Military History | Liberators | Argentina
Using 15mm Liberators Figures of 1817-18 for 1815

Posted 13 Aug 2011

I'm nearing completion of my 1817-18 Chile Project and wondered how I can reuse those figures for another campaign. The third campaign in Upper Peru (Jan-Nov 1815), featuring the Battle of Viluma / Sipe Sipe, looked a good candidate and these are my notes on how to how to create the new armies based on the old. I have put together a Order of Battle for iluma / Sipe Sipe as the basis for my thinking.

Patriot

First of, the Patriot force in 1815 is an Argentine army pure and simple. I've got a fair number of Chileans for the 1817-18 Chile Project but they won't be of any help for Upper Peru. But the Argentine figures of 1817-18 are a good basis for 1815. The trouble is I just don't have enough figures.

There is a question about the headgear worn by the Argentine grenadiers.  By 1817-18 the grenadiers wore a shako with a colpack (bag attached) (Fletcher, 2005). Prior to that the grenadiers wore the traditional bearskin. It isn't clear when exactly the uniform changed. Pedrazzoli (2010) has an illustration of a grenadier of Infantry Regiment 2 with the shako and colpack. Other units are shown with bearskin. In contrast Fletcher (2005) has all the grenadiers with shako and colpack. I asked the two authors on the Liberators 1810-1830 Yahoo Discussion Forum to explain the difference of opinion. Essentially they agreed that the transition happened in 1814-15 but probably by different units at different times. Fletcher obviously assumed it happened earlier than Pedrazzoli did. (Pedrazzoli also mentioned that the transition was a matter of economy.) The upshot is that there is sufficient leeway that I can do what I want ... which means use the grenadiers I've already got painted with shako and colpack.

Unit Comments What to buy/paint
1st Infantry Regiment   Another battalion(1)
6th (Pardos & Morenos) Infantry Regiment Use figures from existing black 7th Battalion with new command stand. Command stand
7th Infantry Regiment

No substitute as they:

  • were black
  • wore a unique red uniform
  • had a shako with colpack for fusiliers and cazadores. The grenadiers wore a bearskin.
 Another battalion
9th Infantry Regiment   Another battalion(1)
12th Infantry Regiment Two battalions of this regiment were present (800 men in total). Might ignore this and field on unit one table.

Use figures from existing 11th Battalion with new command stand. 		Command stand
Cazadore Battalion Use Cazadores de los Andes. The uniform was slightly different (a matter of blue versus red facings) but close enough. -
Granaderos a Caballos Got them already -
Peru Dragoons Fletcher (2005) has the Peru Dragoons in the Orbat but the painting guide mentions the Peru Line Cavalry; I assume they are the same chaps.

Use Granaderos a Caballos. The uniform was slightly different (a matter of blue versus red facings) but close enough. 		-
Artillery: 8x4lbrs Converts to four models -
Artillery: 2x2lbrs Converts to one model Buy 1x2lbr with 1 crew
Artillery: Mortar I think I'll ignore it. -

Notes

(1) Both the 1st and 9th Infantry Regiments were white. However I could save myself some painting buy mixing in some stands from the unused black 8th Infantry Regiment.

Royalist

[TODO finish it]

Unit Based on What to buy/paint
1st Infantry Regiment Two battalions of this regiment were present (600 men in total). Might ignore this and field one unit on table.
 
2nd Infantry Regiment Two battalions of this regiment were present (600 men in total). Might ignore this and field one unit on table.  
Cazadore Battalion    
Centre Battalion    
Fernando VII Battalion    
Partiddario Infantry Battalion Pedrazzoli (2009) has these chaps in a shako with colpack, like the 1817-18 Argentine grenadiers.  
Reserve Grenadier Infantry Battalion    
Voluntarios de Castro Battalion    
Dismounted Cavalry Not sure who these guys were  
Cazadores a Caballo    
Cochabamba Dragoons    
Guardia del General Cavalry Only 50 men.  
San Carlos Dragoons    
Artillery: 34 or 36x4lbrs 36 guns = 18 models. I've got 8. Perhaps I rope in some Patriot and Carlist War guns. 10x4lbrs each with 2 crew
Artillery: 4x2lbrs I don't have any 2lbrs 2x2lbrs each with 1 crew

References

Fletcher, J. (2005). Liberators! Volume 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions..

Fletcher, J. (2006). Liberators! Supplement 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions.

Hooker, T. (1991). The Armies of Bolivar and San Martin [Men-at-Arms 232]. Osprey.

Pedrazzoli, F. D. (2009). Viluma 1815: The revolution beheaded. Madrid, Spain: Regimentos de America.

Pedrazzoli, F. D. (2010). Uniforms of the Northern Army: Infantry - Upper Peru 1814-15. Madrid, Spain: Regimentos de America.