Spanish uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars was a series of wars lasting from 1803 to 1815. Spain was just one of the many countries which resisted the expansion of the French Empire under Napoleon I. The general population fought as guerrillas, preventing the occupying French forces from obtaining supplies or safe passage.

Line Infantry

The Spanish Line Infantry uniform changed several times during the Napoleonic wars. Initially beginning with state supplied clothing, locally produced, or war spoils. After 1811, the British began supplying supplies of their own.

The M1797 uniform was officially listed as being white with collars, cuffs and facings according in the regimental facing colours and distinguished by their pattern combination. 3 regiments were recorded as still wearing this uniform as late as May 1808.

The M1802 uniform consisted of a dark blue coat, black facings with red piping, and white trousers. The bicorne remained the same as the previous M1797 uniform, having a red plume and cockade. Additionally, the collar featured 2 Fleur-de-lys on each side. 12 Regiments were recorded to have been using this uniform as late as May 1808.

The unpopular M1802 uniform was replaced by the M1805, which restored the white coats and distinctive regimental colours of the M1797 uniform. These were used to distinguish between regiments, by a combination of cuffs, collars and facings in either facing colour piped white or white piped with the facing colour. Buttons were also used, either pewter or brass. Turnbacks on the jackets were always white, piped with facing colours. ^{[1] [2]}

The Grenadiers' uniforms were nearly identical to that of the Fusiliers', but with a few distinctive features; the cuffs featured bars known as "Sardines", and featured flaming grenades in facing colours on the turnbacks. The Bearskin was either brown or black, and featured a long cloth device (sleeve) in facing colour with the regimental or provincial emblem and embroidery in button colour.

Uniforms Issued

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Lapel	Buttons	Piping	Notes
Rey						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
Reyna
Príncipe						Use continued to at least May 1808
Saboya
La Corona					M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date
África
Zamora
Soria
Córdova
Guadalaxara
Sevilla
Granada						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
Valencia
Zaragoza						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
España
Toledo
Mallorca
Burgos
Murcia
León						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
Cantabria
Asturias
Fixo de Ceuta						M1797 uniforms were still in use in May 1808: green lapels, turnbacks, and cuffs; cream collar; and brass buttons.
Navarra
Aragón						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
América
Princesa
Estremadura						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
Málaga						M1797 uniforms were still in use in May 1808: red lapels, turnbacks and cuffs; black collar; and white metal buttons.
Jaén						Not issued with M1802 uniforms.
Ordenes Militares
Voluntarios de Castilla						M1802 uniforms were still in use in May 1808 and may have continued beyond this date.
Voluntarios del Estado
Voluntarios de la Corona
Borbón

Foreign Regiments in Spanish Service ^{[1] [2]}

Regiment	Jacket	Collar	Cuffs/turnbacks	Lapels	Buttons	Piping	Notes
Irlanda
Hibernia
Ultonia
Nápoles
1º Suizo de Wimpffen							Feature dark blue button holes piped white on their collars
2º Suizo de Reding Snr
3º Suizo de Reding Jnr
4º Suizo de Betschartd
5º Suizo de Tazler
6º Suizo de Courten/Preux

Light Infantry Regiments

The original Cazadores uniform of a black bicorn, green jacket with red lapels and cuffs was replaced with the M1800 issue of a dark blue jacket with red facings and maintaining the other equipment.

The M1802 uniform was styled after the hussar uniform of the time. A green jacket with yellow lace, red collars and cuffs with the Suhr (a type of leather & brass hat) replacing the bicorn for ordinary ranks.

The M1805 uniform returned to the bicorn, styled after the infantry uniform the colour of the jacket was changed to dark blue, with facing colours, combinations and button colour depending on regiment.

In 1808 some regiments were issued with French style shakos, including La Romana's division de norte. It is unclear which regiments, if any, in Spain were issued with shakos.

