NAPOLEON'S GUA D INFANTRY 1
PI-BLIP l-L\\THOR:\'THW:\lTE BRL\:\' FOSTE:\'
EDITOR: MARTIN WINDROW
1~.'IM.'d';I1~'l:JltJlK..1531
NAPOLEON'S GUARD INFANTRY 1 Text by PHILIP HAYTHORNTHWAITE Colour plates by BRYAN FOSTEN
I'ublished in 19B.. by Ospr~y Publishing Ltd .'>g Gros\'~nor Stre~t, London W I X gOA r Copyright 1 gS.. Ospr~y Publishing Ltd Reprinted [gS6, Ig87, [g88 (twice), [990, 1991, [gg2
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Dolo Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Napoleon's guard infantry.-{l\len-at-arms series; 153} I. Franc~. Armlt. Garde Imperial History 2. Inf:lntry-Equipment-HislOry I. Title II. Series 356'.186'0944
U0375·F7
Filll1~l·t in Great Brit
Editor's Note:
Perfect consistency in th~ Ust': of italics in this tt:xt has been sacrificed for the sake ofdarity. We ha\'e generally adopted Roman typt: for the titles of units, and r~.n'cd italic for nouns, ranks, and quoted phrases in French.
Napoleol15 Gttard1Jjtl/ltIJ' (i)
Il/flll!IJ' of/lte GilaI'd: His/oJ]' The concept of the bod)'guard is as ancient as the r.w-acria: oran individual assuming the leadership of a group or tribe. From lhe Companions of .-\kunder to the Varangians of Byzantium. bodies .dite warriors, owing personal allegiance to their :neign and obeying no others, have illuminated ... stained the annals of military history with apIoits as heroic as the huscarfes ofByrhtnoth dying lw::hind their shicld-\\'all at ~Ialdon, and as mmeful as the Praclorians' betrayal of their (fUSt ~ auctioning Ihe throne to the highest bidder. _'apoleon's Imperial Guards, especially those maintaining the dOS<.'St contact with the Imperial
pnsc>n. probably represent the last truc link in a chain of bodyguards spanning the ages. Though times and weaponry changed, the essence of the bodyguard remained unaltered. The anonymous Imperial Guardsman who remarked, in the most desperate days of the retreat from Moscow, '\Ve're cooked, but Ville I'EmlJlrrur/ all the same' was merely echoing, did he but kno\v it, old Byrhtwold at Maldon 821 years earlier: 'Courage shall be finneI', heart alltbe keener, spirit the greater, as our might grows less. ' As noted below, it is impossible to categorise ~apolcon's Guard simply into the 'Old Guard', 'Middle' or 'Young Guard'. For the sake of convenience, the present title covers the Grenadiers and Chasse/iTS it Pied of tile Imperial Guard and their Vi/ites; other corps of Guard infantry, and the amen (A'lan'ns), will appear in the forthcoming companion title, Napoleon's Guard Infantry (2). The Royal Bodyguard of France, dat.ing in direct line to 1261 and indirectly perhaps two centuries
earlier, was finally extinguished with the massacre of the Swiss Guard at the Tuileries on 10 August 1792. (The republican 'roral guard', the Garde
I'1I''''
U...u"..'1 pororal1 orJoachim M .. th", ....iIorm or. !:"'D"'n..l commandi..! tlt.'" C01:ur..l.r Cua~ppar",..tly•• tnUr...", or HOrN and Fon. C",nadi",r ...d s...«rea'''noa. Cont",mponory "'..!rari...!l.rter80...."'rill"'.
Constitutionnelle du Roi, of 1,200 infantry and 600 cavalry, existed only from 30 September 1791 [Q 30 May '192.) The new republican authorities still required a bodyguard corps, however, and init.ially
filled the need by using the oJd Gardes de la Prevote. This corps of the king's\1aison du Roi, dat.ing from 1271, defected at the Revolut.ion and was re-titled the 'Garde de J'Assemblee Nationale'. Described by the incongruous term 'GrmadimGmdannd, this small unit was re-organised again and re-titled: from 1793 the 'Garde de la Convention', it became from the end of October 1795 the ·Garde du Corps legislatir. But the initial intention to form an elite corps of experienced \·cterans was thwarted by thc rcpublican ideals thcn in vogue, resulting in the degradation of disciplinc. One officer reponed thaI Ihe Guards 'cannOI resiSl lhe temp!:llions ora corrupt cily like Paris ... it is impossible to keep them in barracks ... they abuse and maltreat the citizens ... some have jobs in Paris and only sho\", up for meals On 4 October 1796 a new 'Garde du Directoire' was formed as a personal escort for the Directors, to circumvent the usc of lhe imperfect 'Garde du Corps'. Whereas thc latter comprised some 1,200 men, whose grroadias ranked as corporals in the Line, the ncw Guard of the Dircctory was small (120 grroaditrs in two companies, and 120 horse grmadias) but select. These hand-picked mcn werc all litcrate, at least 5ft lOins tall, with perfect records, and service in at lcast two campaigns; they had a 25-piece band furnished by the Conscrvatoire and led by its first clarinet, Guiardcl. From this small beginning was born the I mperial Guard. It is interesting to note that many of its original members, republican government notwithstanding, wcre cx-members of the Royal army: Adjutant Fuzy, for examplc, had actually held a commission in lhe old Gardes Franc;aises of Louis XVI. Shortly after lhe coup d'tliit of 19 Brumaire (10 November 1799), by which the Dircctory was replaccd by the Consulate, making Napoleon (A) Officer'. up pl.te of the Grenadiers of Ihe Consular GUllrd,.1I gill_n .l1ernuiv", ve....ioo 10 1h.1 5hown in Pilile A. (B).nd (e) ue "'lIrly pall",rn Consul.r G rd CCNlI ... willi. Ihe fuller 5J..irt... loo_ly.f."teoecl t ......b.c aod len .cutely llngled laJM'l.. (B) Ckancunl' palle wilh cha cleriJII;C poirlled cuff....d pointed 1aJM'1 end_pa.. lelle o illed 11.",", I.. show Ihe JM'rm. ently .n.checl IransverM .-Inlp orb,,",. (e) Gn....mer office ' pau",rD, wilh sq... re-c:u.1 laJM'llI ...d cuff ftap5, rbe feal........ which doa.... cleriHd Gnn.dier coals rhro..ghout rbe JM'riod. Sorb ..-Ill • ...., dark blu.. willi. While laJM'ts; Kllrlet t ......backs, lininS; ...d pocket piping; Kllrlet cuff... with white pipin~ Or flap. Turnback hadgn • ...., o.....ge for ........ke..... gold for office.... 0" ..-hit", pal",hH. (0) B.. uoo_ I",fllo right' Garde d .. Din:clom E.o:ea.tif; GlIrd", dK eon.ulS; Garde J... pi.riaJe a. introduced OClober No~·e... ber ,804, o~Uy i .. 11....... hut in copper (ro... ,811.
Bonaparte virtual dictator as First Consul, the 'Garde du Drrectoire' and 'Garde du Corps legislatir were amalgamated into one elite force, the 'Garde dcs Consuls'. Thcir original comman· der, General de diuision Joachim Murat, issued the following directive which framed the First Consul's intention for his new Guard: 'The First Consul intends that the Guard shall be a model for the army. Admission will be restricted to men who have performed heroic actions, have been wounded, or have otherwise given proof ... in ~veral campaigns of their bravcry, patriotism, discipline and exemplary conduct. They must be not less than 25 years of age. between I. i8 and 1.84 metres in height, of robust constitution and exemplary conduct. They must have participated in Ihree campaigns in thc Wars of Liberation, and know how to read and writc: In effect, Bonapartc was assembling thc cream of the army into one corps owing its loyalty to him personally, formed of men who had marched and fought under him throughout the previous several years and wilh whom his popularity was guaranteed. For Ihe nexi 15 years the Guard, though greatly enlarged, remained the model for the Empire, wilh the 'Old Guard', the elite of the elite. providing the final and invincible bulwark: the 'marching rampart', as it was styled by one of its members, Jean-Roche Coignet. Although it was named the Garde des Consuls from the end of November 1799, the decree specifying its organisation was not issued until 13 .\'ivOsc, Year VIII (3January 1800). Its establishment was '2,089 mcn including a stafl' of 71, a company of light infantry, two battalions of grenadiers, a company of dlOsseurs a dlevaf, two squadrons of gr/'lladiers il d/tval and a company of light artillery. The two senior regimcl1lsofwhat was to become the Old Guard the 1st Grenadiers a Pied and 1st Chasseurs it Pied took '2 Dccember 1799 as the date of their crealion, though thcir antecedents were obviously traceable further back; and it is with these units that lhe present work is primarily concerned. The Garde des Consuls soon acquired the intend<.'CI status of an elite, their discipline stricter and their appearance morc imposing than that of Ihe Line, and enjoying accordingly higher privileges: better clothing, food, and living conditions, and vastly higher pay-for a
Cymbalisl, G ....nadi.,rs. full dress C.ISo •. CrimllOlllurball with _hil., paSri a>ld plum." sold chains .nd frinS'" Blu., J/I'/oII1 wiLh c..unlIOn coUar, sold lace alld .,pall.!.,".... Crimson breech... wilh gold 1aU; sold_laced bool'" Wltil., bell. Sill pia•.,. Prilu aft.,r H. Boi",.,li.,r, based Oil Chala;J;n;.,r.
