R Hall - French Artillery 1688-1714

O R G A N I S AT I O N , F L A G S A N D U N I F O R M S
OF THE
F R E N C H A RT I L L E R Y A N D
BOMBARDIERS
UNDER
LOUIS XIV
1688-1714
BY
R O B E RT H ALL & YVES ROUMEGOUX
First Edition 2002
Copyright according to the Berne Convention. All rights reserved.
© R. Hall 2002
The French Artillery and Bombardiers under Louis XIV
Table of Contents
Bibliographie .............................................................................................................................. 3
History of the Artillery................................................................................................................. 4
Uniform:.................................................................................................................................. 8
Flags: ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Royal-Bombardiers .................................................................................................................. 10
Uniforms:.............................................................................................................................. 11
Flags: ................................................................................................................................... 11
Companies of Miners............................................................................................................... 12
Engineers - Ingénieurs du Roi ................................................................................................. 15
Companies of Galiotes ............................................................................................................ 17
Flags: ................................................................................................................................... 17
Uniforms:.............................................................................................................................. 17
Bombardiers de la Marine ....................................................................................................... 18
Bombardiers de la Marine – Overview of officers commanding .......................................... 21
Toulon............................................................................................................................... 21
Brest ................................................................................................................................. 21
Rochefort .......................................................................................................................... 22
Actions.............................................................................................................................. 22
Uniforms............................................................................................................................... 22
Compagnie franche de Cannoniers des Côtes de l’Ocean ..................................................... 25
Uniform:................................................................................................................................ 26
Flags: ................................................................................................................................... 26
Gardes de la Marine ................................................................................................................ 27
Uniforms:.............................................................................................................................. 27
Gardiens des Vaisseaux.......................................................................................................... 28
List of Plates ............................................................................................................................ 29
2
Bibliographie
1. Drapeaux d’infanterie au service de France 1721 by Hermand 119 plates (bibliothèque du
musée de l’Armée) A1J9. I could not review the original but Général C.R. Michel
Hanotaux, one of the experts on the subject of French military flags, generously made his
own documents and traces available to me. [A1J9].
2. “Recueil des drapeaux d’infanterie de la France présenté à Son Altesse Sérénissime le

Duc du Maine” 326 pages with 338 coloured drawings of infantry flags under Louis XIV.
This is a copy of the original manuscript of “Eu” of 1715 of which the whereabouts is
unknown. It was made by Du Vivier and was in the Bibliothéque Brunon in the Château
de l’Emperi in Salon de Provence [DuVivier].
3. “Fonds de la Moskowa” This is a collection of several hundred coloured drawings of flags

many of which were copied from the lost manuscript of “Eu”. While not original it contains
copies of original manuscripts made for the Prince de La Moskowa and is kept in the
bibliothèque du musée de l’Armée, Paris [La Moskowa].
4. Notes on contemporary descriptions of uniforms compiled by Giancarlo Boeri and René

Chartrand. The documents concerned are: “État Général des Troupes de France 1692”
(Service historique de l’Armée de terre, manuscrit A1B 1626, surnommé “Les Tiroirs de
Louis XIV” [A1B]; “Le Mercure Galant” septembre 1698 [Gal]; “État des troupes
françaises 1698 par L.F. Corfey” [Cor]; “État des Troupes de France en l’année 1702”
(S.H.A.T A2B) [A2B].
5. Pinard, “Chronologie Historique Militaire” Paris 1778 Tome VIII. [Pinard]
6. Peter, Jean, “Les Artilleurs de la Marine sous Louis XIV”, Economica, Paris 19?? ISBN 2-
7178-2821-4
7. Boudriot, Jean with H. Berti, “L’artillerie de Mer, Marine française 1650-1850”, ANCRE,
Paris 1992
8. Fouré, Pierre “Drapeaux d’infanterie française sous Louis XIV 1638-1715” privately
published St. Cloud 1977. Despite the title, it handles the history of the infantry, uniforms
and flags from 1643-1791 and was issued in the form of black and white plates to be
coloured by the user. This work, along with my own correspondence with the late Pierre
Fouré, was an important basis of this work [Fouré].
9. Lynn, John A. “Giant of the Grand Siècle, the French Army 1610-1715” Cambridge
University Press 1999 ISBN 0-521-57273-8. This is the most comprehensive history of
the organisation and structure of the French army currently available in English [Lynn].
10. Saint-Rémy “Memoires d’Artillerie” 1702, reprint LTR Verlag, Bad Honneff 1982 ISBN 3-
rd
88706-149-7. The 3 edition gave the uniform of Ferrand d’Ecossay. [St. Remy]
11. Susane “Histoire de l’artillerie française” Paris 1876 – reprint C. Terana 1992 ISBN 2-
904221-04-02. Susane’s books have been used for the details of service. [Susane]
12. Belhomme, Victor, Lieutenant-col. Histoire de l’Infanterie en France, Paris, 1893-1902

[Belhomme].
13. Pétard, Michel “Les Bombardiers de la Marine” in Tradition No. 45 1990 Paris. [Pétard]
14. Daniel, Père G., “Histoire de la Milice Françoise”, 1728, Paris. [Daniel]
15. Boudriot, Jean“Les Gardes de la Marine” in Neptunia No. 105 1972 [Boudriot]
3
History of the Artillery

At the beginning of our period the artillery still had more of the character of a guild than a
military organisation. In 1666 a system of 6 calibres was introduced. Of these 4 were of
French origin, 33, 16, 8, and 4 pounds, the 2 others being of Spanish origin, 24 and 12
pounds. The next year, 1667, artillerymen were demanded of the towns, as was the previous
custom. However, at the end of the war instead of sending them back to the towns, Louis XIV
formed 6 permanent companies, 4 of cannoneers and 2 of bombardiers.
On 18.07.1669 the Duc de Lude took over as Grand Maître de l’Artillerie from Mazarin. When
th
the regiment of Fusiliers du Roi was created on 04 Feb. 1671 it was the Duc de Lude who
took over as lieutenant colonel, the colonel being the king himself. This regiment had the
express duty of guarding the cannon on march and in camp, a job previously reserved to the
Swiss regiments. The regiment of fusiliers was so called because, unlike the ordinary infantry
of the day, they were the first regiment to be completely armed with the flintlock fusil instead
of the musket, the lighted matches of the musketeers being dangerous near gunpowder. It is
significant that, except the Gardes Suisses, there were no Swiss regiments in the army at the
time. The regiment was the first to receive uniform and the first to be armed with bayonets.
To form the 4 companies of 100 men the king used the remains of the old company of the
Grand Maître, which looked after the arsenal in Paris. This company was under the direct
nd
command of the Grand Maître. A 2 company consisted of sappers and was commanded by
rd
Lt. Col. Abel-Louis de Marans de Varennes previously major in the regiment du Roi. The 3
th
and 4 companies were composed of carpenters and ironworkers who knew how to repair the
material and build bridges. The remaining three companies were made up of men drawn from
the infantry, mainly from the fortresses of Flanders and Picardie. All the officers were drawn
from the regiment du Roi.
The commissaires (commissioners) of artillery remained outside this organisation although

