Regiment of infantry of national ordinance

Fusiliers
1690 - 1798

par Jean Cerino Badone

 

Duke Victor Amadeus II in 1690 gives order to Compte du Trinitè to raise a new regiment of national ordinance with the name of Regiment des Fusilliers du S.A.R.. It is originally organized in 16 companies; one of these is a company of grenadiers. The new unit has to escort and to support on the battlefield the artillery train and crew. In 1694 the regiment Fusilliers has two battalions, one in 1696. In 1710 it has again a second battalion.

 

Service during the Polish Succession War

Fusilliers in 1733 takes its first action at the siege of Gera-Pizzighettone (18 november &endash; 8 december). In the spring of 1734 Fusilliers is present at the battle of Parma (29 june). After a manouvred campaign in the plains of Lombardy, Fusilliers fights at Guastalla (19 september); In 1735 the unit is campaigning in the east of Lombardy. In september it is present on the West side of lake of Garda supporting the french action on the East side. At the end of the year after some operations in the trentine theatre, the 8 november Fusilliers takes winter quarters in the country around Cremona and Brescia

Service during the Austrian Succession War

In 1742 Fusilliers is campaigning in north-east Italy in the Po plains, and it is present in march &endash; april in the cities of Parma and Piacenza. In September Fusilliers marches on the Alps; from the camp at the Mont Cenis gap in Susa Valley the Regiment takes action in Savoy during the counter-offensive against an invading Spanish army. In jenuary 1743 Fusilliers returns again in Piedmont. After the debacle in Savoy the operational theatre for Fusilliers is now the Varaita Valley that the main french-spanish army has chose to invade Piedmont. The 1st battalion fights at the battle of Casteldelfino (8 october 1743). The follow year the whole regiment is present at the hard combat around the entrenched camp of Villafranca (20-21 april 1744) in the Mediterranean front. During the defence of Collet du Villefrenche the Regiment is surrounded with othes units and is compelled to surrend with two batteries of cannons. During the summer the struggle is again in the Alps ridge. The 1st battalion defends the walls of Cuneo during the french-spanish siege (12 september- 22 october 1744). The 2nd battalion is at the battle Madonna dell'Olmo (30 september 1744). The battalion is situated on the right wing, first line. In 1745 the Maillebois' offensive clear out many piedmontese Placefortes. But the follow year Fusilliers is one of the units employed in the Leutrum's counter offensive and the regiment takes a action under the walls of the city of Valenza (17 april-3 may 1746). Then the two battalions fight in the south-west in the mediterranean theatre; the 2nd battalion fights at the siege of the Fort of S. Paul in Veintemille (5-23 october 1745). The 1st battalion of Regiment is employed in the winter offensive in Provence (30 november 1745-3 february 1746). The regiment fights until the end of the war in the mediterranean theatre.

Commanders of Regiment Fusiliers under Charles Emmanuel III      

Alessio della Chiesa di Cinzano

22- 9- 1731

Giovanni giacomo De Rossi

1 - 4- 1743

Giovanni Andrea De Martini

5- 4- 1746

Giovanni Secondo Canale di Cumiana

19-10-1748

Giovanni Battista Alfieri

31- 8- 1755

Compte Carlo Giuseppe Badat

1- 9- 1758

Compte Camillo Richelmi

28- 4- 1769

Giuseppe Francesco Maria Malines

13- 3- 1771

Uniforms

 

1730-1750: White coat, red lining, cuffs, waistcoat, breeches. White gaiters for fusilier, black for grenadiers. Seven brass buttons on each side of the coat, three on the cuffs. Horizontal pockets. Tricorne with dark blue cockade on the left brim and yellow hem for fusiliers, bearskin cap for grenadiers.  

 

 

1750-1773 (only principal differences from the previous issue): Dark blue coat, red lapels and collar. Seven brass buttons on lapels. Tricorne with white hem and yellow and white pompon. Bearskin cap with red tail with yellow hemand yellow and white pompon.

Colours

 

Colonel's Colour: Blue with black eagle in the centre decorated with the Savoy's cross and overhanged by royal crown.

 

Regimental Colour: White cross over white quarters with red flames. Red decorated hem. Regimental coat of arm in the first quarter.

 

 

Jean Cerino Badone