First raised in 1634, Rohan-Montbazon had 2 battalions. The regiment was at Rossbach (brigaded with Beauvoisis Infanterie), and was the third regiment in the centre column (the reserve) behind Provence and Poitou infantry regiments. It suffered heavily, losing 11 officers killed and 18 wounded. At Sandershausen in 1758 the regiment was battered by the Hessian attack, and, having used up all its ammunition, had to resort to the bayonet. Casualties were very heavy; 66 officers and 778 men were killed or wounded. At Lutterberg later that year the regiment was luckier and little engaged. In January 1759 it was involved in the relatively bloodless coup that seized the city of Frankfurt, which the French then held for the rest of the war. At Bergen in April 1759 along with Piemont and Royal Roussillon the regiment drove the allies back with the bayonet. In the last few years of the war the regiment garrisoned the Channel coast. [Details from Kronoskaf and C. Duffy's Prussia's Glory.]
The flags as depicted were carried by this regiment from 1745 to 1759.
And this plate shows the uniform and flags in 1757:
You are cooking with gas these days, David!
ReplyDeleteThe flags are splendid work, and you have put your hands on some delightful uniform plates.
Jim
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much. :-) I rather like these French flags, as you can tell.
As I'm doing Rossbach now, I might do a few Prussian flags too. We'll see.
Cheers,
David.
The French flags have a nice, simple elegance about them. Stately.
ReplyDeleteI work at a university with historical links to a highly-placed ancient French aristo family. I gather that one of the family was col. of a Gendarmerie regiment, although he is more recent than the fellow who founded my institution. The University's flag is based on the ancestor's family heraldry and flag, in reversed colours of course. Figured prominently is the same cross.
Jim
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. French flags have an elegant and simple consistency about them - far less fussy than the later French Napoleonic flags. :-)
Interesting to hear about your university's flag - do you have weblink so I could see the flag, please?
Thanks.
Cheers,
David.