their status was improved by the creation of the ranks of commissaire provincal and
commissaire extraordinaire, equivalent to the ranks of lieutenant colonel and lieutenant
respectively.
th
On 20 August 1671, at the beginning of the Dutch war, the regiment was increased by 22
companies taken from the infantry. Two of these were organised as grenadiers and the
regiment then consisted of 2 battalions each of 13 companies. The lieutenant colonel’s
company of sappers, belonging to the king, marched at the head of the first battalion while the
nd
colonels company, the cannoniers of the Grand maître, marched at the head of the 2 . Each
rd
of the two companies of ouvriers (artificers), which were later to march at the head of the 3
th
and 4 battalions, was assigned to one of the two battalions. Each battalion also had a
company of grenadiers.
Copper or white metal pontoons, inspired by those taken from the Dutch after 1672, became
a regular part of the equipment in the subsequent years.
In Nov. 1677 the regiment was increased by 4 battalions using 60 companies taken from the
later battalions of the Vieux Corps. These four stood at the left of the original battalions
ordered by the rank of the regiments from which they were taken,
th
At the peace of 1679 the 6 battalion was disbanded and the others were sent to Douai
st
where an artillery school was founded on 1 May 1679. This school later followed the
regiment when it was transferred to Metz and Strasbourg.
Note that at this period the regiment still performed the ordinary duties of infantry with the
special function of guarding the artillery park on the march and in camp. Like the Swiss before
them, they sometimes assisted the cannoneers but this was not part of their regular duties,
although later developments hint that Louis XIV may have been already thinking in this
direction.
4
th
On 26 December 1678 M. de Barville, an old commissaire d’artillerie, replaced the previous
officer, M. de Cavoye, as Lt. Colonel of the Regiment des Fusiliers. In 1679 after the
th
disbandment of the 6 battalion the king had discharged the cannoneers in the towns and,
returned to his plan of raising 6 companies of soldats cannoniers, giving command of them to
the 6 oldest captains of the regiment of fusiliers. M. de Cavoye was persuaded to give up the
position of Lt. Col. to lead one of them himself.
At the same time two companies of Bombardiers and one of miners were created and given
to M. de Vigny, Camelin and Le Goulon, all three being officers of artillery. Belhomme
documents the status of the artillery in 1679 as being: 6 companies of cannoniers with 600
men, 2 of Bombardiers with 160 men, 3 of galiotes with 240 men and 2 of miners with 180
men, instead of the one company given by Susane.
By 1679 the exactitude of cannon had reached a stage of perfection that Vauban in his Traité
de l’attaque et de la défense des places could contend: “With cannon you can make a breech
where you want, when you want and how you want.”
In 1683 the regiment of fusiliers was summoned to the camp of Bouquenom and took part in
the siege of Luxembourg the following year, providing detachments to serve the cannon along
with the companies of cannoneers and bombardiers. The larger part of the regiment did duty
as infantry as it had previously done, distinguishing itself in the taking of the citadel of the
town. After the siege the fusiliers went into garrison in Metz. That year there were 5
independent companies of Bombardiers, 6 of cannoniers and 2 of fusiliers in army of Sarre.
th
Three months after the siege of Luxemburg, on 28 August 1684, Louis XIV created a real
regiment of artillery under the name of Royal-Bombardiers, which however was still ranked
among the infantry. (See the chapter on the Bombardiers below).
th
When the Duke d’Humières replaced the Duke de Lude as Grand Maître on 17 November
1685 the personnel attached to the artillery corps included the lieutenant-generals, provincial
commissionaires, both ordinary and extraordinary, brevetted cannoneers and bombardiers,
capitaines de charrois and various administrative functionaries in the artillery proper and in
addition the two regiments of Fusiliers du Roi and Royal-Bombardiers, six detached
companies of gunners and a company of miners.
th
On 13 January 1686 the king regulated the rank of the artillery officers relative to other
regiments for the first time to prevent disputes. This ordinance laid down that officers were to
obey artillery officers commanding the army. Provincial commissioners of artillery were to
rank as lieutenant colonels according to their dates of commission. The ordinary
commissioners had the same rank relative to captains and the extraordinary commissioners
relative to lieutenants.
When war broke out in 1688 the Fusiliers and Bombardiers served side by side at the sieges
of Phillipsburg, Mannheim and Frankenthal. At the start of the next campaign when it became
necessary to support several armies Louis XIV doubled the number of companies of gunners
to 12. The men for the new companies were taken once again from the ancient regiments of
infantry and the regiment of Fusiliers, which furnished the officers. The Fusiliers were
rd th
increased by 2 companies of grenadiers who were placed in the 3 and 4 battalions.
In 1689 the Fusiliers detached 2 battalions to the army of Flanders and 2 others to the army
nd
of the Rhine. The 2 battalion with Major de Maisoncelles was sent to Italy under Catinat.
Those who were in Flanders took part in the battle of Fleurus in 1690 and at the siege of
Mons.
1690 saw the artillery with a strength of: regiment of Fusiliers with 4 companies of 100 men, 5
companies of 50 and 74 companies of 45 men giving a total of 3,980 men. There were also
12 companies of cannoniers of 50 men each, 3 companies of galiotes, 2 of sailors and 2 of
river boatmen altogether 1140 men. [Belhomme]
5
That same year a cart with additional powder, matches, flint stones, and ball was to follow
each infantry battalion into action. When necessary, it refilled in the artillery park. In
mountainous areas it was replaced by a pack mule train.
th
The Royal ordinance of 26 April 1691, which brought all infantry regiments to 13 companies,
also affected the organisation of the regiments of artillery. With the supernumerary companies
rd
of the Fusiliers and Royal-Bombardiers a new battalion of artillery was formed which took 3
rank because M. de Bouvincourt who commanded it, had been the third captain of the
regiment. The composition of the corps was also newly regulated: the first 4 battalions each
th
received a company of ouvriers cannoniers, one of grenadiers and 11 of fusiliers; the 5
th
battalion had one of grenadiers and 12 of Fusiliers, the 6 had 13 companies of fusiliers,
altogether 78 companies of which the 4 old companies of 110 workers were to look after the
equipment and the construction of bridges and batteries. The 5 companies of 45 grenadiers
and 69 of 55 fusiliers made up a total of 3,795 men. Along with the 12 independent
companies of gunners of 60 men each, the company of miners (2 according to Belhomme), 3
companies of galiotes, 1 of river boatmen, the corps of artillery attained a total of 6,370 men.
Four battalions of Fusiliers served in 1692 in the army of Flanders, at the siege of Namur and
the battle of Steinkirk. [Susane]
th
An ordinance of 15 April 1693 forbade generals to use the Fusiliers as ordinary line infantry
and emphasised their special situation by renaming them Régiment Royal de l’Artillerie as
well as assigning the officers ranks within the hierarchy of the artillery. It was further ordained
that the 12 ancient independent companies of gunners were to be incorporated 2 each into
the 6 battalions of Royal Artillerie raising the number of cannoniers in each to 3. The captains
of the ouvriers companies were forbidden taking on men without a trade and ordered to take
only men with a trade of smith, mechanic, cartwright, joiner, carpenter, blacksmith, sword
smith, coppersmith (for the pontoons), mason, turner or saddler. The 85 companies were now
made up of 4 of workers, 17 of cannoniers, and 64 simple companies in which the men were
still called fusiliers. Thus there were 95 companies of which 4 were artificers, 12 canonneers,
5 grenadiers, and 74 fusiliers. This ordinance is regarded as the origin of the systematic
organisation of artillery in France.
Three battalions of Royal Artillerie with 70 guns were attached to the army of Flanders of
nd
under Marshall de Luxembourg in 1693. Two served with the army of the Rhine and the 2
battalion remained on the Alps. But the changes did not bring the desired improvement, which
lead Louis XIV to replace d’Humières with his own favourite son, the Duke du Maine, as
Grand Maître de l’Artillerie.
For 1694 Belhomme gives a total of 6,770 men in all branches of artillery.
th
On 25 November 1695 a new ordinance emphasised that the Royal Artillerie was not to
serve in line, nor in the trenches, and only to be commanded by the officer in charge of
artillery. The 5 grenadier companies were changed into companies of cannoniers. The
situation in the regiment was now:
Batt. Artificers Cannoniers Simple

@ 110 m. @ 55 m. @ 55 m.
st
1 1 3 9
nd
2 1 3 10
rd
3 1 3 10
th
4 1 3 10
th
5 - 3 12
th
6 - 2 13
Altogether 5610 men.
Pay was regulated to encourage men and officers to seek advancement from the simple
companies into the cannoniers and to the artificers (ouvriers), who were paid best. Officers
received bonuses when their company came close to full strength.
6
Also in 1695 it was demanded that each field company of infantry was to carry 5 tools so that
each battalion would be able to set up camp and repair roads without recourse to the artillery
th
park. On 20 September the king ordered that each company have 8 tools carried by the
soldiers. Of these the picks and shovels were to be carried by the fusiliers and the hatchets
by the grenadiers.
In 1698 the Royal Artillerie was reduced to 4 battalions, which appeared at the camp of
Compiegne under the command of Lt. Col. de La Harteloire.
th
An ordinance of 10 January 1700 reduced the 4 companies of artificers of artillery to 80 men
each; the 16 companies of cannoniers were reduced from 40 to 35men.
The artillery in 1702 consisted of Royal Artillerie with 2,880 men, the Bombardiers with 735, 3
companies of galiotes and 3 of miners together 508 men giving a total of 4,123 men.
In Italy that year the artillery commander, M. de Cray, organised a train of 600 mules to
supply the infantry with powder since the territory did not allow the carts to follow the infantry
across country.
Susane summarizes the service of the artillery in the War of the Spanish Succession as
follows:
st
1 Batt. served in Flanders from 1702 till 1712 then on the Rhine at Landau and
Freiburg.
nd th
2 Batt. served on the Rhine, 1703 at Breisach and Landau, Left Alsace 25
September 1705 for Piedmont joining the army of La Feuillade at Asti. After
Turin in 1706 it was in Provence, Roussillon, and Catalonia. In 1714 at
Barcelona.
rd
3 Batt. served at the start of the war in Italy, built the bridge at Cremona. After 1706
it served in Dauphiné.
th
4 Batt. fought on the Rhine and in Germany in the armies of Villars and Marsin. After
Blenheim it was placed on the lines of Lauterburg which it left in 1705 for
Flanders where it served at the sieges of Lille and Douai, returning to the
Rhine in 1713.
th rd
5 Batt. re-established 23 June 1706 remained attached to the army of Germany
and was once again disbanded at the peace.
An edict of August 1703 put the construction of roads and bridges in the kingdom under the
charge of the artillery.
Belhomme gives the following details: in 1703 Royal Artillerie had 2,880 men, the company of
boatsmen 60, and the 3 companies of miners totalled 248. There were also 50 cannoniers of
Mantua. In 1704 63 cannoniers d’Espagne and 60 boatmen under Gaspar Mayer were added.
In 1705 2 companies of miners raised from 60 to 80 men each, bringing the 3 companies of
miners to 280. In Spain 50 cannoniers were raised in June 1705 by taking three men from
each of the French battalions still there. Command was given to Sieur Pannet, lieutenant de
l’Artillerie. It was on the same foot as the other companies of cannoneers. [Saint-Rémy] and
th
joined Royal Artillerie as a 17 company. Royal Artillerie now had 3,010 men.
That same year the inspectors asked the artillery to make cartridges because infantry didn’t
know how to do it properly but the artillery responded that the fusils were not all of the same
calibre. Majors were therefore ordered to take 3 or 4 rolls of thick paper and rolls of wire to
make them. The artillery supplied powder, balls with necks (tails to tie into the cartridges) or
lead and moulds of the required calibre as well as instructors to train the sergeants and
corporals in making cartridges. The balls with necks eased tying them into cartridges but had
a negative effect on the flight and range of the ball.
The year 1706 saw Royal Artillery at a paper strength of 3,595 men at which it remained until
the end of the war. In 1713 the compagnie de canonniers d’Espagne, the company of
boatmen and 5 companies of miners were also still on the list.
th th
On 20 April 1714 the company of Canonniers d’Espagne was taken on as the 18 company
of canonniers of Royal Artillerie.
7
That year in March one company of miners was reduced to 60 men and two others to 50 each
and the company of boatmen under Gaspar Meyer was disbanded in October.
1715 saw further reductions: the company of miners under Voilain was disbanded; the 4
companies of ouvriers were reduced to 80 men and those of canonniers and fusiliers to 40
th
except those of the 5 battalion which remained at 45. The free company of canonniers was
reduced to 40 and, among the miners, 3 companies were reduced to 30 men and one to 60.
th
An ordinance of 5 Feb.1720 united all the troops attached to the service of artillery into a
single corps, which took on the name “Régiment Royal de l’Artillerie”.
Uniform:
Susane 1671: it was composed of a white coat with blue cuffs and linings, the collar,
waistcoat, breeches and stockings were red and the buttons of gilded metal.
In September 1680 the uniforms were recorded as:

