This should probably be subtitled part 76 or something as I realise it's been done before, but anyway, here we go again
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I'm planning to paint the three infantry battalions over the next few weeks and this is what information I have gathered together so far. Anything further to this would be much appreciated.
What is known and appears to be undisputed is that there were 3 Infantry Battalions at the Boyne and these were commanded by Infantry Colonels Isaac de La Melonière, Francois du Cambon and Pierre Massue, Comte de La Caillemotte.
Received wisdom on uniform colours appears to be
Gris blanc in the French style but I've yet to find anything at all on cuffs and lining colours. I suppose that gives me licence to give each Battalion a different colour and to that end I think I'll go with red, white and blue. Again, unless anyone knows differently?
From various links and wisdom from this forum over the years I've gleaned that they seem to have been roughly handled by Jacobite cavalry after crossing the river. War, Religion and Service, Huguenot Soldiering, 1685-1713 states that the infantry had "up-to-date flintlock muskets and swords but were without bayonets (or) pikes". So, for my purposes, flintlocks it is and 3 stand, all musket Battalions.
And finally, the flags. From the same publication "Jan van Wyck's Boyne paintings apparently show a Huguenot regiment...bearing two colours, one blue and the other white, each with a white overall cross and a first canton
semée of gold
fleurs-de-lis." So, a little creative licence would suggest that the blue faced Battalion has the flag with the blue field mentioned above and the red faced battalion a similar flag with a red field. The white faced Battalion's a bit more complicated as I'd be reluctant to add a gold device to a white field. Doesn't that break a few heraldry rules? So, maybe a black field?
Anyway, that's the plan. Any glaring errors?
Andy