Army of the Kingdom of Naples (Napoleonic)
Royal Neapolitan Army | |
---|---|
Esercito del Regno di Napoli | |
Active | 1806–1815 |
Country | Kingdom of Naples |
Branch | Ground forces |
Type | Main army |
Size | At-least 47,000 by 1815 |
Army Headquarters | Naples, Campania, Kingdom of Naples |
Motto(s) | Onore, e Fedelta Senza Macchia |
Colors | |
Engagements | War of the Fourth Coalition War of the Fifth Coalition War of the Sixth Coalition Neapolitan War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Joachim Murat Michele Carrascosa Guglielmo Pepe Pietro Colletta Carlo Filangieri Charles Antoine Manhès Francesco Macdonald |
The Army of the Kingdom of Naples (Italian: Esercito Napoletano) was the primary land defence and offence force of the Kingdom of Naples. It served alongside Napoleon’s Grande Armée in various campaigns and wars across Europe, until its final demise in the Neapolitan War of 1815. It was in service from 1806 to 1815, reborn from the Army of the Two Sicilies after the annexation of Naples. The Army was more known for the splendour of its uniforms rather than the achievements of its troops.
Origin
After the demise of the Bourbon-ruled Kingdom of Naples in 1806, a French-ruled client state was established in its place, with the throne being given to Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte. However, when Joseph transferred to becoming King of Spain, the throne of Naples was granted to Napoleon's brother-in-law, Joachim Murat. The army soon became the single largest source of public employment in the Kingdom, and was the institution that Murat, in particular, looked to create an independent base for his kingdom.[1] However, recruitment for the army was difficult from the start, due to the usual resistance to the unpopular French conscription system which had been introduced. The number of men raised initially was so meagre that convicts and captured brigands were drafted into regiments. Most officers were either captured Bourbon officers or French and Polish officers that stayed in Naples after the 1806 campaign. Neapolitan troops served in various campaigns under Napoleon and his generals, even taking up important roles such as escorting the Emperor back to France on the way back from the Invasion of Russia. However, Murat's alliance-switching spree in 1813 up to 1815 resulted in his army having mixed loyalties and gradually dissolving, finding no interest in serving or fighting for Murat in his campaigns.[2][3]
Composition
Prior to
Royal Guard
The
As was the case with most of the army in 1806, the Guard was overlooked during Joseph's reign. However, with the arrival of Joachim Murat and his coronation as King of Naples, the Guard was expanded greatly to fit the king's flamboyant imagination. By looking at the Guard's many uniforms, Murat's love for gold and finery can clearly be seen.
The
In 1806 the
In addition to both divisions of the Guard there were two Guard
Infantry
The Neapolitan infantry formed the bulk of the Army. The Infantry did not receive the same praise or honours bestowed on them as the Guard did, but nonetheless, their performance in battle was decisive in securing victory. Unlike the Guard, recruitment for the infantry corps was based on conscription, as volunteers were initially scarce and joining the military was unpopular among the lower and middle classes of Neapolitan society. Such was the extent of the resistance to serving in the army that King Joseph decreed the release of brigands and criminals to serve in the line regiments. Unfortunately, these recruits generally proved unworthy of service and frequently deserted.
Line Infantry
The
The 7th Line was one of the few military regiments in Europe at the time which consisted primarily of Black people. Originally a French unit, the Pionniers Noirs were a battalion raised by from Black émigrés from the French West Indies, including Saint-Domingue. When the Kingdom of Naples was established in 1806, the unit was transferred into the service of the new state on 14 August and was increased to regimental strength and designated the 7th Regiment in 1810.[2]
The official designations of all twelve line regiments were:
- 1st Regiment ‘del Re’
- 2nd Regiment ‘della Regina’
- 3rd Regiment ‘del Principe Reale’
- 4th Regiment ‘Real Sannita’
- 5th Regiment ‘Real Calabria’
- 6th Regiment ‘Di Napoli’
- 7th Regiment ‘Real Africano’
- 8th Regiment ‘Principe Luciano’
- 9th Regiment N/A
- 10th Regiment N/A
- 11th Regiment N/A
- 12th Regiment ‘della Marca’
The difference between Elite and Centre companies was considerable - the elites held a much higher espirit de corps, believing themselves to be better trained and generally the most senior companies in the regiment. In most cases, this was true.
Light Infantry
Additionally, there were two light infantry regiments in 1806, later rising to 4 by 1813, consisting of two field battalions. Each field battalion had a carabinieri (
Cavalry
Line
The cavalry regiments in the Neapolitan Army were organised into 2-4
Artillery
Neapolitan artillery was not numerous. In 1806, there was only a single battery of
Ranks
The Neapolitan Army used a variety of
The various cavalry units of the Neapolitan Army adopted different ranks as to their comrades on foot; however, these too were modelled on the French system. Both Cavalry and Infantry ranks had very similar roles in general.
