In a complimentary article to the one about the organization of the regiment in 1812, this article describes the function of the regiment's 5th or depot battalion.
Contents:
Contents:
Intro
In 1812, the 85ème was one of the larger regiments in the French army, boasting a total of six
battalions.
The first three had served in most of the previous campaigns, the fourth battalion
was a newer formation but had seen lots of action, be it often away from the
rest of the regiment.
Newly raised however was the 6th Battalion, which, because it had seen no service, was formed with 6 fusilier companies instead of the usual 4 fusilier, 1
grenadier and 1 voltigeur companies. This battalion was formed from a nucleus from the existing battalions, plus new recruits and elements from the
penal regiments. It had sous-lieutenants from Saint-Cyr, and more senior officers direct from the Imperial Guard.
But what of the 5th Battalion ?
Every French regiment had a depot battalion, and this was the role of the 5th.
This battalion carried out all the humdrum administration, provided a home for new conscripts,
enfants de troupe and veterans alike.
This unit also trained the regiment's drummers. Remember that the actual Napoleonic company drummer
had more in common with a modern army signaler, than the misleading image of the little drummer boy.
The little drummer boy was there, usually playing in the band or was one of the selfsame students in the 5th
battalion.
The 5th battalion also provided a home for the artisans such as the maître-guêtrier
(master gaiter maker).
Establishment of the Depot Battalion
The establishment of a depot battalion was to be for 560 men, comprising :
Staff
1 major commanding (remember that this rank in France is equivalent to a British Army
Lieutenant- Colonel, and that he would often be otherwise assigned);
1 adjutant-major (rank of capitaine);
1 quartier-maître tresorier (ranked as lieutenant to
capitaine) (from Regimental HQ);
1 adjutant-major (capitaine d’habillement)
1 churgien-aide-major
Minor staff
1 adjutant-sous-officier (battalion sergeant major, with officers' privileges, including
officer's uniform)
2 chefs ouvriers
1 caporal tambour (he had the job of instructing the students)
12 élèves tambours
4 Companies, each set for
1 capitaine,
1 lieutenant,
1 sous-lieutenant,
1 sergent-major
4 sergents
1 fourrier
8 caporaux
2 tambours
121 fusiliers (conscrits or otherwise).
Each of the 4 companies had a different function :
1ère Compagnie : Reinforcement holding company
2ème Compagnie : Guard duty and garrisons at naval installations
3ème Compagnie : Reinforcement holding company
4ème Compagnie : The depot company. Training of conscrits, enfants de troupe and holding unit for veterans awaiting discharge.
In addition to all of these tasks it is the 5th battalion that also did most of the recruiting through the network of
the capitaines de recrûtement.
One captain was assigned from each regiment to carry out this role bythe Decree of
31 July 1806, fixing the organization at 1 capitaine per Département (such as, say, Haute-Marne, where many recruits to the
85ème came from). Reporting to him were several lieutenants or sous-lieutenants
at the ratio of 1 per Arrondisement. 1 sergent was responsible for 4
cantons and 1 caporal was assigned to 2 cantons.
The adjutant-major was a position that had been created in 1790, and was charged with the service or administration of his battalion and in the instruction of the NCOs and corporals. He was under the direct orders of his superiors and was charged with the details of instruction, maneuver, discipline and policing of the regiment, specializing in the particular battalion that he was assigned to.
L’Armee Napoleonienne, by Pigeard, Guindera, 1995
Swords Around a Throne by Elting, Free Press, 1996
Russia 1812 by Nafziger, Presidio, 1990