Portuguese Army 1789-1814
Portugal was originally going to be included in my Minor Nations/States thread, but the amount of information now available, the complexity of the changes, and the need to correct errors more than merits its own thread. The format of this article will be used for an expansion/breaking apart of my Minor Nations/States into separate entries on each state/nation etc.
Listed below are the sources I have drawn on to produce the information covering the pre-Revolutionary War period to 1814:
Andrew Halliday’s “Observations on the present state of the Portuguese Army”1811 & 1812 editions,
Napoleonic Association booklet “The Portuguese Regular Army 1806-14” by Richard A Howard,
Sir Charles Oman “History of the Peninsular War – Volume 2”,
Philip Haythornthwaite "The Napoleonic Source Book",
George Nafziger "Armies of Spain & Portugal",
Otto von Pivka's "Armies of the Napoleonic Era",
Otto von Pivka's “The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars”,
Rene Chartrand and Bill Younghusband “The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars - Volumes 1, 2 & 3,
Philip Haythornthwaite & Michael Chappell “Uniforms of the Peninsular War 1807-14”,
Martin Windrow &Gerry Embleton “Military Dress of the Peninsular War”,
Richard Partridge & Michael Oliver "Napoleonic Army Handbook - The British Army & Her Allies",
Knotel "Uniforms of the World",
Pedro Soares Branco “Uniformes Portugueses Na Guerra Peninsular”,
various magazines, articles including Tenente-Coronel Nuno Correia Barrento de Lemos Pires “Os Exércitos não se improvisam - Um estudo sobre o Exército Português e o novo Exército Anglo-Português em 1808” and
various websites including
http://www.arqnet.pt/exercito/principal.html,
www.revistamilitar.pt/,
www.revista-artilharia.net/,
http://guerradapeninsula-marr.blogspot.co.uk/,.
http://lagosmilitar.blogspot.co.uk/, etc.
Information in English on the timing and detailed internal organisational changes is often incomplete, confusing and contradictory and in some cases are just incorrect. In an attempt to correct the errors and fleshout the information, I have drawn on Portuguese sources (my thanks to GoogleBooks) – in particular Antonio Delgado da Silva “Collecção da legislação Portugueza desde aultima compilação das ordenações – Volumes 2 to 6”.
Corrections/amendments to the notes that follow would be much appreciated (where appropriate with supporting evidence) as it is quite possible that I have failed to identify all of the relevant decrees etc or misread/misinterpreted some of them or some may not have been implemented. For details of the uniforms worn by the Portuguese units, I recommend that readers visit Geronimo's excellent thread with plenty of pictures at http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=368825 Additional pictures or links to pictures will be added later at the end of each section.
For Portuguese Army Ranks and their British equivalents see post by João Centeno at http://www.napoleon-series.org/milit...ueseranks.html
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The 1764 reforms of the Portuguese Army by Conde de Lippe (Graf von Schaumberg-Lippe-Bückeburg) resulted in a modern efficient army. Following his departure in 1767 the the army was allowed to go into a steady decline. Its complete disorganistaion was demonstrated by the Spanish-French offensive in the war of the Oranges in 1801. As a result calls were made to reorganise the army but no action was taken until the new law of 19 May 1806.
This law proposed major changes in organization and recruitment system. It represented remarkable progress in the military institutions as the country was divided into 3 major divisions: Divisão Norte, Divisão Centro and Divisão Sul, covering 7 Governments and 3 military districts. The 3 Divisions comprised all arms; a mix of regular, militia & ordenanças; regular regiments were given numbers rather than titles.