Infantry Ranks
In order, highest to lowest, the general infantry ranking system of the Neapolitan Army is as follows:[5]
Neapolitan Line Infantry Rank Modern U.S. equivalent Tenente Generale Lieutenant GeneralMaresciallo di Campo Major GeneralAiutante di Campo Aide-de-Camp Colonello Colonel Maggiore Major Capo Battaglione Battalion Chief Capitano Captain Tenente First Lieutenant Sottotenente Sub Lieutenant Aiutante-Sottufficiale Warrant OfficerSergente-Maggiore Sergeant MajorSergente SergeantCaporale-Furiere Quartermaster CorporalCaporale Corporal Soldato Private
Naturally, the King was also eligible to command the entire army.
Cavalry Ranks
The various cavalry units of the Neapolitan Army were given their own ranks. These too were modelled off the French cavalry ranks. Although the ranks of the Neapolitan cavalry were different in name as to their comrades on foot, the roles held by infantry and cavalry rankers were not altogether that different, in practice.
Neapolitan Cavalry Rank Modern U.S. equivalent Colonello Colonel Maggiore Major Capo-Squadrone Squadron LeaderCapitano Captain Tenente First Lieutenant Sottotenente Second Lieutenant Capo-Maresciallo di Casa Sergeant MajorMaresciallo di Casa Sergeant Brigadiere-Furiere Quartermaster Corporal Brigadiere Corporal Cavaliere Trooper
Campaigns
Campaign in Spain
In February 1808 Napoleon's carefully orchestrated plan to achieve control over Spain and Portugal rolled into motion. After much cunning manipulation of the utterly gullible Spanish royal family, they had agreed to allow tens of thousands of French troops into their kingdom, ostensibly as part of a plot, which they believed they had hatched with Napoleon to invade Portugal and divide it between themselves. Soon it became apparent that these troops not only wanted to conquer Portugal, but to swallow up the entire Iberian Peninsula in the process. Italian and Neapolitan troops made up part of Général de Division Duhesme’s VII Corps stationed in Catalonia, in Général de Division Giuseppe Lechi’s 2nd Division. On 29 February 1808, Lechi's Neapolitans seized the fortress of Barcelona from the Spanish garrison stationed there. All across Spain, similar coups took place, with most vital fortresses secured by the French. However, upon hearing the news of their king being deposed on 2 May, the Spanish populace of Madrid attacked the Frenchmen stationed there, starting the vicious war of attrition and assassination that would last until 1814.[2]
There were two main problems that affected the French and allied troops in Spain: the lack of food and water and the inability to find safe space for any force of troops. Men and officers alike were expected to feed off any food they could find off the land; unlike the relatively peaceful citizens of Central Europe, the Spanish populace fought back on numerous occasions against French and allied foraging parties. Secondly, the relentless flurry of
Later that year, Duhesme tried a
In 1811, the 1st and 2nd Neapolitan Line Infantry Regiments and the 1st Light Infantry were in Compère’s division of Suchet’s army in Valencia alongside the 2nd Neapolitan Cacciatori a Cavallo. On 15 December 1811 the Neapolitan infantry regiments in Spain were so reduced in strength that they had to be combined into the "new" Neapolitan 8th Line Infantry regiment. Cadres of officers were sent back to Naples to recruit new battalions for the old regiments. The 8th was given the title "Principe Luciano".[2]
Russian and German Campaigns
For the
"I participated in a prejudice of low esteem of the Neapolitan troops: they amazed me in Lutzen, in Bautzen, in Danzig and in Hanau. The famous Samnites, their ancestors, would not have fought with greater valour. Courage is like love, it needs nourishment."[5]
The line units left in
Two months after the truce, the Russians launched a series of counter-offensives which gradually tightened the circle around the walls of Gdansk. Russian shells set fires in the primary wooden interior of the city. On 29 December 1813, the city was surrendered unconditionally to the Russians. The Neapolitan survivors were placed into Russian captivity, but news of King Murat's defection to the allies reached their captors, which resulted in their prompt release. The survivors marched back to Naples in perfect order, as to impress the civil and military authorities of the nations they passed through. Joachim Murat rewarded the survivors of the Gdansk siege by transferring them to the Guard.[5]
Italian Campaigns 1814-1815
King Joachim Murat abandoned Napoleon’s side formally after the Battle of Leipzig and returned to Naples. A deal was struck between him and the coalition allies: Murat would keep his throne in Naples if he provided 30,000 troops to support the allies in Northern Italy. However, he disgracefully dragged his feet in doing so, and was only goaded by his Austrian allies into attacking the Franco-Italians at the River Taro, some 10k west of Parma. The Neapolitans were victorious in this minor clash, and the Franco-Italian withdrew to Piacenza. This marked the end of the fighting in Northern Italy, and news of Napoleon's abdication now arrived. Murat was able to reach an agreement with the coalition allies and retain his throne.
