67e Régiment de Ligne

This post celebrates three completions.

The first is the completion of the 67e Régiment. Created in 1791 from Régiment Languedoc the 67e was heavily involved in the Revolutionary Wars in the Low Countries. Later it fought at Essling and Wagram, then followed the Emperor north in the 1809 campaign against Russia. In 1813 it fought at Lutzen, Bautzen and Leipzig. In 1814 it fought at Mâcon and Lyon.

Dissolved after the Hundred Days, it was reformed in 1831 in Algers and served in Africa until 1846. In the Second Empire it did not serve in the Crimea or Italy, but went to war in 1870 under Colonel Leon Mangin, a highly experienced infantry officer. Aged 49, Mangin was a graduate of St Cyr and spent his first ten years of his career in the Chasseurs, serving successively in the 9th,10th, 5th, 7th and 8th battalions. After a brief period of service as chef de batallion in the 1st Tirailleurs Algériens he led the 1st Chasseurs in Italy. He served in the first stages of the Mexican Expedition where he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 85e Régiment. He returned to France in 1863 to take up a position in the 4e Voltigeurs de la Garde. Made colonel of the 67e Régiment in 1867 he led it in 1870 where the regiment accumulated  1011 casualties in the actions of Saarbrücken, Spicheren, Rezonville and Gravelotte. Mangin was made brigadier in 1871 and continued in the army until 1881. He died year later.

Colonel Leon Mangin

The regiment was heavily engaged in the Great War and won a rare battle honour in WWII during the Battle of France in 1940 for its actions at Stonne. Dissolved in June 1940 it was reactivated in 1944 and was engaged in the recapture of Dunkirk. After the war it is served chiefly in North Africa until the mid-1960s and was engaged in the Algerian conflict. It returned to France in 1964 and was disestablished in 1998.

The second completion is that of  Fauvart-Bastoul's Brigade.

The third completion is the Second Division commanded by Henri Jules Bataille.

Born on 6 September 1816 Bataille had a combat record that rivalled that of Vergé from First Division. Entering St Cyr in 1834 his first assignment was as a sous-lieutenant in the 22nd Line which he took up in 1836. Sent to North Africa three years later he commenced a 20 year period of service there. He participated in the siege of Zaatcha in 1849 followed by a brief period in Paris, where he was made lieutenant colonel of the 56th Line, before returning to Algeria as colonel of the 45th Line, a regiment he led in the campaign against the Kabyles. Made général de brigade in August 1857 he commanded a brigade in the Army of Lyon and then First Brigade, Second Division in Canrobert's 3rd Corps, in the Italian campaign where he gained distinction, earning the Legion d'Honeur for his part in the capture of the Ponte Vecchio at Magenta and was in action again at Solferino. After that war he earned the prestigious position in command of a brigade of Voltigeurs of the Guard. Made général de division in 1866 he commanded the 2nd Division in Rome as a part of the Army of Occupation. Returning to France he took command of the 4th Division, Army of Lyon and then 2nd Division in the Camp of Châlons in June of 1870.

Général de division Henri Jules Bataille

As the campaign in 1870 opened his division was moved close to the frontier in late July where it skirmished with German patrols in front of Saarbrücken. Bataille led the attack on that town in the reconnaissance in force on 2 August. At Spicheren he was in reserve, but committed his division without orders, unnecessarily strengthening the French front line, when it would have been better deployed to the left flank. Ten days later at Rezonville he was wounded in the stomach, but remained with the division to fight at Gravelotte two days later where two horses were killed under him. Seriously injured he was transported to Metz and surrendered when that fortress fell in October.

After the war he commanded 2nd Corps in the Versailles Army that took Paris back from the Communards. Appointed commander of Fifth Corps in 1873 he fell afoul of the army restructure six years later and retired from the army in 1881. He died in Paris the following January.

The order of battle for the division at the commencement of the 1870 campaign was as follows:

2nd Division Général de Brigade Henri J. Bataille

1st Brigade Général de Brigade Pouget (absent Colonel Haca commanding brigade)

• 12th Chasseurs à Pied - Commandant Jouanne-Beaulieu

8th Regiment Colonel Haca

• 1st Battalion – Captain Francot 
• 2nd Battalion – Commandant Avril de Lenclos 
• 3rd Battalion – Commandant Coonna d'Istra 

23rd  Regiment Colonel Rolland 

• 1st Battalion – Commandant Beaujeois 
• 2nd Battalion – Commandant Bourrie 
• 3rd Battalion – Commandant Pierrebourg

2nd Brigade Général de Brigade Jacques A.J. Fauvart-Bastoul

66th Regiment Colonel Amellier

• 1st Battalion – Commandant Guichard 
• 2nd Battalion – Commandant Gérard 
• 3rd Battalion – 

67th  Regiment Colonel Mangin

• 1st Battalion – Commandant Lazarotti 
• 2nd Battalion – Commandant Kienlin 
• 3rd Battalion - 

Divisional Artillery Commandant Collangettes

• 7th Battery, 5th Regiment (de 4) – Captain Bobet 
• 8th Battery, 5th Regiment (de 4) – Captain Benoit 
• 9th Battery, 5th Regiment (Mit) – Captain Dupré