Captains: fine grey-white English cloth lined blue with a 4 inch gold lace on the cuffs, the
breeches of a lovely colour of fire (orange red) as were the stockings, and decorated with a
gold lace at each side. Gold buttons. The baldric covered with gold lace. Gloves with gold
fringes. The hat grey-white with a feather in colour of fire. The lieutenants similar to the
captains.
The men in good grey cloth lined blue, breeches and stockings red, the hat bordered (colour
yellow?) belt buff leather with fire-coloured (orange-red) ribbons. All soldiers were armed with
1
flintlocks, bayonets and swords.
At the camp of Compiegne in1698 the two battalions of Royal Artillerie were dressed in good
white cloth, lined blue, stockings, waistcoats and breeches red. A red cockade on the hat. Belt
buff. Flintlock and bayonet. The sergeants were similar but had a two-inch broad gold lace (on
2
cuffs?).
It was only in the year 1722 that all the artillery received the blue uniform with red facings,
which was to remain typical for the next centuries. The gunners and sappers would have had
few problems accepting it instead of the white uniform as being more practical. This uniform
consisted of a blue coat with cuffs, waistcoat, breeches, stockings and linings scarlet, with
golden lace for the officers and aurore for the non-commissioned officers and men. Buttons
were golden (yellow). The artillery also received a fusil fitted in copper and decorated with a
shield with the arms of the Duc du Maine and the motto: Decent Jovis fulmina prolem.
1
Mercure Galant September 1680 Page 145 Régiment de Fuziliers du Roy ... plusieurs bataillons composent ce
Régiment. Il y en a deux qui sont des Bataillons de Campagne & occupez aux Fortifications de Louvigny, deux autres
en garnison à Lille & un à Dunkerque. Il est commandé par Mr le Duc de Lude Grand Maistre de l'Artillerie & par Mr
de Balville Lieutenant Colonel & fut crée pour estre auprès de canon & pour le garder ... Les Capitaines sont habillez
d'un Drap d'Angleterre gris-blanc & tres-fin, doublé d'une Mouere bleue avec un galon d'or large de quatre doigts sur
les revers des manches. Les chausses sont d'un très beau couleur de feu, ainsi que les bas & garnies de galon d'or
à chaque costé. Ils ont leur baudrier tout couvert d'une manière de broderie d'or filé, des boutons d'or, des gans
frangez aussi d'or & des chapeaux de castor gris-blanc avec une plume couleur de feu.
L'ajustement des Lieutenants approche fort celuy des Capitaines. Les Sergens sont aussi fort propres & les Soldats
ne le sont pas moins. Ils ont leurs habits d'un bon drap gris doublé de bleu, des chausses & des bas rouges, des
chapeaux bordez & des baudriers & les bandolieres de buffle, avec des rubans couleur de feu. Tous les Soldats de
ce Regiment sont armez d'une epée, d'un fuzil & d'une baïonnette.
2
Compiègne 1698: [Gal] L'habillement des deux Bataillons de Royal Artillerie est d'un bon drap blanc, doublé de bleu
avec des bas, vestes et culottes rouges, un ceinturon de buffle, une porte-fourniment de buffle, un fusil, une
baïonnette & une cocarde rouge au chapeau. Les Sergens ont un bord d'or fin large de deux doigts & l'habit est d'un
drap plus fin que celuy des Soldats.
8
Flags:
Susane 1671: The flags were similar to those of the regiment du Roi with the difference that
the red and green, instead of being matt colours, contained reflecting elements of aurore
meant to recall the “fires of heaven and hell” ("feux du ciel et de l'enfer").
In 1677 the regiment distinguished itself at the siege of Cambrai and was consequently
allowed to add fleurs-de-lys to the cross of the flag.
Each battalion carried its own colonel’s white flag and the ordonnance, which was that of the
old Fusiliers du Roi. [Susane]
Drapeau d’ordonnance: White cross with gold fleurs de lys; cantons 1 and 4 green/aurore
alternating (reflecting colours); 2 and 3 yellow/aurore alternating (reflecting colours). [DuVivier
No. 92 and A1J9]
Drapeau colonel: White cross with gold fleurs de lys, white cantons. [DuVivier No. 91 and
A1J9]
9
Royal-Bombardiers
Royal-Bombardiers, as the title implies, was specialised in the service of the large siege guns
and mortars whose use became widespread in this period to counteract the improvements
which Vauban and his imitators had brought to the art of fortifying towns and places. In
peacetime they also served as garrisons for frontier towns. Louis XIII brought over an English
expert, Malthus, before 1642. He was killed in 1658 at Gravelines but not before he had
established the position of the mortar in the French army.
Our story begins in 1679 when two companies of bombardiers were created and given to
Jean-Baptiste de Vigny and Nicolas Camelin, capitaines de Bombardiers de Terre. Three
th
months after the siege of Luxemburg, on 28 August 1684, Louis XIV created a true regiment
of artillery under the name Royal-Bombardiers that was still ranked among the infantry. This
corps was composed of the companies of Vigny and Camelin, along with 10 others, two each
taken from the regiments of Piémont, Navarre, Champagne, La Marine, and Fusiliers du Roi.
In 1686 it received 2 additional companies.
Royal-Bombardiers had the King as Colonel-Owner as did the Fusiliers and was also under
the command of the Grand Maître de l’Artillerie as colonel-lieutenant. Its first actual
th
commander was lieutenant-colonel Jean-Baptiste de Vigny (+1707), followed on 20 Jan.
1706 by Louis Camus, Chevalier Destouches. Jean-Baptiste de Vigny received the rank of
th
colonel in 1688, became Capitaine-Général des Bombardiers de France on 15 Mar. 1697,
th er
as did Louis Camus on 18 Jan. 1712. In 1691 M. de Fontenaille, 1 capitaine was
nd
commissioned 2 lieutenant colonel in the absence of M. de Vigny. [St.Rémy] Most of the
companies had around 50 men. The Lieutenant Colonel’s company and the second company
were notably stronger, reduced from 105 men to 90 at the peace of 1697 for the first (40
cadet-Bombardiers and 10 workers included), and 70 reduced to 60 at the peace for the
second (including 10 cadets). [Saint-Rémy]
In 1690 the Bombardiers had 1 company of 100 men, 1 of 70 men and 13 of 45 men giving a
total of 755 men. [Belhomme]
The Ordonnance royale of 26.04.1691 set Royal Bombardiers at 2 companies of bombardiers

of 110 men and 11 companies of 55 fusiliers, altogether 605 men. [Belhomme]
Most of the companies had around 50 men except between 1697 and 1701 when the strength
was reduced to 45 men. [Saint-Rémy]
th st
An ordinance of 10 January 1700 reduced the 1 company of bombardiers to 90 men, the
th
total being 735 men [Belhomme]. This was still the strength in 1704 but by order of 13
February 1705 the ordinary and cannoneer companies of Royal Bombardiers were brought up
to 50 men making a total of 800 men.
In February 1706 Royal Bombardiers was raised to 28 companies, of which 4 were miners,
each of 50 men in 2 battalions, at which strength it remained until the end of the war.
th
On 20 April 1714, when all infantry companies were reduced to 45 men, only the régiment
du Roi and Royal Bombardiers remained at 50 men in each company. [Belhomme]
st
1715 saw the 13 companies of fusiliers of the 1 battalion reduced to 40 men each.
th
The ordinance of 5 Feb.1720 united all the troops attached to the service of artillery into a
single corps that took on the name “Régiment royal de l’Artillerie”.
Colonels-Lieutenants (Grands-Maîtres de l’Artillerie):
1669 Henri de Daillon, duc de Lude,

1685 Louis de Crevant, duc d’Humières
1694 Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
1710 Louis-Charles de Bourbon,comte d’Eu, his son
Lieutenant-Colonels
1684 Jean Baptiste de Vigny
10
1706 Louis Camus chevalier Destouches
1720 +
Actions:
1688 Philippsburg, Mannheim, Frankenthal

