The French Drummer Boy - Waterloo :

[Iain...]

Hi All...

While being unsuccessfully assisted by experts to find the name of the French Drummer Boy who was saved by Matthew Clay at Hougoumont/Waterloo (3rd Regiment of Foot Guards – The Scots Guards) I’ve added this post here to see if anyone can help.

As Clay only mentioned the drummer in a quick letter to his mother, the only place that can provide such details is the Chateau de Vincennes. (register 22 YC 8-)  No success !   
In the meantime, I contacted RHQ-SG yesterday and asked for a listing of prisoners during the battle.   Unfortunately, Jimmy replied with a ‘nop’!

Please may I ask if someone knows if the ‘Defence Department’ or British Archives have such a list ?

Thanks in advance..., Iain. 
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/o7dyzzs5ih8niq4/AAC6g4k932bIoFowIJ1RLTwFa

[jencairns]

Hi Iain, just seen your posting about the French Drummer boy... will keep my eyes open for anything useful. I am not a military expert, local history is my thing... but a week or so ago came by accident across a local Carmarthenshire man who took the Kings Shilling (ended up in the 3rd Regiment of Foot) - the 1937 book which told his story said he was put into a group called the Roamers... Any idea who they were. Cant find anything. - would be very grateful for any ideas where I could search for info on the Roamers... (I have info on his pension etc and family record)Thanks, Jen

[Regorian]

You're lucky, he was from the 1st Light Regiment of Infantry. The French had about 28 regiments of them during the Napoleonic Wars. They fought dispersed as marksmen to kill enemy officers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hougoumont.

This is a modern image, I will have to search further for an ideally contemporary image.

http://www.military-uniforms.com/french_infantry.htm.

Another modern image but no doubt based on a contemporary print. You can't make that up.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=French+1st+Light+Infantry+Waterloo&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiKwrCDyMTQAhXCHpoKHZM4CqAQ_AUICCgB&biw=800&bih=499#imgrc=VXVvb27qLQV49M%3A.   

[Iain...]

A Hi and a thanks to both of you…

Please forgive this late reply but I had totally forgot about my February posting.  Also, it looks as if I must check out my settings !

I am gradually approaching the source details in as much as I now have the 1er Léger enlistment details for the drummers.
I found it thanks to the French genealogy site; Geneanet http://en.geneanet.org/explore/french-ancestors/

Curiously enough it’s no longer visible but I kept the URL.
http://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=YToxMDp7czoxMDoidHlwZV9mb25kcyI7czo3OiJhcmtvX2lyIjtzOjg6ImltZ190eXBlIjtzOjM6ImpwZyI7czo0OiJyZWYwIjtzOjE6IjkiO3M6NDoicmVmMSI7aToyMjtzOjQ6InJlZjIiO3M6MjoiMTMiO3M6NDoicmVmMyI7czowOiIiO3M6NDoicmVmNCI7czowOiIiO3M6MTI6ImltYWdlX2RlcGFydCI7czo3NjoiL1BBUkNPVVJTSU5ESVYvQ09OVFJPTEVUUk9VUEUvR1IyMFlDLzIwWUMwMDA2WC9TSERHUl9HUl8yMF9ZQ18wMDA2WF8wMjI1LkpQRyI7czoxNjoidmlzaW9ubmV1c2VfaHRtbCI7YjoxO3M6MjE6InZpc2lvbm5ldXNlX2h0bWxfbW9kZSI7czo0OiJwcm9kIjt9#uielem_move=0%2C0&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoom=100&uielem_brightness=0&uielem_contrast=0&uielem_isinverted=0&uielem_rotate=F
Lol…, all I have to do now is find which one.

The curious aspect to these documents is the fact that the ‘tambours’ (drummers) have an average age of 21.   Certainly not ‘boys.’

Have a nice day…, Kind Regards…, Iain.


PS  http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174260 (images available when you sign in)