May 18, 1808 Emperor Napoleon signed a decree on the establishment of the Portuguese Legion. It was supposed to include six infantry regiments, two regiments of cavalry and an artillery battery. But to 1809 they could only form 5 infantry regiments. Due to the different circumstances in 1811 the legion was reduced to three regiments of the infantry and one cavalry chasseurs’ regiment.
The first Legion was organized in 1808. Soldiers were served as a source regiment for it’s 13th Elite demi-brigade.
Unlike the other legions, the first was served mainly by Portuguese. Many soldiers of the regiment had served in the British army and were captured in the capture of the fortress of Almeida by Ney’s troops.
There were 51 officers and 500 lower ranks which were under the command of Colonel Frensisha Freire-Pego to July 1, 1812. They were in the service of a battalion of grenadiers and a battalion of Voltigeur. The 1st Legion was the part of the 1st Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division of Major-General Francois E.Ledryu Baron des Essarta of the Third Army Corps of Marshal Ney. The regiment was participated in the following battles: Smolensk, Valutina Gora, Borodino, Krasny.
In the battle in Smolensk the first legion was resisted Russian General Likhachev and his regiment. Once and again the Portuguese forced an entrance the outskirts of the town, but they were driven out by Russian counterattacks. After fierce fighting from august 16 to August 19 the regiment had lost only 18 people of the officer corp. Already to August 23, 1812 there were 38 officers and 306 lower ranks in the first Portuguese Legion.
In Borodino the Regiment also suffered from heavy losses, the commander of Grenadier battalion Caldeira wounded and died of his wounds. Except him 12 more officers of the regiment were wounded.
There were only 32 officers and 206 lower ranks to 1, October. Considering the total loss of the 1st and the 2nd legions it was decided to create a combined regiment of double-battalion composition along with 24th regiment to form of them The Infantry Brigade of Brigadier General Henri - Pierre Dellazha. In the second Battle in Krasny this division was virtually destroyed. 13 officers of the first Legion were retired failure killed, wounded or missing. All the wagon trains, cash and regimental staff documents were lost. Commander of the 1st Legion was captured.
In the propulsion units that were heading to Russia were:
- The 4th marching battalion of the Third Army Corps, - 4 lower ranks.
-The 1st marching company of the Third Army Corps - 18 lower ranks.
On the road of retreat, near to the Oshmyan there could be find the buttons of the 1st Legion. That’s why we can assume that some soldiers and officers of the regiment reached at least Vilna with the remnants of the army.
1st Portuguese Legion was disbanded in 1813.
Large and small buttons of the first Portuguese Legion of the French army.
Buttons were produced by a casting in the metal molds. Picture on the buttons symbolizes two laurel branches, by which the Roman legions were honored, as a symbol of victory and glory. The numbers denote the number of the regiment, which belonged to the soldiers.
The most common finds in the field of bivouacs and battles are just buttons of the uniform, which are numbered the regiments of the Grand Army. It is also a doubtless fact of finding the buttons and other items of the army in villages and at homes which were existed during the war in 1812.
A huge number of soldiers of the Grand Army were killed not in the battles and skirmishes, but simply on the way of retreat. They were captured and were staying in the homes of local residents as the labor force. During and after the war a large number of Cossacks, who capturing a lot of prisoners just sold them to landlords as tutors and servants. Buttons were the necessary thing in the economy and had worn for a long time by the local population. Come somewhere wearing a gorget from the trophy officer’s uniform was a special chic. Because of that there is such a great number of different buttons on the ground of old villages and farms.
Regimental buttons with the number 1 and the word "Legion Portugaise" are not very common, so I think you can put R 3 using the scale of rarity from 0 to 5.
Buttons of smaller diameter are almost never found, it is likely because of the great ability of time and temperature differences to destroy. It is a so-called "tin plague”. Tin buttons and other parts of ammunition which made of tin just crumble, becoming completely inaccessible to historians and collector.
Officer’s buttons are found only in single copies and evaluate their rarity we can only theoretically.
theoretically.
Metall Tin Alloy
Size 18 mm and 14 mm
Large Button officer 1st Portuguese Legion of the French army.
Button made by stamping the silver lining and then rolling it on a
wooden or ivory base. Drawing on the button symbolizes two laurel
branches, which honored the Roman legionaries, as a symbol of victory
and glory.
Large buttons regimental officer with the number 1 and the word "Legion
Portugaise" do not occur, so the rarity scale from 0 to 5, I think you
can put R 5. Finds only case of such buttons, in a quantity of 2 pieces
was near Oshmyan. At this place was a great camp with the retreat of the
remnants of the Grand Army of Russia.
Metall Silver
Size 22 mm
Small officer button 1st Portuguese Legion of the French army.
Button made by stamping the silver lining and then rolling it on a
wooden or ivory base. Drawing on the button symbolizes two laurel
branches, which honored the Roman legionaries, as a symbol of victory
and glory.
Junior officers regimental buttons with the number 1 and the word
"Legion Portugaise" do not occur, so the rarity scale from 0 to 5, I
think you can put R 5. Finds such a case only the buttons was not far
from Oshmyan. At this place was a great camp with the retreat of the
remnants of the Grand Army of Russia.
Metall Silver
Size 18 mm
Small button 1st Portuguese Legion of the French army.
Button made by casting into a metal mold. Drawing on the button
symbolizes two laurel branches, which honored the Roman legionaries, as a
symbol of victory and glory.
Small regimental buttons with the number 1 and the word "Legion
Portugaise" almost did not occur, so the rarity scale from 0 to 5, I
think you can put R 4. Anyway buttons made of tin are almost always
caught with broken edges or crumble in your hands. Small buttons having
less mass and volume of the metal is much more active break and get a
button in good condition is a great success. This happens because the
so-called "tin pest." While tin buttons and other parts of ammunition
made from tin just falling apart, becoming completely inaccessible to
historians and collectors. Officers buttons are found only in single
copies and evaluate their rarity can only theoretically.
Metall Tin Alloy
Size 14 mm
Large button 1st Portuguese Legion of the French army.
Button made by casting into a metal mold. Drawing on the button
symbolizes two laurel branches, which honored the Roman legionaries, as a
symbol of victory and glory.
Large regimental buttons with the number 1 and the word "Legion
Portugaise" are not very common, so the rarity scale from 0 to 5, I
think you can put R 3. Anyway buttons made of tin are almost always
caught with broken edges or crumble in your hands. This happens because
the so-called "tin pest." While tin buttons and other parts of
ammunition made from tin just falling apart, becoming completely
inaccessible to historians and collectors. Officers buttons are found
only in single copies and evaluate their rarity can only theoretically.
Metall Tin Alloy
Size 18.5 mm
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