grenadier almost twice that of his Line equivalentand the superior prestige and status which accompanied it. From lhe beginning, the Guard enjoyed complete autonomy, finance and supply included, so that it was virtually a self-contained army in itself. I n return for such favoured treatmcnt, thc Guard gavc the First Consul its unswerving and unquestioning loyalty. Organisalion of the Grenadiers was as follows: one chifde bngade (Frerc), two chifs de bataillo1/, two capitaines-adjutallt-major, One quarritr-maftre-/risorier, two adjutants, two portt-drajJtaux (standard bearers), two surgeons. one drum-major, two caporauxlamoours (drum·corporals). one chif dt musiqut, 48 musicians, 48 officers, '24 drummers and 1,1'28 grtnaditrsin two battalionsofsix companies each. In ~O\'ember lSoI lhe ballalions were enlarged to
marched as if on parade, drums beating, and singing to the accompaniment of Guiardc1's band the defiant 'On va leur perur Ie flanc' ('We're off to pierce their flank')-music which, as Coignet wrote of Austerlitz, 'was enough to make a paralytic move forward' Individual heroes were always part of the mystique of the Guard, and this occasion was no exception; Grenadier Brabant took over an abandoned4-pdrcannon and worked it unaided for over half an hour, until his hand was shot off and he collapsed from loss of bloocl. The Guard grew ever larger; on 8 September 1800 the tOlal stood at 3,657 men, with the original company orJight infantry enlarged first to one, and later (19 November 1801) two battalions of Chasscurs a Pied, organised similarly to the Grenadiers, with the same slafr but only 35 musicians. Guarding the First Consul's palace and person tied them more closely to him, and a further mark offavour was Ihe appointment ofDavoul and Bessieres as commanders of the Guard infantry and cavalry respectively. By 8 March 1802 the total strength had attained ;,376; and this year saw a furlher modification of title, from Garde des Consuls to Garde Consulaire. Height requirements were now ,-80m for grtnadiers and l. 70m for chassturs. In january 1804 &naparte created a corps of potential officer-cadets to be attached to the Guard. Gallicising an ancient Roman term into viiites to (Top) Colour, Gnnadieu .. Pied, Con"ular Guard. White avoid republican objections to the aristocratic word diamond wilh "ilver 'RF' on ,;old "UnbUril. Brown fasee§., Il'ilver Il'~arheadll', green foliate binding. Gre",n Il'prays; white 'cadet'. Onc battalion of live companies ofVelites of Il'croll,gold edge and lellerin,;. Corner lrianglea ofb!ue (Iere) the Guard was attached to each infantry corps by and red (righl) wilh gold grenadell. Broad white border edged ,;old, wilh gold oakleave•. Dimenlionl (I,km lIquare) and july [804, styled Vclite-Grenadicrs and VClite· (raMI, as for Chaueurl .. Pied. Blue pole wilh ,;old "piral§., though Potrelle shows a pole co"ered with red fabric, with Chasseurs. Officers and NCOs were drawn from the unclear gold decoralion perhapl reprellenting a gold fringe Grenadiers and Chasseurs, and the young recruits along the whole length. Right-gilded pike head wilh grenade design, al ..o ....ed by Ch......e .. r ... received instruction to lit them for holding (Bonom) Colour, Cha..lleur" .. Pied, Conllular Guard. commissions in due coursc. Admission was reBroadly as Grenadiers, e"cepl for following, Gold horn below gold fas.,ell, "ilver ",~arhead", green binding. Gold-edged stricted to young mcn of some education and .,o.....er triangle. and .,enlraJ diamond, colourl!i as above. Green border with gold decoralion and "i1"er 'pearls'. Green pole respectable family, each paying 200 francs for the wilh .!l0ld "'pira.... Tricolour Clawl, wilh gold fringe, em_ privilege of enlisling or being conscriptt.'d. One 01" broidery and corda; gilded pike he..d. A .,ontemporary ilI..stralion show. slight variation§., including ho .....s with the first uiiiles,jean-Baptiste Barres, admitted thaI mouths poindn.!llo the righl. though prospecLS of promotion were 'not especially cight companies of 1[0 mcn cach, giving a tOlal of attractive', it was believed that a commission would 1,760 gunadim. result for the most competent. One of the first In lBoo the Guard was 'blooded' and laid the recruits was Thomas Bugeaud, a young country foundations of its invincible reputation, when it squire, whose practical military education in the stood finn amid the wavering French lines at Velitesenabled him 10 become a Marshal of France ;\hrengo. A 'fortress of granite', the Guard and a Duke.
On [0 May 1804 the order of the day to the Guard announced the proclamation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of the french, and the Guard itse!ftook its final title: La Garde Imperiale, the tide under which it was to rise from a strength of 9,775 men in 1804 to a maximum in 1814 of 102,706, though at the most difficult times these establishments were only theoretical. In January 1814, for example, there were some 17,4gB Guardsmen effectively under arms instead of the notional 81,006. This enlargement of the Guard resulted in the existence of three categories of Guardsmen: the veteran 'Old Guard', the 'Middle Guard' and the 'Young Guard'-though terminology was not consistent, and was only established finnly as late as 1812 by the Guard's chief of personnel, Courtois. for the infantry it was as [onows, incorporating the many new regiments raised in the post-Austerlitz period: Old Guard: all officers of Grenadiers, Chasseurs, Fusiliers and Seamen; lieutenant-colonels, majors and captains of Voltigeurs, Tirailleurs, flanqueurs and National Guards; all rank.and-file of 1st Grenadiers, 1st Chasseurs, Veterans and Seamen; TCOS of 2nd Grenadiers, 2nd Chasseurs and Fusiliers. Middle Guard: 3rd Grenadiers, including its Amsterdam Veteran Company; corporals and privates of 2nd Grenadiers, :,md Chasscurs and fusiliers; Vi.lites of florence and Turin. Young Guard: Voltigeurs, Tirailleurs, flanqucurs, National Guards and Pupillcs. Units other than the Grenadiers and Chasscurs will be covered in the forthcoming companion title,
over the edge; he ordered new seven-foot beds to be provided immediately, acknowledging that Guardsmen were larger than ordinary soldiers! The Men Recruits to the Old Guard were drawn rrom NCOs and privates or the Line with ten years' service and good conduct records; or from the Guard Fusiliers (rormed (806), the fusilier's being reinforced by members of the Young Guard. There was a constant process of exchange of men between the Guard regiments, including the reverse process of, for example, commissioning Old Guard NCOs into
Napoleon's Guard "ifantry (2). Napoleon's personal supervision ofeven the most mundane mauers-such as the quality of ration bread-served to deepen the reciprocal affection between Emperor and Guard. When the lovesick Grenadier Gambin committed suicide, Napoleon personally issued an order to the effect that 'it requires as much real courage to suller anguish of soul with equanimity as to face the fire from a battery without flinching. Abandoning one's self to grief, killing one's self to get away from it, is like leaving a battlefield before one is vanquished.' This paternal altitude was again evident when, upon inspecting the barracks, Napoleon noticed 6ft <J.in grenadiu stretched on his bed with his feet hanging
a
(A) '8fthh'e' of th .. Gnn"di .. n .. Pied---th.. fur cap with th.. nar patch wo .... after ,808, and Ih.. h,,",illpherical "odr.ade of c.l806 08 18••. (B)La.... "rou worn on rear palch until ,808.(C) Offic.. r' ·.. n;on of pa.ch sre_de, fro", ,808, in !IeCIui.... eeI sold .."'b idery 0" .carlet. (D) Cockade wo .... after .806: white outer eelS'" acarl ..1 inner rillS. broad blue " ..atn with oraJllI:e crowned ""lI:le. (Bottom) Fur cap plale, Gnnadien of Ih.. I",perial Guard; orisinall)' b ....... later coppu. Patt.. rn appa ....od)' lnt.roduced October t8o.t, thouKh aclual adoption tna)' ha".. been d ..Iafed.
regiment's tallest. So highly was Coignet regarded that he was appointed corporal before he could read and write, strictly against the regulation that literacy was mandatory for promotion; so that while Coignet taught his company their drill, they taught him his letters! Even in the aftermath of the Russian campaign, recruiting standards were enforced stringently. On 19 March 1813 NaJX>leon wrote that 'an officer or NCO may nOI be admitted into the Old Guard until he has served 12 years and foughl in several campaigns; a soldier must have served len years and fought in several campaigns; but eight years' service is sufficient to enter the 2nd Chasseurs and 2nd Grenadiers. Ifnominations contrary to this rule are made they shall be presenled forconfinnation to the Emperor before taking effect.' Thus the overall standard of at least the Old Guard was maintained throughout the Empire, despite the decline in ~ calibre of the Frencll army as a whole as successive campaigns took an increasing toll. 1\'lembership of the Guard placed even the ordinary soldier in a privileged position, for not only were pay, rations and conditions infinitely superior to those enjoyed by the Line (and Guardsmen outranked their fellows in Line regiments), but even officers and NCOs addressed the ordinary Guardsman as 'Monsieur'. Privilege was most obvious in the field. The Guard had first claim on equipment and personnel, which could have a disastrous effect ~~;~:.~;~.,"I?:.":'~:I~~"O: ~~-:~n~:~;;~::-";~::I:t;:=i:= upon the remainder of the army: for example, on lhill print by Pi.,r", Martin.,t. the retreat from Moscow the Guard arrived at Smolensk first, and appropriated all the supplies in the Young Guard. Recruits of exceptional bravery three days of looting which left the rearguard and and distinction, as preferrcd by the Guard, could the mass of fugitives virtually nothing upon which occasionally slip through the stringent conditions of to subsist. The Guard's Colours wcre kept in entry. Coignet, recommcnded for the Guard for his Napoleon's suitc; and all Linc regiments were exccptional heroism in thc 961h DCll1i-Brigadc, was ordcred 10 halt, form linO"'