1689 Mainz
1690 Fleurus
1691 Mons
1692 Namur, Steenkerque
1693 Charleroi
1695 Brussels
1703 Eckeren
1706 Ramillies
1708 Oudenaarde
Uniforms:
At Compiegne in 1698 the uniform was recorded as white with red stockings, waistcoats and
breeches. Buff belts and red cockade on the hat. Silver lace on the waistcoats differentiated
them from the artillery. The soldiers had a half silver (and red?) knot of ribbons on the
3
shoulder. Officers were marked out by a two inch silver lace. (Buttons silver?)
Flags:
The Royal Bombardiers had flags “tranchés and emmanchés” (diagonally divided by a jagged
line) of blue and red with the white cross strewn with fleur-de-lys. [Susane]
[DuVivier No.135] Bombardiers Colonelle: white with white cross charged with 48 golden
fleur de lys. [DuVivier No. 136] Drapeau d’ordonnance: white cross with 48 golden fleurs de
lys, cantons cut diagonally with a 3-pointed line, (clockwise from the horizontal branch of 1)
alternating red and blue.
[A1J9] Drapeau d’ordonnance: White cross with gold fleurs de lys; cantons identical and cut in
two: (clockwise from the horizontal branch of 1) alternating red and blue.
Drapeau colonel: White cross with gold fleurs de lys, white cantons.
3
[Gal] L'habillement des deux Bataillons de Royal Artillerie est d'un bon drap blanc, doublé de bleu avec des bas,
vestes et culottes rouges, un ceinturon de buffle, un porte-fourniment de buffle, un fusil, une baïonnette & une
cocarde rouge au chapeau. Les Sergens ont un bord d'or fin large de deux doigts & l'habit est d'un drap plus fin que
celuy des Soldats.
L'habillement des Bombardiers est semblable, à la reserve que leurs vestes sont rouges avec des agremens
d'argent. Les Officiers sont fort propres; les Soldats ont sur l'épaule un cordon moitié argent & les Officiers un galon
d'argent large de deux doigts.
11
Companies of Miners
Vauban regarded the creation of companies of miners as a necessity. He had had the
opportunity of dealing with those who took part in the siege of Candia (Crete, 1666-1669) who
told him of the prowess of the Turkish miners during the siege. He therefore made contact
with Chevalier Paul, a veteran of the operations in the Mediterranean and an expert in mining,
with whom he wanted to raise a company: “I think it would be a very good thing to give him a
company of one hundred miners. One could train a quantity of good men. He told me he has
4
a dozen who served with him in Candia and who are the best in the world.” But Louvois did
not seem urgent to follow up on the project: “I am of a strong opinion regarding the company
5
of miners that you propose giving Sieur Paul, but it is necessary to take time on the matter.” .
The premature death of the latter put a temporary end to the project.
However, in 1673 the king authorised the famous engineer, Jean de Mesgrigny, an old
comrade of Vauban and governor of the citadel of Tournai, to raise a free company of 120
men. It was divided into six squads of which three were ordinary squads intended to serve in
the citadel. M. de Mesgrigny organised the other three to construct and maintain the
countermines of the citadel and to serve under the engineers during sieges. Two were
composed of sappers and one of miners. This company served during the siege of Mons in
6
1691 , then at the siege of Namur in 1692 where it was very effective in making trenches, only
later becoming entirely a company of miners. It was finally brought under the authority of the
rd
Grand-Maître in November 1705 and took the 3 rank amongst the companies of miners. It
was only on the level of pay of French infantry. In1709 Mesgrigny was present, doubtlessly
with his company, at the defence of Tournai where he delivered a spirited defence thanks to
7
the use of countermines. . He stayed at Tournai at the peace and was no longer numbered
among the lists of engineers of the king. He died at Tournai in 1720.
st st
An order of 21 January 1679 created the 1 company of miners of 60 men using existing
specialists. Charles le Goulon, an engineer, was the first captain to receive his commission
from the Grand-Maître. His company served along with others at the siege of Luxemburg in
8
1684 . A Huguenot, he was forced to leave the French king’s service on the Revocation of the
9
Edict of Nantes and went to the Netherlands in November 1685 . The company went under
4
16th October 1672, in Blanchard, Vauban, p. 177
5
13th November 1672 in Blanchard, Vauban, p. 177
6
Les deux compagnies de mineurs de Camelin et de Mesgrigny, chacune d‘elles garnies des outils qui leur sont
propres […] outils de mineurs tout ce qu‘il en faudra, ramasses ou grandes pelles recourbées et emmanchées de
long: 60, bottes de pescheurs bien étanches: 60. Les mineurs de Mesgrigny seront particulièrement employés aux
écoulements des eaux et à tenir la tranchée nette, la paver et la tenir seiche, et quand le cas y échéra, au
passagedes fossés; Celle de Camelin aux galleries, passages de fossés et aux mines. Mémoire qui a servi à
l‘instruction du siège de Mons en 1691, Archives du Génie, Art. 15, sièges de places étrangères, Mons n°1
7
M. de Mesgrigny qui commandait le génie, ayant fait dire à M. de Marlborough que, s‘il persistait à exiger que la
garnison fût prisonnière de guerre, il ferait sauter plusieurs bastions, et ayant fait, en conséquence, charger toutes
les mines et les galeries, M. de Marlborough devint plus traitable [de Vault, Mémoires militaires, T.IX, p. 83]
8
Le 21 mai, on attacha les mines à la face du dit ouvrage à corne, mais comme on avait oublié d‘en avertir les
canonniers de la grande batterie, comme ils virent paraître des gens au pied du mur à la pointe du jour, ils firent une
décharge par laquelle ils tuèrent les deux mineurs qui commençaient à se loger dans le mur. Cela fâcha
extrêmement le sieur Goulon qui était leur capitaine, qui leur fit savoir en même temps la faute qu‘ils avaient faite et
renvoya des mineurs à la place de ceux-ci. (Relation du siège de Luxembourg par Vauban, Archives de l‘inspection
du Génie)
9
An excellent engineer (Metz 1645-Trentin 1705), his departure into exile was very detrimental to the development of
the service. He spent some time in the Netherlands, then in England and finally became a lieutenant general of the
Emperor. He was author of the book: Mémoire la défense et l’attaque d’une place published at the Hague in 1706.
12
10
the command of the engineer Lamotte . This company was doubtlessly commanded later by
11
Camelin and took part, as we have seen, at the siege of Mons in 1691, but was absent at
12
the siege de Namur the following year . A certain Boisfranc, whose name appears in an
ordinance of 1699, seems to have succeeded him. Later that same year Jean-Florent de
Vallière was named captain. He was in the town of Landau when it was besieged in 1704
where he lost “many men in sorties” to the enemy. Promoted to Capitaine-général des
st
mineurs on 1 April 1705, he took effective command of the Régiment Royal de l’Artillerie on
its reorganisation in February 1720 with the title of colonel inspecteur. He was the instigator of
th
the famous “système Vallière” which, by the ordinance of 7 October 1732, standardised the
th
artillery material for the rest of the 18 century until the introduction of the “système
Gribeauval”.
In 1690 the two companies of miners had an effective strength of 8 officers and 188 men.
In 1695 a second company of miners was raised and put under command of the engineer
13
Esprit . He took the commission of the king along with his subaltern officers to raise a new
company. But after 1697 the duc du Maine convinced his father the king to put all companies
of miners into the Corps Royal de l’Artillerie after the Royal-Artillerie and Royal-Bombardiers
where they had previously been under the authority of the Département des Fortifications.
The king assured him that in the future the Grand-Maître would name the officers in that
company. On the death of Esprit at the siege of Barcelona in 1697 the second company
seems to have been put under the orders of a certain Baubigny or Bambigny who appears in
the ordinances of 1699 and 1700, then around 1706 under the orders of Laurent Francart, a
st
close colleague of Vauban, mentioned in the ordinance of 1 October 1706 for winter
quarters. He was replaced before 1715 by Dabin, who commanded the company until its
incorporation into Royal-Artillerie in 1720.
th
An ordinance of 10 February 1699 regulated the composition of the companies of miners at
5 officers and 120 men for that of Mesgrigny, 3 officers and 68 men for that of Boisfranc and 3
officers and 60 men for that of Bambigny, in all 248 men and 13 officers.
th
An ordinance of 20 March 1700 reduced the company of miners of Mesgrigny to 60 men and
the two companies of Baubigny and de Vallière to 30 men.
In April 1701 the three companies of miners totalled 248 men as also in 1703 and 1704.
th
An ordinance of 29 March 1705 raised the two companies of miners that had had only 60
men to 80 men.
st
A fourth company of 60 men was raised in May 1706 to support the siege of Turin. On 1
14
October 1712 it went to Simon Delorme .
st nd th rd
In 1706 the 1 , 2 and 4 companies served at Turin; the 3 stayed in Tournai.
In October 1706 the companies of miners were composed as follows [St. Rémy]:
10
This Lamotte, also a Huguenot, didn’t stay very much longer in the service of the king than Le Goulon for we meet
him again on 18th June 1694 with the rank of colonel in the English army, where he was killed at the side of General
Talmash at the attempted descent on Camaret, which was repulsed by Vauban.
11
Probably the same Nicolas Camelin, capitaine de Bombardiers de terre, who assisted in the formation of the first
Bombardiers de la Marine at Toulon in 1682.
12
At the siege of Namur Vauban expressed regret that Camelin’s company of miners had been forgotten: „Il la faut
pourtant avoir pour les mines“, in Blanchard, Vauban, p. 315
13
Ingénieur en chef in 1693, he carried out essential work in Brittany on the fortifications of Brest, Concarneau, Port-
Louis, Lorient, Belle-Isle.
14
Brigadier 1st January 1740, maréchal de camp 2nd May 1744, †1747, at the siege of Bergen-op-Zoom.
13
ere e e e
Compagnies 1 Vallière 2 Francart 3 Mesgrigny 4 Delorme
Capitaine 1 5 liv.2 s 1 6 liv. 1 6 liv. 1 6 liv.
Capitaine-Lieutenant 1 4 liv.
Premier Lieutenant 1 3 liv. 6 s 8 den 1 3 liv. 1 3 liv.
Second Lieutenant 1 2 liv. 10 s 1 2 liv. 10 s
Sous-Lieutenants 2 2 liv. 2 2 liv. 2 2 liv. 2 2 liv.
Commandants 4 1 liv. 13 s 4 den
Premier Sergents 2 1 liv.
Sergents 2 16 s 2 1 liv. 10 s
Caporaux 4 1 liv. 3 s 4 den 4 1 liv. 6 10 s 2 1 liv.
Appointés 10 8s
Anciens mineurs 30 1 liv. 16 15 s 16 16 s
