13th Portuguese Line, "Peniche"

 The 13th regiment was recruited in Estramadura province, and quartered in Lisbon. 

It formed part of the 10th Portuguese brigade, along with the 5th Cazadores and, later, the 24th Line regiment. The brigade acted independently for much of the Peninsular War. 

Belonging to the organizational Center Division, it had white piping on the collars, cuffs, turnbacks, and front of the jacket. 

The later uniform had either a fringe to the shoulder straps or British style "wings", usually shown as green for the light company and piping colored for the grenadiers; the light companies had green plumes, while everyone else had white plumes on their shakos. 

Photography assistant Miss Maddie. I usually take my pictures outside on an overcast day, using the cover of our hot tub for the (grey) surface!

Note the white lace decoration on the uniform of the Fifer. I know that many wargamers don't like their figures in firing positions, but I always like to have at least some of my Napoleonic infantry in same, so I was pleased that these figures from Brigade Games had firing options. 

And with this unit, Project Portugal expansion is complete. Parade to follow at a date to be determined!

2nd Portuguese Line, "Lagos"

 

The second Line Regiment was recruited in Algarve province and quartered in Faro. 

The regiment formed part of the 2nd Portuguese brigade, along with the 14th Line regiment. 

The regiment belonged to the organizational Southern Division, and thus had red piping on the shoulders, turnbacks, collars, cuffs, and the front seam of the single breasted jacket. 

The second regiments distinctions otherwise were dark blue collar and white cuffs. 

The wonderfully colorful flag is by Adolfo Ramos once again.  The figures are by Brigade Games.

The drummer in the back rank has red and blue lace decorations on his uniform; the drum is dark blue with red rims. 

6th Cazadores Battalion 1811

These are the last of the Cazadores to be added to my expanded Portuguese forces. 

These fellows are from the 6th Battalion, and have yellow collars and cuffs, piped black. The figures are from Brigade Games. 

I made one omission on these troops, since corrected; they should have a bras plate on the black crossbelts on the chest. 

The 6th was based in Minho province, and quartered in Penafiel. 

With 24 Line Infantry units of 2 battalions, and 12 battalions of Cazadores, the Cazadores numbered roughly 1/5 of the Portuguese infantry. 

3rd Cazadores Battalion, 1811

In 1811, the number of Light Infantry (Cazadores) battalions in the Portuguese army was doubled, from 6 to 12. 

While the brown jackets and pants were retained, the other details of their uniforms changed significantly. 

The yellow lace on the jackets was replaced by black, and many facing colors became in part black; those that were not black were now piped black. 

The shako changed from the Barentina to one more like the British "stovepipe shako". 

Each Cazadores battalions had 5 companies; one of these were sharpshooter or "Atiradores", and usually had black plumes as opposed the green plumes of the other four companies. The Atiradores were at least theoretically armed with Rifles, and some other men of the battalion might have riles as well, as available. 

This unit is the 3rd Battalion of Cazadores. It had black collars and cuffs. 

It was based in Beira province, at Aguiar de Beira. 

Portuguese Cavalry Regiment # 6

 

The 6th Cavalry Regiment was designated as "Braganza", after the ruling house of Portugal. 

The Portuguese cavalry had buff belts. This unit carries Carbines The Portuguese Cavalry was generally considered fairly poor. Portugal has very rugged and mountainous terrain, and was not good horse country. Most regiments were chronically understrength and had insufficient mounts even for the men who were on hand. 

My original, sole regiment of Portuguese Cavalry were Minifigs (with the correct uniform details for the Portuguese  cavalry, such as the red plumes on the helmets. They were absurdly overstrength at 12 figures (instead of my standard 8 figures). The officers from the Foundry command sets for the British Light Dragoons were wearing bicornes, which I didn't like at all, so they were dispatched to the "Command" ranks. Thus a couple of the Minifigs (who were also equipped with Carbines)lightly updated and added to the ranks, one serving as the standard bearer. 

This regiment had red collars and cuffs with yellow piping and turnbacks. 

It seems the natural leather horse furniture was also customary for the Portuguese cavalry. 

Portuguese Napoleonic Command

Some command stands, etc., for my Portuguese Napoleonic Army. 

Figures came from some "spares" from the Brigade Games Portuguese Infantry, some mounted Colonels from Brigade Games, a couple of spare Minifigs Cavalry, and some officers in Bicornes from the Foundry British Light Dragoon Command sets. 

One must make sure the men are well lead!

I especially like the Sapper!

Forward, lads!

Portuguese Cavalry Regiment #2

The 2nd regiment carried the designation "Moura". 

The jacket had white collars and cuffs, with red piping and turnbacks. 

Trumpeters had yellow lace on the seams of their jackets, and it seems the trumpet cords were in mixed colors corresponding to the collar and piping colors, so red and white for the 2nd. 

The red crest for the trumpeter is shown in the book "Napoleon's War in Spain", by Lachouque, Tranie, and Carmigiani. I have not seen it elsewhere, so it may be an error, although it would be in keeping with the German fashion of the the time for trumpeters. Still, it was too tasty a bit of bling for me to resist!

The figures are Foundry early British Light Dragoons, so not entirely correct for the Portuguese Cavalry in all details, but close enough! 

Portuguese Cavalry Regiment #10

The first of three new regiments of horsemen added to my Napoleonic Portuguese army!

While sometimes referred to as "Dragoons", in most documents the Portuguese mounted arm were simply referred to as regiments of Cavalry. 

This is the 10th or "Santarem" regiment, with light blue collars and cuffs piped in white. 

As with the infantry, the color of the piping on the front of the jacket and of the collars and cuffs, as well as the turnbacks, reflected the organizational Division to which the regiment belonged - red for the Southern, white for the Central, and yellow for the Northern Division.

Unlike the infantry, each cavalry regiment had 4 flags, one for each squadron, with a white field for the 1st squadron, red for the 2nd, yellow for the 3rd, and blue for the 4th. I have used scaled down Infantry regimental colors by Adolfo Ramos (15mm); these are pretty close to correct, but evidently the regimental designation would have been on a light blue scroll below the Arms of Portugal. Cravats were in the color of the cuffs. 

Portuguese 23rd Line, "2nd Almeida"

The 23rd (of 24 total) Portuguese Line Infantry Regiment was named the 2nd Almeida regiment, and  was recruited in Beira Province and based in Viseu. 

The 23rd belonged to the Southern Military Division, and thus had scarlet piping and turnbacks, and scarlet mixed with dark blue cords on the 1806 shako. 

The 23rd had sky blue collar and cuffs, as seen here. 

Theoretically dark blue trousers were worn in winter and white in summer; it seems the fashion was for the officers to wear the white trousers year round. 

Once again these are 25/28 mm Old Glory 2nd edition British figures painted as Portuguese, with an Adolfo Ramos flag. 

The 23rd formed part of the 9th Portuguese Brigade, along with the previously seen 11th Regiment and the 7th Cazadores. It was attached to the 4th British Division form 1810 onwards.