painstaking that four days in the guardroom were ~. the rest of the army shows a cynical view of the combat record of the Gendamun'e d'Elite of the awarded to an NCO whose company bread-shelf bore a speck of dllst, and Dorsenne even lifted up Guard: 'the Immortals'. Promotion within the Guard was often slow, the men's waistcoats to check that their shins unk:ss men accepted a transfer to corps of lesser undernealh were clean! Nevertheless, he was the pastige. Gen. Dorsenne, appointed the Grenadiers' perfect commander, as the worshipping Coignet commandant in order to hone their discipline and said: 'He might have been held up as an example for drill to perfection, had an aristocratic background all our generals, bolh for courage and bearing. A .-hich prompted him to suggest that Guard officers finer-looking soldier was nOt to be seen on the ibouId be restricted to 'sons of gf)()(( families'. battlefield. I have seen him one moment covered _'apolcon disagreed: 'The officers of my Guard had wilh din by shells, and the next he would be up litde education, but they filled into my scheme. They were all old soldiers, sons of labourers and artisans, who depended emirely upon me. Paris mety had no hold on them. I had more inAuence O\-cr them, and was surer of them than if they had cnme from a higher class.' Thus. Col. (later Gen.) Hulin of the Grenadiers, though a veteran of the Royal army, including scrvice in the Swiss Guard, " a genuine stonner of the Bastille and had 'WOrked in a laundry. Baron Gros, commandant of the Chasseurs, was qualified by bravery and SCr\;ce [fop) T ......bad. badSeAo ;a o.....s~ ~mbroidu)' 011 wh.it~ bac:kias' Gn... di~rtI won J(:na.ades oal)', rather than fine manners or education. Prone to Ch.,.seurtl ....on hoLb 8n...dH .ad ho ...... (~... n) malapropism and unable to pronounce his own G~diu. i Pied hal p.lt~..... '8o.t .a". (Bottom) ,8" .a'5name properly (his dialect version was 'Grosse'). he ~~ balllered with the Emperor. At a re\'ie\\ Xapoleon teased him by saying, 'Gros, the Grenadiers handle their weapons bener than the Chasscurs'; came the reply: 'I'll wager six francs that my Chasseurs perform drill bener than your Grenadiers!' For those officers wishing to remain in Ihe Guard promotion was slower in wartime than in peace, for as Lt. Charles Fare of the 2nd Grenadiers explained, Line officers who had distinguished themselves in action could scarcely be refused admission to the Guard, filling from outside any vacancies which occurred. Fare thought promotion depended upon the favour of one's superiors, leaving him little hope for personal advancement, due lO his 'lack of aptitude for inlrigue'. II could be slow in the ranks, tOO, as Viiile Barres discovered; his own promotion was thwarted by the hatred of his sergeant-major, who (nol unreasonably) resented Barres' laughter when the sergeant.major was wounded at Eylau! Discipline reached perfection under Oorsenne, 'so severe that he made Ihe most unruly soldier tremble', as Coignet wrote. His inspections were so
(A)and {aJ showGreaadiers Ii Piltd coa150(lhe slyle 11-.1 (rom C.ISoB.. the lal'"'l.. wilb • llharper -sle lhan before, aad the t ......back.ti lilitchltd dow... (A) Gn dier. Blue; wh..ile la ....1s and cuff Oaf>"; IIaIrlet cuff.. 1......baC pocket pip;as, qoa.. lcu"",. P_itioa o( onlas_a_while S de tu ....bac.. badSK _ ...5 10 h.a~·e ~.. n~ hul usu.lly shown ~-ery cl..- 1o bouom Itd,;e. (B) Corpo l. A!J .bo.·e, bUllwo o .......se ....nk ban edSItd rlel on (0 o .....Se Rn';ce chewroa 001 le(1 up....r . (e).nd (D) .. how Grenadier coalS . . wo.... (rom Co.8,0, Ibe lu .... backs now extendins 10 Ihl! bonom eelse or Lbe skirt. (C) MrJ!e"nl.....jor. EpauleuK with sold lace edSiaS on "Irap, sold c~nl, sold '",k edr;ed 5eulel, sold rriase o~~rlaid 0. IIaIrlet. Gold lace ........ bars edSed searl... (D) F,.m". Se"l:canl'. "pa..l"uea, corpo...I's ........ bars, 50ld diasonal .ft-",,,.j bar 0" upper slft,·ell. (E)Officu'" coal, ........ Or(ltiflkHla,IIM Or boelow,arlerC.• 8,o. FriaS"less sold "paul"uI! On nShl 5holildu; coal colouriaS a!il for Iroop", apart fro... sold Ulmbac'" bad.elf. (f) Scrr;:""nl, c.• 808 c.•810. ColourlnS a5 abowe, bUI 5C11.rlel epauleun witll. sold lace Itdglng 10 llrap, sold c....scenl. r;old rnar;" ovul"id oa searlel. Gold rank bar eelSed sc.rleli sold ser";ce chewron.. ('520 years).
least how toeat horse meat with relish.' The Belgian sergeant Henri Scheltens of the 2nd Grenadiers. after a wretched night in 1813, spent standing-to without food or warmth: 'It was a case of singing, "Oh! what a joy it is to be a soldier" ... At such a time the soldier no longer has any (worries]; he abnegates life; he couldn't care a b .....• as we used to say.' The quartermaster who lost a leg to a cannon ball at E)'lau hopped off to hospitaJ using two muskets as crutches, his only comment being that as he owned three pairs of boots, they would now last twice as long as he had expected!
Expansions and Campaigns In 1804 lhe organisation orthe Grenadiers indudcd again saying, "It is nothing, Crenadiers, your a staff of a colonel, a major, three chefs de batflilion, general is ncar you.'" three adjutant-majors and three assistants (sous'''lith such discipline (the Crenadiers were once adjutants), lWO !JOrle-dra!J(mlX, three medical officers, paraded up to a five-foot stolle wall and, as lhe a drum-major, three caporallx-Iambours, a chef de order to halt had not been given, they clambered musique and 46 musicians. The two Grenadier over in ran ks: 'II was a sigh t 10 see us go over', wrote battalions comprised eight companies, each of a Coignet) and such commanders, the morale of the captain, a firstlieutcnant, two second lieutenants, a Cuard never flinched. Always accompanying their sergeant-major, four sergeants, afollrrier (quarterEmperor in person, the Old Cuard stood out amid master corporal), eight corporals, two sapeurs the wreck of retreat.; Larrey noted that they (pioneers), two drummers and 80 grenadiers. The 'aroused amazement and admiration by their attached battalion of Vclite-Crenadicrs comprised bearing' in the bleakest 11lOmentsofI812, 'and they five companies, each of a captain, a first lieutenant, enlered Vilna as if on parade'. Thc morale of the a second lieutenant, a sergeant-major, four Old Guard was reOccted in philosophy like that of sergeants, afourritr, eight corporals, a drummer and Fare aner the retreat from iVloscow: 'Whatcvcr thcy 172 r:ilires. Organisation of the Chasseurs was sa)', life is a blessing, and we have learned through similar. resignation and hope, if not how to be happy, at The Guard marched with Napoleon in the
Austerlitz campaign, but Ihe infantry was held in reserve; 'it cried wilh rage', said the despatch. In 1806 each Line baltalion was ordered to supply a recruit 10 the Guard: under 35 years ofage, Sft loins for a grmadier and Sft 8ins for a chasstur, with ten years' service, a good conduct record and a citation for valour. The Guard was increased in size by the formation of new regiments: the 2nd Grenadiers and 2nd Chasseurs, created on 15 April 1806, Ihe Velites having attained regimental strength by the formalion of a second battalion in the previous :\ovember. The staffof the Grenadiers now stood at a colonel commandant, three majors (each commanding a regiment), six chifs de bataillon, six (u!jutanl-majors, six sous-adjlliant-majors, four portedrapiOux, a drum-major, six caporaux-tambollrs, a chif de musique and 46 musicians; and each company was augmenled by 20 grenadiers. (The six baualions described here were two cach of lhe lSI and 2nd Grenadiers and two of the VClite-Grenadiers.) On campaign it was usual for two Vclite companies to be attached to each Guard battalion, each company of which might comprise 80 Grenadiers and 45 Veliles. For the Old Guard, Jena (1806) was as Austerlitz: Ihey remained inactive as the army's reserve. The Velites in particular couldn't conceal their impatience. Replied ~apoleon to their cry of 'Forward!'-'Let a man wait unlil he has commanded in thiny pitched battles before he dares give me advice!' The Guard had more 10 do at Eylau, executing a bayonet charge, bUl was again inactive at Friedland; this, and Ihe wretchedness of the winter of 1806---07, gave rise to a new nickname. They had previously been known as sous-pitds de gultre (gaiter-straps), but now Napoleon coined for them a new sobriquet-grognartls ('grumblers'). Their br"ief spell in Ihe Iberian !>eninsula again brought no general action, bLll caused more grumbling. In an attempt 10 economise, in lBog the two Grenadier regiments were amalgamated, and the Chasscurs likewise; Ihe new corps had two battalions of four companies each, but with companies stronger than before. At &Sling, where the Young Guard's baptism of fire cost it a quarter orits slrength, Coignet recalled the bearskin caps or the Old Guard being flung '10 feel into the air when files were hit by roundshol. It was here that
ea.t....ien and en....dier, i.. a
Marti,,,,, prim .... tium
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pcnt·,808 ClOP.
NolO, roll...t ""1 M MIDW CIOriridA"" box; aDd !n_desha.pftI strap end aUaCh;D! th.. 1:>
Napoleon, in unnecessary danger, was lurned back by the Grenadicrs' cry, 'lay down your arms unlcss Ihe Emperor falls back!' At Wagram IhcOld Guard again served largely as a reserve, lbough '10 men from each company were detailed to replace gunners killed by Austrian fire; the 'Grumblers' were versatile! On 13 Seplcmber 1810 a new 2nd Regiment of Grenadiers was created, by the incorporation in lhe Imperial Guard of the ex-Royal Guard of the Kingdom of Holland when that Slate was absorbed into Ihe Empire upon the abdication of Louis Bonaparte. In an Empire embracing many nalionalities. Ihere was little incongruity in the
Co.t of ...... CoI..-I-Gnerat of tM Greaaditn i Pled, .. appaLalmeOI held by Da~·DUI~dlcufl'df!'(all. The coal _ . of the ...ual colo...... b .. l witlt ma..i~·e amO.. nl.l of lIlold .....Ieaf embroidery; Ihe laid epa..letlu "·ere wo .... 00 bolb .bo..lde.... lite lIlold alliluileatu aD tbe rillbl 00.1),. Epa ..lenu and b .. uooli bore the .,rOll~ balD". matifof. manihal; I.he .,.,.1 wO .... wllh a m .... h.I'. . . .10, ...d. fur.,.p wilh the wh;le plume of. • en;oroffi.,er.
