The Camp

by Antoine

Contrary to a romantic vision of the Napoleonean wars, the provision of the bivouac is precisely regulated. The illustrations below make it possible to visualise the organisation and the geography of a camp, whether the soldiers sleep under tents, shelters or the stars.

The bivouac always respects these provisions, by adapting them to involved manpower and the constraints of the ground.

The regiment

1. 1 : advanced station of the guard of police.
2. 2 : guardroom of the police force.
3. 3 : Staff.
4. 4 : line of the vans, horses, workmen, soldiers of the train and officers of uniform.
5. 5 : line of the 'rests'.
6. 6 : line of the soldiers and warrant officers.
7. 7 : line of kitchen fires.
8. 8 : line of the drum major, drum-corporal, adjudants, blanchisseuses and cantiniers.
9. 9 : line of the captains, lieutenants and second lieutenants.
10. 10 : line of the Staff, the majors, the executive officers and the surgeons.

The battalion

1. G : company of grenadiers.
2. 1 : 1ère company of fusiliers.
3. 2 : 2e company of fusiliers.
4. 3 : 3e company of fusiliers.
5. 4 : 4e company of fusiliers.
6. V : company of voltigeurs.
7. 5 : blanchisseuse.
8. 6 : adjudant.
9. 7-9 : musicians.
10. 10 : cantinier.
11. 11 : captain of the 1st company of fusiliers.
12. 12 : lieutenant and second lieutenant of the 1st company of fusiliers.
13. 13 : executive officer.
14. 14 : major.
15. 15 : surgeon.

The staff

1. 1 : tents of the colonel.
2. 2 : Lieutenant-colonel.
3. 3 : executive officer.
4. 4 : drum major and drum-corporal.
5. 5 : shelter of the guard of police force and 'rests'.
6. 6 : vans.
7. 7 : horses of the vans.
8. 8 : horses of the officers.
9. 9 : soldiers of the train.
10. 10 : workmen and officers of uniform.

Sources : Paul Thiebault, Manuel général du service des états-majors, Paris, Magimel, 1813