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Flags and Uniforms of the French Infantry under Louis XIV, 1688-1714
By Robert Hall
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I have a weakness for books, as I am sure many wargamers do. At one time I had over 5000 volumes in a two up two down terraced house, in which my wife and child lived in daily danger of being crushed by a tipping bookcase. The problem was that I kept seeing books that were so beautiful that I just had to have them. This second edition of Robert Halls, scholarly and extensive work falls into this category. Just holding the volume gives you a sense of being in possession of something very very special.
The Army of Louis XIVth was one of the most feared and respected military machines of the C17th and C18th. Driven by the political desires of a ruthless and avaricious monarch French forces dominated Europe and formed the principle focus of British military preparation. However this was still a period in which the National Military will was not supported by a National military model and process. Regional governments, influential individuals, and regimental colonels all had their own responsibilities and influences on the raising, equipping and training of military units. Consequently, record keeping was not of the best nor maintained in a national archive, and this means that tracing the details of individual units uniforms and colours is an investigation of Holmesian proportion.
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Robet Hall however was not daunted by the task and the resulting work is of the highest order, and I am not really able to find sufficient words to praise it highly enough. Credit must also be given to The Pike and Shot Society as sponsors of the publication of this record. The book itself is in A4, and available in both softback and hardback format. The 140 pages of text, presenting the most comprehensive listing and unit histories of French regiments of the period that I have seen, is supported by 115 pages of full colour illustrations presenting uniform details and colours for the units featured.
The price of this publication is as weighty as the volume itself, and may put a number of purchasers off. However the book is published in a limited run of only 100 copies, and is bound to become sought after in the future, and so will not only be something to treasure for the present, but could prove to be a reasonable investment.
JOS
Publisher: Pike and Shot Society
ISBN: 1-902768-19-X
Price: £90 (Hardback) £65 (Softback) plus postage and packing
Available from: Steve Harding, 3 Heath Gardens, Coalpit Heath, Bristol, BS36 2TQ
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