Autres mineurs 40 10 s 54 10 s 98 7s 4 10 s
Tambours 2 10 s 2 10 s 2 7s 1 10 s
In 1713 there were 5 companies of miners, a new one having been formed under the orders
of M. Voislin.
In March 1714 one company of miners was reduced to 60 men and the two others to 50 men
each.
th
On 13 February 1715 the company of Dabin was sent to Toulon to embark for Malta as
reinforcement for the Knights of Malta against the Turks but when the danger passed they no
longer needed to embark.
st
On 1 March 1715 the company of Voislin was disbanded [Belhomme, p. 487]. Voislin seems
to have taken command of another for his name appears among the 4 captains of miners
listed in February 1720. It could well be that the company of Jean de Mesgrigny, severely
tried during the siege of Tournai in 1709, was not reconstituted at the peace, its captain
retiring from the service, or it could be that Voislin took over command of that company.
th th 15
An ordinance of 10 April 1715 reduced 3 companies to 30 men and the 4 to 60 men .
th
An ordinance of 30 December 1716 fixed the composition of the miner companies as
follows: 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, 2 sub-lieutenants, 2 sergeants, 3
corporals, 3 lance-corporals, 21 miners, 1 drummer, altogether 5 officers and 30 men.
th
On 5 February 1720 the 4 companies of miners de Vallière, Dabin, Delorme and Voislin
were incorporated into the Régiment Royal de l’Artillerie on the reorganisation of the corps.
st nd
Each company was then divided into 3 squads: the 1 composed of cannoneers, the 2 of
rd nd
sappers and miners, the 3 of wood- and ironworkers. The 2 squad had 12 miners or
sappers, amongst whom were a sergeant, a corporal and a lance corporal of the same
profession, and 12 apprentices.
Uniforms:
According to Lienhart et Humbert (Vol. IV, p. 15) the miners first wore a coat of silver-grey,
linings and cuffs being red.
15
One can see that the company of Mesgrigny always had a strength double that of the other companies. The fact
that the 4th company also had this peculiarity leads us to think that it was in fact that company whose captain was
Voislin. He appears ranked 4th among the captains in 1720 at the incorporation of the miners into Royal-Artillerie.
14
Engineers - Ingénieurs du Roi
While the artillery was solely under the control of the secretary of state for war, it was not the
same for fortifications. Each secretary had a certain number of the provinces of the realm
under his authority. A first step on the way to unification was made in 1661 at the beginning of
the personal reign of Louis XIV. Le Tellier (département de la Guerre) and Colbert
(département de la Marine) divided the administration of fortifications amongst themselves. Le
Tellier took over the land frontiers and the recent conquests: the places in Flanders and
Hainault, Artois, Alsace, the towns on the Rhine border, in Italy and Roussillon. Colbert took
over all the rest (provincial towns and maritime fortresses). His son Seignelay succeeded him
in 1667 and, on his death in 1690, his share in the matter of fortification passed to Louvois,
who had succeeded his father, Le Tellier. Louvois died in his turn in 1691 and Louis XIV
decided to separate the fortifications completely from the administration of war and created
the “département des fortifications des places de terre et de mer” at the head of which he
nominated a director general of fortifications, Le Pelletier de Souzy, a previous intendant of
nd
Flanders, on 22 July 1691. Vauban seconded him as commissaire général des fortifications.
Le Pelletier remained at this post until the king’s death in September 1715.
Following the fusion of the two departments of fortifications for land and navy, Le Pelletier and
Vauban attempted to homogenise the corps of engineers. The kingdom was divided into 23
directions des fortifications under 23 directors. The number of directions and their
geographical areas were not set once and for all, thus for instance, the direction
corresponding to the defensive area of the Alps was divided in two after 1700. Each direction
was subdivided into chefferies consisting of a stronghold or a group of strongholds conferred
on an ingénieur en chef (chief engineers), assisted by ingénieurs ordinaires (ordinary
engineers). inspecteurs (inspectors) and dessinateurs (draughtsmen). In 1715 the department
of fortifications consisted of 20 directors, being:
Demus - Saint-Quentin Jean-Anténor Hue de Caligny - Besançon
Charles Robelin - Saint-Omer Rémy Tardif - Grenoble
Antoine, comte du Puy-Vauban - Arras Paul-François d’Astier de Lozières - Embrun
Thomas Le Quieu de Moyenneville - Dunkerque Charles-Joseph Lefebvre - Toulon
Charles-Guy, comte de Valory - Quesnoy Antoine Niquet - Montpellier
Jacques de la Combe - Maubeuge Jean-Baptiste Joblot - Perpignan
Jean-Marie du Faÿ - Charlemont Zachée Salmon - Bayonne
Alexandre Lemercier de Chermont - Longwy Jean-Baptiste Favart - La Rochelle
Antoine du Portal - Strasbourg Isaac Robelin - Brest
Jean-Paul Candau - Auxonne Louis-Roland Hue de Langrune - Havre
To recruit the new engineers Vauban organised an examination over which he himself
presided as far as possible. The programme of admission gave priority to the intellectual and
technical ability of the candidates, innovative criteria at a time when favour and
recommendation were the rule. After 1667 the abundance of works of fortification and the
conflicts, which were more and more dominated by a war of sieges, provoked an increased
demand for personnel. In 1683 132 engineers were attached to the department of war and
about sixty to the naval department. In 1691 at the creation of the direction générale des
fortifications, 164 were employed by the department of war and 112 by the navy but the
16
demand for personnel remained great due to mortalities in combat and, between 1692 and
1715, 363 engineers were taken on. In 1714 there were still 225 active.
16
More than a hundred engineers were killed during the wars of the League of Augsburg and the Spanish
Succession. More than 2/3 of those killed had entered the corps before the creation of the département des
fortifications in 1691.
15
Date of Number of Number killed Died of sickness or Still active in
incorporation engineers between 1692 and retired between 1692 1715
incorporated 1714 and 1714
1692 17 10 4 3
1693 3 2 1
1694 2 2
1695 1 1
1696
1697 3 1 2
1698 2 2
1699 3 1 2
1700 3 1 2
1701 6 2 4
1702 14 1 5 8
1703 22 6 8 8
1704 22 5 4 13
1705 26 3 9 14
1706 31 5 10 16
1707 34 1 8 25
1708 24 3 9 11
1709 34 2 10 22
1710 19 1 2 16
1711 26 10 16
1712 15 2 13
1713 26 3 23
1714 16 1 15
1715 14 1 13
---- ---- ---- ----
363 40 98 225
In addition, for campaign service after 1669, Vauban regrouped the combat engineers into
brigades of about 6 engineers under the direction of one of them, the brigadier, assisted by a
sous-brigadier and in the third position a chef de brigade. Six or seven brigades took part in a
siege with a total of about 40 engineers. These combat engineers were chosen amongst the
younger military officers who, at first volunteers during sieges, had proven their valour in
combat and their knowledge of science. These men, although brevetted as engineers by the
king, remained attached to their companies of infantry or cavalry where they were lieutenants
or captains. When required, these engineers were detached to the neighbouring directions
des fortifications for the duration of a siege or a campaign.
Uniforms:
After Lienhart et Humbert (T. IV, p. 64), the first uniform was entirely red with blue cuffs.
Lemau de la Jaisse: IIe ABREGE' de la Carte Générale du Militaire de France gives:
Corps des Officiers Ingénieurs
Uniform: Coats, linings, waistcoats and breeches scarlet, cuffs blue, buttons gilded copper set
in pairs, cuffs round, red stockings and hat edged in gold.
16
Companies of Galiotes
Not to be confused with the ”galiotes à bombes” below, the compagnies des galiotes had the
duty of guarding shipping on the Meuse and Rhine against the “Schnaphanen” and hussars
carrying on a guerrilla war against French communications.
In 1678 there were already 3 companies of galiotes with 240 men. These three companies
remained constant for the entire period but the strength varied. [Belhomme]
Susane records that in 1693 the Galiotes were united under command of Jean Martin and
that he was named colonel in 1694. He also says that they were disbanded in 1698 to be
reinstated in 1702 but this contradicts Belhomme who gives for 1699 the strength of the 3
st nd rd
companies as: 1 with 5 officers and 140 men, the 2 and 3 had 3 officers and 60 men.
From 1703 to 1714 the strength remained constant at 260 men. Only in 1715 were the 3
companies reduced to 40 men each.
Flags:
[DuVivier No. 9] shows the Drapeau d’ordonnance as being a white cross on black cantons
and says explicitly that it was identical to that of Piémont which tends to confirm that there
was some other difference as well. Most probably Galiotes had a white cravat on the flag and
Piémont already had the red sash on the flag as later recorded.
Uniforms:
Unfortunately we have no record of the uniforms of the companies.
17
Bombardiers de la Marine
The Galiote à Bombes or bomb ketch was an invention of Chevalier Bernard Renau (or
Renaud) d’Eliçagaray, born in Béarn in 1659 and died at Pougues-les-Eaux in 1719. Entering
the service of the Intendant of Rochefort, he was soon placed close to the Comte de
Vermandois Admiral of France in 1679 thanks to the patronage of Seignelay, oldest son of
Colbert. His invention was a small vessel, which carried 2 mortars, and, anchored before a
coastal town, could inflict heavy punishment upon it. The vessels required specialised
personal. Originally these were sailors who had achieved an elite status as gunners who
enrolled voluntarily for 10 years in one of the great war ports, Brest, Toulon, and Rochefort.
Although wearing uniform, they did not consider themselves as soldiers and were not overly
submitted to military exercises. In return they participated as elite representatives of the navy
artillery in parades, reviews and burials of general officers. Note that with regard to their
status, they stood on the right of the naval troops and just to the left of the Gardes de la
Marine, the trainee officers of the time.
st
On 1 May 1682 Louvois transmitted the king’s order to Colbert to create a company of
fusilier-bombardiers commanded by Nicolas Camelin, a captain of bombardiers on land, and
which was to be composed of a lieutenant, a sous-lieutenant, two sergeants, two corporals,
five soldiers of first rank, 10 bombardiers and 50 fusiliers. Their speciality was to be setting
