The present state of France containing a general description of that kingdom corrected and purged from the many gross mistakes in the French copy, enriched with additional observations and remarks of the new compiler, and digested into a method conformable to that of the state of England / by R.W. ...

CHAP. XVII.

Of the Troops of the Kings Houshold, of the Gensdarmes, of the Light-Horse, and of the other Regiments of Cavalry, and In∣fantry.

THE first Troops of Cavalry are those of the Kings-Houshold, of the Life-Guards, Gensd∣armes, the Light-Horse of the Kings Guard, and the Musketeers on Horseback, which is called the Kings Houshold, to which there is lately joined a Company of Granadeers on Horseback, Commanded by Mr. Riotort: We have set down before, the four Companies of the Life-Guards, the Company of Gensd'armes, or Men at Arms, that are of the Kings Guard, of which the King is Captain, and the Prince de Soubize, Lieutenant-Captain, as likewise, the Company of Light-Horse of the Kings-Guard, and another Company of Gensd'armes, Commanded by the Duke de Chevreuse, as Captain-Lieutenant, and the two Companies of Musketeers on Horseback.

We come now to the other Forces.

First there is the little Gend'armerie, or that which is simply called, the Gend'armerie, without other addition, which comprehends, 1. The Scotch Gensd'armes. 2. The English Gend'armes. 3. The Burgundian Gend'armes. 4. The Flemish Gend'armes. 5. The Queens Gend'armes. 6. The Queens Light-Horse. 7. The Dauphins Gend'armes. 8. The Dau∣phins Light-Horse. 9. The Gend'arms of Anjou. 10. The Gend'arms of Orleans. 11. The Light-Horse of Orleans. Monsieur de St. Germain, is Provost of the little Gend'armerie.

The Princes, or eldest Sons of the Kings of Great Brittain, having as Princes of Scotland, a right to the Command of a Cavalry in France, there was a Company of the Kings Scotch Gensd'armes, Comman∣ded by the Duke of York, as Duke of Albany, and in his absence, by the Marquiss of Livourne, as Cap∣tain-Lieutenant: The Baron of Thauriac, was Sub-Lieutenant, the Ensign the Count d'Onseigne, and the Guidon, Monsieur Champrond.

2. The English Gensd'armes, which are now most Irish, whose Captain-Lieutenant, the Count de la Guette, the Sub-Lieutenant, the Chevalier de Crollis, the Ensign Mr. O Brian, and the Guidon, the Mar∣quiss of Beavau.

3. The Burgundian Gend'arms, whose Captain Lieutenant, is the Marquiss of Flamanville.

4. The Company of Flemmish Gensd'arms, Created the 22d of November, 1673. the Count de Masin, is Captain-Lieutenant, M. Gouffier de Rosamelle, Sub-Lieutenant.

The King is Captain of all the abovesaid Compa∣nies, whose Captain-Lieutenants Command over all the Camp-Masters.

The Queens have also their Companies of Gensd'∣arms, and Light-Horse, and so has the Dauphin, be∣sides which, there are the Gensd'arms of Anjou, and the Gensd'arms, and Light-Horse of Orleans.

The Marquiss of Lanion, Governour of Vannes in Brittany, is Captain-Lieutenant of the Queens Gensd'arms: Next, are the Light Horse of Burgundy and Flanders.

Note, That the Light-Horse Men are so called, be∣cause they formerly wore only Back and Breast-Pie∣ces, to distinguish them from the Gensd'arms, or Men at Arms, that were compleatly Armed with Back, Breast, Arms, and Thigh Pieces.

The other Regiments of Light-Horse, are likewise Armed in the same manner as the aforesaid Light-Horse.

When they march in Battle Array, five or six Re∣giments of Cavalry are formed into a Brigade, under the Command of an old Camp-Master, who is then called a Brigadeer.

There is a Brigadeer General of the Cavalry.

