Men-at-Arms
17 primary works • 19 total works
Book 203
Louis XIV's army was in many ways the first modern army. After assuming power in 1661, Louis abolished the post of Colonel General of Infantry so he could exercise direct control over the armed forces in his realm. The king demanded order, discipline and absolute loyalty from his army, and he introduced a military draft in 1688 - the first step towards what we know as conscription in modern armies. This book chronicles the development of Louis XIV's army during his 54-year reign, including the units, uniforms and weapons of the elite Maison du Roi. Numerous illustrations portray the uniforms, colours and standards of his troops in vivid detail.
Book 211
When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, France possessed numerous colonies spread over three continents. To defend and keep the peace in these territories, a small army of colonial troops, distinct from the metropolitan line regiments or marines, had existed since the days of Louis XIV. This book examines the history and uniforms of the often-overlooked French armies in Saint-Domingue, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia, Tobago, Ile-de-France, La Reunion, Pondichery, Guiana, Senegal and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. The text is backed by numerous illustrations offering a rare glimpse into dress and equipment of Napoleon's overseas army.
Book 227
Napoleon has often been considered to misunderstand the navy. Being an artillery officer, he was given to precise calculations and never quite accepted that the wind was more important to ships than his orders. However, thanks to the Emperor's pragmatic measures during 1800-1801, the French navy emerged from chaos for the first time in over a decade. The history and uniform of Napoleon's sea soldiers is here explored by Rene Chartrand, in this worthy edition to Osprey's Men-at-Arms series, with a wealth of illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Francis Back.
Book 244
The French forces that fought during the American War of Independence were, to a large extent, a product of the disasters of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). During that war the fleet had been swept off the oceans, and nearly all colonies had been lost. Sweeping reforms were demanded. From the end of 1762 a series of royal orders dictated by common sense and good planning were signed by the king, and a vast reorganisation was started, ensuring that the army that fought in the American War presented a very different, altogether more formidable threat to her foes.
Book 249
Although the US never attempted another invasion of British Canada after the war of 1812, during which British regulars and Canadian militia fought major pitched battles against US invaders, the threat lingered in the air for much of the 19th century. A series of brushfire wars disturbed Canada's peaceful development and in 1866 and again in 1870, large bodies of fanatical Irish-American volunteers attempted to stir up war between the two countries by mounting the "Fenian Raids" - serious campaigns, involving troops of brigade strength. In the later years of the decade, Louis Riel led two rebellions by Indians and French-Canadians which required considerable efforts to put them down. Significantly it was not British regulars but local Canadian troops that suppressed the last rebellion. This book details the rebel forces and the British force and fledgling Canadian army which fought them.
Book 272
The 'Mexican Adventure' was a tragedy of the first order, born of a romantic view of Mexico shared by many Europeans. This school of thought took for granted that most Mexicans were barely capable of governing themselves and that a 'generous intervention' could only be beneficial to all concerned. For the French Emperor it would be a master stroke: a vast new vassal empire in America. Rene Chartrand examines the organisation, weapons and uniforms of the forces who fought on both sides of the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867) in a text accompanied by numerous contemporary photographs and illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook."
Book 294
Two centuries ago, the West Indies were a booming set of islands where vast fortunes were made. By the late 1790s, the West Indies attracted four-fifths of British overseas capital investments and provided over one-eight of the government's GBP31.5 million total net revenue to the Treasury. These figures explain the tremendous numbers of naval and military forces deployed to protect these valuable Caribbean territories. This fascinating volume by Rene Chartrand examines these forces, including a wealth of illustrations and photographs and eight full page colour plates by Paul Chappell.
Book 296
France had a population of between 22 and 25 million at this time, and maintained the largest standing army in Europe. In peacetime it might have amounted to about 200,000 men; in times of war, it could be anything up to half a million. A substantial part of Louis XV's army consisted of numerous regiments of guard cavalry, heavy cavalry and dragoon regiments, which were considered the best and noblest part. These many units form the subject matter in this first of five fascinating volumes [Men-at-Arms 296, 302, 304, 308 & 313] by Rene Chartrand covering the army of Louis XV's.
Book 319
This volume details the uniforms, organisation and equipment of all the Canadian and British units that defended British North America during the tense years in the run up to war with the United States. The colourful Fencible and Provincial Regiments are featured along with the Glengarry Light Infantry and Canadian Voltigeurs.
Book 321
The Spanish Army was transformed during the 18th century by an influx of progressive officers who modernised and expanded it. It was closely modelled on the French armies of Louis XIV and Louis XV in tactical doctrine, organisation, armament and uniforms. In battle, they were often brave to the point of carelessness, and were thus sometimes difficult to control. The army also had several Swiss and Walloon regiments, less given to all-out attacks, but renowned for their steadiness under fire. In this first of three volumes, Rene Chartrand examines the organisation and uniforms of the Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars.
Book 328
Following the Revolution in 1789, members of the aristocracy were increasingly persecuted, and many of them fled abroad. These exiles became known collectively as 'emigres', and despite initial confusions and indecision, many of them were taken into British service. This fine text by Rene Chartrand examines the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the Emigre troops in British service from 1793 to 1802, accompanied by plenty of illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Patrice Courcelle.