The Infantry was brigaded as follows:
Divisão Norte
Brigada Nº 1 Regimentos Nº 3 & 15
Brigada Nº 2 Regimentos Nº 6 & 18
Brigada Nº 3 Regimentos Nº 9 & 2
Brigada Nº 4 Regimentos Nº 12 & 24
Divisão Centro
Brigada Nº 1 Regimentos Nº 1 & 13
Brigada Nº 2 Regimentos Nº 4 & 16
Brigada Nº 3 Regimentos Nº 7 & 19
Brigada Nº 4 Regimentos Nº 10 & 22
Divisão Sul
Brigada Nº 1 Regimentos Nº 2 & 14
Brigada Nº 2 Regimentos Nº 5 & 17
Brigada Nº 3 Regimentos Nº 8 & 20
Brigada Nº 4 Regimentos Nº 11 & 23
The Cavalry was allocated as follows:
Divisão Norte
Regimentos No 3, 6, 9 & 12
Divisão Centro
Regimentos No 1, 4, 7 & 10
Divisão Sul
Regimentos No 2, 5, 8 & 11
The Artillery was allocated as follows:
Divisão Norte
Regimento No 4
Divisão Centro
Regimento No 1
Divisão Sul
Regimentos No 2 & 3
The Militia Regiments were allocated as follows:
Divisão Norte
Regimento de Milícias de Bragança
Regimento de Milícias de Chaves
Regimento de Milícias de Miranda
Regimento de Milícias de Vila Real
Regimento de Milícias dos Arcos
Regimento de Milícias da Barca
Regimento de Milícias de Barcelos
Regimento de Milícias de Basto
Regimento de Milícias de Braga
Regimento de Milícias de Guimarães
Regimento de Milícias de Viana
Regimento de Milícias de Vila do Conde
Regimento de Milícias da Feira
Regimento de Milícias da Maia
Regimento de Milícias de Penafiel
Regimento de Milícias do Porto
Divisão Centro
Regimento de Milícias de Alcácer do Sal
Regimento de Milícias de Leiria
Regimento de Milícias da Lousã
Regimento de Milícias de Santarém
Regimento de Milícias de Setúbal
Regimento de Milícias de Soure
Regimento de Milícias de Torres Vedras
Regimento de Milícias do Termo da Corte, do Lado Ocidental
Regimento de Milícias do Termo da Corte, do Lado Oriental
Regimento de Voluntários Reais de Milícias a Pé de Lisboa Ocidental
Regimento de Voluntários Reais de Milícias a Pé de Lisboa Oriental
Regimento de Milícias de Coimbra
Regimento de Milícias de Aveiro
Regimento de Milícias da Figueira da Foz
Regimento de Milícias de Oliveira de Azemeis
Divisão Sul
Regimento de Milícias de Avis
Regimento de Milícias de Beja
Regimento de Milícias de Évora
Regimento de Milícias de Portalegre
Regimento de Milícias de Vila Viçosa
Regimento de Milícias de Lagos
Regimento de Milícias de Tavira
Regimento de Milícias de Arganil
Regimento de Milícias de Arouca
Regimento de Milícias de Castelo Branco
Regimento de Milícias da Covilhã
Regimento de Milícias da Guarda
Regimento de Milícias de Idanha-a-Nova
Regimento de Milícias de Lamego
Regimento de Milícias de Tondela
Regimento de Milícias de Trancoso
Regimento de Milícias de Viseu
The Ordenança Brigades were allocated as follows:
Divisão Norte
Brigada No 3 & 15; 6 & 18; 9 & 21; 12 & 24.
Divisão Centro
Brigada No 1 & 13; 4 &16; 7 & 19; 10 & 22.
Divisão Sul
Brigada No 2 & 14; 5 &17; 8 & 20; 11 & 23.
Implementation was halted by the French invasion of Portugal in 1807. General Junot’s order of 22 December 1807 resulted in the regular army being disbanded and in January 1808 the same fate fell to the militias and the Ordenanças. In summary:
• soldiers with more than eight years of service were sent home leaving their weapons arms with the French (although they could maintain the uniforms);
• most of the horses were handed over to the French;
• the better troops and officers were amalgamated with the Legion d’Alorna to form the Legião Portuguese (16 January 1808 organisation 6 regimentos de infantaria (each with 2 batalhões de infantaria), 1 batalhão de infantaria ligeira, 3 regimentos de cavalaria and 1 esquadrão de cavalaria ligeira). It was sent to France via Saragossa to serve against Austria in 1809 and then take part in the invasion of Russia in 1812. The remainder of the troops mainly returned their homes having surrendered their weapons.
Following the Spanish rebellion against the French occupation, in June 1808, Portuguese officers and soldiers began to appear in their old units, many using their old uniforms and weapons, bringing anything they could find.
