The Royalists

Introduction

Trying to pin down the uniforms worn by the Royalist forces is frustrating, made harder by gross inconsistencies among the sources. I suspect, though, that probably all are correct, inasmuch as the Royalists' "uniforms" were anything but. Aside from the difficulties presented by simple geography, and local modifications made due to climate, the Royalists saw a number of authorities come and go from 1808 to 1823: the ancien regime under Godoy, various competing juntas, Joseph's puppet regime in Madrid, New World governors who proclaimed they alone represented Ferdinand VII, and the Constitutionalists who rose in revolt in Spain itself in the early 1820's. Keeping track of the changing uniform regulations must have been more than daunting ...

This means, I suppose, one could outfit his Royalist forces as he sees fit, but some general guidelines are still in order:

Early Uniforms

It is logical to assume the white, pre-war uniforms were worn until they fell apart. Through at least 1817 the Battalion Montada wore white coat and trousers; red collar, cuffs, turnbacks, piping; and buff gaiters. The headgear shown was a wide-brimmed straw hat, probably a local modification. My unit wears the shako. Another "early" uniform, which actually suggests junta influence, was worn by the Husares de la Muerte: dark blue dolman; black collar and cuffs; waistcoat, breeches and gaiters buff; all lace and piping white. A higher officer, unit unknown, wore a soft (Prussian) hat blue with gold band, coat blue with red collar, lapels, cuffs, turnbacks, all laced with gold; black belts, and white breeches. His ADC wore the same, but with blue breeches, and less gold lace.

The Post-War Uniforms (1815 - 1820)

Rather French in style, consisting of a turquoise-blue coatee, with red lining (turnbacks), black gaiters, blue or white trousers, and a French shako with white cords, brass plate, and red pompon. Grenadiers supposedly wore a bearskin, with red or white cords and a red plume. Regimental distinctions were denoted by variously colored lapels, collar, shoulder straps, and piping (white or yellow). Examples:

• Unknown Inf Bn--medium blue jacket and trousers, collar and turnbacks red, lapels white piped red, cuffs red with white slash and piping, grey gaiters, pack brown fur, belts white. French shako with brass plate, red pompon. White/silver buttons.
• Bn De Valency--same as above, except collar is purple, lapels red with white piping, white trousers
• Bn Burgos--same as above, except collar and cuffs are yellow, lapels green with white piping, white trousers
• Royal Artillery--same as above, except collar red (with yellow bombs), lapels medium blue piped red, brass buttons, belts in natural leather, white gaiters.
• Light infantry all had turquoise turnbacks and blue lapels, with green cords and pompon on the shako.

The cavalry were a bit less French in appearance; dragoons wore a yellow coat, with a helmet strongly reminiscent of the pre-1812 British Tarleton helmet. Mounted rifles wore a dark green uniform, with hussar braiding on the chest, and a double-peaked shako with coards and a long plume. [Further details unavailable--sorry!] Hussars wore the usual style, with a tall, narrow busby (similar to certain British models). The 1st Hussars wore light blue throughout, with white sheepskin shabraques; the 2nd wore light blue also except for white dolmans, and black sheepskins.

The New Uniforms of 1821

Information on these uniforms is rather more plentiful. They were still French in style, but followed the general trend towards simplification. Officially, all coats were now blue, without lapels, with a carmine collar, and scarlet cuffs, piping, and turnbacks. Shoulder straps still varied by regiment (but I don't know what they were! Damn!) Belts were white. Trousers were blue, white, or grey. Grenadiers now wore the shako, with red lace, cords, and plume; and red epaulettes. Rifles had these distinctions in green, and wore green coatees and trousers, with collar, cuffs, etc. as for line infantry. My sources do not say, but I assume belts were black for light infantry. Pictorial evidence is largely consistent with the above:

• Grenadier sergeant: red top band on shako, dark grey trousers, brown backpack, grey blanket roll (with red ends).
• Infantryman in campaign dress: grey overcoat, blue trousers, white cover on cartridge box. White band on shako.
• Light infantryman: yellow plume and top band on shako, yellow epaulettes with green crescents
• Light infantry bugler: blue coat with Napoleonic (1812) lacing, white trousers
• Artillery: blue coat with red collar, epaulettes, cuffs, turnbacks; French shako with red plume and top band.
• Artillery train: blue coat and trousers, red epaulettes, light blue (or grey?) collar, cuffs, turnbacks, piping, top band on shako with red pompon. Gun carriages: grey.
• Line drummer: red coat with blue collar, cuffs; grey trousers with blue stripe; red turnbacks; shako with light blue(?) top band and red pompon; white belts, drum was brass with light blue(?) rims.
• Pioneer: blue coat, red epaulettes and coller; buff gauntlets; white lapels and apron; red trousers; fur busby with red cords, red over white plume, blue bag with red vandyke edging and red ball.
• Standard bearer: white shako plume. Belts were yellow with central red stripe.
• Dragoons: tawny yellow coat with red collar, cuffs, turnbacks; brass Napoleonic dragoon helmet with black horsehair fall and brown fur band on helmet; blue trousers with red stripe; blue shabraque and roll with white edging. BUT, 3rd Dragoons are shown wearing blue coat with red turnbacks, collar; brass shoulder scales edged red; blue trousers; red plume on helmet; blue shabraque edged white, with white sheepskin.
• Cazadores a caballo: green coat with red collar and pointed cuffs; yellow shoulder rolls; white belts; blue trousers with red stripe; shako had yellow coards and top band, with red plume; green shabraque with yellow edging.
• 4th Light Cavalry: blue coat with red cuffs, piping, collar, turnbacks; brass (edged red) shoulder scales; white belts; darker blue trousers; shako had white top band and red plume; blue shabraque with red edging, black sheepskin edged blue.
• Guard? light cavalry: blue coat with red collar, turnbacks, and piping; grey trousers; white button lace on lapels; white belts; white band and plume on shako, white epaulettes; blue shabraque edged white, white sheepskin edged black.
• Husares de Fernando VII: black fur busby, red bag with yellow tassel, green dolman and pelisse, yellow collar and cuffs, white lace on dolman and pelisse, black fur on pelisse, barrel sash green and yellow, brass buttons.
• Lancers (Columna Volante de Coro)--flat white straw hat with red band, dark blue jacket with purple collar and cuffs, red turnbacks, white trousers, red waist sash, white belts, red lance pennon.

Back to Liberation!