Second Battalion, 77e Régiment d'Infanterie

With my plan to build the French 2nd Corps for Franco-Prussian War army, I have started with the 77e Régiment de Ligne that formed a part of the Second Brigade, First Division. 

One of of the key organisational differences between the French and German armies in 1870 was the battalion structure. The German battalions counted 1000 men in the ranks, in four companies, whereas the French counted 720 men in six companies (although as a result of the chaotic nature of the French mobilisation meant that very few regiments took the field with their full complement). So to meet that difference I have organised my  French battalions into units of three stands, whereas my German units are four. In the units made up of marching/advancing figures they will have six figures to the stand while those made up of the firing line figures will have five to the stand (simply because six firing line figures just look too cramped on the stand). This gives a more or less correct ratio between the opposing battalion strengths and means that one French stand is the equivalent of two companies, where as one German stand is one company.

The 77e Régiment was formed in 1791, but had a heritage that extended back to 1671 because it was formed from elements of regiments from the Ancien Regime, specifically from Régiment La Marck (a German regiment in French service) and the Chasseurs Royaux de Dauphine. Designated the 77e Demi-Brigade in 1799 it served in Egypt and earned honours at Friedland in 1807.

Engaged in Algeria in the 1830s it later fought in the Baltic, at Bomarsund, during the Crimean War. It fought at Spicheren, Rezonville and Gravelotte in 1870, surrendering at Metz in October with the rest of the Army of the Rhine.

In 1914 it was renumbered the 277e Régiment earning honours at Verdun, L'Aisne and Le Matz. Redesigned the 65e Régiment in 1923, it resumed the title of 77e in 1939. After the Fall of France in 1940 it was disbanded.

This unit is the Second battalion of the regiment. It is the second battalion because it carries the regimental eagle and standard, which is why I painted it first. The First and Third battalions carried a fanion instead of a standard. At the outbreak hostilities it was commanded by Commandant Rembert.

The regimental commander was Colonel Victor Louis Francois Février, a native of Grenoble who, at the age of 47 had built up an impressive service record. Entering the École Militaire in 1841 he left as sous-lieutenant in the 19th Regiment two years later. A lieutenant in 1848 he made captain in 1851 and passed to the 1st Zouaves the following year going to the Crimea with that regiment. He was severely injured when his horse was killed under him at the Alma and was awarded the Ordre du Medjidié and the Crimean Medal for services there. Named Chef de Batallion in the 30th Line in 1856, he transferred to the Guard Zouaves three years later, leading a battalion in Italy and distinguishing himself at Solferino. After that war his battalion served the winter at Nice as honour guard to the Empress. Promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 32nd Line in 1863 he did a stint as the military attaché to Denmark. Here he developed  a close friendship with King Frederick VIII that enabled him to act as an observer in the Schelgwig-Hostein War the following year. Returning to France in 1866 he transferred to the 3rd Zouaves, the regiment that was the model for the new French rifle tactics that were adopted later that year. In 1868 he was appointed colonel of the 77th.

He led the regiment skilfully in the hottest fighting at Spicheren from the opening shots to the nighttime withdrawal, suffering  285 casualties from the 1,590 that entered the fight.

After the war Février advanced to command the 25th Division in 1881, 15th Corps in the following year and 6th Corps in 1888. He was an unsuccessful Conservative candidate in the 1894 presidential election. He died on Christmas Day 1908.