Portuguese Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars

Portuguese Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars: Organization

Each regiment had 10 companies:

The organization of a regiment of artillery in October 20, 1809 consisted of a Staff and five Companies, of the which one will be of Atiradores (sharpshooters)

Estado-Maior (Staff)

Coronel	Colonel
Tenente-Coronel	Lieutenant-Colonel
Major (Sargento-Mor)	Major
Ajudante	Adjutant
Quartel Mestre	Quartermaster
Capelão	Chaplain
Cirurgião Mor	Chief Surgeon
3 Ajudantes do Cirurgião Mor	3 Assistant Surgeons
Tambor Mor	Drum Major
Pífanos	2 Fifers
Mestre de Música	Master of Music
8 Músicos	8 Musicians

Each Company consisted of:

Capitão	Captain
Tenente	Lieutenant
2 Alferes	2 Second Lieutenants
6 Sargentos	6 sergeants
8 Cabos	8 corporals
2 Tambores	2 drummers
92 Soldados	92 soldiers
Num total de 123	Total of 123 men.

In 1812, an artífices battalion was formed and later in the year an artillery drivers battalion (artilheiros-condutores) was created.

Artilheiros-Condutores (Artillery Drivers Battalion)

On 8 October 1812, the Artillery Drivers Battalion was formed with 4 companies of 276 and men and 400 horses or mules.

Headquarters (Estado-Maior)

Tenente-Coronel	Lieutenant-Colonel
Major (Sargento-Mor)	Major
Ajudante	Adjudant
Sargento-ajudante	Sergeant-Assistant
Quartel-Mestre	Quarter-master
Quartel Mestre-Sargento	Quarter-master-Sergeant
60 cabos e condutores	60 Corporals and Drivers

Distinctive Colors of the Artillery Regiments (1806-1815)

Regiment	Collar	Cuffs	Turnbacks	Piping
1	Blue	Blue	Red	Black
2	Black	Black	Red	Black
3	Black	Blue	Red	Black
4	Blue	Black	Red	Black

Miscellaneous

1. An example of the brigades:

The brigade commanded by Major Victor von Arentschild with 123 gunners of the 1st Regiment and 276 of the 2nd Regiment.

In 1810, the Brigade of Major Alexander Dickson had 313 gunners of the 1st; the battery of Trás-os Montes and 319 gunners of the 4th; and the battery of Cabreira, and 105 gunners from the 2nd.

2. The mountain artillery had pieces of 3 pounders, which were lighter and of easy transport. They could even be transported on mules. The long Portuguese experience with mountain brigades, in mountain movements as it is the Portuguese territory in the North, where the existing roads were bad. There experience in rough terrain was put very useful in the Campaign of the Pyrenees in 1813, where its effectiveness was important to the outcome of the combats and battles.

3. The siege artillery had pieces of 18 or 24 Pounders and in exceptional cases, of 32 and 43 Pounders. The Anglo-Portuguese Army was deficient in this type of guns, and during one of the sieges of Badajoz, they had to use British naval guns sent from Lisbon. In the siege of Badajoz of April 1811, guns from the Fortress of Elvas were used. Many of these guns were casted in 1620, 1636, 1646, 1652 and many of them with the name of King Filipe III.

4. Artillery Data

Gun Type	Number of Gunners	Firing for minute	Maximum Range (in meters)	Effective Range (in meters)	Range: Firing Canister
9 Pounders (Cannon)	5	1 per minute	1550	725-825	410
6 Pounders (Cannon)	5	1 per minute	1100-1350	550-640	320-360
3 Pounders (Cannon)	5	2 or 3 per minute	1000	320-400	About 275
5.5-inch Howitzer	5	2 or 3 per minute	1550	640	460

[ Organization Index ]

[ Top | Home ]