Friday, 6 March 2009

Piquet

Another interesting view of military life by N Guerard. If anyone can translate the text I'd be most grateful - can work out some of it, but not all.

4 comments:

  1. A squadron fills 60 paces or some of ground when it is at 4 companies, which share it equally for the distibution of barracks, stables and streets. The Standard is at the head of the 1st company as are the kettledrumsif the regiment has such: guarded by a cavalryman sword in hand. Cavalrymen who did not do their duty at put to the Standard, unbooted foot on a stake as punishment. The Standard owning the Right of the Army owns it to the Center, and that owning the Left similarly ha sit to the center ; Streets between the stables are 15 – 20 paces for the coming out of the horses, placing fodder and manure, the horses’ heads looking at the barracks of their masters, which are at 2 paces and opened on this side except those at the head and tail ; the 1st, viewing on the Place of Arms is for the Marechal des Logis [Sergeant], the other for the Brigadiers and Sous-Brigadiers [Corporals & Lance-corporals] has its door towards the tents of the Officers and Vivandiers [{civilian} food-sellers]. The Barracks have 8 feet wide on 10 feet depth, where shelter 5 or 6 cavalrymen.

    « An English Foot = 441:470 of a French King’s foot » ; the French ‘pas’ = 2 ‘pieds’ (# 0,624 m : neatly shorter than the ‘Ancient’ passus # 0,74 m)

    In the hope that you'll more easily understand my English than the original old French!

    Regards,
    Jean-Louis

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  2. Many thanks indeed. Very kind of you.

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  3. Interesting about punishing soldier standard in hand...

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  4. I love those Guerard images. Slyly humorous and there's a real humanity to his soldiers. Like this one: a trooper getting kicked by a horse in the background, some kind of game in progress, pipe smoker relaxing under a tree in the foreground. He brings those old days to life.

    Steve

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