Book 335
Following his study of the astonishing range of French Royalist and foreign mercenary units employed by Britain in the period 1793-1802 (Men-at-Arms 328), the author describes often for the first time in an English language publication the part played by their successors during the crucial years of the Napoleonic Wars. He covers not only relatively well-recorded units, such as Roll's, Meuron's and Watteville's Swiss corps, but also the unjustly neglected Italians, Corsicans and Greeks, and such exotica as the African and Ceylon regiments. Uniform details of nearly 40 corps are based on impressive primary research, and this book and its companion volume make a genuinely new contribution to Napoleonic studies.
Book 358
Rene Chartrand examines the background to the ancient alliances of Britain and Portugal in this, the concluding volume of a three part Men-at-Arms mini-series. He investigates the formative events of the War of the Oranges, the army reforms of 1806, and the French invasion of Portugal in 1807 that resulted in massive aid and equipment being given to the Portuguese by the British. 'The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars 'concludes with a detailed description of the service, battle record and uniform of each regular regiment in the Pennisular War from 1808 to 1814.
Book 359
Canada was the first Commonwealth ally to come to Britain's aid in 1940, and until final victory Canadian troops fought alongside the British and later the US armies. The Canadian divisions earned a high reputation on the battlefields of Italy, Normandy and North-West Europe, and others fought in the Far East. This is an illustrated study of their uniforms, weapons and equipment, with many battlefield photographs, and eight colour plates by famous Canadian military illustrator Ron Volstad. Navy, Airforce, tank crews and paratroopers are all discussed in detail.
Book 383
This work concludes the three-part mini-series that describes the history of the local forces raised in the 13 original colonies of eastern North America. From the earliest English settlements the survival of the infant colonies depended upon these militias and they included conventional line regiments, provincial units, militias, and the legendary Rangers. They fought in many frontier campaigns against the Indians, French and Spanish, including: King Philip's War (1675-78); Queen Anne's War (1702-13); the Tuscarora War (1711-12); the Yamassee War (1715-28); King George's War (1740-48); the climactic French/Indian War (1754-63); and Pontiac's Rebellion which followed final victory over the French.
Book 450
In the American Revolutionary War, there were at times as many American volunteers in the field fighting for King George as against him. In total something between 30,000 and 50,000 of these Tories served in dozens of units, on all fronts from Canada to Florida, and many regiments distinguished themselves in battle. After the final British defeat the survivors and their families withdrew, many into Canada, where they continued to provide a loyal militia to defend the Crown territory. This book will provide up-dated and comprehensive information on unit identities, commanders, strengths, areas of enlistment, combat record, tactics, uniforms and equipment.
Book 475
Long before England established a serious presence in the New World, Spain had already established an overseas Empire. In North America, this included vast tracts of territory including most of what today comprises the states of Florida, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Illinois and California. In later years, as the British and the French came to expand their claims, they often came into conflict with the Spanish. The Spanish also played a significant part during the American Revolution, fighting against the British and drawing off forces needed to fight the Americans. This book covers all of the North American Spanish forces that fought in the campaigns of the 18th century.
France's colonial wars in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia were very largely fought by an organization completely separate from both the home-defence Metropolitan Army and the Armée d'Afrique in Algeria. The Naval Troops (Troupes de la Marine) were volunteers, and earned a reputation for greater toughness and hardiness than the conscripted Metropolitan Army.
Spread throughout the French Empire, Naval Troops in this period were characterized by very large infantry and artillery regiments based in France, mixed race regiments (Régiments Mixtes), and entire native regiments raised in West Africa, Madagascar and Indochina. The latter, the so-called 'Tirailleurs’ were organized and led by officers and cadres from the Naval Troops, and wore very varied and colourful uniforms based on formalized versions of traditional local costumes.
French Naval & Colonial Troops 1872–1914 uses rich and detailed full colour plates as well as thorough analysis to detail the story of these tough colonial units which bore the brunt of French colonial campaigns in Africa and Vietnam.
Spread throughout the French Empire, Naval Troops in this period were characterized by very large infantry and artillery regiments based in France, mixed race regiments (Régiments Mixtes), and entire native regiments raised in West Africa, Madagascar and Indochina. The latter, the so-called 'Tirailleurs’ were organized and led by officers and cadres from the Naval Troops, and wore very varied and colourful uniforms based on formalized versions of traditional local costumes.
French Naval & Colonial Troops 1872–1914 uses rich and detailed full colour plates as well as thorough analysis to detail the story of these tough colonial units which bore the brunt of French colonial campaigns in Africa and Vietnam.
v. 439
This book describes the organization, lists the units and illustrates the uniforms and equipment of the four Canadian divisions which earned an elite reputation on the Western Front in 1915-18. Canada's 600,000 troops-of whom more than 66,000 died and nearly 150,000 were wounded- represented an extraordinary contribution to the British Empire's struggle. On grim battlefields from the Ypres Salient to the Somme, and from their stunning victory at Vimy Ridge to the final triumphant 'Hundred Days' advance of autumn 1918, Canada's soldiers proved themselves to be a remarkable army in their own right, founding a national tradition.