Peninsular War: Spanish Organisation 

Overall Organisation in 1808 

Royal Guard 

• Halberdier Company (Real Guardia de Alabarderos) 
• Spanish Guards (Guardias de Infanteria Espanola) 
• Walloon Guards (Guardias Walonas) 
• Life Guards (Reales Guardias de Corps) 
• Royal Carabineers (Real Brigada de Carabineros de Linea) 
• Cazadores (Cazadores Espanolas de la Guardia) 

Infantry 

• 35 Regiments of Line 
• 12 Regiments of Light
• 4 Foreign Regiments (Irish, Napoles)
• 6 Swiss Regiments
• ~43 Regiments of Provincial Militia 
• 4 Regiments of Provincial Grenadiers 

Cavalry 

• 12 Heavy Regiments 
• 8 Dragoon Regiments 
• 2 Hussar Regiments 
• 2 Cazadores Regiments (Chasseurs a Cheval) 

Artillery 

• 4 Artillery Regiments 
• 1 Battalion of Sappers and Miners 

The regulars were supplemented during the war by a vast number of New Infantry Units and a much small number of New Cavalry Units. 

Royal Guard 

Sapherson (1991) believed that the Spanish Guard and Walloon Guard were the only combat troops in the Royal Guard.  Sapherson's claim not with-standing, Chartrand (1998) says most of the guard joined the revolt.  

The Spanish Guard and Walloon Guard each had approximately 3,000 men in 3 battalions of 4 companies (Sapherson, 1991).  Thus the battalions and companies were larger than in the line regiments.  The first two companies of the first battalion of each regiment were grenadier companies.  Both the Walloon and Spanish Guards added a 4th battalion in 1810 and a 5th in 1814 (Chartrand, 1999b). 

Part of the Walloon Guards regiment was in Madrid when the city was occupied by the French; these men were forced to take service with the French (Chartrand, 1999b).  The battalions in Barcelona and Aragon formed the basis for a revived regiment.  There were four battalions serving in different parts of the country. By 1812 the regiment was down to two battalions.  

Partridge and Oliver (1998, citing Solis) suggest the Guard Carabiniers, a heavy cavalry unit, may have fought at Cabezón (12 Jun 1808) and Medina de Rioseco (14 Jul 1808) .  If they were the cavalry at these battles they fought badly.  It is actually more likely that the cavalry at Medina de Rioseco were the Reina Line Cavalry and the Reina Dragoons.  From 1802 the Carabiniers had six squadrons of 276 men divided into four companies (Chartrand, 1998).   Two of the squadrons guarded the Godoy the 'Prince of Peace' so were called the Guardia del Almirante (Admiral's Guard); these were a Hussar squadron and a Mounted Chasseurs squadron.  The regiment was reorganised in 1814 to have a squadron of grenadiers and a squadron of cuirassiers.  

Chartrand (1998) says that in 1803, and by implication in 1808, the Life Guards had four cavalry companies (Spanish, Italian, American) of 180 men.  On 2 May 1808 the Life Guard left the Escorial and joined the patriotic forces (Chartrand (1998).  

In 1814, when King Ferdinand returned, the Royal Guard was reformed with much the same organisation as in 1808 (Chartrand, 1999b).

Infantry 

Line Infantry Regiments 

From 26 Aug 1802 each line regiment nominally had 2,186 men, in 3 battalions of 4 companies (Chartrand, 1998; Partridge & Oliver, 1998; Sapherson, 1991).  The first two companies of the first battalion of each regiment were grenadier companies, but the remaining 10 companies were fusiliers.  The third battalion often served away from the other two battalions so may have been intended as a depot unit.  In 1808 many regiments were considerably under strength and 20 regiments had less than half their paper strength.  400-500 was a typical battalion strength, compared to the paper strength of 700+.

The July 1810 regulations reconfirmed regiments of three battalions although few could muster that many men (Chartrand, 1999b).  

8 Mar 1812 saw a new organisation for both line and light infantry (Chartrand, 1999b).  The default infantry regiment had a single battalion and only over staffed units were to have two battalions. Each battalion had eight companies: six fusilier, one grenadier and one cazadore.  

Foreign Infantry Regiments 

The four foreign regiments were line infantry (Sapherson, 1991).  In 1808, however, the Irish regiments were very under strength and Napoles only had enough men for a single battalion. 

