28R - Chasseur of the Saintonge Regiment, 1781

#28 in the Regimental Series

Available Format of Print:
350 Signed/Numbered (available)
Overall: 15.375" x 20"
Image: 11.375" x 14.5"
$75.00

Artist Proof (available)
50 Signed/Numbered
Overall: 15.375" x 20"
Image: 11.375" x 14.5"
$100.00

Canvas Giclee (printed as ordered)
15 Signed/Numbered
Overall: 16" x 20"
$600.00
                                                            

A regiment with an old heritage in the French Army, the Saintonge Regiment was formed in 1684 and saw much service in the decades before the American Revolution.

During the American Revolution it was part of the expeditionary forces under the command of General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Compte de Rochambeau. In July of 1780 this force landed at Newport, Rhode Island and during the following year marched to join with Washington’s patriot forces above New York City for a projected attack on that place. After determining that New York was too risky to assault, the allied force conducted a skillful march across New Jersey and into Virginia to bottle up another British force under General Cornwallis at Yorktown. After being reinforced, by the French fleet under Compte de Grasse with further troops from the West Indies, the allies laid siege to the British who had fortified their position. On October 19, 1781 the British forces surrendered insuring American Independence two years later.
The Saintonge was numbered as the 85^th Regiment and their brass buttons were so numbered. The uniform was white with dark green cuffs and edgings to the lapels, pockets, cuffs and shoulder straps. The coat tails were decorated with a green hunting horn device. During the summer, tall white linen leggings with cloth covered buttons were worn and in the winter, black wool. Chasseurs and Grenadiers wore small black waxed mustaches whereas the battalion companies were clean shaven. He is armed with the musket of the pattern 1763/1766 and a brass hilted hanger of the 1767 pattern ornamented with a dark green worsted knot. Knapsacks were made of calfskin with the fur side out. The Chasseur here has an alliance cockade on his hat with a white base emblazoned black and red added to honor their new allies the Americans and Spanish.

Don Troiani