Infantry in the 18th Century: Organization, Order and Mission

[Jazzy]

There are not two but three or a thousand reasons to replace the bonnet with a tri-corne. I have unfortunatly not yet the possiblity to correct my terrible English grammar and orthography. The content should still be understandable. Multiply the unit numbers (infantry 3 times, cavallry 2 times)!

[Jazzy]

Changes related to the organization and numbers of french infantry regiments from 1756 to 1760

[Jazzy]

Republique de Berne (Ancien Régime)

State of development 1721

Total: 6 selected regiments with 13'200 men, 8 fusilier regiments with 9'600 men, 1 sukkurs regiment for Geneva with 1'014 men stationed in La Vaud and 118 companies of the territorial forces with 21'000 men. All units were militia units and were only called up for training sessions or in case of a mobilization in preparation of a war.

It appears that the following subdivision existed:

Rgt type selection (1st class)
- 2 bat (each 825 men)

Rgt type fusilier (2nd class)
- 2 bat (each 600 men)

Cp type territorial (each about 170 men); (3rd class)

State of development after 1770

Total: 21 selected regiments with 21'000 men, 2 independant batallions stationed in Buren and Avanche (each 1000 men strong), 14 jager and 8 sharpshooter companies together 2'434 men, 4 regiments of dragoon (each about 1'000 men), 24 companies of artillery with 1960 men, the numbers of the engineer corps and the flotilla on Lac Léman are not clear. All units were militia units and were only called up for training sessions or in case of a mobilization in preparation of a war. Additionally there was a theoretical potential reserve of 84 batallions of the type fusilier (2nd class) on paper (48000 men) but as the French invasion in 1798 shows, these numbers existed just on paper.

It appears that the regiments consisted normally of the two batallion.

Rgt type selection (1st class)
- 2 bat (each 500 men) - the ratio 1:1 related to inf - gren appears dubious to me.

Independant formations
- 2 bat (each 1000 men)

Cp of jager/sharpshooters (each about 110 men)


http://hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D7383-1-5.php