Swiss Infantry Regiments 

For some reason the Swiss regiments were considered separate from the line and from the foreign regiments.   Unlike the line infantry each Swiss regiment had two, albeit large, battalions, each comprising six companies of 200 men (Sapherson, 1991).   The regiment numbers are from Sapherson.  Tranie and Carmigniani (1982) say the first battalion comprised grenadiers and the second battalion fusiliers. 

Light Infantry Regiments 

In 1808 Spanish light infantry regiments had 1200+ men in a single battalion of six companies (Partridge & Oliver, 1998; Sapherson, 1991).  In 1808 these units were up to strength, and some were over-strength.  It was normal to split these large battalions into two half-battalions of three companies, each half-battalion operating independently.  

8 Mar 1812 saw a new organisation for both line and light infantry (Chartrand, 1999b).  The default infantry regiment had a single battalion and only over staffed units were to have two battalions. Although Cartrand doesn't say, it is likely, as with latter practice, that in the light infantry companies didn't use the fusilier, grenadier and cazadore of the line battalions, but substituted cazadore for fusilier, carabineer for grenadier, and and tiradore for cazadore.  

Provincial Grenadiers Regiments

The provincial militia was mobilised in 1805 because of the threat of British landing parties (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).  By 1808 the units were at or near full strength and the men were trained and equipped and basically as good as the line infantry (Sapherson, 1991).  Before the war the grenadier companies had been permanently spit from their parent units and combined into four Provincial Grenadier units.  According to Partridge and Oliver there were four Provincial Grenadier battalions of six companies.   In contrast Sapherson says there were four regiments of Provincial Grenadiers each with two battalions of 600 men.  

Provincial Militia Regiments 

The provincial militia was mobilised in 1805 because of the threat of British landing parties (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).  Sapherson (1991) says there were 43 regiments of ordinary militia, another in the Canary Islands, and four Provincial Grenadier regiments.  Most of the ordinary regiments had a single battalion, but Mallorca had two battalions (Chartrand, 1998).  Before the war the grenadier companies had been permanently spit from their parent units and combined into four Provincial Grenadier units.  By 1808 all of the units were at or near full strength and the men were trained and equipped and basically as good as the line infantry.  According to Partridge and Oliver the ordinary militia regiments had a single battalion of six fusilier companies.   In contrast Sapherson says each militia battalion had four companies of about 150 men.  Chartrand says at the start of the war each battalion had 550 men.  The militia had no light infantry. 

Colonial Infantry Regiments 

Sapherson (1991) mentions that three regiments were raised in the Spanish colonies but can only confirm that one served in the Peninsular - Buenos Aires.  Chartrand (1998) describes the Texas Spanish Tercios, which although raised in Spain were destined for the colonies. 

Marine Infantry 

From 2 Dec 1806 the Infanteria de Marina (Marine Infantry) was reduced to 4 battalions of six companies (Chartrand, 1998).  

New Infantry Units

The bulk of the Spanish regular army was destroyed in 1808 in battles with the French (Sapherson, 1991).  Local juntas went about recruiting their own armies by adopting any surviving regulars and raising new volunteer units (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).   Catalonia and the Basque country had the advantage of a tradition of local armed irregulars - the miqueletes and somatenes - but other communities also raised troops.  Even the universities contributed staff and students to the cause.  The lack of horses in Spain meant most of these new units were infantry.  By 1809 there were over 100 new infantry regiments contributing at least 150 new battalions.  Many of these units had a short life span as they dispersed for lack of supplies, suffered in battle and siege, and/or were amalgamated with other units.  Sapherson has a list of units in existence by 1809 including the number of battalions, but does not list units raised subsequently.  The list isn't complete but it is a good starting point.  

I presume any units with "Light Infantry", "Tiradores", "Cazadores" in the title were light infantry.  Possibly others were as well. 

Cavalry 

In 1808 Spain had a good number of cavalry units but lacked horses; more than half of each regiment was dismounted (Partridge & Oliver, 1998). 

• 12 Heavy Regiments 
• 8 Dragoon Regiments 
• 2 Hussar Regiments 
• 2 Cazadores Regiments (Chasseurs a Cheval) 

From 30 Jan 1803 the official organisation of all regiments was five squadrons of two companies of 57 mounted men and 13 dismounted (Chartrand, 1998).   The 1808 regulations, which endured until 1 Dec 1814, gave each regiment four squadrons of two companies (Chartrand, 1999b). 