Every Regiment of Cavalry contains nine Com∣panies more or less, and in every Company, there is a Captain, a Lieutenant, and a Cornet.

The Regiments of Light-Horse are called by the Names of their Camp-Masters.

There is a Commissary-General of the Cavalry, who is the Count of Montrevel.

There are thirteen Regiments of Dragoons; the Marquiss of Boufflers, Lieutenant-General of the Kings Armies, is Colonel-General of the Dragoons; the Count de Tesse is Camp-Master General; the other Colonels of the Dragoons, are Monsieur de Til∣ladet, M. de Roncherolles, M. de Longueval, M. de Barbezieres; the Marquiss de la Breteche, Governour of Hombourg, the Chevalier de Tesse, M. de Chevilly, M. N. And the Major-General is M. Bruyset.

As for the Infantry, or Foot, after the two Regi∣ments of Guards, the French and Suissers, the other Regiments are divided; first into old Bodies, that bear the Names of the principal Provinces of France, as the Regiments of Picardie, Champagne, Piemont, Navarre, Normandy, the Sea Regiment: Where Note, that the Regiment of Picardie has always the Precedence, and those of Piémont, Champagne and Navarre, have each their year one after ano∣ther, and after them is the Norman, or Sea Regi∣ments: Next are the little old Bodies, viz. The Regiments of Auvergne, Bourbonnois, Sault, Le Roy, Feuquieres, and Vaube-Cour; and after them the New Regiments. The old Regiments are kept al∣ways standing in time of Peace, only the number of Men is reformed and reduced to thirty or forty in a Company; but the Officers are retained, that they may be always in readiness to compleat their Com∣panies

again to their full number, whenever occasion shall be. The new Regiments, which almost always bear the names of their several Camp-Masters, con∣sist commonly of fewer Men then the old ones, and are often-times reformed or disbanded in time of Peace.

Besides these, the King has several Regiments of Foreign Foot, which are composed of Germans, Scotch, Irish, Italians, Liegeois, and others, and particularly of Suissers, of which, there are six, or seven thousand in France.

And lastly, There is the Company of Fuzileers of Flanders, consisting of sixty Men, Commanded by the Chevalier de Montelet.

The Kings Field Regiment consists of sixty seven Companies.

We have already spoken both of the French and Suisse Regiments of Guards, and of their Officers. We shall now speak of the others.

Colonels of the Infantry.

Of the Regiments of

• Picardie, the Marquiss d' Harcourt-Beuvron.
• ...Champagne, M. le Bailly Colbert.
• Navarre, the Duke de Rocheguion.
• Piémont, the Marquiss de Rebé.
• Normandie, the Count de Guiscard.
• Feuquieres, the Marquiss of Feuquieres.
• The Sea Regiment, the Marquiss of Liancourt.
• Bourbonois, the Marquiss de Refuge.
• Auvergne, the Marquiss de Prêle Nicolaii.
• Sault, the Duke de Lediguieres.
• Vaube-Court, the Count of that Name.
• The Kings, the Chevalier de Montchevreüil.
• Royal, the Marquiss de Crequi.
• Poitou, M. de Guenegaud, the Marquiss of Biville.
• Lyonnois, the Marquiss d' Alincourt.
• Dauphin, the Marquiss d' Ʋxelles.
• ...