wa"
inclusion in the Guard of a 'foreign' regimelll, whose colonel, Ralph Dundas Tindal, was Scottish! On 21 September 1810 the regimelll was in· augurated officially as part of the Guard, compris· ing 46 officers, 1,188 NCOs and grmadim, 16 so/JtUrs, 40 drummers and fifers and 153 lilitu Ihe latter originally from Louis Bonapartc's Garde du Corps. thc balance of which had gone straight into the Old Guard Grenadiers and Chasseurs. Recruit· ing to the Old Guard from mCll with ten years' service or distinguished conduct was becoming more difficult (in 1811 there wereonl) 532 vetcrans of Italy and Egypt still serving in the Guardl; but the e,",er.enlarging Guard had another new regiment formed on 18 ~lay 1811, \\hich ranked as the 2nd Grenadiers; the ex-Dutch regiment henceforth ranked as the srd Grenadiers. The 2nd Chasseurs was re-formed on the same day; and indeed it was said that the 2nd Grenadiers were superior in bearing even to the 1st, being 'younger, with better figurcs', if nOI quite in uprit at corps,
and without the extra pay and allowances gramcd to the 'old of the Old'. All five regiments marched with Lefevre's srd Division of the Imperial Guard Corps in the Grande Armee for the invasion of Russia in 1812, the Chasseurs forming Boyer's Brigade and the Grenadiers Curial's Brigade. The Old Guard followed I~ Tondu ('the dean-shaven one': their name for Napoleon), who slept amid their squares 011 the e"e of Borodino; and they grumbled as ever when they were again left out of the battle. The Old Guard strictly, only the 1St Regiments warramed that title, but the 2nd and Dutch regiments wen~ induded actually increased in strength over the earl)' part of the campaign in COntrast to the rest of the army-as more men came up from the rear. The returns show the following: 1st Chnsseurs (Gen. Gros): JOJllly 3S officers, 1,359 men JO Oclobtr 42 officers, 1,5°4 men 2nd Chasseurs (Col. Rosey): JO July 41 officers, 1,210 men 10 Ottobu 40 officers, 1,324 men 1st Grenadiers Col. Laurecic": 10 July 32 officers, 1,'178 men 10 Ottobu 39 officers, 1,346 men 2nd Grenadiers (Col. Harlet): JO July 34 officers, I,OSO men 10 Ottobu 35 officers, I, I 17 men 3rd Grenadiers (Gen. Tindal): 10 July 38 officers, 1,074 men JO Ottobtr39officers, 7'4 men-so8 of Ihe Dutch had 'disappeared' to the rear. They accompanied the Emperor on the retreat. turning to rescue half the army at Krasny, where a battalion of the Dutch were decimated, the com panics reduced to 20 men apiece. Throughout the horrors of the retreat from ~toscow, the Old Guard was ah\a)'S there, always reliable, its discipline intact. The Westphalian ~Iajor Friedrich Wilhelm von Lossbcrg was told a story by all NCO of the Old Guard which illustrates the point. A French private, probably a Guardsman, began to rob tht· bodyofa de'ld officer to supplement hisown meagre wardrobe, when the officer moaned, 'Friend, I am not y'ct dead!' The soldier stood to attention and said respectfully, 'Vcry well, sir! I'll wait a fe\\ moments longer.' The Guard was adept at looting; as Coignct said, \\ hen in the enemy's country, 'ifyou don't take anything, you feel you've forgottcn something'. In ~Ioscow the Grenadiers had e"en opened stalls to sell their booty, from jewellery 10 books, carriages to shoes-oHen lhe only way for the rcst of the army to obtain it~ Ill·I'cI".
~ c
Gr"nlldiercartridg"
bO"1 and c:uthra'" plau,---tb" crown wa.all"pllrllie
cutin!. The black Inth"r box had b ... f1l1pdevi«5, lind white.traps; the srrnad_ha~
s.
ooe ""SIISed wid... bUllO" to stop Ih"
bo" slipp''''! ro.....d die body,aJMI th" 1_ below tbe bo" held tbe rolled """'tM~~,.
Even in the debacle of retreat, they remained faithful; but the cost was unbearable. At Konigs· berg on Christmas Day, 1812, the Old Guard mustered: 1St Chasseurs: '28 officers, 435 men 2nd Chasscurs: 30 officers, 257 men 1St Grenadiers: 38 officers, 369 men 2nd Grenadiers: 39 officers, 234 men 3rd Grenadiers: 24 officers, '7 men During the rClreal, Bourgognc the Guard
or
(A) Mb".b"qun of Guard pattern, polll-.8rnt. (8) Sabre of Consular Guard pattern, pre-.8rnt. (el Ilill of Ihe dillinClive ,abrr_b,iq~'1 Ulied by Il\eOld Guard. (D}Guard officer'....bre and ..".;SI belt. (E) Epie, u carried wilb undreu uniform, .nd by musicians.
and Chasscllrs formed the backbone of the cxpanded Guard which performed prodigies in 1813 and 1814, though the Young Guard bore the brulll and took the heaviest casuaJties. During a bombardment at Lutzen, Napoleon exclaimed to the 2nd Chasscurs, '\\'hat, does the Guard duck?' They stopped trying to take cover and were shot down accordingly. Though no longer filled with the 'old of the Old', thoughoul the campaigns of 1813-14 the Old Guard marched and fouglll with the same spirit. At Mommirail Gen. Henrion and his 2nd Chasseurs were ordered to charge a redoubt. They set off in column, under heavy fire; halted in square to repel a cavalry charge; reloaded, COlltinued their advance, and captufed the position. Shaking Hendon's hand, Napoleon remarked. 'General, I fully approve of your lillie
Fusiliers met a man who asked him ifhc had noticed
halt during your charge!' As the sun of Empire sank,
the Dutch Grenadiers pass. 'You didn't sec it? That big sledge that overtook you contained the entire Dutch regiment! There were sevcn of them!' The Uulch regiment was disbanded on 15 February . When the sick and irtiured were deducted, the Guard comprised 415 ckassturs and 408 'S in February 181$ it was the beginning of md. Rrcruited up to strength again, the Grenadiers
the 'Grumblers' remained the 'marching rampart' they had always I:>een. When Paris fell, it was not before Ll. \'iaux of the 2nd Grenadiers, convalescing there from his wounds, had gathered about 20 companions and attempted to defend ~IOl1lmartre almost unaided. His body was found under a tree, sword in hand, surrounded by Prussian corpses. As late as 3 AprillBI4 Napoleon still retained his Old Guard around him: 1,246 ckassturs and ';0 '3
was not recorded verbatim, but it included a dramatic last gesture: 'I cannot embrace you all, but I shall embrace your genel'al'-and, aHer Gen. Pelit, he kissed the 'Eagle' of the 1st Grenadiers. The Final Aet Under Louis XVIII the Old Guard consisted of the Royal Grenadiers and Royal Chasscurs, each regiment of three batlalions, some 45 officers and 237 g,modiL's, and 22 officers and 220 (hassnJ's were discharged on grounds of age or as incorrigible Bonapartists. When Napoleon returned to reclaim his throne at the beginning of the 'Hundred Days' the Guard returned to the Colours, in four regiments each of Grenadiers and Chasseursj Ihe 3rd RegIS. werecrcated on 8 April 1815 and the 4th RegIS. on 9 ~Iay. But apart from the Elba Battalion and other l'itux moustochtsofthe Royal Guard, it was not the Guard ofold. The 1St Crenadiers (including the Elba men) were, as ever, the best, averaging 35 years ofage, four-fifths of thcm holdcrs of the Ugion d'Honnmr, the 2nd was also over 1,000 strong; but thc 3rd, though it included some Elba veterans, was not well equipped, while the 4th had only 500 men and presented a motley appearance. The 1st and 2nd Chasscurs included some vetcran officers and NCOs, but most had bcen Guardsmen only since Campaig" unifo ...m, .806: print by R. Knot...1 bu...... upon conl..mporary lIOurc.,.. (kfl) .'i
tl1; gr.....n ...paw... uu with llIOllrl ...1 cr....c...nl a ..d fringe; gr n bad!!:" oudin...... !!:old; strong, were costumed in even more random r;old chcv...,ns, Brass !HII ph'l" wilh ho ..... d ..vic (Cenl.... ) fashion. Among the 1st Grenadiers was the Gr.......di ..r. Ullual colourin~hou!!:b Ih.. " ...nsch 1 original upoo which Ihi" is bas...... (f...,m I", (;ardt, Impt"nltJ " NOTal" d, legendary cantiniire Marie Tete-du-bois, known for {',I,mlt 1,',01l(al1t, Berlin) "hows an ev..n loog.. r front la511..1 on th.. cap. (Righi) Chau.. ur. U.ual colourin~bul Knolt:1 ",xagher sharp tongue and warm heart, who had gcra'''''' Ih.. r ...... 'pipinS' on Ihe collar .. how.. by H ..nschel, ..·hic:h followed the regiment and ministered to it for many was in faci m"'....ly Ih" inn",r lining of Ih.. ,u,IOllI. years, and to whom the Guard was her only home. officers, and 1,287 grenadiers with 6g officers. ~'Iarried to a drummer who was killed at Though the 'Grumblers' themselves cricd that they Montmirail, she had borne him a son in the should all go and 'end their careers in the ruins of Nlarengo campaign; he too had become a the capital', funher resistance wns hopeless. After drummcr, and died in the dcfcnce of Paris. the formal alxlication, a single battalion of In the Watcrloocampaign the Old Guard was, as Guardsmen was formed to accompany Napolcon to ever, held in reservc; but at the last it was his new realm on Elba: 1,000 stalwarts, whose committed when all else had failed, in an assault on careers extended from Looi to Acre, to Russia and the ridge of Mont 51. Jean (though clements had back. For the rest, their service was transferred from been drawn ofr earlier in the day to reinforce the the Imperial to the new Royal Guard, involving Young Guard in Plancenoit). Strangely, the exact little more than a change ofcockade; and, no doubt, sequence of the atlack and even the battalions a sublimation of Irue loyalties at the expense of which look part in it arc still matters for discussion, earning their crust. The lasl aCI was played out at and there is much conflicting evidence. What is Fontainebleau, where i':apolcon took a learful certain is that the baualions of Guardsmen who farewell of his 'children', the Old Guard. His speech advanced up the slope ('as regularly formed as if al q
a field day' to quote Ensign Dirom of the British Foot Guards), accompanied by the crashing of drums and the hopes of France, represented ~apoleon's lasl throw of the dice. Unable to break the Allied line, unwilling to retire, the 'bearskin bonnets' clung to the ridge with ranks convulsing like standing corn blo\...n in the wind, as an eyewitness described poignantly, \\'hile they were swept by musketry and artillery fire. They almost succeeded; but in the end they broke. The cry 'La GaTde recult' ('The Guard is thrown back') was the death-knell of the Empire. The 1st Grenadiers, 'oldest of the Old', Slill hcld in reserve, vainly tried to stem the flow of fugitives. Gen. Cambronne's alleged reply to the call to yield-' La GaTde mroTt tl IlL se Tt7Idml pas' ("The Guard dies but docs not surrendcr')-was appropriate for many of the lirox mLJustadus who fell in the gloom of evening 011 IS June ISI5, even though his actual remark was probably simply '.\'Jude!' Earlier in the day ~darie Tete--du-bois had been killed by a roundshot; her sorrowing regiment erected a hastily-made wooden cross inscribed 'Here lies ~Iaria, Call1inicre of the 1st Grenadiers of the Old Imperial Guard, dead upon the field of honour IS June ISI5. Passerby, whoever you may be, salute Maria.' The 1st Grenadiers marched away in formation, their drums beating the regimental call 'La GTenadiere' 10 rally the shattered survivors of the other units. As Erckmann-Chatrian's character described, it 'sounded like an alarm-bell in the midst of a terrible fire ... the last drum beat of France.' With Napoleon finally defeated and the Bourbons once more on Ihe throne, the Guard was disbanded without delay: the 1st Grenadiers on [[ September, and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th on 24 September; the 3rd and 4tl~ Chasseurs on I October, and the I st and 2nd on the r [th. Some Guardsmen re-enlisted 10 serve the king; some travelled to the abortive French colony which was founded in Texas; more lived wrctchedly on halfpay, watched suspiciollsly by the Bourbon police as they sat idly in the pavcment carcs, re-living the past. Whcn Napoleon's body returned to Francc in [S40 they paraded again, shrunken with age and wearing threadbarc uniforms. The spirit, the ethos of Ihe Old Guard was epitomised by Gmwdiu Xoisot, who ncar Dijoll erected at his own expense a magnificent bronze monument to the Emperor.