On 1 Dec 1814 the Spanish cavalry were rationalised into the following(Chartrand, 1999b): 

• 16 Heavy Regiments (Rey, Reina and presumably the Coraceros Esponoles were all cuirassiers) 
• 8 Dragoon Regiments 
• 3 Hussar Regiments  
• 3 Mounted Cazadores Regiments 

Other units continued to exist but were changed or disbanded (Chartrand, 1999b). 

The regiments were organised into five squadrons of two companies each with four officers and 58 troopers (Chartrand, 1999b).  

New Cavalry Units 

As with the infantry new cavalry units sprouted everywhere. 

Artillery 

• 4 Artillery Regiments 
• 1 Battalion of Sappers and Miners 

La Romana's Expeditionary Corps to Denmark 

Before the insurrection Napoleon ordered the cream of the Spanish army to Denmark (Sapherson, 1991).  Before heading for Denmark the Marques de la Romana's Corps was brought up to full strength by the transfer of large numbers of men and horses from units remaining in Spain (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).  The infantry regiments took all three battalions, leaving no depot in Spain.  In all 15,000 men left for the north.  The Corps comprised: 

This force comprised (Haythornthwaite, 1995): 

Line Cavalry: 

• Rey
• Infante 
• Algarbe 

Dragoons: 

• Almansa 
• Villaviciosa Dragoons 

Line Infantry (each with three battalions)

• Asturias
• Princesa
• Guadalahara 
• Zamora 

Light Infantry   

• 1st Barcelona 
• 2nd Catalonian Light Infantry 

The British navy evacuated most of La Romana's Corps from Denmark and returned it to northern Spain (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).  Once back in their homeland the troops became the nucleus of the army of Galicia. 

Army of Galicia 

On 2 May 1808 the following units were stationed in Galicia (Partridge & Oliver, 1998; Sapherson, 1991); the number of battalions is given and specific battalions given if known: 

• Line Infantry: Aragon (3 btns), León (3 btns), Navarra (3 btns), Principe (3 btns), Rey (3rd btn), Sevilla (3 btns), Toledo (2 btns), Vol. de La Corona (2 btns, inc 3rd btn), Napoles (3 btn but only 288 men), Hibernia (2 btns inc 3rd btn), 
• Light Infantry: 2nd Cataluna (1 btn), Vol. de Navarra (1/2 btn)
• Provincial Militia: Grenadiers of Galicia (1st btn), Betanzos (1 btn), Compostella (1 btn), Leon (1 btn), Lugo (1 btn), Monterrey (1 btn), Mondonedo (1 btn), Orense (1 btn), Pontevedra (1 btn), Salamanca (1 btn), Santiago (1 btn), Segovia (1 btn), Tuy (1 btn), Valladolid (1 btn)
• ??

The British navy evacuated most of La Romana's Corps from Denmark and returned it to northern Spain (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).  Once back in their homeland the troops became the nucleus of the army of Galicia. 

On 31 Oct 1808 Galicia had 31 regular battalions and 11 Militia (Partridge & Oliver, 1998).  These units were from a variety of sources: stationed in the province before the insurrection, from La Romana's Expeditionary Corps, from Spanish garrison of  Oporto in Portugal, and newly raised.   

Sources 

Bunde, P. (2005). 1st Volunteers of Aragon. Wargames: Soldiers & Strategy, 9, 24-26.  Revistas Professionales: Madrid, Spain.  

Chartrand, R. (1998). Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1) 1793-1808.  Men-at-Arms 321.  Osprey. 

Chartrand, R. (1999a). Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2) 1808-1812.  Men-at-Arms 332.  Osprey. 

Chartrand, R. (1999b). Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (3) 1812-1815.  Men-at-Arms 334.  Osprey. 

Funcken, L. and F. (1973).  The Napoleonic Wars (Part II).  London: Ward Lock.

Haythornthwaite, P. (1995).  Uniforms of the Peninsular Wars 1807 - 1814.  London: Arms and Armour Press.  

Partridge, R. and Oliver, M. (1998). Battle Studies in the Peninsula May 1808-January 1809. London: Constable. 

Sapherson, C. A. (1991).  Peninsular Armies 1808 - 1814.  Leeds, UK: Raider Books. 

Tranie, J., and Carmigniani, J. C. (1982).  Napoleon's War in Spain: The French Peninsular Campaigns, 1807-1814.  London: Arms and Armour Press. 

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