In 1815, news of Napoleon's arrival in France reached Naples on 4 March. 10 days later, Murat decided to break his alliance with the coalition and once again take the side of his old Emperor, who he had betrayed a year earlier. At the head of 46,829 infantry, 7,224 cavalry, and 78 guns, he marched north to strike against the Austrians. On 4 April, the Neapolitans crossed the Panaro river in upper-central Italy and defeated the Austrians under FML Frederick von Bianchi at Modena. On 7 April Murat tried to force the line of the River Po at Occhiobello, a small town 50k south of Venice, but was met with staunch resistance and was forced to fall back. The Austrians only lost 22 killed in this action, while the Neapolitans suffered far worse. This affected the already brittle morale of Murat's officers and men, who began to melt away slowly. Many soldiers simply found no interest in fighting the Austrians, and deserted. Soon, Murat heard of Britain's declaration of war against him. On 10 April, the Neapolitan garrison of the town of Carpi was attacked and fled. Murat withdrew to Ravenna, near the eastern coast of the Italian peninsula. Continuously harried, the Neapolitans lost to Bianchi's Austrians at Cesenatico and Pesaro. The Neapolitans finally stopped at the small town of Tolentino, and the Austrian army arrived to meet them. Soon, it became clear that the decisive battle would be fought there.
Battle of Tolentino
Bianchi commanded 12
Murat sent a division under Carrascosa to slow down Niepperg’s Austrians who could’ve turned Murat's flank. However, Murat soon learned of Carrascosa's defeat at the Battle of Scappezano. At Tolentino, the Neapolitan troops originally made good progress until Murat ordered his advancing columns into 4 giant squares – large, lumbering formations made to protect from cavalry, which was not a serious threat to the Neapolitans. Bianchi seized the opportunity to order an artillery battery to rip through the leading square at close range, and then charged several squadrons of cavalrymen into the gaps left in the square. The entire advance broke and the Neapolitans fled. Being pushed at three sides, Murat's resolve crumbled, and so did his army. They withdrew behind the cover of night, and soon dissolved into a leaderless mob.
The battle's result had drastic results on both sides’ morale. On 20 May, peace negotiations began, and Neapolitan generals Pepe and Carrascosa sued for peace, signing the Treaty of Casalanza. The Austrian armies entered Naples on the 23rd, and restored Ferdinand to the throne of Naples, after almost a decade of exile. Meanwhile, Murat escaped from Naples, disguised as a Danish sailor, and sailed to Cannes, in France. He was soon caught trying to reclaim his kingdom and executed on 13 October 1815. Most Neapolitan fortresses opened their doors immediately after news of Casalanza reached them. However, the tenacious General Begani, commanding the garrison of Gaeta, refused to surrender to the Austrians unless under the express order of Joachim Murat. Yet, under pressure for several days, and besieged by Austrian, British, Papal and Bourbon troops, the Murattian flag was finally lowered on 5 August, and the defenders released under parole. Thus, the last shots of the Napoleonic wars fell upon the shattered walls of Gaeta.[5]
Footnotes
Notes
Citations
- OUP Oxford, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Digby Smith, Murat's Army, Helion Limited 2018.
- ^ Paoletti Ciro, A Military History of Italy, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008.
- ^ Colletta, Pietro (1847). Storia della campagna d'Italia del 1815: Opera Postuma (in Italian). Naples, Italy: Presso Gianini e Fiore. p. 102.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Piero Crociani, The Neapolitan Army 1806/15, Editrice Militare Italiana.
References
- Crociani, Pietro (2016), L'Esercito del Regno Napoletano: The Army of the Kingdom of Naples, 1806-1815, Soldiershop
- A. Davis, John (2006), Naples and Napoleon: Southern Italy and the European Revolutions, 1780-1860, OUP Oxford, ISBN 978-0-198-20755-9
- V. Ilari, P. Crociani, G. Boeri, Storia Militare del Regno Murattiano 1806-15, Widerholdt Frères, Invorio, 2007, vol. I (Comando e Amministrazione), II (Armi e Corpi dell'Esercito), III (Gendarmeria, Legioni Provinciali, Marina, Indice biografico).
- Virgilio Ilari, Piero Crociani e Ciro Paoletti, Storia militare dell'Italia giacobina (1796-1801), Roma, USSME, 2000, II ("La guerra Peninsulare": «Il nuovo esercito napoletano, 1799-1802», pp. 1131–1153; «I francesi sulle coste italiane, 1800-02», pp. 1155–1173).
- Paoletti, Ciro (2008), A Military History of Italy, Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-275-98505-9
- Pepe, Guglielmo (1847), Memorie del generale Guglielmo Pepe intorno alla sua vita e ai recenti casi d'Italia, Baudry
- Smith, Digby (1998). The Greenhill Napoleonic wars data book. London Mechanicsburg, PA: Greenhill Books Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-1-85367-276-7. OCLC 37616149.
- Smith, Digby (2006). An illustrated encyclopedia of uniforms of the Napoleonic wars : an expert, in-depth reference to the officers and soldiers of the revolutionary and Napoleonic period, 1792-1815. London Lanham, Md: Lorenz North American agent/distributor, National Book Network. ISBN 978-0-7548-1571-6. OCLC 60320422.
- ISBN 978-1-912-39009-0
- Woolf, Stewart (2002), Napoleon's Integration of Europe, Routledge Publishing, ISBN 978-1-134-94420-0
- Manuale pei soldati e sotto-uffiziali di fanteria dell'Esercito Napoletano atto a guidarli in tutti gli esami cui vanno sottomessi giusta i programmi sovranamente fissati. Reale Tipografia Militare. 1846.