PORTUGUESE ARMY IN SYW by Emilio Moskowich

Versión 4, March 2006

These are a few notes I got in several places. I can not say if they are 100% reliable, but
I think that they are the best that can be found.

Portuguese named this war the «Guerra Fantástica» (fantastic war) because, although
there were no real battles, the ill-prepared Portuguese army was able to defeat a much
larger and better Franco-Spanish invading army just by cutting off their provision lines.

INFANTRY UNIFORMS.
In 1740-1750 uniforms followed the catholic powers model, and were white or off white
(the colour named “alvadia” – from the word “alva”, or white - by the portuguese). The
regiments used colour cuffs, collars, lapels and turnbacks for distinction, but the colour
was chosen according to the colonel’s personal taste, and there is no official directives
for this matter. Position of buttons and pockets were used for distinction too. From
1754, the regiments were at half strength, some with only 360 men, although the war
strength for a regiment was 1200 men.
When war broke out, uniform production was totally disorganized. There was not
neither enough uniforms nor cloth for recruits in military warehouses, so it was
necessary to use all cloth available. Besides, as there was no central warehouse, every
colonel was responsible for the ordering of uniforms. Therefore the fabric was bought
from contractors who would cut and turned it into uniforms “more or less” along the
official lines. Because of this, some regiments were dressed in white, some in brown,
some in blue, some in green, and so on.
Grenadiers used fur caps similar to French and Spanish ones (other source says mitre
caps), with red bags, and the rest tricornes.
Some Portuguese historians think that there was a progressive abandon of white
uniforms between 1750 and the SYW (see below).
Portuguese regiments had two battalions.
I have found the colours used by some regiments, following contemporary sources:
Reg. Porto: green coat, red cuffs, green turnbacks, white waiscoat, green trousers.
Reg. Chaves: blue coat, red cuffs, blue turnbacks, white waiscot, blue trousers.
Reg. Beira: white coat, red cuffs, white turnbacks, white waiscoat, white trousers.
Reg. Algarve (Faro battallion): white coat, yellow cuffs, white turnbacks, white
waistcoat, white trousers.
Reg. Algarve (Tavira battallion): white coat, blue cuffs, white turnbacks, white
waiscoat, white trousers.
Reg. Lisboa: all light blue.
Reg. Peniche: white coat, red cuffs, white turnbacks, white waiscoat, white trousers.
1st Reg. da Armada (marines): green coat, red cuffs, red turnbacks, green waistcoat
(others say red), green trousers, yellow/golden (officers) lacing. White webbing. The
tricorne was black with lace.
2nd Reg. da Armada (marines): green coat, red cuffs, red turnbacks, green waistcoat
(others say red), green trousers, white/silvered (officers) lacing. White webbing. The
tricorne was black with lace.

ARTILLERY.
The same for the infantry, but I found:
Reg. Beira: white coat, green cuffs, white turnbacks, white waiscoat, white trousers.
Reg. Algarve: green coat, red cuffs, green turnbacks, green waiscoat, green trousers.
Reg. Alentejo: green coat, red cuffs, green turnbacks, red waiscoat, green trousers.

CAVALRY.
The only information I have found is that at least one dragoon regiment used red coats
and white lace. I think that most regiments used white. Cavalry was very understrength,
and horses were small/medium (not capable, for instance, to be used by a cuirasiers’
regiment, which the Portuguese didn’t had, anyway) .

INFANTRY FLAGS.
Infantry battallions used two flags: one Royal and one coloured. The coloured one was
chosen by the colonel, so it varied a lot. The Royal one was something like this:
The portuguese coat of arms must be inside a baroque frame, but I am unable to draw
it... The pole carried cravats and cords, but I don´t know the colours. Probably, the
regiments´ name and number were embroidered in the flag. The flag edge has a white
and green rim.
It is possible that several regiments used blue and white flags.
The Regimento da Armada´s flag was something like this:

CAVALRY FLAGS.
Cavalry regiments used four standards, one per squadron. Each squadron used a colour.
They were like these:

3rd squadron:
4th squadron:

1st squadron:

2nd squadron:

As with infantry flags, the coat of arms must be inside a baroque frame. Probably the
regiment´s number and name were embroidered.

I hope that more info will be added in the future.

I am very grateful to my portuguese friend Filipe Martins for the information about
flags and the scans from portuguese books that he sent to me.

Emilio Moskowich
escalat@andaluciajunta.es