French Infantry in the American War of Independence
When France entered the American War of Independence in 1778, the conflict changed from a colonial rebellion into a global war. French naval power challenged British control of the seas while French troops fought alongside General George Washington's Continental Army. Their combined victory at Yorktown in 1781 effectively ended major military operations and paved the way for American independence.
The French expeditionary force was commanded by Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, whose professionalism and close cooperation with Washington were instrumental in the success of the campaign. French naval forces under Admiral François Joseph Paul, Comte de Grasse, secured control of the Chesapeake Bay, preventing British reinforcement or evacuation during the decisive Yorktown campaign.
The expeditionary force consisted of regular line infantry drawn from several famous regiments, including Bourbonnais, Soissonnais, Saintonge, Royal Deux-Ponts, Agenois, and later Touraine. The Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment, recruited largely from the German-speaking regions of the French kingdom, distinguished itself during the assault on Redoubt No. 9 at Yorktown.
French line infantry wore the elegant white uniforms for which the Bourbon army became famous. Although each regiment had its own distinctive facing colours, the standard uniform consisted of a white coat, white waistcoat and breeches, black gaiters, and a black tricorne hat trimmed in white. Soldiers were armed with the Model 1777 Charleville musket fitted with a socket bayonet, one of the finest military firearms of its day.
This set depicts French line infantry serving in North America during the Yorktown campaign, representing the disciplined soldiers whose training, professionalism and steadfast cooperation with their American allies helped secure one of history's most important victories.
Box front:
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Test sprue:
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Digitized scans of the figures
Painted figures
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Size testing:
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Line drawings:
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Sprue set up
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