Saturday 19 February 2022

Régiment de Saintonge

This week sees the addition of  Régiment de Saintonge to the French AWI army. 

It was formed on 4 September 1684 from the ancient regiment of Navarre, its recruitment was from the province of Saintonge, north of Bordeaux. In 1775 the regiment was expanded from one to two battalions by incorporating the Régiment de Cambrésis. 

Between 1763 and 1768 the regiment served in the West Indies and French Guiana. Two years later Rochambeau selected it to participate in the French expeditionary force to America. Under the command of Col. Adam-Philippe, Count de Custine de Sarreck, Saintonge regiment distinguished itself at the siege of Yorktown, where it was brigaded with the Régiment Soissonaise (featured in my last AWI French post).

The regiment’s major, the Marquis de Fleury, had earlier taken a leave of absence to join the American forces as a volunteer, fighting at Brandywine and Germantown, further distinguishing himself at Stony Point when he was first into the British fort and secured the colours, for which he was given a medal by the U.S. Congress.

After Yorktown command of the regiment fell to Rochambeau’s son. Departing the United States from Boston in December 1782 for service in the French Antilles. It returned to France the following year. After the Revolution the regiment was redesignated the 82e Régiment de Ligne. 

The regimental colours were spectacularly colourful.








14 comments:

  1. Really nice painting, lovely standard!

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    1. Thanks Joe. I agree it really IS a lovely standard

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  2. Very nice work and the flag is so colourful in comparison to the uniform:).

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    1. Yes the uniform is rather dull. I deliberately did this as the second battalion, because the first carried a flag that was even duller than the uniform - “La Drapeau Blanc” or colonel’s colour in most cases was a white sheet to which was sewn a white Greek cross!

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  3. I guess we are going to have to look at a game based on Yorktown at some point Mark, given the number of French units you are adding to the AWI collection!

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    1. Yorktown would be rather boring, but certainly it opens up some possibilities, including British vs French in the Caribbean.

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    2. I'd agree. I think there are a lot of possibilities for smallish battles on the various islands, amphibious landings, raids, etc.

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    3. And I have a game planned just for that…when we are able to gather again!

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  4. Replies
    1. Thanks Mark. These French are rather nice to work with.

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  5. Another nice looking unit Mark…
    And it certainly is a colourful standard….

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly…and the turnbacks are correct this time!

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  6. Nice work Mark, and that is a very different standard. A few Caribbean scenarios would be interesting, and you have the British boats for that already.

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    1. I think there is lots of potential for Caribbean scenarios, even a mini campaign…yes it would be nice to get those boats out again.

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