Whcn hc died hc had himself buried in a standing position a few yards away, so that he could guard his Emperor through all eternily. By any standards, the Old Guard was unique.
The j~llo~l. (A) Sergnnl, Grenadien, of ehe Heyle used hefo .... c.•606, with "even frone bullon•. Blue; licarle.lin;ng, lurnbacks and pockel piping; lurnback badge" as On .he coal. Scarlel epauleueli with gold lace edging, erelleenl, blllit, and a layer of gold fringe o,'er the licarle. from 1606. Gold lace rank bar edged searlel. (8) Cha"6eur, wilh l.he eighl buuooli woro e.•806 07. Colouring all above e,.cepl for epaUlelteli of !!:reen \\ilh red frin!!:e, bruit and ereaeenl (afler .805 (6); orange lierv;ce chevron. The 0110 1\1S aeemli to err in ..howing nine to Iweh'e bUlIDn" on Ihe 1••/0111 in Ihi" period. (e) Apparent design worn by Ihe Grenadier drummer i.. lhe QItO MS. excepl that we ha'"e reduced Ihe .... mber of fronl bullDn. here. U.ual colouring with red epauleun.JIlold lace ro..nd collar and, mo..1 unusually, poinled !!:old_Iaeed .,..fT5. (D) G ....nadier Hrs:eanCmajor, of e.1811 .s, \\ilb relu,.led lurnbad••. Colourin!ll a" before; gold epauleue ed~nJll. t"b. lOp layer of frinJlle; !Il0ld rank bars edJlled .carlel; gold urv;ce chevron•.
15
Tile Regimellts Chassturs Created as light infantry
'1 December I 799; became Chasseurs a Pied 180 I; disbanded I I October 1815_ md Chasseurs Created 15 April 1806; amalgamated with 1St Reg!. ISog. Re-formed 18 ~{ay ,811; disbanded I I October 18 I 5. yd Clwsst/irs Created 8 April 1815; disbanded. I October 1815_ 4th Chosseurs Created 9 ~Iay 1815; disbanded I
1St
October ,815.
a new 2nd (French) Regt. was created. This regiment was disbanded 24 September 1815. 3rd Grtnadim 2nd (DUlch) Regt. re-numbered as 3rd Regt. 18 ~1ay 1811; disbanded 15 February 1813. :'\lew 3rd (French) Regt. created 8 April 1815; disbanded 24 September 181 5. 4th Grt1Uldim Created 9 !\Iay 1815: disbanded 24 September 1815. Vilit~-Grmadi"s Created 29July 1804-. Vilitt-Chassrors Created 29July 1804-. rtt~rans. Compagnitdts Vltiranscreated 12July 180_1; COlltinued in exislence under the Monarchy.
lsi Grmadj~fJ Created 2
December '799; disbanded September 18[5. 2nd GmU/diers Created '5 April 1806; amalgamated with [st Regl. 180g. 2nd (Dutch) Rcgt. created from Royal Guard of Kingdom of Holland '3 September ISIO, being re- The Early Guards numbered as 3rd Regt. on 18 May lSI I when The Grenadier-Gendarmes worc a uniform like the Gendarmerie Nationale but with a white piping on the collar, cuffs and lapels, and lhe traditional Gn... di~ look on whil.. Wurll",mbur~Ji~ ...... skirmish wilh Cos.."' 18.2: pri,u afl.. r Chri"i.... Wi!Ju,lm '-Oil f • ..."r du grmadirr appointments ofred epauleltes, fur cap and Faur. Th.. IrollS.,..... n: rolled up, and the .. kin .. of Ihe IIreau,o.us SA! plbel"fl! back off Ihe I~. ror _sy mo,·",me,n. grenadc-shaped lurnback badges. The Gardc de la I [
Ulliforms
Convention wore a modified version of gmdarm~ costume, originally with a hat but from 1795 with a fur cap with a rcd plume and a white~melal platc bearing a grenade and the legend as on their butlOns also 'Crtnadias prts la r~prbmtation nationalt', The infanll1··style dark blue hlro national Co.'H had blue collar piped red, scarlet lapels and cuffs piped white, white cufr flaps piped scarlet, white mctal bultons, horizontal pockets, white lining and turn backs bearing rcd grcnades, and rcd cpaulcltcs: white waistcoat and breeches, with white gaiters in sum Iller and black in winter. Their cartridge boxes borc circular platcs emblazoned with a grenade and their title: they carrit.'d the infantry sabre and \\'hite leather crluipment. Officers wore the same uniform with silver epaulettcs, turnback grenades and sword knot, and a gorg(·t. Later the cap plate bore the title ·(,'a,.tI~ till CortH "gis/atif'. The ill~disciplinc of the corps is dcmonstrated by a pctition sent by them to the Dircctory, following an order that they should always appear in full dress: '\rell, what next? Is Libert), then. to become an empty word? . Revoke, therefore, Citizens, revoke this order 10 be always in full dress. Arc \\aistco.'llS and breeches to become an applc of discord thrown into Patriots' midst to divide them and strengthen the Royalists? Not in thc accoutre· mcnts. but in thc hean, lics the sanctuary of Republicanism, ,,' a convcniellt cxcuse to avoid wearing the more ullcomfortable items of uniform! The Garde elu Directoirc wore a uniform like that of infantry grnwdi"s: fur cap with brass plate bearim:; a grenade and 'Cardt dll Dirutairt "lelltif, \\ ith a red and blue rear patch Jx'aring a white lace cro'\s, a red plume and red cords: dark blue coat \\itl1 scarlet collar and ClIfls, whitc lapels, cuff flaps and turnbacks, red horizontal pocket~piping, red grenade turnback~badg(', and brass buttons bear~ ing a lictor's fasces and the motto as on the cap plate: red epaulcltt.'S and s\\ord knot; with waistcoat, brccrhcs, gaiters and equipment like the inr:'lntry. Officers had gold dislinct.ions, their waist belt a gilt plate bearing the letters ·R.F: R!pllhliqu~ Fran(aistl. This uniform \\as basically that retained by the Consular Guard until lSoI, with only a change in button design, and was probably that worn in the 1800 campaign.
(Top I",fl) Officu'. "'P"'ul",u"" G ....nadi"'... :i Pied: s:old I..... 0.. rftI dOlh ba",ki..!!:, with tlI.. s:old frio!....·0.... hy junior offic....,......u,..- .bo~· Ih ........... of eapl.i.. had bvllion fri..S..... (Top ri,;hl) '18 sold mbroid ..rlNl.od Hquin.ard s:~d.......ad. horo devi hid> r .. pl.ced th.. simpl.. «,..,nad"' t.h.. Iilnlpll of Chali r offic.....' ..paul..ufll,. (Bonom) Offi r'. horse fura;l .. r This ..,...ally "oosisllNI ofdara. bl.... dotll.hab....qu'" and holst ..r caps with sold lace deco.... tion, iadudin,; a sold crown in th .. rear corn.. rll; Ih.. bad,;e n,ay conc..ivably hav", be.. n r"'plac..d on
Grl?//orliers It Pied Orders of Dress After a decree of 21 FruClidor Year VIII 8 September 1800) which established the Guard's organisation, a list of equipment for each man was prepared: two coats, two waislcoats, two pairs of breeches. forage cap, pair or shoes, pair of black gaiters. pair of whitc gaiters, hal with pompon, cockade and end~lasse1s, pair of hose, buckles for stock. gaiters and shoes, hide knapsack, bearskin cap with plate, cords and plume, cartridge box with grenade platc. bellS with st.itchcrll'(lgcs. sword knot, and r:'ltigue smock. The total cost was 258 francs per man. (Guard uniforms were always a considerable expensc; between 1807 and 1810 alone they cost thc treasury over 20 million francs.) The baBic 'orders of drl'SS' WOl'll by thc Grenadiers were as follows: Parodt drtSs (Trollt dt grandt paradt) Coat. fur cap '7
chamois in colour), while stockings, silver-buckled shoes. Marching order or campaign drrss (Temu de rOllte Oil de campagne) Coat or surtout, waistcoal, blue or while trousers over grey gaiters with hal'll buttons, hat; fur bonnet carried on knapsack. After lS09, hats carried on knapS<"lck and bonnet worn with waterproofcover. For example, an order of the day of2 Prairial Year XIII (22 May 1804) notes that 'on the march, grenadiers should wear the surtout, waistcoat and breeches, linen trousers, grey gaiters and hat. In the knapsack, bonnet in cover, plume, linen smock, two pairs of shoes, black c10lh gaiters, white cotton gaiters, waistcoat and breeches, black and white stock, two shirts and forage cap. Black stock worn on the march. Full dress unifonns to be packed onto transport waggons.' Full dress was usually donned immediately before an action, to render the Old Guard as imposing a sight as possible-as before Borodino, when Hcinrich \'on Brandt of the Vistula Legion described them as standing out from the rest by virtue ofwearing 'their parade uniforms, with their red plumes and epauletles showing across the fields like a stripe of blood', Fatigue dms (Tenue de (on'le) Forage cap (bonllet de polia).loose white linen smock (sarreau) buttoned at neck and wrist; white linen or blue cloth trousers. The Grenadier Cap (Bonnet a poil) Colloquially known as the 'beehive', the traditional fur grenadicr cap was the most distinctive feature of s.. Old Guard uniform. The Consular Guard version was made of black bearskin with a SC w .... rin~ Ih .. c1'..~.;c ump.. i~n unifonn of th.. Old Gu.. rd in Ih.. I.. U..r ,.... n of Ih .. Emp;,..., .. cap b ..r .. of cords .nd ptum..; Ih .. ~r..ucO.I, h .. re wilh the two ....n·;".. chevrons ;ndical;ng Hlwe..n '5 .nd '"' ,.... rll' ..ervic..; blu.. Irous.. rs wOrn OV"r it .. rll, in Ihis ca.... whil ..; and ~uipm..nl includin~ .. c10lh carl ridge 00" oovu, visible on Ih.. backllround fi~ur"". The old Gren.dier wear" hi" U"ivn d'!lonnru, on th .. lefl hre..1l1.