the fuses of mortar bombs, inserting them and firing them, a dangerous and delicate job to do
successfully on land and more so on sea.
The companies were divided into three squads each and these were commanded by naval
lieutenants. In the navy the artillery reported to a Commissaire Général de l’Artillerie who in
turn reported to the Intendant de Marine in each port, these having power to decide in matters
concerning the war.
In all matters concerning artillery the bombardiers were experienced, whether on land or sea,
manufacture or maintenance. All work affecting artillery in a port or on a ship was their
business but especially when it had to do with the mortars or galiotes à bombes. If not on the
galiotes they could be employed as assistant gunners on other men-of-war.
The first companies of bombardiers were created at Toulon in 1682 to serve aboard the
galiotes à bombes to bomb Algiers.
Muslim corsairs had preyed on French vessels in the Mediterranean for centuries and a raid
of 1680 forced Algiers to sign a treaty that was promptly broken. In 1682 a punitive expedition
under Admiral Duquesne was organised to bomb Algiers. This fleet included 5 galiotes à
bombes. Lacking the missen mast in order to allow a field of fire for the mortars, the galiotes
were difficult to manoeuvre but this did not stop them sailing from their wharfs at Dunkirk and
Le Havre to Toulon and then to Algiers.
In order to act as stable platforms for the mortars on board, the ketches were tethered
between a heavy anchor dropped in the direction of the target and a larger vessel seaward,
which was itself anchored. Placing the anchors inshore was dangerous, because they had to
be dropped close enough to hold the ketches within mortar range, well within reach of enemy
shore batteries, making it advisable to operate at night. Thus, at Algiers they were towed into
position and moored to their lines under cover of darkness, and, after firing their rounds, they
left before daylight. The complex weapons, the swaying of decks, all complicated by firing at
night, limited their accuracy, but mortars were terror weapons, not precise munitions and of
course they required calm seas to perform with any effect.
Despite their novelty and adverse weather, they caused considerable damage but the Dey of
Algiers still did not yield to the French demands, which lead to the French fleet returning in
1683, this time with 7 ketches. Under more favourable conditions they launched a
bombardment that went on day and night until they ran out of bombs. The French fleet
withdrew, leaving vessels to block the harbour and forcing Algiers to submit in June 1684.
18
The first bombardment made a positive impression on the French command and lead to an
increase and reorganisation for the next campaign. Nicolas Camelin was placed under the
orders of commander Desgouttes, commander in chief of the bombardiers to whom the king
assigned the command of the bombards for 1683.
th
On 29 October Duquesne wrote to Colbert “On the assurance from Landouillette that it takes
6 men to man each mortar I have ordered the intendant of Brest to raise 20 of the best sailors
of St. Malo and to send them to Toulon under the conduct of a good master gunner, thus this
company will be composed of 80 men including the 20 who have served in the last campaign
and a similar number who are to be raised by Messieurs Demuin and Vauvré in each of their
departments. I am writing to Sieur de Vauvré to chose together with you six of the best
sergeants in the port who along with six of the best master gunners, will make 12 sergeants of
Bombardiers to make sure there will be always a sergeant and a master gunner at each
mortar to serve it.”
th
On 7 January 1683 Pierre Landouillette, commissaire ordinaire de l’artillerie, who had taken
part in the campaign of Algiers of 1682, was in turn designated commander of the company of
bombardiers established at Toulon, under the orders of commander Desgouttes, capitaine de
marine. The company was composed of 84 men of whom 70 were bombardiers and 14
sergeants. That should have given 14 squads of 5 bombardiers and one sergeant in each,
each squad serving a mortar on a galiote. Thus the 7 galiotes had twelve bombardiers each
with a sergeant: The bombardiers were to be dressed as they had been when serving with
Camelin at Algiers in 1682.
th
On 9 September the Chevalier de Tourville, lieutenant Général estimated that the number of
90 bombardiers was not enough to support day and night bombardment. In October the
number was raised to 200 bombardiers in two companies of 100 men each in view of the
planned bombardment of Genua, which was to be carried out day and night. These were to
be commanded and trained by Landouillette de Logivière and Pointus, commissionaires
ordinaries de l’artillerie.
In 1684 two ensigns of bombardiers were named, Du Laric, clerk of the artillery in the arsenal
of Toulon since 1677, and Joseph Claval. In May, during the bombardment of Genua, 20
bombardiers and 2 sergeants were on each of the 10 galiotes, “however one was not able to
charge as many bombs as could have been fired.”
A most destructive naval bombardment was inflicted upon Genoa, which had given indirect
support to the Spanish, allowing them to recruit on their territory and building galleys for the
Spanish fleet. A French fleet under the command of Duquesne assembled at Toulon during
April 1684, numbering fourteen ships of war, 20 galleys and 10 bomb ketches. The fleet set
th th th
sail on 5 May, met others on the way and reached Genoa on 17 May. Between 17 and
th
28 of May the French fleet showered 13,300 bombs onto Genoa, destroying two thirds of the
city. As a result Genoa submitted to a humiliating peace. The bombardment of a Christian
town outraged Europe but this did not stop other nations quickly adapting the weapon too.
In June 1685 at Tripoli Landouillette de Logivière commanded the first and Pointus the
second company of Bombardiers, altogether composed of 22 sergeants, 20 corporals, 104
bombardiers 4 drummers and 4 hautbois. Both captains were commended for their
performance there.
1688 saw the third bombardment of Algiers. Accidents caused by not cleaning out the mortars
properly after firing were the main cause of losses, 16 or 17 men being killed or seriously
wounded in that campaign alone.
According to the regulations, the bombardiers were placed under the command of the
captains of bombardiers not only to serve the guns and mortars but also to act as grenadiers
beside the infantry of the fleet in case of landings. The captains of the galiotes did not
command the bombardiers except in the absence of the captain of bombardiers.
19
Table of Galiotes and Bombardiers at the port of Toulon 1682-1688
Year 1682 1683 1684 1685 1688
Number of Galiotes 5 7 10 5 10
Number of bombardiers on each 11 12 20 15 10
th
The ordinance of 15 April 1689 stipulated that the bombardiers were to be chosen from the
best of the sailors. If the company was too much under strength, it was to be made up by
using the gunners of the ships. The number of bombardiers in the company at Toulon varied
from 89 in May 1689 (18 sergeants, 20 corporals and 49 bombardiers) to 59 in December
1690 (16 sergeants, 15 corporals and 38 bombardiers).
In 1691, the year following the death of commissaire general Landouillette de Logivière, the
company of bombardiers, commanded by the Chevalier de Ressons, commissaire ordinaire
de l’artillerie, was only composed of 48 men: 3 sergeants, six corporals, 39 bombardiers and
two pipers and drummers.
th
On 19 September commissaire general Pointis proposed the reduction of the bombardiers at
Toulon, who were 100 men, and the formation of 2 companies – one at Toulon and one at
Brest, each of 50 men. He estimated that 10 sergeants could be made master gunners since
there were too many at present
th
Based on the ordinance of 6 February 1691, two companies were formed: one at Brest for
the Ponant (Atlantic) and one at Toulon for the Levant (Mediterranean) each of 50 men of
which 3 were sergeants, 6 corporals, 39 bombardiers, a drummer and a piper. The two most
senior capitaines de Galiote commanded the bombardiers in the ports of Toulon and Brest.
The third captain was at Rochefort where he did not have any bombardiers but had the same
responsibility for the artillery there.
At the end of 1693 some bombardiers were sent to Belle-Isle, Martin-de-Ré, Fort de la Prée,
Sablanceau, île d’Aix to serve the iron mortars installed for coastal defence.
th
On 24 march 1694 orders were issued to have 34 bombardiers sent from Toulon to man the
mortars of the coastal towns of the Provence.
th
On 19 July Jérome de Pontchartrain wrote to his father: “They have established a company
of bombardiers at Rochefort where there were not any, although that is the port which
furnishes artillery to the other Atlantic ports. They also want to make detachments of this
company for the forges.” The command of this company was given to Etienne-Nicolas de
th
Grandpré who commanded the port artillery of Rochefort. On 10 December it was
recognised that the number of bombardiers was not sufficient to serve the large number of
mortars in all the coastal towns of the realm.
th
On 25 January 1695 a sergeant, two corporals and 13 bombardiers of the company of Brest
were detached to form the company of Rochefort. At the end of 1695 the company of Toulon
th
was composed of 50 men like that of Brest. On 30 March Pontchartrain ordered Ressons to
distribute the officers of artillery and bombardiers amongst the vessels that had mortar
batteries.
On 2 February 1697 the Rochefort company was still not complete and it was considered
calling up 20 or 25 of the best apprentice gunners. In May at the siege of Barcelona, 30
bombardiers served mortars on land where they suffered badly.
In 1698 the company commanded by Joseph Clavel was composed, as in 1695 and 1696, of
nd
3 sergeants, 6 corporals and 41 bombardiers. On 22 May 24 of them embarked on ship, 4
in each. Vauvré noted that all the bombardiers in Toulon were Provençals.
In January 1701 the Toulon company included 4 sergeants, 9 corporals and 42 bombardiers.
In February Clavel forbade them to wear the new dress that had been furnished except for
visits of royalty – the old clothing being alright for another year.
20
nd
On 22 March 1702 Pontchartrain ordered Chevalier de Ressons to put the Toulon company
into a good state to make it a nursery of good first and second master gunners. The
bombardiers were to be between the ages of 23 – 25 and not above 28 – 30. In 1703 the
company of Toulon was composed of 40 bombardiers.
Table of the numbers of bombardiers in the port of Toulon 1684 -1703

