From AdamC: 'X Marks the Spot' - Two Soldate de Saintonge on Snow Lords Peak (40 Points)

Curt requested I do a project showcasing Regiment Saintonge and I am happy to oblige him as I had two French Fusiliers left over from a long ago project.

"What's this, these fellows can't possibly be from the same regiment!"  says the Snow Lord. "Their Uniforms don't match and all know that a regiment should have matching uniforms!" 

Well my good Snow Lord that's a little quirk of history.

In 1776 France set up new uniform regulations under the guidance for the count Saint-Germain. The 1776 ordinance, which is shown above, was almost universally hated.  The coat was very tight using a minimum of cloth in the Prussian fashion.  Saintonge had an orangish red called 'Aurora' by the uniform regulations, with a blue collar. This same regulation got rid of bear skin grenadier caps (which was ignored by most) and a weird four cornered hat (which were gone by the time of the Expedition to America).

By 1779 a new regulation was under taken resorting more traditional cut to the coat and a new and less varied colors shown above.  Now the French replaced items in rotation. Certain items like gaiters, breaches and hats were replaced annually but coats would be replaced every three years and so when Saintonge left for the United States 1780 some of the men were still in the old uniform. We know some effort was made to get everyone up to current regulation but Saitonge fell short by some 200 men who went in the old uniforms.

So the Yorktown campaign saw the odd spectacle of men from a single regiment wearing two very different uniforms.

The Bottle gourd is a popular image for a French Canteen but the troops sent to America had tin canteens issued before going.  The sharp eyed will not the uniforms are of the same cut.  No one makes a true 1776 regulation French miniature since the men of Saintonge were the only ones to use them in any significant action.  To learn more about Regiment Saintonge please visit our website: http://saintonge.org/Welcome.html 

Points two 25mm figures for 10 points plus 30 points for the Snow Lords Peak for 40 points.  

Hope this has fulfilled my task, oh Snow Lord.

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Adam, this is terrific. I really enjoyed reading the history you provide of the Regiment's uniform changes during this period. You definitely get the impression that this Count Saint-Germain considered his new regulations as the pinnacle of military couture ('aurora' indeed), but others must have seen him as bit of a loon, having to redo his regulations in under three years! That must have been a logistical gong show. A great bit of sartorial history.

With your task complete we'll start the arcane arrangements of getting your Challenge X prize to you.

'The Naga' by TomG

Congratulations Adam!

-Curt