,H
-~~2i~~ .~_-.:~~.~
from top right to bottom lefl), ending in a single oval raqulttl, with a red plume above a tricolour cockade at the left side. At the same time as the adoption oCthe new plate the cords became white, and inJ ul)' 1802 (according to Fallou) the lace cross on lhe rear patch also became white. The Old Guard 'beehive' was larger than often depicted, measuring 33cm high at the front, increased to 35cm by the thickness offur. The while tassel hanging at the frollt from the crown was attached permanc11lly; Marlinel in 1808 and Gent)' in 1815sho\\' two tassels, as more usuallysecn on the caps of the Chasseurs. A ncw plate was imroduced with thc advcnt of thc Empirc, bearing a crowned ~agle flanked by grcnades. This was first issued in October 1804, though the exaCl date of change is uncertain. At the end of 1805 some 2,033 of the new plates were in store, perhaps suggesting the rctention of the Consular Guard plates for some mOlllhs, or even the existence of an intermediate pattcrn-perhaps represented by an extant plate bearing an uncrowned eagle, flanked by grenades, with an engraved cockade at the top. The crownedeagle plate was initially of stamped brass, but was laler struck in copper. The white plaited cords (costing 3 F.so) ended in oval raquettes, contemporary pictures and surviving examples showing both one and two mq/le//es; conceivably one regiment or battalion adopted a second as a distinctive device, though as the price of the cord does not seem to have altered the latter may have been of inferior quality (?). In 1808 the while cross on the rear patch was replaced by an embroidered white grenade. The cockade at the basc of the scarlet plume was always of tricolour design (white edge, fed inner, blue centre); originally it was of pica Led lace, and after 1806 the \vide blue centre bore a crowned cagle embroidered in orange wool. From about 1806-08 the cockade
no: G .... rd pall","" ......"'d, with (belo....) the r"'~·"'rR .ide ..fthe lock. and th.. up~r .,..d of,h., bUll-plat.. 6";shed wieh .. ~r",....de-5h.. ped fiAiaL JA,8Su.. '~'lcm;barrll'l, "3.7cm;calibre, "15"'11\; weight,4_Sk ll o
was made like a hemispherical half-pompon, in wool; after 1811 it reverted to pleated lace. Barres of the Chasseurs notes that prior to departure for Italy in 1805, the bonnets were carried on the march in 'cardboard cases like a lady's muff-box', which collapsed illlo pulp with the first shower of rain, leuing the bonnets fall into the mud; 'imagine soldiers having to carry such hideous things in their hands or under their arms! We looked a regular band of gipsics.' Immediatcly afterwards (Barres says 17 January ,80S) bags of blue and white striped ticking were provided, in which the caps were stowed, to be attached to the knapsack. '\Ve were advised to obtain straps, without any particular length or colour being specified, so that there was a regular medley.' The cardboard boxes were presumably a temporary measure until the bags could be distribuled. Latterly, the bearskin bonnets were worn on campaign wllh cords and plume removed and with a black waterproofcover (e.g. as shown by Albrecht Adam's SkCIChcs or the retreat from Moscow), the plume in an oilskin tube ortcn being carried strapped to lhc sabre scabbard. The caps could deteriorate on campaign cven without accidcnts like lhat which befcll Barres, when during thc I80S campaign half his cap was eaten by a goal.
The Hat (Chapeau) The bicorn hat worn in walking-out dress and on the march differed from the infantry type in having orange wool 'ties' on front and back and V-shaped cockade loop; red marrQfU or jloches at the ends (terminals or 'tassels', not always fringed); and a red carrot-shaped plume, worn by the Consular Guard. In 1800 the hat cost 8 F.7S, was made of black felt, and bore the tricolour cockade; in 1804 it cost 12 F., but a year laler was reduced to 10 F.75. A new pattern was adopted in 1811. wider than the '9
preceding type and edged with black braid, bearing an increased number of'ties', and costing 12 F. Both patterns bore thc carrot-shaped pompon, shown by some sources as topped by a red tuft. The hat was never popular on campaign, the bonnet being preserved for special occasions; Barres r(."Cords the Guard throwing away their hats. which were 'in such bad condition' 011 14,June 1807, en route to Friedland, 'amidst cries ofjoy from the whole of the Guard'; but hats were re-issued in the last weeks of 1807. The hat was finally rejcClcd as ordinary campaign dress 011 21 J\'1ay [8og, while the Guard was actually 011 lhe march; each mall unpacked from the knapsack the fur cap of the man in frolll, and hurled his bicorn hat into the Danube! Whell not worn on campaign, the hats were carried in the ticking b.....g which had contained the bonnet. Hairstyles Uniquely in the French army, the Old Guard retained the powdered queue of the 18th century, which they were supposed to dress every day, cvcn on campaign. Coignet described the hairstyle as 'brushed OUI in fronllike pigeon's wings', with asixinch quelle lied bya black worsted ribbon with twoinch ends and pinned wilh a silver grenade. 'Sideboards' were worn to the depth oftheear·lobej and from 1 ~Iarch to I Dcccmber each year moustaches werc worn. being shaved ofl" during winter until 1806-07, after which moustaches \\ere worn al all Limes. Gold earrings were virtually an item of uniform, each new recruit having his ears pierced, and according to Capt. Hippolytc de .i\lauduil it was common 10 wear tattoos on arms or chest, depicting grenades or eagles, etc.
'Wl/""'" Gr",.... dj",.-s, c.•lho: a Pi",rre Mani..",. pri.... Cap ..ith whi.", cord~ (lIo.e two frontal la~",I~), searl",. plum",. Searl",. epa"I"'t1u with gold (?) Ira"Ji~'''''''''' ImJir, whil", ax.,.. badg", oudifted red; bras" belt pIal",; ",agle-headed nbre; bran lion ma"k" 1m <:rossbehs, NOle apron wo.... over Ih", wai"l<:oal bUI "nd",r Ihe coal; on campaigft (a" Adam "hows) il could bewo.... ov",r Ihe gr",afcoal,
The Coat (Habit) The uniform of the Garde du Dircctoire seems to have been kept by the Consular Glial-d until 1800 01, including the scarlet collar and white turnbaeks, with only a change to buttons bearing the lictor's fasces and legend 'Gard~ d~s Conslils' and 'Rip. Franr.' The specifications of8 September 1800 deseribe a new coat, of blue cloth with blue collar, whitc lapels and thrcc·pointed cuff flaps; scarlet cuffs, piping 10 vertical pockets, lining and lurnbacks, with ornaments of or"mge grenades upon while doth backing; 22 large and II small buttons; and epauletl<:s wilh Iransver~l' stl'
latler stitched permanently to the coat, of scarlet with whitc piping and lining. This pattern of coat remained basic.1.11y unchanged throughout the Empire (the Old Guard ncvcr adoptl.'<1 the habit-r6te of 1812, but with a ~radual alteration of cut. The lapels, each bearing seven butlons, were gradually given a more acccllluated curve, revealing more of the waistcoat: Barres dated one re-modelling to the last weeks of lBo7, claiming the new style was an improvement copied from the Russians. The skirts were both shonened and narrowed: under the Consulate they extended to thc knee, but by 1810 barely reached the top of thl' gaiters. From about 1808 the turn backs were stitched down to the skins, and around r810 were made to extend to the bottom edge ofthl.' coat, eliminating the small blue triangle previously visible al the botwm. New 'Imperial' buttons, bearing a crowned eaglc but no motto, were apparently distributed in October November ISo.!> bUI first noted on 9 November. Originally brass, the buttons were replaced by copper in 1811. Pocket design (venical, piped scarlet and each with thrcc butlons) remained unchanged, as did the three butlons positioned below the right-hand lapel. After IBog the epaulelle fringl'S Ix-came sli~htly longer and thicker. The exact shade ofdark blue probably varied slightly after c.lBoB, due to the shortage of indigo dye; plants gro\\ n within the Empire, principally woad, were uS(.·d thereafter. Both the coat and surtout were lined with scarlet, probably explaining the apparent red 'piping' visible in some pictures, merely the result of the lining of old garments having stretched sufliciently to be visible. The Surtout The single-breasted surtout camc iruo service in 1802, l>eplacing the issue of one of the two coats. Blue throughout, it had plain round cufls which opened at the rC,lr with twO small buttons; the front was fastened by a row of scven large buttons. Epauletles, pockets and turnbacks were colourl..'d as for the coal. It was worn on the march, in undress and in the fidd; the Guard wore it in the campaigns of 1806 and lBo7. The short front became slightly longer. having eight buttons in 1806 and nine after 18<>7; although retained for scnior N'COs. grmadios and corporals sccm to haw lost it after 1810.
"""'" Gr~dju.., (lIlJ dres.., c.•8110: prinl by E. CHr.rd rro... Ib~ BUCqUDY ...riu. This ..bows Lb~ (wi dre.... iolroduCfll io aboul tbat year, w;lh ral....nd'1lDld lace 0 .. the (.ci"lI;lO .nd ..-.........d epauleues and cap cord.. or Ibe ......e ...is'ure. Sop"", wore sold llrenades on Lb~ lurnba"k-.; in undrew.., tJo~ir plain '/I" h had lold lau ......nd the culT.., and their sabre W>1l1O sl.....ll (ro a s;nst~ sbould~r !Hh.
