White uniformed French troops 1870

Started by Leman, 18 June 2017, 11:50:54 AM

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Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

Looks a tad dangerous with breech loading rifles about, unless these were winter uniforms. And I dina tink there were dat much snow I the FPW
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mollinary

Quote from: ianrs54 on 20 June 2017, 02:09:06 PM
Looks a tad dangerous with breech loading rifles about, unless these were winter uniforms. And I dina tink there were dat much snow I the FPW

Actually lots of it in the Republican phase of the war!

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Leman

20 June 2017, 03:40:26 PM #17 Last Edit: 20 June 2017, 03:42:53 PM by Leman
It did cross my mind that these were fatigue uniforms being used as rudimentary camouflage. It does seem limited to Garibaldi's army, so it could also be a case of "sorry lads, these are the only uniforms we've got left." Whatever the case, I am certinly going to paint up some francs tireurs bands like this.
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Zippee

Quote from: Orcs on 19 June 2017, 10:26:45 PM
I have resisted for two days.

Do they have white uniforms so that they can tear them up to make flags?  :)

Oh dear not that old fallacy again - you do realise why flags of surrender are white don't you?

fsn

Isn't white a "traditional" French army colour anyway? Thought blue came in with the Republic, and even Napoleon went back to white for a short period in 1808-09 because he couldn't get the blue dye or something.

Could it be a tropical uniform? Troops dragged back from North Africa? (May be showing my lack of knowledge on the FPW here.)

Why is the officer in blue? Just to give Prussian snipers an easier choice?
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KTravlos

My strong belief is that these were either fatigue smokes of the French army (they wore white in the 1890s), or converted peasant/worker clothes.

The traditional color of the Bourbons is the white indeed. But in this case I strongly believe fatigue smokes. Many armies used white for such uniforms and in a pinch many of them marched to them in battle (Again the Chilean Congressials are a good example).

ronan

Quote from: Orcs on 19 June 2017, 10:26:45 PM
I have resisted for two days.

Do they have white uniforms so that they can tear them up to make flags?  :)

>:(  >:(

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Leman

Quote from: fsn on 20 June 2017, 05:35:11 PM
Isn't white a "traditional" French army colour anyway? Thought blue came in with the Republic, and even Napoleon went back to white for a short period in 1808-09 because he couldn't get the blue dye or something.

Could it be a tropical uniform? Troops dragged back from North Africa? (May be showing my lack of knowledge on the FPW here.)

Why is the officer in blue? Just to give Prussian snipers an easier choice?

Again I'm going to make an assumption based on what I already know. First off these are definitely not regiment de marche as they were made up of regular depot battalions so wore traditional red and blue uniforms. Secondly,  this is Garibaldi's army and he tended to get 'what was left over' after the armies of the Loire and North had the first share of available troops. This included a higher proportion than usual of francs tireurs units. My guess is this is what they are, especially the ones in plumed hats. The ones in kepi could be Francs tireurs or poorly supplied mobiles. The officer will have got hold of an official coloured overcoat as a privilege of his status. Remember how in the ACW officers initially wore dark blue overcoats whilst their men wore light blue.
Another interesting thing I picked up from this series of prints was that the dragoons in the  Army of the Vosges are mostly depicted in green tunics, rather than the recently introduced dark blue, which again seems to suggest supply issues.
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holdfast

It is worth reflecting on the sheer size of the effort needed and achieved to build up a complete new army from what was left in the Depots, and to train, clothe and equip them. About six corps is the thick end of 150,000 men. And while in contact with the enemy.
Compare with the time it took the Brits to do the same for Kitchener's first 100,000 in late 1914/early 1915, without the presence of the Prussians, and you actually have to take your hat off to them. After a similar time Kitchener's boys were still drilling with wooden rifles in their civvies, handing out a bounty to anyone who turned up with a serviceable pair of boots.

sunjester

Quote from: Zippee on 20 June 2017, 05:28:49 PM
Oh dear not that old fallacy again - you do realise why flags of surrender are white don't you?

As you may have noticed, Orcs lives all on his own in a parallel universe to ours, occasionally crossing the dimensions to our world. In his head world the French always surrender, all Italian tanks only have reverse gears and all Johnny Foreigners understand English if you just speak slowly and loudly!  ;D

Bless him!  8-} :O)

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Quote from: sunjester on 28 June 2017, 10:25:26 AM
As you may have noticed, Orcs lives all on his own in a parallel universe to ours, occasionally crossing the dimensions to our world. In his head world the French always surrender, all Italian tanks only have reverse gears and all Johnny Foreigners understand English if you just speak slowly and loudly!  ;D

Bless him!  8-} :O)


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