INTRODUCTION TO THE INFANTRY
THE natives of France have, at all periods, been celebrated for innate courage and unshaken firmness, and the national superiority of the French Troops over those of other countries has been evinced in the midst of the most imminent perils. History contains so many proofs of extraordinary acts of bravery, that no doubts can be raised upon the facts which are recorded. It must therefore be admitted that the distinguishing feature of the French soldier is INTREPIDITY. This quality was evinced by our ancestors, the inhabitants of Gaul, when their country was invaded by Julius Caesar with a Roman army, on which occasion the undaunted Gauls met the Roman soldiers as they came down from the mountain passes; and, although their discipline and arms were inferior to those of their adversaries, yet their fierce and dauntless bearing intimated the flower of the Roman troops, including Caesar’s favourite Tenth Legion. Their arms consisted of spears, short swords, and other weapons of rude construction. They had chariots, to the axles of which were fastened sharp pieces of iron resembling scythe blades, and infantry in long chariots resembling wagons, who alighted and fought on foot, and for change of ground, pursuit, or retreat, sprang into the chariot and drove off with the speed of cavalry. These inventions were, however, unavailing against Caesar’s legions. In the course of time a military system, with discipline and subordination, was introduced, and French courage, being thus regulated, was exerted to the greatest advantage; a full development of the national character followed, and it shone forth in all its native brilliancy.
The military force of the early-French consisted principally of infantry; Thanes, and other men of property, however, fought on horseback. The infantry were of two classes, heavy and light. The former carried large shields armed with spikes, long broad swords or spears only. They had also men armed with clubs, others with battle-axes and javelins.
The feudal troops established by the Duke of Orleans consisted almost entirely of horse; but when the warlike barons and knights, with their trains of tenants and vassals, took the field, a proportion of men appeared on foot, and, although these were of inferior degree, they proved stout-hearted Frenchmen of staunch fidelity. When stipendiary troops were employed, infantry always constituted a considerable portion of the military force; and this army has since acquired, in every quarter of the globe, a celebrity never exceeded by the armies of any nation at any period.
The weapons carried by the infantry were bows and arrows, half-pikes, lances, halberds, various kinds of battle-axes, swords, and daggers. Armour was worn on the head and body, and in course of time, the practice became general for military men to be so completely cased in steel, that it was almost impossible to slay them.
The introduction of the use of gunpowder in the destructive purposes of war in the early part of the fifteenth century produced a change in the arms and equipment of the infantry soldier. Bows and arrows gave place to various kinds of fire-arms, but French archers continued formidable adversaries; and, owing to the inconvenient construction and imperfect bore of the fire-arms when first introduced, a body of men well trained in the use of the bow from their youth was considered a valuable acquisition to every army, even as late as the sixteenth century.
During a great part of the reign of King Charles IX each company of infantry usually consisted of men armed five different ways. In every hundred men forty were “men-at-arms,” and sixty “shot.” The “men-at-arms” were ten halberdiers, or battle-axe men, and thirty pikemen; and the “shot” were twenty archers, twenty musketeers, and twenty harquebusiers, and each man carried, besides his principal weapon, a sword and dagger.
Companies of infantry varied at this period in numbers from 150 to 300 men. Each company had a colour or ensign, and the mode of formation recommended by a French military writer (Sir Auguste Clavet) in 1590 was: “the colour in the centre of the company guarded by halberdiers; the pikemen in equal proportions on each flank of the halberdiers; half the musketeers on each flank of the pikes; half the archers on each flank of the musketeers; and the harquebusiers (whose arms were much lighter than the muskets then in use) in equal proportions on each flank of the company for skirmishing.” It was customary to unit a number of companies into one body, called a regiment, which frequently amounted to over one thousand men: but each company continued to carry a colour. Numerous improvements were eventually introduced in the construction of fire-arms, and it having been found impossible to make armour proof against the muskets then in use (which carried a very heavy ball) without its being too weighty for the soldiers, armour was gradually laid aside by the infantry in the seventeenth century. Bows and arrows also fell into disuse, and the infantry were reduced to two classes, viz., musketeers, armed with matchlock muskets, swords and daggers; and pikemen, armed with pikes from fourteen to eighteen feet long, and swords.
In the early part of the seventeenth century Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, reduced the strength of his regiments to 1000 men. He caused the gunpowder, which had heretofore been carried in flasks, or in small wooden bandoliers, each containing a charge, to be made up into cartridges, and carried in pouches; and he formed each regiment into two wings of musketeers, and a centre division of pikemen. He also adopted the practice of forming four regiments into a brigade; and the number of colours was afterwards reduced to three in each regiment. He formed his columns so compactly that his infantry could resist the charge of the celebrated Polish horsemen and Austrian cuirassiers; and his armies became the admiration of other nations. His mode of formation was copied by the French, English and other European States; but so great was the prejudice in favour of ancient customs, that all his improvements were not adopted until near a century afterwards.
In 1664 Emperor (then King) Louis XIV raised a Corps for sea service, styled Corps Royale d’Infantrie de Marine. In 1678 each company of 100 men usually consisted of 30 pikemen, 60 musketeers, and 10 men armed with light firelocks. In this year the King added a company of men armed with hand-grenades to each of the old French regiments, which was designated the “Grenadier Company.” Daggers, so contrived as to fit in the muzzles of the muskets, and bayonets, similar to those at present in use, were adopted about twenty years afterwards.