• ... Crussol, the Duke d' Ʋzais.
• Touraine, the Marquiss d' Ʋsson.
• Anjou, the Marquiss d' Hautefort.
• Le Maine, the Duke, or Prince of that Name.
• Dampierre, the Marquiss of that Name.
• Louvigni, the Duke of Grammont.
• Grancey, the Marquiss of that Name.
• The Queens, the Marquiss de Crenan, Brigadeer, and Surveyor-General of the Infantry.
• ...Bouligneux, M. de Bouligneux.
• Royal, of the Fleet, or Vessels, the Marquiss de Gandelu.
• ...Orleans, M. de Bailleul.
• Crown, the Chevalier de Genlis.
• Brittany, the Marquiss de Novion.
• Soissons, the Count of that Name, and under him, M. Salieres.
• Artois, the Marquiss d' Escots.
• La Châtre, the Marquiss of that Name.
• Vendôme, the Duke of Vendôme.
• ...La Saâre, M. de Braque.
• La Fêre, the Marquiss de la Fayette.
• Alsace, the Prince Palatin of Birkenfeld.
• ...Roussillon, M. de Chimene.
• Condé, the Marquiss de Nêêle.
• ...Anguyen, M. de Vilandry.
• ...Vieubourg, M. de Vieubourg.
• Rouergue, the Marquiss of Malauze.
• Burgundy, the Count de Chamilly.
• Royal of the Sea, the Marquiss de Nangis Brichan∣teau.
• Vermandois, the Marquiss de Soyecourt.
• Kings Fusileers, the Marshal d' Humieres, Great Master of the Artillery, and under him, M. de Barville, with a Colonels Commission.
• Languedoc, the Marquiss de Puzingnan.
• Plessis-Belliere, the Chevalier, or Knight of that Name.
• Jarzé, the Marquiss de Jarzé.
• ...

• Clerambaut, the Marquiss of that Name.
• Castres, the Marquiss de Castres, Governour of Montpelier.
• Le Royal-Comtois, the Marquiss de Bellefonds, Son to the Marshal.
• Larré, the Marquiss de Larré.
• Provence, M. de Magny de l' Anglée.
• Vivonne, the Marshal Duke of that Name.
• Faméchon, a Walloon Regiment, M. de Faméchon.
• Royal Italian, M. de Magalotti, Lieutenant-Ge∣neral of the Kings Armies, and under him, his Ne∣phew, M. de Albergoti.
• Furstembourg, Count Ferdinand of Furstemburg.
• St. Laurence, M. St. Laurence.
• L' Allemand, M. l' Allemand.

The Colonels of the six following Regiments, being all Suissers, give names to their several Regiments as follows.

• Herlac.
• Salis.
• Phipfer.
• Stoupp.
• Greder.
• Stoupp, the Younger.

Coningsmark, a German Regiment, Count Charles John of Coningsmark.

Guien, M. de Blanzac, Son to the Count de Roye.

Lorrain, the Marquiss d' Hoquincourt.

In February, in the year 1684. the King raised three Regiments of Infantry more, being those of Toulouze, under the Count de Toulouze, Great, or High Admiral of France.

There were seven Regiments more Created the 30th of August, 1684.

• Flanders, the Marquiss of Folleville.
• Berry, the Marquiss de Goezbriant.
• Bearn, M. de Monchevrueil, Count of Mornay.
• ...Hainaut, M. de Pompone.
• Boulonois, the Marquiss de Vibrage.
• ...

• ... Angoumois, M de Proüy.
• Perigord, the Count de Chamarande.

The Regiment of Bombardeers, Created the 31th of August, 1684. Whose Colonel is the Great Master of the Artillery, and the Lieutenant-Colonel, M. de Vigny, with a Colonels Commission.

The six following Regiments were Created the 4th of September, 1684. viz. those of

• Saintonge, the Marquiss de Bligny.
• Bigore, the Chevalier Pelot.
• Forêts, the Count de Chemerault de Barbezieres.
• Cambresis, the Marquiss de Chateaurenaud in Tou∣rain.
• Tournesis, the Marquiss de Broüilly de Pienne.
• Foix, the Marquiss de Blainville, Great Master of the Ceremonies.

