DISCIPLINE & SUBMISSION

DISCIPLINE & SUBMISSION

Drapeaux of the French Army • Line Infantry • 1794-1804

Images Added July 2017

3rd, 14th, 16th, 31st, 38th, 68th, 106th & 197th Demi-Brigades of Infantry

In 1794 the republican government completely reorganized the French Army to erase all vestiges of the traditions of the army of the Bourbons. The regimental system was abolished and the infantry was regrouped into "demi-brigades," of three battalions. The first and third battalions of each demi-brigade were to be raised from the volunteers of 1791-92 and the conscripts of 1793, while the second battalions came from the disbanded regiments of the old army. Demi-brigades were classed as "line" or "light" according to the former regimental designations of their second battalions, but they were all supposed to be armed, uniformed and organized alike. Line infantry demi-brigades were called Demi-Brigades de Batailles.

Each Demi-Brigade de Bataille was to be issued three colors, one per battalion. Those of the first and third battalions were of a design unique to each demi-brigade, while those of the second battalions were of the same design regardless of demi-brigade. All displayed the insignia of the French Republic and the national colors of blue, white and red. On the reverse was the inscription DISCIPLINE AND SUBMISSION TO MILITARY LAW. The colors were to be 160cm square and made of silk; a Tricolor cravat was to be tied in a bow on the staff, just below the pike head. Some demi-brigades, however, ignored the regulations and carried flags of their own design. White royal colors were often modified by the addition of strips of red and blue cloth and republican inscriptions.

A major reorganization of the French Army in 1797 involved the reduction of the Demi-Brigades de Batailles to a total of 100. This was done by merging under-strength units, some of which were renumbered to fill up vacancies in the Army List. For example, the 32nd, not raised in 1994, was established in 1796 by merging the 118th and the 197th plus a grenadier company from the 80th. It received three colors of the Army of Italy pattern, which was based on the design of the 197th's colors, depicted below.

In 1804, with the proclamation of the Empire of the French, the Army was again reorganized and issued colors of a new pattern.

Note on the Illustrations: Since second battalion colors were identical except for the number of the demi-brigade, only one is illustrated here (2nd Battalion, 1st Demi-Brigade). For all others the color for the first and third battalions only is illustrated. For each color, the obverse (right) and reverse (left) are shown.

1st & 3rd Battalions, 1st Demi-Brigade of Infantry

2nd Battalion, 1st Demi-Brigade of Infantry