Uniforms Issued ^{[3] [2]}

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Lapel	Turnback	Pockets	Buttons	Ref
1º de Aragón	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red	Red piping	White metal
1º de Cataluña	Yellow piped white	Yellow piped white	Yellow piped white
2º de Cataluña	Dark blue piped white	Yellow piped white with yellow cuff flaps	Yellow	Yellow	Yellow piping	Brass
Tarrogona	Yellow	Yellow	Dark blue piped yellow
Gerona			Yellow piped white			White metal
2º de Aragón	Dark blue piped white	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red piping
1º de Barcelona	Yellow	Yellow	Dark blue piped white	Yellow	Yellow piping
2º de Barcelona
Barbastro
Voluntarios de Valencia
Campo Maior
Voluntarios de Navarra

Guard Infantry Regiments

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Lapel	Buttons	Piping	Notes
Reales Guardias Españolas
Reales Guardias Valonas

Heavy Cavalry Regiments ^{[1] [4]}

M1802 Uniforms

All regiments received the same uniform which was considered unpopular with the units themselves. Bicorns edged yellow with red plumes. Dark blue coats with white lapels piped red, crimson facings (collars, cuffs and turn-backs) with blue cuff flaps piped red and yellow lions on their collars. Waist coats and trousers were batched dyed a lemon colour, however this quickly bleached in the sun. The jacket used brass buttons, much like the infantry uniform of the time. The cavalry were issued long boots and blue breeches re-enforced with leather.

Horses were rare in Spain during the war, but those which could be located were issued with blue saddleclothes laced with yellow.

M1805 Uniforms Issued

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Lapel	Pockets	Buttonholes	Buttons	Ref
1º Rey	Red piped yellow	Red piped yellow	Red piped yellow	Red piping	Yellow	Brass
2º Reina	Sky blue piped red	Sky blue piped red	Sky blue piped red		White	White metal
3º Príncipe	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red piped white
4º Infante	White piped yellow	White piped yellow	White piped yellow	White piping	Yellow	Brass
5º Borbón	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red piped white	Red piping		White metal
6º Farnesio	Red piped yellow	Red piped yellow	Red piped yellow	Yellow piping
7º Alcántara	Red piped green	Red piped green	Green piped white	Green piping
8º España	Yellow piped red	Red piped yellow	Red piped yellow	Red piping
9º Algarve		Yellow piped red	Yellow piped red
10º Calatravia	Red	Sky blue piped red	Sky blue piped red
11º Santiago	Crimson piped red	Crimson piped red	Crimson piped red
12º Montesa	Red	Red	White piped red

Dragoon Regiments

Changes of 1803

In 1803 all eight of the dragoon regiments raised in Spain were converted to light cavalry, with the first six converted to Cazadores a Caballo while Numancia and Lusitania were converted to Hussars (See these sections for Uniform during this time period). These were converted back to Dragoons in 1805.

M1805 Uniforms

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Lapel	Pockets	Tricorn edge	Plume	Buttons	Ref
1º Rey	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piped white	Crimson piping	White	Red	White metal
2º Reina	Scarlet piped white	Scarlet piped white	Scarlet piped white	Scarlet piping
3º Almansa	Sky blue piped white	Sky blue piped white	Sky blue piped white	Sky blue piping
4º Pavia	Yellow piped white	Yellow piped white	Scarlet piped white	Scarlet piping
5º Villaviciosa	Green piped white	Green piped white	Green piped white	Green piping
6º Sagunto	Yellow piped white
7º Numancia	Black piped white	Black piped white	Black piped white	Black piping
8º Lusitania	Yellow piped white

M1811 Uniforms

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Lapel	Pockets	Tricorn edge	Plume	Buttons	Ref
1º Rey
2º Reina
3º Almansa
4º Pavia
5º Villaviciosa
6º Sagunto
7º Numancia
8º Lusitania
9º Granada
10º Madrid

Hussar Regiments

In 1803, the 7º Numancia and 8º Lusitania dragoons were converted to hussars. In 1805, 1º Numancia and 2º Lusitania hussars were converted to dragoon; the 3º Olivenza and 4º España regiments were converted back to Cazadores a Caballo; 5º Húsares de Maria Luisa became 1º Húsares de Maria Luisa; and 6º Húsares Españoles became 2º Húsares Españoles in 1805.

References

1. Bueno, José María (1982). Uniformes Militares Españoles: El Ejército y la Armada en 1808. Spain: J.M. Bueno. pp. 78–79. ISBN   84-300-6421-4.
2. Summerfield, Stephen (2014). Spanish Infantry of the Early Peninsular War. Huntingdon, England: Ken Trotman Publishing. p. 133. ISBN   978-1-907417-42-9.
3. Bueno, José María (1982). El Ejercito y La Armada en 1808. Spain: J.M. Bueno. pp. 72–73. ISBN   84-300-6421-4.
4. Summerfield, Stephen (2016). Spanish Cavalry of the Early Peninsular War. Huntingdon, England: Ken Trotman Publishing Ltd. pp. 53–54. ISBN   978-1-907417-74-0.