Waistcoat and legwear The single-breasted white waistcoat was sleeved and had 11 standing cottar, with twelve small brass buttons at the front and two at each cull; it became slightl) shorter al the time the lapels of the coat received their accentuated curve. It could be worn instead of the coat in hot climates, with epaulettes attached, as in Spain), or instead of the smock for fatigues. f\ white stock was reserved for those occasions "hen "hite gaiters were "orn; othenvisc black stocks were used, though Coignet memions a 'double cravat', "hite on one side and black with a narro" "hile edge on the other. Prior to lBoI the
(A) Sapt~r'. a"e case and bel" while leather bell, black le.uher case wilh small black leather pouch allached, bolh wilh gilded fitlings, buckles and badges. Tbe harr oflheaxe fitted through Ihe leather loop on the rear of the be1l. (8) &Opt"r', cap, Grenadie", i. Pied., with Ihe rear patch worn before .808 and the 'ftat' cockade worn befo,," c.• 806 08. (C) Sa/Hur', "Ieeve badge, variously depicted in conlelllporary sources' sometimes with a s.,..,ood greo.ade below, sometimes with axes alone, in various colour_sually gold, or goldon red backing. (The badge is while on Ibe eni~madc red uniform orthe Dulch Grenadiers' lit, d, wiant".) HotTman sbows a !aptur without any badges. More elaborale-sc:c:ming .,.c:rsions arc: 00 more Ihan the usual badge superimposed upon the ordinary service chevron on the left sleeve. (D) Early paltern sabre used by Guard ,apr,m: the gilded bras" hiJt has a cockerel_bead pommel, ran",'.head quilloos and a lion mask On the quillon block. (E) Guard ,a!>","! sab..., wilb eagle-head pommel and saw_loolbed back. (F) Alternative Guard !aptur sabre hilt paltern.
Consular Guard wore white breeches and white or black gaiters according to season; in 1802 there appeared new summer waistcoats and breeches in colton. The original white linen gaiters (extending over the knee) were replaced for parade by gaiters of twilled cloth (basi/I) with white bUllons; black gaiters with brass bUllOns were reserved for ordinary full dress, with the grey linen with horn bultons used for marching order and field dress from 1803--04. In OClObcr 1805 Hulin issued an order to the c/fect that 'The Commandant has noticed several soldiers wearing black gaiters on the march and reminds them of the regulations expressly ordering them to wear grey'; but on
campaign many other styles were used. These included wide blue trousers (pantalons de route) worn above the gaiters, adopted upon Dorsenne's orders in November 1805, and remaining in use until 1815. Other recorded colours of trousers include the usual
Greoadier Iii' dr calannr in full dress' left 10 right--drummer, musician, drum.major, cymbali"t, :>apt~". The drum_major wears a heavily laced uniform., bUI the :>apr", doc:s nOl have lace on his coal seams, and the musician has lapel loops without tassels, perhaps suggesling a date of c.•8.0 (althougb the print is 001 conlemporary). The cymbalist wearS the uniform of turban and ,u,lflUl shown by Chataignier.
grey, white or beige, and blue·and·white ticking; .\lbrecht Adam shows trousers tucked into knee· length gaiters in 1812. An (unofficial) optional eXira for wear with the breeches, stockings and <;i1ver garter-buckles for walking-out dress were false calves, as adopted by Coignel to disguise his spindly legs; they cost him 18 francs, but when 'entertained' by a society lady he was in a torment about how 10 disguise them, eventually stowing them under the pillow of her bed and pulling them on (crookedly) under the bedclothes in the morning! Banes noted that in 1805 his shoes were flat-soled and extremely unstable in open country, while Coignct had to tic his on with string around the ankles to avoid losing thcm in the mud in 1806. Greatcoats An official issue ofgrcatcoatS was ordered first on 30 :"ovembcr 1804 and distributed in the following month. An extanl example is blue, double-breasted with Iworowsofeight large butlons, with fouralthe rear of the waisl and on the pockets, and IWO small buttons on each cuff. The straps to secure Ihe epauleltcs were red, edged white. A grenadier in the Bocrsch collection (Plate D3), dated perhaps 1807 bUI possibly as laIc as 1813. wears a coal with red
(Lefr) D ........-.....jor: priat by Pic.,-e I\br1ine1. A1t"ou~b idet>lififll ollly.s '(;II1M 1..,."",/" 1"".'" .11"......, il obviously nprKftllli d ... Gr..... d.i.. rs' dnun_msjor. NOI .. I.... amOUDI of sold Lace 0" tb.. COllI scamS aad brt!t!Ch...., s ..ch • ....norm miShl COtiI as .... ucb •• JO,OOO f ........,."
er
(C..."...,) Drum_major of ...... di.. rs ill e.... pa.is:.. dres.: print (rom tA,tw.-, tit. -I'J tit j,tl1f( II /'(fIlIal k byCh.arld. ni. w ..U-kno...,.. pri..1 show' ..... ",'.11nIar. ba..ically a .. ord..... ry coal wi.... ~old Lace 0" collar and ClIff, ollly, s:old ....nk bars aad q>aul ..n...., a ..d 50ld 'lies' on th .. hal. Th.. h.i5h ' - I I a .... '.....!l..aH .. lal ..r years lo..s: trou........ w ...... probably mor.. common. Tho..!!h 10.. r ..lai_ bi, mace, h.is baldric has bee.. di!lcarded.
Rn./.,-.
(Risht)Greaadierdrummer, full dre.. ~ c.,8,o: prinl aft ..r P. A. Lerou" (rom II... Bucquoy 5t!ri.... Thill ..how. II. .. (ull drell.. a(t .. r removal o( II. .. 'win55', wilb mi"flI rfll...ndllold laCt! On II. .. (adn5l1-'indudinll h'm,d(~IJ.o..'!I' on th.. lapel_nd red.and. 50ld .. p....I.. n .... On r:ampai!!n lac.. wall r ..slricted to a sinSI .. lin.. around th .. collar and culT". Bran drum will. li5h' blu.. hoop,", boll. bearing brass grenad.. badges.
cutr-piping and a red collar patch pipcd whitc and bcaring a button. Th<.."SC were not llncommon additions to greatcoats, and are known 10 have becn used by Ihc Chasscurs (q.v.). Sky-blue coats lakcn into use in 1811 werc withdrawn aftcr a short time on Napoleon's orders. Forage cap (Bonnet de police) Gfthe type known as 'a 10 dragQn1/~', the blue cloth forage cap had orange lace, an orange tasscl·cnd and an orangc grcnade on Ihe fronl; from 1802 the !''1
'wing' of the cap was piped with orange braid. It was usually carried rolled beneath the canridge box, secured by two leather straps.
'crescent', gold transverse strap edged red and. after 1806, a layer ofgold fringe atop the n'
): Officer, Grenadiers, Consular Guard, )800 2: Dnunmer, Grenadiers, ConlularGuard, 1800 3: Sapeur, CbuseUf'l" Conlular Guard, 1801 4: Grenadier, Garde du Direeloire, )797
'-------------------'A
1: Oll'ic:er, Gren.die..... full eire... 1806 2: Velite, tulI drH.. 1806 3: Sergeant-major, Grenadie..... walking-out. 1806
1 B
1: Drum-major, Grenadiers, 1804 2: Cymbalilt, Grenadiers, 1804 3: MUlician, Cbu8e1lJ"l" 1808
c
1: Chuseur, campaign dreu. 1807 2: Omcer, Grenadie.... marching order. 1807 3: Grena.dier, campaign dress. 1807 4: Grenadier, campaign dress. 1807
D
1: Chasseur, full dresll, 1806 2: Corporal, Grenadiers, full dress, 1808 3: Drvnuner, CbaSlleu.... full dres.. 1808 4: Grenadier in fatigue smock, 1808
1: Sergeant. Chueeu.... full clftn., 1810 2: Lieutenant Porte-Aicle. 1st Gren.diers, 1811 3: S.peur, Gren.die.... full dreu. 1810
1: Corporal, 3rd Grenadiers, fuU dre.., 1811 2: Mu.iclan, Dutch Grenadien, full drH.. 1810 3: Veteran, 3rd Grenadiers, 1812 4: Gulmbardier, 3rd Grenadie.... campaign cIre,., 1812
G
I: Sergeant, Grenadie.... campaign drella. 1812·16 2: Omcer. Grenadiers, campaign dress, 1812-16 3: Sergeant-major, Chaueurs, undress, J812-16 4: Chulleur. marching order, 1816
H
scabbard, gilded fittings and gold kno!. The surlout and bicorn hal were worn frequently on campaign the hat with gold loop, 'ties' and tassel-ends, and legwear included while breeches worn wilh lantopped boots, or riding boots for mounted officers, and bluc breeches or long trousers on campaign. Porte-AigJes worc white gaitcrs on parade, and the earlicr Porle-Drapeaux are shown with black gauntlcts. Mountcd officcrs' squarc-cut bluc shabraqucs had gold lacc edging and crown badgcs in Ihe rcar corncrs, with matching holsler covcrs.
diers, with distinClive features. The Consular Guard had gold-laced collars and lapels, including hrandmbourgs, and searlel epaulclles owr gold-laced wings (apparently shown bluc by Potrelle), or wilh orange lace inslead. Later full dress dislinctions included scarlel 'swallows'-nesl' style wings edged gold under the cpauletles, discontinued in 1808, and mixed red and gold lace on the collar, lapels (including hrandtnhourgs), cuffs, flaps, pockets and tllrnbacks; the epaulcues were red and gold with mixed fringe. For ordinary dress, their uniforms were distinguished only by gold lace edging thc collar and cuffs, Ihe latter shown (perplexinglYI as poillled on the surtOllt in Ihe Otto ~IS of 1807-08. Their drum-belts bore brass grcnade badges over Ihe drumstick holdcr; Ihe brass drums, sometimes shown with embossed grenades, arc shown with hoops of lighl bluc (Potrclle, Consular Guard), triangles of red or blue alternating with whitc on thc outer edgcs (alto), or blue wilh brass grenadcs. Thc uniform of the drum-majors was amongst the most magnificelll of the era, as shown by Hoffman, upon which Pia Ie C I is based; the \'ast cxpense of this uniform for the Consular Guard included plumes at 195 F., baldric at 1,250 F., and sabre and belt at t ,460 francs. Even the plainer uniform worn on campaign included gold-laced collar and cuffs, gold cpaulettes and two gold rank bars, an officers' sabre suspended from gold-laced scarlet baldric wilh gilt grenade over the drumSlick holder, and a gold-laced hal with red plume. A similar uniform had been worn by Ihe drum-major of the Garde du Dircctoire, with a red-over-white-over-blue plume.
