Painting Guide for Portuguese, 1834

Painting Guide for Portuguese, 1833-34

A note on Portuguese colours:

Dark Blue (azul ferrete) was the base uniform colour for the Line Infantry and Cavalry; it was a very dark-blue almost Prussian, and was the colour of Napoleonic Portuguese uniforms.
The Caçadores used Nut Brown (Saragoça) instead.
The Portuguese Red (Encarnado) literally translates to the colour of meat.
The Yellow was sugar cane color.
White grey (Alvadia) was a greyish off-white and was described as a dirty white in the 17th Century,

1834 Uniform guide

This is the uniform of the regulations of 18 Oct 1834, i.e. after the Liberal Wars had ended. There are significant similarities, and significant differences, from the Napoleonic uniform. The same colours are used, although particular collar, cuff and facings may differ. The shape of the Shako (Barretina) had evolved considerably, and following international fashions flat forage caps had been introduced.

Note: Apparently during the Liberal Wars the two sides used an enormous variety of uniforms, with little standardisation.

Czapka Style hat - lancers only

Black lower; red upper. Blue and Yellow stripes on ribbon between upper and lower portions. Blue and white rosette. Black plume. Yellow/Gold metal and braid.

Shako (Barretina) and Officer's Bicorne

Black with blue and white rosette, gold metal, gold braiding. The plume, if worn, in the company colours::

Grenadiers: Red (Encarnado)
Fusiliers: White
Light and Caçadores: Green

If covered in oil skin: Black

Forage Cap

Line Infantry and Cavalrymen: Dark Blue (azul ferrete) with band in the regimental collar colour. Regimental number in yellow metal. Cavalry had a roundel in regimental colours.

Caçadores: Nut Brown (Saragoça) with black band. Regimental number in yellow metal.

Light Cavalry Officers: Dark Blue (azul ferrete) with a yellow band and roundel.

Officer's caps had a black visor.

Great coat

Line Infantry: White Grey (Alvadia)

Caçadores: Black

Frock coat (officers only)

Line Infantry: Dark Blue (azul ferrete), black lining, with collars and cuffs in regimental colours.

Cavalry: Dark Blue (azul ferrete) including collars and cuffs.

Coatee / Jacket

Line Infantry and Cavalry: Dark Blue (azul ferrete) with collars, cuffs, piping and facings in regimental colours.

Caçadores: Nut Brown (Saragoça) with black front

Epaulettes coats and jackets

Line Infantry and Cavalry Officers: Gold/yellow

Grenadiers: Red (Encarnado)
Fusiliers: White
Light: Probably Green ??

Caçadores: Black with a yellow metal half moon

Jacket/coat Buttons

Yellow metal

Trousers

White Grey (Alvadia)

Some uniforms had a Light blue-grey (Azul acinzentado) trousers or a dark blue (judging from the pictures), but White Grey was probably used in the field.

Shoulder & waist belts

Line Infantry: White

Caçadores: Black

Shoes

Black

Officers sword

Line Infantry: Sword with Gilt hilt and black scabbard

Caçadores: Iron hilt and scabbard.

Officers Sash

Red (Encarnado)

Officers Gloves (if worn)

White

Ammunition box

Black

Bayonet & Scabbard

Black with brass fittings

Gun Barrel

Bright metal

Strap for musket

Probably white

Lance (lancers only)

Natural bamboo with a blue over white pennant.

Regimental Colours

* The tabs on the sleeves were called Carcelas in Portuguese and Sardinetas in Spanish.

Pictures

I've included a selection of the pictures from the Viriatus Miniatures site and the Lisbon Military Museum. Browse through the Viriatus pages for more pictures and much more detail on the types of uniforms:


1834 An officer dress uniform. He is wearing the shako, but could also wear a bicorne.	1834 Officer in walking out uniform. Notice the frock coat. He is wearing the peaked forage cap, but could also wear a bicorne.	1833 Drummer

1834 A officer in a fusilier company (judging from his plume)	1834 A Fusilier of the Line Infantry	1834 A infantryman in forage cap. I haven't figured out why he is wearing grey as opposed to White Grey (Alvadia). This might be the light blue-grey mentioned (Azul acinzentado)

1833 Grenadier	1834 A Grenadier of the Line Infantry in Campaign Dress	1833 Musician

1834 Light Infantry (Caçadores) officer	1834 Light Infantry (Caçadores)

1833 Artilleryman	1833 Engineer	Indicative, but not exact, for the Belgian Corps. The Belgians in Portugal wore brown. This figure is from Kannik (1968).

1833 Cavalry. Presumably Light Cavalry (Caçadores a Cavalo), as opposed to Lancer.	1833 Officer. Looks enough like the adjacent figures that I believe he is also Light Cavalry.	1834 Light Cavalry Officer in Parade Dress

1834 Lancer	1834 Lancer dressed for Guard Duty	1833 Royal Police Guard. 1. Infantry, 2. Cavalry

Glossary

And just for the record, the names used for various types of uniform (thanks to Nuno Pereira for explaining them to me):

Sources