French Battalions in Ireland...

A section devoted to questions and answers for this period.
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Russian James
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French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Russian James » Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:59 am

Does anyone know who the unit Colonels were for Tournasis and Zurlauben Regiments in Ireland 1689?

Would also appreciate some names for Brigade commanders other than St. Ruth himself…

All helps with the story...
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Arthur
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Arthur » Fri Feb 07, 2014 2:39 pm

Tournaisis : Marquis de Brouilly

Zurlauben : Beatus Jacques de la Tour Chatillon, Comte de Zurlauben
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Russian James » Fri Feb 07, 2014 3:08 pm

Many thanks Arthur, much appreciated.
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Graf Bretlach » Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:32 pm

James this should be a link to a previous thread

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5149&p=33564&hilit= ... and#p33564

Zurlauban was made brigadier in 1690 (I assume at the start of 1690) so may have commanded the brigade, if so his Lt-colonel would have commanded the regiment.

A lot of French got local promotions to serve in Ireland (these were just temporary and were lost when they returned) but not in the case of Zurlauban.

not sure on the others.
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Rebel » Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:07 am

La Marche - Armand-Charles de Gontaut, Marquis de Biron (1663-1756). Married to de Lauzun's niece, he will later be raised to the Dukedom and Marshal of France under Louis XV. Will command the French vanguard at Oudenaarde.

Zurlauben - Béat-Jacques de la Tour-Châtillon, Comte de Zurlauben (1656 - 1704). Officer of Swiss extraction, will fight at Steenkirk and Neerwinden, being wounded at the former. Promoted lt General 1702 and is mortally wounded at Blenheim in August 1704. Dies of wounds at Ulm, 21 Sept 1704.

Forez - Jean-Noel-Francois de Barbezières, Comte de Chemerault. Commissioned in the family dragoon regiment in 1678 but unit is "reformed" and transfers to the "Dauphin regiment of foot. Fights in Flanders, appointed colonel of Forez upon its' formation. After return from Ireland spends much of his active service in Italy and Spain. In 1693 transfers to the regment "Périgord" and serves in Italy until after Turin in 1706 where he transfers to Flanders. Appointed governor of GRavelines, he is killed at Malplaquet in 1709.

Tournaisis - de Brouilly, Sieur de Piennes, captain in the regiment Picardie, appointed colonel of Tournaisis upon establishment in 1684. Still looking at this one.

Famechon - Ignace de Belvalet, Seigneur de Famechon. begins military service in Spanish army, transfers to the FRench army, serves in Germany, then in 1668 serves on Crete (Candie). Returns to Europe with the Bandeville regiment (suite Vaudecourt) and serves in all of Turennes major battles, is given the regiment of Valonne which is renamed Famechon and is promoted brigadeir in 1684. On retrun from Ireland he serves in the army of Italy and then that of Spain (fighting at the Ter) before moving back to Italy.Serves on the Moselle, dies in 1698 aged 60.
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Rebel » Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:54 am

Typo - Famechon served in regiment d'Espargny.....
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Graf Bretlach » Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:26 pm

Thank you Rebel you have inspired me to look further.

this is my summary of the French regiments sent to Ireland, if anyone can provide more details or corrections or pictures of these regiments would be great.

1. French provincial Regiment La Marche 1047 V8-229 - Boyne
Colonel? Armand-Charles de Gontaut, baron de Biron [no full biog yet]
Grey coat with red
Establishment 47 officers/1,050 men (less at least 10%)

2. French provincial Regiment Tournaisis 1044 V8-225 - no Irlande mentioned
Colonel? marquis de Brouilly, Sieur de Piennes [no full biog yet]
Grey coat with red
Establishment 47 officers/1,050 men (less at least 10%)

3. French provincial Regiment Forez 1042 V8-222 - Boyne, Limerick
Colonel Jean-Noël de Barbezières, comte de Chémerault [biog available]
Confirmed Ireland with his regiment
Grey coat with red
Establishment 47 officers/1,050 men (less at least 10%) 1 btn

4. Walloon Regiment Faméchon 1025 V8-208 Boyne, Limerick
Brigadier Ignace de Belvalet, comte de Faméchon [biog available]
Confirmed Ireland with his regiment
Red coat with blue
Establishment 55 officers/1,000 men (less at least 10%) 1 btn

