Post
by Rohan Wilmott » Fri Oct 18, 2013 2:32 pm
Hello, John.
Generally, French infantry drummers wore Royal livery in the Royal regiments & those of the named provinces and the remainder wore the livery of their colonel proprietor.The Royal livery was Blue coat with red cuffs & linings and royal livery lace which is best described as a white chain pattern on a red lace background. Examples of livery coats are given in Charles S Grant's book on the "Uniforms of Marlborough's Wars Vol 1" published by Partizan Press and excellent detail (prob best source in English) is Robert Hall's book "Flags & Uniforms of the French Infantry under Louis XIV 1688-1714" available through the Pike & shot Society. I believe it may be on CD also from Baccus & On Military Matters, but not sure of this.
So, to get you going -
Nettancourt - green coat with white chain pattern on blue lace
La Reine red coat with white chain pattern on Blue background lace
Lyonnais - green coat with gold chain pattern on aurore background lace
Bourbon - chamois yellow coat with red lace, red sleeves & cuffs with white lace, red stockings
Dorington - Grant says orange coat & Hall gives Blue coat & breeches with red cuffs, aurore coat lace & ligh blue waistcoat with white stockings
Montboissier(at Blenheim) - Blue coat, waistcoat & breeches with red cuffs & white stockings & no lace
and Hall gives a lot, lot more.
In fact, if you intend painting a French Army, the Robert Hall Uniform books/CD's are an indispensible item.
Information on the earlier armies, ie 1690's, seems rather harder to find than a little later, but Hall does cover the period with what is available. Since there is probably more unknown then known, creative, historical speculation must fill the gaps. (take a look at Churchill's splendid & learned thread on the Blenheim OOB to get an idea about this aspect of our hobby).
Cheers, Rohan.
