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Monday, September 30, 2024

25e Regiment of Dragoons

We interrupt the game narrative for a Dragoon moment! 

The The regiment traces its origins back to 1665, when a new cavalry regiment was raised and named Bourgone in 1685, renamed in 1711 as Bretagne. It reverted back to Bourgone in 1751, becoming Royal-Bourgone in 1788. The Regiment became the 17e Regiment de Cavalerie in 1791 and the 16e Regiment de Cavalerie in 1792. It finally became the 25e Regiment de Dragons in 1803


The 25e regiment saw plenty of action during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars:  1792: Valmy, 1793: Hondschoote, 1794: Etreux, Mons, and Maestricht, 1800: Offenbourg and Holzheim, 1805: Elchingen and Austerlitz, 1806: Halberstadt, 1807: Ostrolenka, 1808: Baylen, 1809: Lugo and Alba-de-Tormes, 1810: Lines of Torres-Vedras and Ciudad-Rodrigo, 1811: Fuentes-de-Onoro, 1812: Arapiles, 1813: Vitoria, 1813: Dresden and Leipzig, 1814: Saint-Dizier, Brienne, La Rothiere, Mormont, Fere-Champenoise, and Paris

6 Colonels of the Regiment attained the rank of Brigadier or higher: 
Louis-Rene Le Mouton de Boisdeffre,  General de Brigade 1792; 
Nicolas Cugnot d'Aubigny, General-de-Brigade: 1794, Officer of the Legion d'Honneur: 1804, Chevalier of the Empire: 1810, Baron of the Empire: 12th April 1813;
Jean-Oliver Gaudin, General-de-Brigade: 1794;
Archange-Louis Rioult d'Avenay, General-de-Brigade: 1807, Officer of the Legion d'Honneur: 1808, Died: 1 June 1809 (Died of wounds received on 8 May 1809);
Antoine Rigaud, General-de-Brigade: 1807, Commander of the Legion d'Honneur: 1805, Baron of the Empire: 1809;
Philippe-Antoine Ornano, General-de-Brigade: 1811, General de Division: 1812, Count of the Empire: 1808.

The regimental facing color for the 25e- 30e regiments was aurore; I have used Delta CC "Calypso Orange" here. I think it looks quite striking! The figures once again are Piano Wargames by Lucas Luber. The next Piano Wargames Kickstarter commences October 14th!

13 comments:

  1. Lovely work again and the Piano figures are very nice indeed. The facing colour really makes them stand out, French dragoon uniforms are amongst the best in the period in my humble opinion.

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    1. Thanks, Donnie, I agree. Starting in 1808, almost all of the Regiments served in Spain until 1808. While not enjoyable duty, when they were returned to the main army in 1813 and 1814, they were the best cavalry of the French army, having missed the Russian campaign.

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  2. Super looking dragoons. Calypso Orange is not a color I have seen.

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    1. Thanks, Jon. It's one of many old colors in the line. The facings were painted white first, with the aurore painted over it.

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  3. A beautiful and very striking unit Peter. The aurore really makes them stand out, especially on the trumpeter.

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    1. Thank you Lawrence. I agree, the trumpeter is an especially striking fellow. Reversed colors for me all the way - phooey on the later Imperial Livery! :-)

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  4. Another fantastic looking regiment of dragoons Peter, the facing colour is once again very striking.

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  5. Lovely unit! I really like the intense green color!

    Best wishes,
    Jan

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    1. Thanks, Jan. The coats and jackets were painted a medium green color, and stained dark green. This makes them somewhat lighter than the historical uniforms (at least before fading of the vegetable dies began!)

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  6. Brilliant. The facings really pop. Calypso Orange sounds like the name for an ice lolly.

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    1. Thanks, Richard. I think the point of the name is to reflect the bright colors that Caribbean houses are often painted.

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  7. Lovely paint job on these Piano Wargames dragoons! Hope to paint some in 1/32 scale in aurore too one day!

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