French Army 1862

The source of this article is “The Military Forces of the Nations of Europe”, from RUSI Journal vol 5 (1862). The lecture this is from was given on 15^th February 1862. It has been expanded with data from Syke’s “Comparison of the Organisation and Cost in Detail of the English and French Armies”, J Stat Soc London (1864)

Generic Structure

A Regiment is a tactical formation with 3 Battalions of 500 rifles/ sabres, and a 4^th battalion as a depot. Brigades were 2 Regiments (6 Bns), Divisions were 2 Brigades and an Army Corps was generally 2 Divisions.

A French Infantry Company consists of 3 Officers, 6 Sous-Officers (Sergeants), 8 Corporals, 2 Drummers and 66 Privates. A Battalion has 6 companies. A regiment is 1,929 officers and men strong.

There are 15 Corps, 1 of Imperial Guard, 4 of Cavalry and 10 of Infantry, all in Europe.

The Ration strength of the French Regular Army was 348,207.

Etats-Major (General Staff)

Consists of 2,483 officers and 1,732 sous officers in France, and 261 officers and 179 sous-officers in Algeria). The British General staff by comparison is 104 general officers (but doesn’t include most of the functions below). Where second figures are given (x+y), the second figure is for reservists (i.e. not active officers)

• 10 (3 are supernumerary) Marechal du France (Field Marshals)
• 90 (16 are supernumerary) +80 reserve General du Divisions (Lieutenant Generals)
• 160 (2 are supernumerary and 2 are in administration) +180 reserve General du Brigade (Major Generals)
• 794+872 regimental officers are serving away from their regiments
• 304 officers of the Intendence (Commissariat)
• 710 are serving as town, garrison etc. officers
• 1,477 artillery staff
• 1,101 engineer staff

Emperor’s Life Guard

Napoleon III’s body guard is La Cent Garde, a cavalry squadron of 179 mounts 13 officers and 207 men. They are armed with breachloading rifles with sword bayonets. They are 100% strength.

Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard is structured as a normal French Army Corps of 2 Infantry Divisions and 1 Cavalry Division. The total was:

Infantry

• 1 Regiment of Zouaves (2 Bns of 7 Coys)
• 3 Regiments of Grenadiers
• 4 Regiments of Voltigeurs
• 1 Regiment of Chasseurs (1 Bn of 10 Coys)

Cavalry

• 2 Cuirassier Regiments
• 1 Dragon Regiment
• 1 Lancier Regiment
• 1 Guides Regiment
• 1 Chasseur Regiment

Gendarmerie

• 1 Squadron of Gendarmerie a Cheval (Mounted Police)
• 2 Regiment with 2 Battalions of 8 Companies

Supporting Arms

• 2 Foot Artillery Batteries
• 1 Mounted Artillery Regiment with 8 Batteries
• 1 Horse Artillery Regiment with 6 Batteries
• 2 Artillery Train Companies
• 2 Companies of Pontooneers (1 per Infantry Division)
• 2 Companies of Engineers (1 per Infantry Division)
• 4 Companies of Train

Establishment 38,060 men, 13,447 horses and 90 guns

Strength: 1,405 officers and 28,518 men (29,923) or 79% of establishment

A Guard Cavalry Regiment consists of 6 squadrons, with 1,047 officers and men and 800 mounts. Guard infantry has larger companies, and so are 2,200 men per regiment.

The Imperial Guard until ca 1860 was entirely composed of reenlisted personnel (no conscripts), but due to the lack of strength, it was recently changed so new recruits could join the Guard direct.

Infantry of the Line

• 100 Regiments of Line (76^th and up are “Light Infantry” but are essentially identical), 6 are in Algeria
• 20 Battalions of Chasseurs
• 3 Regiments of Zouaves
• 2 Regiments of the Foreign Legion
• 3 Battalions of African Light Infantry (Disciplinary  Bns)
• 3 Regiments of Turcos (Algerian Rifles)

The African Light Infantry Bns are for soldiers under sentence. A crime committed while in these Battalions will see the soldier sentenced to the Punishment Companies in the mosquito infested Caribe.

The Foreign Legion is well known, and are composed of European volunteers, while the Turcos are volunteers from the Muslim states of North Africa. The African, Foreign and Turco Infantry are stationed in Africa (although 1 Regiment went to Mexico).

As above, the Line Regments are 1,929 officers and men. The companies in the Chasseurs a Pied are larger (81 officers and men vs 74 officers and men in a line regiment battalion), and there are move of them (8 vs 6)

Strength of the French Metropolitan Infantry is 10,015 officers and 214,195 men

Strength of the colonial Corps is 651 officers and 10,887 men

Gendarmerie

The Military Police of France. 26 Legions have 92 companies and a veteran company.

Strength is 663 officers and 19,672 men.

Cavalry

• 2 Regiments of Carabiniers
• 10 Regiments of Cuirassiers
• 12 Regiments of Dragons (Dragoons)
• 8 Regiments of Lanciers (Lancers)
• 11 Regiments of Chasseurs (Chasers, Light Cavalry)
• 6 Regiment of Hussards (Hussars)
• 3 Regiments of Saphis

The 52 Regments of cavalry (exc/ Guard) are established for roughly 58,000. 3 of the Regiments are Saphis, Muslim Cavalry from North Africa.

A Regiment consists of 6 Squadrons of 130 men (7 officers, 28 sous-officers and 95 troopers), plus another 102 officers and men on the staff, 600 of these men are mounted.

Strength is 3,621 officers and 49,554 men, excluding the cavalry of the Guard (including in that total) and the Saphis (included in the Colonial Corps).

Genies (Engineers)

Strength of 260 officers and 6,708 men, organised in 3 regiments with an establishment of 2,203 officers and men each (slightly overstrength), exclusive of the Guard and engineers on the Etats-Major. 1 of the Regiments is in Algeria.

Artillery

Batteries are 6 guns strong, and the establishment is 38,767 men, 37,954 horses and 852 guns. Actual strength is 34,888 officers and men, exclusive of the guard (2,935 officers and men) and artillery on the Etats-Major

A Horse Regiment has 8 batteries and a Mounted (Infantry) Regiment has 10 batteries, each Army Corps has 1 Regiment.

• 4 Regiments of Horse Artillery (192 guns)
• 10 Regiments of Mounted Artillery (600 guns)
• 10 Batteries of Foot Artillery (60 guns)
• 1 Regiment of Pontooneers
• 6 Squadrons of Train

Field Guns are brass rifles. In addition, there are 16,000 Garrison Artillery (in forts).

Train

The French Train (wagoneers) consists of 4,722 officers and men

Hospital Corps

Strength is 1,144 officers (doctors) and 3,249 orderlies.

Commisariat (Intendence)

8,737 officers and men, includes 3,565 labourers.

Dispositions

As of 1^st January 1860, French dispositions were:

• France: 393,559 men
• Algeria: 83,782 men
• North Italy: 55,281 men
• Rome: 7,904 men (1 Brigade)
• China: 5,548 men
• On Leave: 64,471 men
• Reserve: 11,017 men

National Guards

The current strength of the National Guard is unknown.

Rations

The field ration of the French soldier at the time is:

	weight
Meat	300g
Bread	750g
Sugar	21g
Coffee	16g
Rice	30g
Salt	16.25g
Wine	250ml
Vegetables	60g
Brandy	62.5ml

New Material acquired 1863-4

Rifles: 32,000

Carbines: 6,000

Cavalry Sabres: 1,000

Bayonets: 10,000

Cuirasses: 1,200

Bronze Artillery Pieces (all calibres, including naval guns): 465