Bombardiers 1684 1685 1686 1689 1690 1692 1695 1698 1701 1703
2 companies 200 150 109 87 69
1 company 48 50 50 55 40
On 28 September 1704 3 sergeants, 8 corporals and 30 bombardiers, 28 from Toulon and 11

from Brest, were detached from the naval forces of the Comte de Toulouse and placed under
the command of Joseph Clavel for the siege of Gibraltar.
In November at the siege of the castle of Nice the 18-inch mortar, firing a 500-pound bomb,
was served by 12 bombardiers, the 12-inch by 5 bombardiers and the 9-inch by 3
bombardiers, these firing ordinary bombs. Thus 83 bombardiers, mostly from Toulon, were
there to serve the 16 mortars.
th
On 12 February 1708 the Toulon company was reported as being at full strength except for
those men stationed at Port-Mahon.
th
On 13 March 1709 the bombardiers who had not been paid, were in a miserable condition.
From the ministry they were consoled with the expectation of better days to come.
In 1714 Commissaire Général de Grandpré received the order to embark some bombardiers
on board ship for the King of Spain and to employ them at the siege of Barcelona.
In 1716 the strength of the three companies in Toulon, Brest and Rochefort was reduced to
25 men each including 2 sergeants, 2 corporals 20 bombardiers and a drummer for economic
reasons, the company now costing a total of 7500 L. a year.
Bombardiers de la Marine – Overview of officers commanding
Toulon
1682 Camelin
Capitaines de la 1e Compagnie de bombardiers:
1683 Landouillette de Logivière
1690 Ressons, C. de
Capitaines de la 2e Compagnie de bombardiers:
1683 Pointis, B. de
Capitaine des deux Compagnies de bombardiers:
1692 Gombault
Capitaine de la Compagnie de bombardiers:
1697 Clavel
1703 Simonet de la Grossinière
1705 Du Quesnel, C.
1707 Du Bosquet
1712 Lambert
Brest
1692 Beaussier
1693 Daire
1695 Massiac
1696 Boulainvilliers, C. de
1701 Nicolaï
21
1703 Constant de Boispinault
1703 La Sauvagère
1712 Saint-Méloir
Rochefort
1694 Grandpré
1696 Nicolaï
1701 Chavagnac, C. de
1702 Guymont du Coudray
1703 Saint-Méloir
1712 La Sauvagère
Actions
1682 Algiers
1683 Algiers
1684 Genoa
1685 Tripoli
1688 Algiers
1691 Villefrance, Nice, Barcelona, Alicante
1694 Palamos
1697 Barcelona, Carthagena (Colombia)
1704 Gibraltar
1705 Gibraltar, Nice
1706 Barcelona
1714 Barcelona
Uniforms
1682 Nicolas Camelin, at the time in command of galiotes and bombardiers, was charged
with equipping the bombardiers with uniforms. The justaucorps was of blue cloth, lining of red
serge, serge d’Aumale for the breeches and the stockings, red rattan for the cuffs and
waistcoats, buttons of gilded copper, belts buff leather, red stockings, pouches, royal pattern
silk lace for the drummers. Shoulder knot of linen in “couleur de feu” (orange). [Peter] Taking
the following descriptions of the Uniform into account, the above description may have the red
and blue reversed.
Pétard cites a letter dated 17 March 1683 (A. N. Marine, série B2 49) which lets us know, with
regard to the bombardiers at Toulon that they wore: “ a red camisole with a sash, the
breeches blue and a dragoon-cap and, as for the sergeants, they may also have received
17
justaucorps.” This contradicts the description given by Peter above but is comparable with
the following ones.
th
On 4 December 1692 Gombault described the dress and equipment of the bombardiers in
detail: “Most of the bombardiers of the company of the department of Toulon have been
embarked on the squadron of comte d’Estrées except for the drummers and pipers. They are
dressed as they have always been: justaucorps red lined blue with a blue waistcoat, buttons
of tin on the justaucorps and waistcoat, breeches and stockings blue, the belt buffalo where
the bayonet and the scabbard hang on the one side. The caps are blue with fur as with the
17
[Pétard]“au’elle (sa Majesté) consent .... une camisole rouge avec une écharpe, des chausses bleües, et un
bonnet à la dragonne, et pour ce qui est des sergens, on pourra leur donner aussi des justaucorps.”
22
18
grenadiers on land except that ours are lined with “peau mouchetée” (fur with spots on it).
Their clothes should last two campaigns.” The clothing cost for a bombardier was not very
different from that of the ordinary soldier being of serge de Berry coming to a total of 37L. 4 s.
40 d. According to Jean Boudriot the bombardiers had on the right a pouch as well as a
powder horn attached on a large bandoleer. The were armed with a flintlock and a sword. The
skirts of the waistcoats had two large pockets with 3 buttons. The buckled shoes were laced
with a ribbon of red leather. [Peter]
The sergeants of the bombardiers were dressed as the men but their cuffs, laces and buttons
were white with lace on the buttonholes and their caps had at the middle in front a face of a
lion, a symbol of power. They were armed with a halberd instead of a flintlock, and a sword.
[Peter]
th
On 29 October 1700 Joseph Clavel and the two officers of bombardiers received a new cap
and uniform. The 48 bombardiers and 3 drummers and 4 pipers also received new uniforms,
caps and belts. [Peter]
th
On 26 December 1700 the Commissaire Ordonnateur de Toulon wrote to the ministry
mentioning the new uniforms to be ordered for the Bombardiers and received a reply from the
th
minister dated 5 January 1701: “The coats for the Bombardiers are ready and will all leave
th
Paris before the 10 as is also the case for those of the drummers and hautbois of the
company of Gardes de la Marine, they will go by diligence to Lyon, from where Mister
Charonnier will have them forwarded to Toulon just as soon as he is able; I have asked him to
include the equipments, bandoleers and straps which were ordered from him and of which I
have received the models ..... so that they should arrive at Toulon at the beginning of next
19
month.”
Attached to the correspondence between the commissioners and the ministry were a series of
colour drawings that still exist at the Musée de la Marine and provide an ideal illustration of
th
the dress of the units. Dated the 14 November 1703 and signed by Monsieur Clairambault –
doubtless the commissaire ordonnateur de la Marine at Brest, are images of the old uniforms
of the unit in Brest and the proposed new uniform based on an illustration of a sergeant of
Rochefort.
Interesting is that the uniform of the bombardiers of Brest shows yellow buttons and lace with
the sergeants and corporals with similar lace around the cuffs and pockets. The 1701 uniform
seems to have taken yellow buttons whereas the 1703 uniform reverted to the earlier white
buttons and lace. (Pétard assumes that yellow was the original colour of the buttons and lace
which would contradict Peter’s sources.)
The Bombardier of the Port of Brest between 1701 and 1703 wore a grenadier cap in blue
decorated with sheepskin with black marks on it (imitating ermine and reminiscent of the arms
of Brittany). His hair is in the fashion of the day with two locks falling down at the sides tied
with a lace at the end and the rest tied at the back with a ribbon. Interesting to note that the
pigtails at the sides were known then as “moustaches”. The justaucorps was red lined blue
with 36 yellow buttons. The sleeved waistcoat was blue. Breeches are not visible. Stockings
are blue. Shoes with high heels and square toes with a tongue lined red and a little buckle.
Belt buff with a brass buckle, sword hanger and a waist pouch (“gargoussier”) covered in red
leather. He also wore a large bandoleer with a grenade pouch that in fact would have
contained a reserve of cartridges and accessories. A powder horn for priming powder was
tied with a string to the bandoleer.
18
This is interesting because it confirms that wearing fur caps was typical of the grenadiers at that time although no
clothing contract of the period mentions the acquisition of caps.
19
[Pétard] (A.N. Marine, série b3 110): “Monseigneur, j’ay eu l’honneur de vous envoyer les mesures des habits à
faire aux bombardiers de la compagnie de ce Port et celles de leurs officiers suivant votre ordre, Monseigneur,
auxquels il n’est point besoin de gargoussiers ni de bandoulière, mais leur estant nécessaire des grenadières et
fourniments, j’en ay demandé 49 de chaque sorte à M. Charonnier”.
23
The rank distinctions used at Brest are also shown. A yellow (false gold?) lace surrounded the
cuff of a corporal and the sergeant had two laces.
The illustrations show a sergeant of Rochefort in 1703 with a uniform in the cut and colours of
the bombardier. He wore a cap with a tiger’s head at the front. The justaucorps had white
(false silver?) lace on the buttonholes down the front in groups of 3 and also around the
pockets and cuffs. The number of buttons had dropped to 26. He carried a halberd.
The cited article of Pétard also includes illustrations of the uniforms of 1715 after pictures by
François-Antoine Vassé in the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection. They show a uniform
similar to that of 1703 but the man is wearing a tricorn laced silver with a black cockade, the
everyday dress of the men. The fur cap was only worn on parade. The number of buttons has
increased to 40. The neck cloth is black knotted with a narrow black lace. The waistcoat is
blue and the breeches red. The pouch on the waist belt is of red Russian leather decorated
with a yellow-metal coloured bomb. He also wears narrow belt for the powder flask and a
red/blue sword knot.
A simple silver lace border on cuffs and pocket flaps distinguished the corporal. The sergeant
had double silver laces.
24
Compagnie franche de Cannoniers des Côtes de l’Ocean

