Chouan Vendee artillery

 Vendee -Chouan Artillery 

Revolutionary armies - now Skytrex /Warlord 28mm artillery crew, guns Front Rank. 

These will join my Royal Catholic, Vendee and Chouan army for French Revolutionary wargames. In 1793 the Vendee Armee captured 50 pieces of artillery from the Saumur caserne, much though was very old some dating back to the mid 16th century. The remainder entered the army (22-28 pieces) After the defeat of the army at Cholet and the escape of the Vendean army across the Loire all of the captured guns were spiked and dumped into the Loire. 

Then during the move north west known as the great Galerne (gallop) into Maine (Mayenne) a number of 4 pounder and 8 pounders were captured at the battle of Entrammes from the Republican army. Upon arrival at Laval the cannon foundry was also raided where two seige mortars and a large 16lb 18th century gun from the chateau at Laval entered the armies arsenal. These guns were then used for the siege at Granville and at Dol de Bretagne, all of the guns were lost at the battle Le Mans and the retreat back to Mayenne.

I have elected to paint the pieces in the Vallèrie pattern blue colour and brass guns. 

Cheers

Matt

Vendee Project - part 4 Royal Catholic Armee Chouan Chevalier Cavalry

 Royal Catholic Armee Chouan Chevalier Cavalry

As parts of Maine were liberated by the Vendee army during 1793 a cavalry squadron was formed around North Maine and lower Normandy predominantly nobles. The unit was small around 180 mounted men and around 40 dismounted owing to a horse shortage. They carried a holy banner with Mary from the monastery church at Avesnières. This banner was captured at Le Mans in December 1793.

 

Many of the men who survived the disaster at Le Mans fled to Normandy and Mayenne and then onto England via Jersey, those who did not joined General la Frotte and his Chouan army in lower Normandy and North Maine, some fighting until 1815. 

Some members also seemed to have served in the Les chevaliers de la couronne, as Jean-François -Simon de Hercé former deputy to the estates general, and company commander, a Hercé family member of the house we live in today attests to having fought in the battles in Flanders in 1792 then returned to Maine during the uprising, then fled to Bath in England, where he died in 1796.

The miniatures are 28mm from the Revolutionary Armies Range now sold by Skytrex and the horses are from foundry and crusader. The banner is from LBM Byzantine transfer cut down to size. I gave based them on single bases so they can be used for skirmish gaming. 

I have another squadron to complete for my Royal Catholic Armee but it will be in mixed uniforms of the Grenadiers and Bretons from the lower Vendee. 

Cheers

Matt   

28mm Royal Catholic Armee Vendee/Chouans part two

Second small skirmish screen of Vendee/Chouan troops added to the collection. I am waiting for the Revolutionary Armies Vendee troops to arrive to start my formed units. Off to another Chouan chateau and museum on Tuesday, I will post some pictures later in the week.

Cheers
Matt

28mm Royal Catholic Army Chouan skirmishers

While I wait for the Revolutionary Armies Vendee range to release I dived into my figure stash and pulled some Perry AWI skirmishing southern militia figures, sculpted feathers and cockades and the odd Vendee heart badge. Then painted them in two batchs, and based them. I have completed the first 12 with a further 12 on the table at the moment. These will act as a stand alone skirmish line  for British Grenadier rules until I complete mine.

The Mayenne (old Maine) Department of Pays de la Loire was the hotbed of the Chouan revolt against the Revolutionary government. We have 63 skirmishes and battles within a hour of the Maison. After the defeat of the Vendee the Chouan kept up the fight against the revolutionary government and then Napoleon tying down several divisions in western France.

We conduct tours of a number of the battlefield sites and visit the museums and a private collection as part of our "walk the battlefield in the morning and wargame it in the afternoon"© our French tour and wargame holiday packages.