Project Waterloo: Dutch Line Infantry, 1815

 

The Treaty of Paris, signed May 30. 1814 determined that the House of Orange would return to the rule of Holland, and that the Kingdom would be enlarged by adding the originally Austrian territories more or less corresponding to modern day Belgium.  

Initially the Dutch (North Netherlands") and Belgian ("South Netherlands") armies were separate, but the army was reorganized several times, and and April 15, 1815, the two armies were combined into a single force... less than 2 months before the French would attack! 

These troops wear the (very idealized compared to probable reality!) uniform of the Dutch line infantry of the time; single breasted dark blue coats with brass buttons, white collars and cuffs, and red turnbacks. A "double billed shako" of Austrian style had red or green short plumes plumes for the flank companies reminiscent of French line infantry, but blue and white shoulder rolls in a more British style!; quite a hodge-podge of schemes!

Orange cockades were worn on the shako, and commissioned officers had orange sashes. The drums  had a pattern or red, blue, and white triangles on the rims. 

Figures are from Perry Miniatures. I see I forgot to trim down and guild the tops of the flagpoles; that has already been corrected. 

Flags themselves were printed from the Napflag site; he notes they may not have actually been issued until as late as 1820, however.