First Carlist War Painting Guide: Other Cristinos

This is the my painting guide for the Spanish government troops (Cristinos) during the First of the Carlist Wars. It excludes the infantry and cavalry so is everything else. It covers:

Artillery

Item Guard Field Horse
Shako Black with red rosetta, brass plate, white plume and yellow cap lines. Black with red rosetta, red cap lines & pompom Black with red rosetta, red plume and yellow cap lines
Jacket Turquí
Jacket collar & cuffs Red
Jacket facing & pipings Red
Jacket Buttons Brass
Jacket epaulettes Yellow Red Red
Overalls Garance (deep red) red white
Scabbard white metal black white metal
Equipment White with brass fittings
Sword hilt Brass
Boots Black

In terms of the guns themselves they were probably like the Napoleonic guns, so your choice of light grey or stained woodwork, and black carriage fittings. In the illustrations below they look light grey.

Foot Artillery
Cairns (1994b) Fig. 12.

Foot Artillery
Cairns (1994b) says the overalls should be red; ditto for the jacket lining

Artillery, 1831
The same guys in combat Notice both Turquí and white overalls in use


Horse Artillery
Cairns (1994b) Fig. 13


Artillery: 1. Major, 2. Officer
These officers have yellow cap lines, which might mean they are horse artillery, but it could also be an attribute of officers in general


Guard Horse Artillery
Kannik (1968). Fig. 288


Marine Artillery: 1. Soldier, 2. Officers

All resemble the field artillerymen above. Soldier has red cap lines; officers yellow


Royalist Volunteer Artillery
Actually looks the same as guy above, with white (or perhaps light grey) overalls

Engineers


These sappers look like they’re in the field. Forage caps and grey great coat


1. Sergeant, 2. Sapper, 3. Corporal


1. Major, 2. Officers

General Staff

Generals and staff officers wore what they liked, including different uniform styles and colours and items of civilian attire – the accompanying pictures should give you the idea. Also see figures 16 & 17 in Cairns (1994b).

General Staff

Staff Officer

General Staff

Carabineros

Cairns (1994b) gives them Turquí jacket with white epaulettes and piping, red collar and cuffs. Black shako trimmed white, with red over white pompom. Grey trousers with red welt. Black equipment with white metal fittings. Cavalry scabbard is steal.

I’ve included a couple of pictures that NYPL says are Civil Guard from 1824-29, however, as that corps were only formed in 1844 (Wikipedia: Guardia Civil (Spain)) this is impossible. Either the pictures were from a latter date – which is what I suspect – or the men are actually from a different unit, possibly the Carabineros. Cairns does say that a British observer said the Carabineros wore black, and these apparently grey uniforms may explain that.


Carabineros: 1. Infantry, 2. Horse
Cairns (1994b) Fig. 15


Carabineros, 1824-29
Looks like Full Dress


Civil Guard, 1824-29: 1. Cavalry, 2: Infantry sergeant
Full Dress


Civil Guard, 1824-29

References

Cairns, C. (1994b, November). A Savage and Romantic War: Spain 1833-1840. Part II: The Cristino forces. Wargames Illustrated, 86, 36-46.

New York Public Library (NYPL): The Vinkhuijzen collection of military uniforms

Wikipedia: Guardia Civil (Spain)

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