Men of the 21eme

Let us awake from winter quarter slumbers! The time to take the field is again nearly  upon us.

 1808 was fairly quiet year for bicentenary re-enactement it was a respite catching breath after 1805/6/7 taking of stock and some diplomacy which is quite difficult to recreate! It was the year where the so called side show begun to developed  in Portugal and Spain, that side show was of course one of the contributors  for the downfall of French empire but that will come later. From large re-enactments bicentenaries unless we wish to recreate suppression or Madrid uprising or pose for Goya to portray us as blood thirsty tyrants or indeed we could recreate glorious defeat and surrender at Bailen under General  Dupont! We could also go and welcome General  Arthur Wellesley in Portugal and get beaten at Vimiero etc etc But somehow I feel that so far there are no big events planned by the Spanish for this year,  unless they bring La Corunna forward  (it happened on 16 Jan 1809). So the only trip abroad for this year so far is Malmaison in August. We have been allowed  to camp in the chateau grounds and will have time to go to Paris. There are large events planned for 2009 of course at Wagram where as 1810/11 at least in the  mid and north European theatre were dedicated to 1812 preparations on diplomatic and military front.

That was the gross overview of the few years ahead of course we shall be debating these issues in the fullness of time but let us concentrate now the year in hand refreshing our ecole making sure the equipment is brought back to standard and just check you weapon for rust and check the number of flints (are they sharp?) condition of frizzen and hundereds of minutia upon which in real life your life may depend but fortunately in re-enactment your appearance convincingness and efficacy may depend. I am very much looking forward to seeing all again in the ranks ready to give hell to perfidious Albion and all its servants!!

Commandant Lamotte