5. Walloon Regiment Mérode 1067 V8-250 Boyne not mentioned
Colonel? de Gand-Vilain, comte de Mérode [no full biog yet]
? coat with ?
Establishment 55 officers/800 men (less at least 10%) 1 btn

6. Walloon/German Regiment Zurlauben 1031 V8-214 Boyne
Brigadier Béat-Jacques de la Tour-Châtillon, comte de Zurlauben [biog available]
Confirmed Ireland with his regiment
Blue coat with red
Establishment 90 officers/2,000 men (less at least 10%) 2 btns

Note - first number is the reference in Susane, the second is the volume and page number.

Note – the number going to Ireland is known at 6,547 (this figure may or may not include officers and some English/Irish returning, hence at least 10% reduction)
I think a figure of 5,500 for the French regiments is more realistic with 7 btns but even that seems high for the period.



Other officers that came out with the French regiments

Capitain-Général Lauzun (commander)
Antonin Nompar de Caumont, marquis Lauzun de Puyguilhem (1632-1723)

Lt-Général Marquis Léry de Girardin 2nd in command

Maréchal de Camp Marquis de la Hoguette
?Charles Fortin de la Hoguette (died 1693 Marseilles)?


Childs states 7 regiments at 6,666, the additional regiment was Courvassiez (?)

comment or corrections welcome
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Rebel » Sat Feb 08, 2014 1:18 pm

Graf,

no problem - those were just a few things that I dug out in a "creative pause" from my slaving away on the manuscript for my latest Osprey. Thing is I can most likely give you chapter and verse on the French regiments and the senior officers, but it'll take a bit of time and that's a bit slack at the moment, otherwise "Ramillies" won't hit the bookshelves in October.


Kindest Regards,



Mike
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Rebel » Sat Feb 08, 2014 1:23 pm

Graf (2),

BTW your post endorses what I wrote in both the "Boyne" and "Aughrim" - when the French went into major production mode, the uniforms were almost all produced in gris-mêle with red distinctions, and so if anyone painting late period jacobites* has any questions as to uniform colours, that's your answer, as the colonels almost certainly didn't have the wherewithal to fund the mass dying of cuffs and linings. Also the workshops where this would have taken place were at this stage almost all in Williamite hands.

All the best,



Mike.


* Or even Mountcashel before 1692
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Graf Bretlach » Sat Feb 08, 2014 8:58 pm

Thank you Mike and good luck with Ramillies.

regards

Mark
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Rebel » Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:51 pm

Well, am now in the final proof reading of the manuscript and hope to "sign it off tomorrow, so "Ramillies" should be hitting the shelves before the end of October. Just hope it is well enough received to encourage the next two in the series, although that said I have a few other projects bubbling away.....


Mike.
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Graf Bretlach » Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:56 pm

Hi Mike

Any information on the book like pages, hardback OOBs price etc

I have Neil Littens, Falkner and most of the older histories, it will be interesting to compare.

what else have you written? and what are the other projects if you don't mind me asking.

regards

Mark
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by Rebel » Wed Jul 02, 2014 10:25 pm

Hi Mark,

for Osprey - Boyne, Cromwell in Ireland, Colditz, Teutoburg Forest, Coronel & Falklands, Easter Rising and now Ramillies.

for History Press - Aughrim and Cromwell's War with Spain (in progress).

currently researching - History of the Irish Brigade in French service (1689-1746), Dettingen and Fontenoy.

Ramillies was fascinating to work on, not only because it is arguably Marlborough's best battlefield performance, but also because of the impact of the terrain on the battle itself and the final casualty toll actually doesn't reflect the fine balance that existed for much of the battle.

Will be great to see what people think once it is out.

All the best,

- Mike
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by flick40 » Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:00 pm

The Wild Geese are a vast interest of mine, looking forward to seeing your work in print.
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Re: French Battalions in Ireland...

Post by turrabear » Thu Jul 03, 2014 2:13 am

Rebel wrote:Well, am now in the final proof reading of the manuscript and hope to "sign it off tomorrow, so "Ramillies" should be hitting the shelves before the end of October. Just hope it is well enough received to encourage the next two in the series, although that said I have a few other projects bubbling away.....


Mike.
ordered from amazon. looking forward to reading it.
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