The fourteen following Regiments were Created the 5th of September, 1684. viz. those of

• Bresse, the Count de Kercado.
• La Marche, the Marquiss of Bi on.
• Quercy, the Count d' Amanzé.
• Brie, the Marquiss de Charrôts.
• Nivernois, the Count de Lusse, of the Family of Montmorency.
• Soissonnoīs, the Duke de Valentinois.
• N...... de Grimaldi.
• Isle of France, the Marquiss d' Antin.
• Vexin, the Chevalier d' Hautefort de Montignac.
• Aunis, the Marquiss de Polignac.
• Dauphiné, or Dauphinate, the Chevalier de Ker∣cado.
• Vivarais, M de St. Pater.
• Luxemburg, M. de Brancas.
• Bassigny, the Count de Mailly.
• Duke of Villars.
• ...

• Beaujolois, Created the 17th of June, 1685. M. de Berulle.
• Beausse, M. de Pompadour, Marquiss de Lauriere.
• Ponthieu, Created in the Month of September, 1685. M. de Lomont.

So that in all, counting the two Regiments of Guards before-mentioned, there are 102 Regiments of Infantry, or Foot.

A List of the Camp-Masters of the Cavalry.

There are forty Regiments of Cavalry, whereof twelve consists of twelve Companies apiece, and the rest but of eight. Those that consist of twelve, are the Colonels Generals, those of the Camp-Master and Commissary-General, the Kings seven Regi∣ments, and those of Tilladet and Coningsmark. The Regiments of Cavalry take place according to the Eldership of the date of the Commissions of their Camp-Masters, excepting the three general ones, and those that go under the name of his Majesty, or of some of the Princes of the Blood.

The Camp-Masters of the Cavalry.

• 1. In the Colonels Regiment, the Count d' Au∣vergne, Colonel-General of the Cavalry, and under him the Marquiss de Musse.
• 2. In the Commissary-Generals Regiment, the Marquiss of Montrevel, Commissary-General of the Cavalry.
• 3. In the Camp-Master Generals Regiment, the Baron de Monclar, Camp-Master General of the Light-Horse.
• 4 In the Royal Regiment, the Count de Bourg, Lieutenant Camp-Master.
• 5. In the Kings Regiment, the Marquiss de Beau∣fort.
• 6. In the Royal Foreign Regiment, the Count de Coligny.
• ...

• 7. In the Regiment of the Kings Cuirassiers, the Marquiss de Mongon.
• 8. In the Royal Regiment of Cravots, or Croats, the Count de Roucy.
• 9. In the Royal Piémont Regiment, the Marquiss de Rivarolles.
• 10. In the Royal Regiment of Rousillon, the Count de Montfort.
• 11. In the Queens Regiment, the Count de Rou∣sillon.
• 12. In the Dauphins Regiment, the Marquiss de St. Gelais.
• 13. In the Dauphins Foreign Regiment, the Che∣valier de la Ʋrilliere.
• 14. In the Duke of Burgundies Regiment, the Marquiss de Houdetot.
• 15. In the Orleans Regiment, the Marquiss de Vatteville.
• 16. In the Regiment of Condé, the Marquiss de Toiras.
• 17. In the Regiment of Anguien, Monsieur de Saintrailles.
• 18. In the Regiment of Tilladet, the Marquiss de Tilladet.
• 19. In the Regiment of Villeroy, the Duke of that Name.
• 20. In the Regiment of Grignan, the Chevalier de Grignan.
• 21. In the Regiment of St. Aignan, the Duke de Beauvilliers, Chief of the Council-Royal of the Fi∣nances, or Revenues.
• 22. In the Coningsmark Regiment, Count Otho William of Coningsmark, Marshal of Suedeland, &c. and under him M. la Mote-Paillas.

In the other Regiments there are several Camp-Masters incorporated, whose Companies are re∣formed, or reduced into one.

Colonels of the Dragoons.

• The Colonel-General, the Marquiss de Boufflers.
• The Camp-Master General, the Count de Tesse.
• The Regiment of the Colonel-General, is Com∣manded by the Count de St. Florentin.
• The Regiment Royal, by the Marquiss d' Alègre.
• The Queens Regiment, by the Marquiss de Murcé.
• The Dauphins Regiment, by the Count de Lon∣gueval.

