseldorf. On August 25, it took part in the Engagement of Grüningen. At the end of the year, when the French army evacuated Germany, it was directed on Valenciennes.
In 1763, the regiment garrisoned Douai.
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neckstock | black | ||||||||||||
| Coat | grey-white
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| Waistcoat | red | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | grey-white | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | white | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.
Officers
n/a
Musicians
The drummers of the regiment wore the Royal Livery: blue coat lined red; red cuffs, waistcoat and breeches; laced with the braid of the small Royal Livery.
Colours
The colonel flag was white with a white cross. The ordonnance flags had their cantons gironnés green, crimson and aurore with a white cross. The ordonnance flags remained unchanged from 1684 to 1791.
References
This article incorporates texts from the following books which are now in the public domain:
- Susane, Louis: Histoire de l'ancienne infanterie française, J. Corréard, Paris, 1849-1856, Tome 5, pp. 107-118, 122-124
Other sources
Evrard P.: Praetiriti Fides
Funcken, Liliane and Fred: Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
Menguy, Patrice: Les Sujets du Bien Aimé (a great website which has unfortunately disappeared from the web)
Mouillard, Lucien: Les Régiments sous Louis XV, Paris 1882
Pajol, Charles P. V.: Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. VII, Paris, 1891
Rogge, Christian: The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006
Sommaire des forces armées Françaises à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la France - 1er Août 1757, Service Historique de l'armée de terre
Vial, J. L.: Nec Pluribus Impar
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