The free company of cannoneers of Ferrand d’Écossay was raised in 1702 as a coast guard
unit. Originally composed of 100 men, the shortage of gunners in the army lead to it being
augmented in the following years. In 1704 it came to 120 men, and in 1705 it was further
raised to 200.
The King, presented with an example of the company by his natural son, the Duke du Maine,
was so impressed that he gave it a white flag of the design shown in the plate.
This company was composed of all crafts needed by the artillery. It included bombardiers,
artificers, boatsmen, carpenters, cartwrights, smiths, locksmiths, armourers, and all the other
types of artificers needed, these being paid on the same footing as the ordinary gunners,
except for the 4 master artificers intended to work with the pontoons invented by M. Ferrand.
st
It included a captain, 4 lieutenants, the 1 with rank of captain, 3 sous-lieutenants, one being
an ensign, 8 sergeants, 12 brigadiers, 16 sous-brigadiers, 3 hautbois and 3 drummers.
The company was to consist of 200 men without officers and was paid as follows:
Captain 8 Livres a day

st
1 Lt. commissioned as captain 2 Livres
3 lieutenants each 1 Livre 10 s.
3 sous-lieutenants each 1 Livre 5 s.
Ensign 1 Livre
4 pontoniers (foremen) each 1 Livre
8 sergeants each 16 s.
12 brigadiers each 11 s.
16 sous-brigadiers each 9 s. 7 d.
160 cannoneers each 8 s.
The captain was to receive a bonus of 16 x 8 sols if the company had over 195 men, 14 x 8
sols if it had over 190, and 12 x 8 sols if it was over 180 men. He never received this bonus
since it never attained 180 men.
Their armament was standardised and their flintlocks had copper fittings and were punched
with a stamp with the arms of the Duke du Maine.
M. Ferrand was Chevalier of the Order of St. Louis, brigadier in the army and Lieutenant
General of the artillery. An inventor, he designed a type of cannon that was shorter and 400
pounds lighter than the usual ones but still had the same range.
He served long in the artillery, during the war 1672-78, at the siege of Luxembourg in 1684,
and those of Phillipsburg, Mannheim and Frankenthal in 1688, in all the Italian campaigns of
1690 and the following years until made Lieutenant of artillery for the department of Pinerola
th
and Grenoble by commission of 27 March 1696, which didn’t stop him serving at the siege of
Barcelona in 1697.
th
Brevetted Brigadier on 29 January 1702 he raised the company based on a commission
dated the following June. He was made commander of the coastal artillery by commissions of
th
28 April 1703 and the following three years. He was commissioned commander of that in
th nd
Guyenne and Aunis with date of 28 March 1707 till 1712. On 2 May 1716 he was
appointed Lieutenant-Général of artillery for the Province of Guyenne, which he remained till
his death in 1718. [Pinard] His company still existed in 1720 and was under the command of
the capitaine de La Roche-Aymon (see Susane p.162), who presumably took it over in 1718
after the death of Ferrand, and was incorporated into the new Royal-Artillerie in February
1720.
25
Uniform:
The following uniform descriptions are taken from [St. Remy].
Officers: blue justaucorps, lining and cuffs scarlet red, golden Brandenbourgs (button lace).
Sergeants: were dressed similarly, with gold button lace and scarlet waistcoats and cuffs.
Hautbois and drummers: scarlet, blue velvet cuffs, gold lace, yellow lace between two blue
laces, cross pockets the livery of the Duke du Maine [Mercure Galant, May 1703, p. 134]
[Livery after Beneton, 1739, p. 307]
Cannoneers: blue, lining and cuffs red, button lace of aurore and aiguillettes of aurore.
The uniform is significant as it made such an impression that it was adopted as the uniform of
the entire French artillery in 1720 and remained so until modern times.
Flags:
White with a white cross, decorated with a shield with the arms of the Duke du Maine, a
cannon firing and the motto: Tonantis imago. [Du Vivier No.306]
26
Gardes de la Marine
A company named Gardes de la Marine had been raised in 1670 with a strength of 200 men
stationed in Brest, Rochefort and Toulon. Those at Brest were under the command of M.
Gacé; the others were under the command of M. de Cazac. This company was later
reformed.
In 1682 Seignelay, Secrétaire d’État à la Marine, 6 companies of Cadets de la Marine were

created and the next year, 1683, they were incorporated with the original company to form
three companies of Gardes de la Marine but now as a training school for future navy officers,
with one company in each of the major ports [Boudriot]. The name was said to come from the
fact that they were to stand guard to the admiral when he appeared at the port. They were
young gentlemen of proven noble birth who received training in all arts required in their
vocation, which included lessons in writing, drawing, mathematics, fortification, hydrography,
dancing and use of pikes. In the afternoon they were drilled and taught to use the musket.
The master carpenter of the port and expert officers taught them the art of building ships and
use of cannon. They also embarked on ships and served without distinction as ordinary
sailors except that their training continued on board. [Daniel] An ordinance of 1689 regulated
them and laid down a basis for the corps, which existed unto 1786. Only in 1724 was the
strength of the corps laid down, each company consisting of:
1 capitaine de vaisseau 16 sous-brigadiers
1 lieutenant 49 gardes
1 enseigne 3 hautbois
2 maréchaux de logis 2 tambours
3 brigadiers
On parade they stood at the right of the line with the Bombardiers de la Marine on their left.
Uniforms:
The Mercure Galant of September 1680 describes the uniforms of the original corps of 1672.
The justaucorps of the Gardes and the 4 sergeants was scarlet with 2 gold laces on the back
and one on each seam. The cuffs and waistcoats were of green velvet completely covered
with gold lace, as were the scarlet breeches. The stockings were orange, the belts with a
double gold lace, white taffeta sashes with fringes, gloves with fringes, sabres decorated with
gold, black hats with white plumes, neck cloths tied with a green and red ribbon, similar
20
ribbons on the shoulder and the sword.
th
According to the reglement of 8 Oct. 1685 they wore a blue justaucorps, waistcoat and
breeches red. This uniform was inspired by the uniform of the officers who, according to the
nd
ordinance of 2 March 1665, were authorised to wear a blue justaucorps.
In 1716 this was changed to red with blue cuffs and waistcoat. Breeches and stockings red.
This uniform, documented in paintings by Antoine-François Vassé, was only worn until 1728
when the blue/red uniform was brought back. During this period the drummers wore the royal
livery.
20
les juste-à-corps des 16 Gardes de la Marine & des 4 Sergens estoient d'Ecarlate avec 2 galons d'or par derriere
& un sur chaque couture. Les paremens des manches & la veste estoient de velours verd le tout orné d'un galon d'or
de mesme que la culotte qui estoiet aussi d'Ecarlatte. Ils avoient des bas de la couleur de feu, des baudriers de bufle
garnis d'un double galon d'or, des Echarpes de taffetas blanc, bordés de franges ainsi que les gans; des sabres
dorez, des chapeaux noirs & des plumes blanches, des cravates en maniere de rabat, renoues d'un ruban verd &
rouge & des noeuds d'epaule & d'epée de mesme avec une nepine d'or au bout.
27
Gardiens des Vaisseaux
La Chesnaye des Bois in his “Dictionnaire Militaire Portatif” published by Gissey, Paris, in
1758, defined the Gardiens ou Matelots Gardiens as “sailors encharged with guarding and
conservation of marine arsenals and vessels in a port. They were at that time divided into 3
equal brigades, each commanded by a Maître de l’équipage, under the orders of the
Capitaine de Port.
The ordinance of 1689 details their functions. They were described as similar to the
Commissaires of the canals at Amsterdam where there were also soldiers on half-pay
charged with guarding vessels in port.
The Mercure Galant of September 1680 mentions the creation of two companies of 100 men
called Gardiens des Vaisseux. There were 25 sergeants, 25 corporals and 50 soldiers
dressed in a good cloth of grey-white lined in blue with breeches and stockings in red. The
men had blue plumes on their hats.
The sergeants were distinguished with a silver 2-inch lace on all seams and around the
outside of the cuffs. Each had at that time a baldric of elk-leather with a gold lace around it, as
were the gloves too. Their hats were also bordered in silver with a real white plume. The 25
corporals were similarly dressed with blue/white plumes on their hats.
The two drummers, the four hautbois and the pipers were dressed in scarlet lined blue with
21
broad silver lace all over.
21
[Mecure Galant] De ce nombre il y a 25 Sergens, 25 Caporaux & 50 Soldats qu'ils a habillez d'un très beau drap
de Berry gris-blanc doublé de ratine bleue avec les culottes & les bas rouges. Il a fait mettre sur toutes les coutures
des juste-à-corps des Sergens un galon d'argent de la largeur de deux doigts & deux autour des manches.
Ils ont chacun un baudrier de peau d'Elan & un galon d'or dessus, les gans de mesme, leurs chapeaux bordez aussi
de galon d'argent avec une veritable plume blanche, l'epée d'argent haché à gardes unies. Les 25 Caporaux sont
habillez à proportion à la reserve des plumes qu'ils ont bleues & blanches l'assertissantes au reste. Les soldats en
ont bleues. Les 2 Tambours, les 4 Hautbois & les Fifres sont si bien choisis ... ils sont vestus de veritable ecarlate
doublé de bleu & un gros galon d'argent par tout.
28
List of Plates
Plate
Royal Artillerie . . . . . . . . 1
Royal Bombardiers . . . . . . . 2
Companies of Miners . . . . . . . 2
Engineers . . . . . . . 2
Companies of Galiotes . . . . . . . 6
Compagnie franche de Cannoniers (Ferrand d’Écossay) . . . 3
Bombardiers de la Marine (part 1) . . . . . 4
Bombardiers de la Marine (part 2) . . . . . 5
Gardes de la Marine . . . . . . . 7
Gardiens des Vaisseaux . . . . . . 6
29

R Hall - French Artillery 1688-1714

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

R Hall - French Artillery 1688-1714

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

O R G A N I S AT I O N , F L A G S A N D U N I F O R M S

First Edition 2002

Copyright according to the Berne Convention. All rights reserved.

History of the Artillery................................................................................................................. 4

Engineers - Ingénieurs du Roi ................................................................................................. 15

Companies of Galiotes ............................................................................................................ 17

Bombardiers de la Marine ....................................................................................................... 18

Bombardiers de la Marine – Overview of officers commanding .......................................... 21

Compagnie franche de Cannoniers des Côtes de l’Ocean ..................................................... 25

Gardes de la Marine ................................................................................................................ 27

Gardiens des Vaisseaux.......................................................................................................... 28

List of Plates ............................................................................................................................ 29

2. “Recueil des drapeaux d’infanterie de la France présenté à Son Altesse Sérénissime le

3. “Fonds de la Moskowa” This is a collection of several hundred coloured drawings of flags

4. Notes on contemporary descriptions of uniforms compiled by Giancarlo Boeri and René

5. Pinard, “Chronologie Historique Militaire” Paris 1778 Tome VIII. [Pinard]

12. Belhomme, Victor, Lieutenant-col. Histoire de l’Infanterie en France, Paris, 1893-1902

History of the Artillery

The commissaires (commissioners) of artillery remained outside this organisation although

Batt. Artificers Cannoniers Simple

In September 1680 the uniforms were recorded as:

The Ordonnance royale of 26.04.1691 set Royal Bombardiers at 2 companies of bombardiers

Colonels-Lieutenants (Grands-Maîtres de l’Artillerie):

1669 Henri de Daillon, duc de Lude,

1688 Philippsburg, Mannheim, Frankenthal

Lemau de la Jaisse: IIe ABREGE' de la Carte Générale du Militaire de France gives:

Corps des Officiers Ingénieurs

Unfortunately we have no record of the uniforms of the companies.

Table of the numbers of bombardiers in the port of Toulon 1684 -1703

On 28 September 1704 3 sergeants, 8 corporals and 30 bombardiers, 28 from Toulon and 11

Bombardiers de la Marine – Overview of officers commanding

Compagnie franche de Cannoniers des Côtes de l’Ocean

Captain 8 Livres a day

The following uniform descriptions are taken from [St. Remy].

In 1682 Seignelay, Secrétaire d’État à la Marine, 6 companies of Cadets de la Marine were

Compagnie franche de Cannoniers (Ferrand d’Écossay) . . . 3

Bombardiers de la Marine (part 1) . . . . . 4

Bombardiers de la Marine (part 2) . . . . . 5

Gardiens des Vaisseaux . . . . . . 6

You might also like