Regiment of infantry of national ordinance

Fucilieri
1690 - 1798

Giovanni Cerino-Badone

Duke Victor Amadeus II in 1690 gives order to Compte du Trinitè to raise a new regiment of national ordinance
with the name of Regiment Fucilieri di S.A.R. It is originally organized in 16 companies; one of these is a company of
grenadiers. The new unit has to escort and to support on the battlefield the artillery train and crew. In 1694 the regiment
Fusilliers has two battalions, one in 1696. In 1710 it has again a second battalion.

Service during the Polish Succession War

Fucilieri in 1733 takes its first action at the siege of Gera-Pizzighettone (18 november-8 december). In the spring
of 1734 Fucilieri is present at the battle of Parma (29 june). After a manouvred campaign in the plains of Lombardy,
Fucilieri fights at Guastalla (19 september); In 1735 the unit is campaigning in the east of Lombardy. In september it is
present on the West side of lake of Garda supporting the french action on the East side. At the end of the year after
some operations in the trentine theatre, the 8 november Fucilieri takes winter quarters in the country around Cremona
and Brescia

Service during the Austrian Succession War

In 1742 Fucilieri is campaigning in north-east Italy in the Po plains, and it is present in march-april in the cities of
Parma and Piacenza. In September Fucilieri marches on the Alps; from the camp at the Mont Cenis gap in Susa Valley
the Regiment takes action in Savoy during the counter-offensive against an invading Spanish army. In jenuary 1743
Fusilliers returns again in Piedmont. After the debacle in Savoy the operational theatre for Fusilliers is now the Varaita
Valley that the main french-spanish army has chose to invade Piedmont. The 1st battalion fights at the battle of
Casteldelfino (8 october 1743). The follow year the whole regiment is present at the hard combat around the entrenched
camp of Villafranca (20-21 april 1744) in the Mediterranean front. During the defence of Collet du Villefrenche the
Regiment is surrounded with othes units and is compelled to surrend with two batteries of cannons. During the summer
the struggle is again in the Alps ridge. The 1st battalion defends the walls of Cuneo during the french-spanish siege (12
september-22 october 1744). The 2nd battalion is at the battle Madonna dell'Olmo (30 september 1744). The battalion is
situated on the right wing, first line. In 1745 the Maillebois' offensive clear out many piedmontese Placefortes. But the
follow year Fucilieri is one of the units employed in the Leutrum's counter offensive and the regiment takes a action
under the walls of the city of Valenza (17 april-3 may 1746). Then the two battalions fight in the south-west in the
mediterranean theatre; the 2nd battalion fights at the siege of the Fort of S. Paul in Veintemille (5-23 october 1745). The
1st battalion of Regiment is employed in the winter offensive in Provence (30 november 1745-3 february 1746). The
regiment fights until the end of the war in the mediterranean theatre.

Commanders of Regiment Fucilieri under Charles Emmanuel III

Alessio della Chiesa di Cinzano 22- 9- 1731

Giovanni giacomo De Rossi 1 - 4- 1743
Giovanni Andrea De Martini 5- 4- 1746
Giovanni Secondo Canale di Cumiana 19-10-1748
Giovanni Battista Alfieri 31- 8- 1755
Compte Carlo Giuseppe Badat 1- 9- 1758
Compte Camillo Richelmi 28- 4- 1769
Giuseppe Francesco Maria Malines 13- 3- 1771
Uniforms

1730-1750: White coat, red lining, cuffs, waistcoat, breeches. White gaiters for fusilier, black for grenadiers. Seven
brass buttons on each side of the coat, three on the cuffs. Horizontal pockets. Tricorne with dark blue cockade on the
left brim and yellow hem for fusiliers, bearskin cap for grenadiers.

1750-1773 (only principal differences from the previous issue): Dark blue coat, red lapels and collar. Seven brass
buttons on lapels. Tricorne with white hem and yellow and white pompon. Bearskin cap with red tail with yellow
hemand yellow and white pompon.
Colours

Colonel's Colour: Blue with black eagle in the centre decorated with the Savoy's cross and overhanged by royal crown.

Regimental Colour: White cross over white quarters with red flames. Red decorated hem. Regimental coat of arm in
the first quarter.