I just wish I knew enough Spanish to understand what they are shouting for orders
I found this interesting, particularly for the example of firing by rank and how very open the formation was when executing it. Almanza was the battle in eastern Spain that pretty much doomed the cause of the Hapsburg pretender to the throne. The uniforms are interesting, I wish I had seen this earlier on; I would certainly have wanted that purple and red unit (seen in the background of the above picture) in my collection!
The orders sound like they are being done in French, not Spanish. They are definitely NOT using "Apunten" (aim)and "Disparen" (fire) which were always in use for Spanish musketry from Cortes to the Juntas. However it did sound like "Abran" for tearing the cartridge.
ReplyDeleteThat "sachet" order being used for 'rear rank advance' is also a French evolution and not Spanish as they did not think it a viable combat option. I am at a loss for who the guys in white on the other side were with the Yellow flag.
I did love hearing the British Grenadier March being played in the background throughout the entire video. A marvelous sound.
Here is a link to the Spanish orders used by most reenactors
https://historicfloridamilitia.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/spanish-flintlock-musket-drill.pdf
These were established in the 1730's, at least for North America, but most elements are much older.
In reading the comments it seems that the re-enactors are Italians, pretending to be Scots (who were employed by the Spanish in the Bourbon cause)so Heaven alone knows what the orders were given in! The French employed fire by ranks (extrusion, as in the days of pike and shot) as well as fire by massed ranks. There were white coated troops on both sides; Spanish, Austrian, French as well as Dutch whose gray coats may have faded in the fierce Iberian sun....the yellow flag might argue for Austrian but I see no Eagle on it.
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