The 30 September 1808 decree assigned regiments to recruitment areas:
Infantry:
Lisboa - Regimentos No 1, 4, 10, 13 & 16
Elvas - Regimentos No 5, 17 & 22
Porto - Regimentos No 6 & 18
Setubal - Regimento No 7
Cascais - Regimento No 19
Estremoz - Regimento No 3
Castelo de Vide - Regimento No 8
Vila Viçosa - Regimento No 15
Campo Maior - Regimento No 20
Lagos - Regimento No 2
Tavira - Regimento No 14
Viseu - Regimento No 11
Almeida - Regimento No 23
Viana - Regimento No 9
Valença - Regimento No 21
Chaves - Regimento No 12
Bragança - Regimento No 24
Cavalry:
Lisboa - Regimentos No 1, 4 & 7
Santarem - Regimento No 10
Elvas - Regimento No 8
Moura - Regimento No 2
Beja - Regimento No 3
Évora - Regimento No 5
Almeida - Regimento No 11
Chaves - Regimentos No 6 & 9
Bragança - Regimento No 12
On 14 October 1808, the Caçadores were assigned to Divisions as follows:
Divisão Norte
Batalhões No 3 & 6
Divisão Centro
Batalhões No 1 & 4
Divisão Sul
Batalhões No 2 & 5
In response to the Portuguese request to the British Government for a senior officer to be appointed to command, reorganise & modernise their army, William Carr Bereford was chosen. In March 1809, he took office with the rank of Marechal de Campo and had the British drill-books translated into Portuguese and generally improving administrative efficiency. He sacked the less efficient, lazy, senile elements of the officer corps. 24 British Capitains and Majors allocated to Beresford were transferred to Portuguese service. These officer received a one step rank increase in British service and another in Portuguese e.g. a Captain would become a British Major and a Tenente-Coronel in Portuguese service. Altogther some 350 British officers including 23 Sergeants received Portuguese commissions. The later transferees only received a one step rank increase in the Portuguese army; there was no advancement in rank in the British army which led to much acrimony.
Beresford’s next job was to try and bring the army upto strength. This was slow work and full strength was never reached. Cavalry was a major problem as suitable horse flesh was limited. A number of regiments remained dismounted and were utilised as garrison troops. Performance in the field by the cavalry was mixed – it was the least reliable arm of the revitalised army. The infantry, caçadores & artillery performed well.
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Bandeiras & Estandartes (Flags & Standards)
The royal decree of 19 May 1806 also gave new colours and standards to the Portuguese Army.
Each infantry regiment was given two flags. The first was in distinctive geometrical shapes in a mix red, blue white and yellow. The second was a relatively plain regimental colour, in the appropriate divisional colour to which the regiment belonged. Infantry regimental flags had cravats in the regimental colours attached immediately below the flag staff heads.
Six regiments which had taken part in the war against France were granted an inscription on their colours by the Warrant of 17 December 1795.
3rd Regiment ‘Ao Valor do I. Regimento de Olivença’; 4th Regiment ‘Ao Valor do Regimento de Freire’; 6th Regiment ‘Ao Valor do I. Regimento de Porto’; 13th Regiment ‘Ao Valor do Regimento de Peniche’; 18th Regiment ‘Ao Valor do II. Regimento de Porto’; and 19th Regiment ‘Ao Valor do Regimento de Cascaes’.
In recognition of the 9th, 11th, 21st and 23rd line regiments distinguishing themselves at Vitoria they were granted a special inscription that was added around the central white field bearing the royal arms on the King's colours. It read ‘Julgareis qual he mais Excellente? Se ser do Mundo Rei ou de Tal Gente’ [Judge which is better, to be king of the world or of such people]. For a modern recreation see http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JzRbWuglMs...s1600/0580.jpg
Each cavalry regiment was issued with four standards, one per squadron, the 1st squadron a white standard, the 2nd red, the 3rd yellow and the 4th blue. The cavalry regiments cravats were 1st-3rd regiments white, 4th-6th scarlet, 7th-9th yellow and 10th-12th light blue.
The battalions of cacadores did not carry flags. However the 7th and 11th battalions [note the British order of battle describes the 11th as the 12th] so distinguished themselves at the battle of Vitoria in June 1813, that as a special honour these two battalions were granted colours. The flags followed the usual pattern though only in red, white & blue. They bore the legend ‘Distintos vos Sereis na Luza Historia c’os Louros que Colhestes na Victoria’ [you will be distinguished in the history of Portugal by the laurels you won at Vitoria]. The cravat was yellow and black. It is not known if they received a plain second colour as well.
The warflag website at http://www.warflag.com/napflags/flaghtml/portugal.htm has illustrations of
Infantry King's Colours:
Post 1806 issue for line infantry regiments.
Pattern for 19th infantry regiment.
Pattern for 9th, 11th, 21st and 23rd regiments post 1813.
Pattern for 7th and 11th cacadores battalions post 1813.
Pattern attributed to 21st regiment - possibly pre 1806 issue.
Infantry Regimental Colours:
Infantry regiments of the Northern division.
Infantry regiments of the Center Division.
Infantry regiments of the Southern Division
Cavalry Standards:
1st and 2nd squadrons.
3rd and 4th squadrons.
For other examples including modern recreations see:
Regimento de Infantaria de Lagos (nº2).
Regimento no4
Regimento no8
Regimento no9
Regimento no10
Regimento de Viseu (no 14)
Regimento no23
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Pictures of General Staff
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