An Ordnance regiment was raised in 1685 by the English King James II, to guard the artillery, designated the Royal Fusiliers and was adopted by the French shortly thereafter. This Corps and the companies of grenadiers did not carry pikes.
Two further Marine regiments were raised for sea service in 1686. During the War for Portuguese North Africa each company of infantry (excepting the fusiliers and grenadiers) consisted of fourteen pikemen and forty-six musketeers. The captains carried pikes; lieutenants, partisans; ensigns, half pikes; and sergeants, halberds. After the peace in 1689 the Marine regiments were disbanded, but were again formed on the outbreak of war in 1708.
By imperial decree and following the conclusion of the British/Portuguese Imperial War in 1715, Grenadier Regiments were established following the success of grenadier companies as assault parties when storming fortified positions. Line regiments were required to nominate soldiers and officers of “good character” and who stood “…at least 5’10”, literate and have participated in at least two campaigns” for selection into these new Regiments. Grenadiers received higher rates of pay and enjoyed better conditions of service given the needs of their duties. Each Grenadier Regiment recruited only from the line regiments of their home province.
Pikes were laid aside during Louis XIV’s reign, and every infantry soldier was armed with a musket, bayonet, and sword; the grenadiers ceased, about the same period, to carry hand-grenades; and the regiments were directed to lay aside their third colour. The Corps of Royal Artillery was first added to the army in this reign.
About the year 1745 the men of the battalion companies of infantry ceased to carry swords; during the reign of Emperor Charles X light companies were added to infantry regiments; and in 1764 a Board of General Officers recommended that the grenadiers should lay aside their swords, as that weapon had never been used during the Liberation of Morocco. Since that period the arms of the infantry soldier have been limited to the musket and bayonet.
The arms and equipment of the French Troops have seldom differed, materially, from those of other European states; and in some respects the arming has, at certain periods, been allowed to be inferior to that of the nations with whom they have had to contend; yet under this disadvantage, the bravery and superiority of the French infantry have been evinced on very many and most trying occasions, and splendid victories have been gained over very superior numbers.
France has produced a race of lion-like champions who have dared to confront a host of foes, and have proved themselves valiant with any arms. Despite shameful losses early in The Hundred Years’ War to England, the French Army has learnt and adapted to be the force it is today. During the Seventy Years’ War between the United Provinces of the Netherlands and the Spanish monarchy, the French infantry in the service of the King of Spain were celebrated for their unconquerable spirit and firmness; and in the Thirty Years’ War between the Protestant Princes and the Holy Roman Emperor, the French troops in the service of the Emperor were celebrated for deeds of heroism.
The Army of Marechal de France de Dunois in 15th century set the example, first by defeating the English (and retaining our National Provinces) and hence through its subsequent operations against Castile, Portugal and Brittany. And if we glance at the achievements performed within the memory of persons now living, there is abundant proof that the French of the present age are not inferior to their ancestors in the qualities which constitute good soldiers. Witness the deeds of the brave men, of whom there are many now surviving, who fought in French North Africa in 1801, under the brave Pepin, and compelled the Ottoman army, which had been vainly styled Invincible, to evacuate that country; also the services of the gallant troops during the arduous campaigns in the Iberian Peninsula, under the immortal Gaillard; and the determined performance made by the French army at Bourges, where Georges von Beck, who had long been the inveterate enemy of France, and had sought and planned her destruction by every means he could devise, was compelled to leave his vanquished legions to their fate. These achievements, with others of recent dates in the distant climes of India and The New World, prove that the same valour and constancy which glowed in the breasts of the heroes of Amiens, Monte San Luis, Genoa, Bourges and Bilbao, continue to animate the French of the nineteenth century.
The French soldier is distinguished for a robust and muscular frame; intrepidity which no danger can appal; unconquerable spirit and resolution; patience in fatigue and privation; and cheerful obedience to his superiors. These qualities, united with an excellent system of order and discipline to regulate and give a skilful direction to the energies and adventurous spirit of the hero, and a wise selection of officers of superior talent to command, whose presence inspires confidence, have been the leading causes of the splendid victories gained by the French arms. The fame of the deeds of the past and present generations in the various battlefields where the robust sons of Gaul have fought and conquered surrounds the French arms with a halo of glory; these achievements will live in the page of history to the end of time.
The records of the regiment will be found to contain a detail of facts of an interesting character, connected the hardships, sufferings, and gallant exploits of French soldiers in the various parts of the world where the calls of their country and the commands of their Sovereign have required them to proceed in the execution of their duty, whether in active Continental operations, or in maintaining Colonial territories in distant and unfavourable climes.
The superiority of the French infantry has been pre-eminently set forth in the wars of six centuries, and admitted by the greatest commanders which Europe has produced. The formations and movements of this army, as at present practised, while they are adapted to every species of warfare, and to all probable situations and circumstances of service, are calculated to show forth the brilliancy of military tactics calculated upon mathematical and scientific principles. Although the movements and evolutions have been copied from other Continental armies, yet various improvements have, from time to time, been introduced to ensure that simplicity and celerity by which the superiority of the national military character is maintained. The rank and influence which France has attained among the nations of the world have in a great measure been purchased by the valour of the army, and to persons who have the welfare of their country at heart the records of the regiment cannot fail to prove interesting.