The following Regiments, viz. those

• Of Gramont of the County of Burgundy, by the Count de Gramont.
• Of Barbeziéres, by the Marquiss de Barbesiéres.
• Of Peissonel, by M. de Peissonel.
• Of Lande, by M. de la Lande.
• Of Chevilly, by M. de Chevilly.
• Of Tesse, by the Chevalier de Tessé.
• Of Asfeld, by the Baron d' Asfeld, Brigadeer of the Dragoons.
• De Fimarcon, by the Marquiss of that Name.

The aforementioned Regiments of Foot consist some of more, and some of fewer Bataillons, and every Bataillon is composed of fifteen Companies, and of one Company of Granadeers, except only the two Regiments of Guards, French and Suissers, and the six other Suisse Regiments.

As to the Order observed in the Command of the Armies of France, they are always Commanded by one General in Chief, who has under him two Lieu∣tenant-Generals, who Command by turns every o∣ther day, and under them there are two Camp, or Field-Marshals, that change in the same manner, beginning with the Elder of the two. When the

King Commands his Armies in Person, he has always two, or four Marshals of France under him: And when any Prince of the Blood Commands them, he has commonly two Marshals of France under him.

Every General has four Adjutants, or Aids de Camp, to carry about his Orders, which are com∣monly young Noblemen, or sometimes old Offi∣cers.

A Lieutenant-General has at least two Aids de Camp, and the Marshals de Camp, or Field-Marshals, have each of them one: Formerly there were Bat∣tle-Marshals in every Army, but at present there are none, only Mr. de Fougerais is one, as being such by Title of a standing Office, though without act∣ing as such: Next are the Brigadeers, who are cho∣sen from among the Camp-Masters of oldest stand∣ing, to Command Brigades composed of five or six Regiments of Horse, Foot, and Dragoons: Next them are the Camp-Masters that Command over the several Regiments of Horse, and the Colonels in the Foot-Regiments, and then the Lieutenant-Colonels, a Major, and the Aid, or Adjutant-Majors, in the Foot-Regiments, but in the Cavalry, the Major is the second Person; Next are the Captains of every Company, and in Companies of Light-Horse; under every Captain there is a Lieutenant and a Corner, but in Companies of Gensd'arms, or of Foot, there are Lieutenants, and after them Ensigns instead of Cornets.

As for the Quarter-Masters, or Marshals of the Lodgings of the Armies; There is one Quarter-Master General of the Cavalry, who is M. de St. Martin, who enjoys it by Title of a standing Office, who has under him several Adjutants, and Fouri∣ers, or Under-Quarter-Masters: In the Body of the Infantry of every Army, there is a Major-General of the Brigades, from whom the Majors of every Brigade receive their Orders; Then there is a Quarter-Master for every Regiment, who having

known from his Superiours the Quarters allotted to his Regiment, divides and shares them out among the several Companies, and Orders the Quarter-Ma∣sters of each Company to lodge the Captains, Offi∣cers, and Souldiers accordingly.

The four Quarter-Masters General at present of the Kings Camps and Armies are, M. Fougueux, M. de l' Anglée, M. Bolé, and M. du Verger: when they are in the Armies, they have every one two Harbingers, or Quarter-Masters under them, who are paid by the King.

There is likewise one standing Fourier, or Har∣binger of the Kings Camps and Armies, who is the Sieur de Couty. Now, because there often have happened differences and contests among the Offi∣cers of Horse, and those of Foot concerning place, and precedency of Command. It is ordered, that when they are both Incamped on a Plain, the Offi∣cers of Horse shall have the Command, but when they are Posted in any Inclosure, Retrenchment, or Barricado, in any place, then the Foot-Officers shall have the chief Command.

Note, That in former time, when the French King went to Fight, they marched under the white Cornet of France, Accompanied with several Lords Voluntiers: But now it is no more in use. This white Cornet was different from the Colonels Cornet of the Cavalry, which is also white.