Napoleonic & ECW wargaming, with a load of old Hooptedoodle on this & that


Thursday 26 January 2017

1809 Spaniards - Voluntarios de Campo Mayor - the authorised version

With, again, my sincere thanks to Macota for providing the reference information, I attach the relevant pages from the standard work by the Conde de Clonard, which show that the Vols de Campo Mayor were raised in Sevilla in 1802-3, confirm that the unit was named to commemorate the taking of the (Portuguese) town and fortress of Campo Mayor, during the War of the Oranges, and even give some details of which units helped contribute the manpower for each of the 6 companies. They were renamed for the town of Albuhera in 1815, and the reference to uniform colours also gives me a clue that the 1812 version of this regiment - in British-made light blue uniforms with white facings - gives a sensible ID to just such a unit which I have had sitting on the painting bottletops for a while (thanks again, Matt), waiting for me to provide a suitable drummer so they can take their place in the 1812 army.




Clonard's book was published in the mid-19th Century (I think), and he gives some later history, and the plate of unit insignia shows Campo Mayor at top left. The list of colonels could use some dates, I guess, but hey.


Just to make the point that these chaps worked very hard during the Guerra de Independencia, I also attach the tables from Col. JJ Sañudo's invaluable database of unit histories - these guys were everywhere - Talavera, Ucles - read for yourself. Thanks to everyone who contributed ideas, and to anyone who just read the original posting - oh, and to Google Books, of course.




3 comments:

  1. Very interesting find! I do love all these little snippets of history.

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  2. I'm glad I helped you; just a little comment: The "unit insignia" is the coat of arms of the regiment (and the "Escudete" or shield displayed in the ends of the burgundian cross of the sencilla flag, and corners of the coronela flag). In the plate of Clonards books, the shield is inaccurate. The real thing is less artistic. If you give me a mail address, i'll send you the pic. in .bmp format, so you can use it in photoshop...

    Marco Benavente
    Chile

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    Replies
    1. That would be brilliant - thanks Marco - email address is msfoy@btinternet.com.

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