Sapeurs In common wilh safJalrs (pioneers) ofinfanlry, those of thc Guard wore fur caps without plates, full beards, white lealher aprons and carried axcs and carbincs; Iheir 'orders of dress' were like Ihose of the other ranks, Ihe surloul and bicorn being worn when appropriale. The Sapt/lfS wore gold and red capcords, sergeanlS' epauleltcs and sword knots, and gold crossed axcs badges on red upon the upper slccvcs-Ihough a number of varielies of epauleue and badge design are recorded, as detailed under platc F3. Hoffman shows thc usc in full dress c.I80...) of mixed rcd and gold lace on the collar, lapels (including tassel-ended loops or brandmhourgs), cuffs, flaps and lurnbacks, though it was apparently not until around April 1810 that the sapeurs received a coat with the additional red and gold lace on the facings, pockets and sleeve-seams and hrandmbourgs to each button, as shown in Plate F3. Thc surtout had gold lace on collar and cuffs and was worn with a sergealll's hat. Their shoulder belts are shown ornamellled with various gilt badges, buckles, sliders and tips, including simple crossed Musicians axes, grenades, a lion-mask over axcs on red cloth The band ohhe Garde du Directoire wore ordinary backing with or without a grcnade between, or a uniform but with scarlet 'stand-and-fall' collar and lion-mask alone (Martinet). OttO shows a pouch 'gauntlet' cuffs edged gold, and a gold-laced bicorn. worn at the front of the waist belt, bearing badges Potrelle shows the musicians of the Consular Guard like a canridgc box; olhcr sources show a with gold·laced bicorn with crimson and whilc rcctangular belt plale bearing a grenade, suppon- fealher cdging and red or red-tipped white plume; ing a distincti\'c sabre wilh guardless brass hilt in blue coat with crimson facings laced gold, including the shape ofa cockcrel-head, or later an eagle-head: gold brandmbourgs on the crimson lapels and gold their axe cases were black leather with a small Irefoil epaulellcs, Ihough the former are absent canridge box attached, bearing gilt crossed axcs from thc fifers' uniform; waistcoat and legwear as and corner grenades. for grf!1ladilTs, but an epee with red knot suspended from a waist belt which has a gilt rectangular plate Drununers bearing a grenade. Hoffman shows thc uniform of Drummers wore the basic uniform of the grena- c.I804 including a gold-laced hat with edging of
IUrnbacks. In undress (pttit uniformt) a surtout like Ihat of the grrnadiers was worn, with gold lace upon Ihe collar, cuffs, and red turnbacks, wilh gold Irefoils, plain hat, red plume, and blue breeches in willieI'; after about 1809 an ordinary hahit was worn in undress with gold lace only upon lhe collar, cuffs and turnbacks. Negro percussionists wore the unifonn shown in Plale C2, though a Chataignier illuslration of c.IBoI shows a cymbalisl with a crimson lurban with white pagri and gill chains hanging from the top of the cap, a white aigrette at lhe len and two gold tassels; blue surtout with crimson lining and collar, gold epaulelles and collar lace and hrmldenbourgs on Ihe breast; crimson red/light bIlle/white feathers and white-over-red waistcoat and breeches wilh gold lace and Auslrian plume; blue coat with crimson facings and gold lace knots; gold-laced hussar boots, white waist bell with as before; but a gold sword knot, plain gilt waist belt gilt platc bearing a grenade, and epee with gold plate, and a brass horn with cords and twO tassels of knot. Much thc same costume is shown as late as mixed gold, blue and red. By c.I805 the hat edging 1805- 10. had become red and while, wilh white plume, and officers' booLS were worn in all bUI parade dress; in The Restoration 1810 Ihe plume was given a red base, the gold 'tics' The &urbon ReslOration merely obliterated the on Ihe hat were discontinued, scarlet replaced Imperial symbols on the uniform; the arms of the crimson as the facing colour and pointed-ended monarch)' now appeared upon the cap plate and lapel-loops seem to have been adopted, and cartridge box, and a crowned fleur-de-I)'S on the 'Suvarov' boolS replaced the lalHopped varielY. It buttons. Upon the return from Elba the royal anns seems possible Ihal the hrandmbourgs may have been were removed from the cap plate, a tricolour removed at Ihe same time as lhe re-styling of the cockade filling Ihe gap; but soon after new plates,
(A) Appare..t <:0111 desig.. worn. by Tamoour-Mailre, Gre_dieu ti. Pied, after Ihe 'c.lI«/unu AlurilnINJ', blue, wilh Karlel cuff.., lumhaclo.., linlag and pocloel pip"'g; While I.. pels and cuff Raps.. Gold lace on faciDg.., i..c1udi..S poioled-e..d loops and aleeve Hama; Karle. epa..leues witlo sold cres~l§.. Worn w;lh soJd-edged bicom witlo sold 'tiea' aad IlCIIrlel plume. (BJ Drum_major, o.......,u1"5 ti. Pied, after tloe prinl published by Jrlln in 1&0,: c:olou~ a .. before, btu add;lio_1 sold lace of i'llerwoven d.ia«o...... de1i;gn. with Kalloptd edges; with «old friftg'""- Gold bullioo epaWe1les are wom oe lOp of acarid '~waJlow.'_eesl' wUal!:'" whicb ha"e sold pipLnS and lI:old buIlioo frielte. (Below) Design. ofB'. lace. (C) DruDUDer, Chasseu.... 1808. Blue with Karleo. linie«, lurnback.., cuffs and pockel pipin~ while lapelS; gold lace wilh "'lerwo'·eD «r_e chevrea pattern. GreeD epawelles laced sold, «rlH'lll ~al, sold friege overlaid oa I!:'--'" «old ....it On 5C*rleo.. (D) l'I1ulricia., 0.••_ ..... 808. BI..e with crimaon liniel!:, lurn_ haclo.., cuff. and pockel pipLnS; «old lace; sold lrefoils 0" crimaon backin«. Prior to thi,. dale il seem. Ihal oaly five ',Qnd,nlNH<w were wo.... oa Ihe lapel~. (Below) Il,,,w,,hmt'l ofC',. lace.
".""tJ
26
cartridge box eagles, and butlons were distributed. Olarlet sho\o,'s Royal Grenadiers with a cartridge box cover bearing the usual black grenades, plus a large black grenade in the centre, and Dighton ~picts similar ornaments in brass. During the "Hundred Days' it was reported that the 3rd Grenadiers had insufficient bonnets, wearing os, hats and forage caps instead, with some musket slings replaced by stringj while lhe 4th were to short of equipment as to resemble provincial national guards. I I is recorded that 32 new dress lIIliforms for the band turned up in November 1815, and were worn ultimately by the new Garde RO)·ale.
infantry style lapels with pointed lower ends, and scarlet pointed cuffs piped white; the orange lurnback badges on white patchl'S consisted of a huming horn Oil the front turnbacks and a grenade on the rear. The epaulencs, originally green with blue lining and red crescents, from 1805--06 had roo fringes and transverse straps and a second red crescent inside the first; though the Otto ~(S shows green straps and crescent and red fringe. The surtout had pointed cuffs, and the forage cap an orange hunting-horn in front. Lcgwear and waistcoats \,'ere as for the Grenadiers, but long trousers arc mcntioned in invcntories as early as
ClltlSSettrs it Piet! The Chassellrs of lhe Consular Guard are the first light unit whose uniform is known; that of the «iginal light infantry company is unknown. Their UJuipmellt was described as like that of the Grenadiers, save for a lack of cap platcs and with hunting-horn cartridge box badgcs. Listed in a Consular Guard inventory of 1800 are items later worn by the Chasseurs: green epaulettcs and sword loots, bonnets and plumes, and NCOs' epauletles, ~ cords and hat ornaments of green-and-gold. In lILUly aspects the uniform of the Chasseurs a Pied of die Imperial Guard was like that of the Grenadiers, but with the differences noted below. The Chasscurs' fur bonnet never had a plate, but Clriginally rna)' have included a rear patch like that of dae Grenadiers; it is shown as laIc as the 0110 MS, but was probably never seen after 1806, though nidence is unclear. The white cords were like those ,. the Crenadiers, apparently always with two "*!*lUiS,
Marti..el pri," ofa
~ .... W'
officer; .ole dOIOb1e 1.......1 ... Ibe
fro.., oflbec:ap.
2)
but from 1802--03 had a white leather strap, green knot and red fringe (OIlO shows rcd knot and green fringe). Some old Consular Guard sabres were still in use in September 1804 as well as the new Guard pattern; the cartridge boxes originally bore brass horn badges bUI from 1806 a crowned eagle. The NCOs' rank badges were like those of the Grenadiers, but in the fonn of inverted 'V's matching the shape of the cuff; NCOs' cap cords were mixed gold and green until 1806, and gold, green and red thereafter, the frontal tassels remaining gold and green, The amount ofgold used in the cords was presumably reduced in about 1811. as the cost was reduced by ten per cellI. Hat 'lies' werc mixed green and gold. The NCOs' original sword knot had a green strap edged gold, a red and gold knot. and a green fringe with an upper layer of gold; later it had a white leather strap, green and gold knot, and red fringe Wilh gold ouler layer. Sergeants' epaulclles had gold lace edging and gold crescent, and from c.1806 a layer ofgold fringe over the red; sergeant-majors' epaulctlcs were similar, but always had an upper layer of gold fringe, and a double layer after 1806. Officers' distinctions were like those of the Grenadiers. but with a hunting(A) Cap, Cha• .e..... :i. Pi~r.1 I..f•• frOft' at riSht. Bl.ck f.. r, wilh plaited cord..,.nd th.. two Ia• .el••I..... y. wora by th", horn as well as a grenade on the epaulette strap, and Ch.a.HU.... The pl..m.", of ,..,.rl..1 o"",r Sreul i. i.. th", propontona _ _ from. ",.1806; h..mi.ph..ric:al cockad.... hunting horns on the gorget and waist belt plate c-1806 08.0 18••. {B)NCO'.'~IU.Ch.a._ ... :i.Pied. Th",kaol until replaced b) the eagle. iIHlf ...........d .. of WO"nI cord. in creftl (_lid ....dioC hn... ), ,..,.rl"'t (IiSht .hadioS h .....e )and sold. The uppu tUHI had Ilold During the Restoration, Royal symbols replaced friall:u,1I: ov",rlaid 011 11:"-"; Lh.. lown I•• HI., Ilold ov",rlaid 011 the Imperial buttons and badges delivered on 5 ""'rl"'t. 111", ordinary corda of Ilreul aad acari"" w .."' 'apec:Id.,d' with Ilold. (C) Chas,..,ur'. coat, with t,,",hac'" of i'\ovcmber 1814), but Imperial ones were subc.•808 .0. BI..... wiLh .c:arl"'l euff..,IiD.iDC, ... rnhackrond poc.k"" pipi"ll; white lapel....d euffpipi.nll; Ilren> epa..leu... with net slituted during the 'Hundred Days', Some 6,000 friall'" ",","e..t rond bruk; o .......lle-o..·wbite t.. robacl< hadges. small grenade and horn badges were also delivered, (D) MIll""'nl, O'....... rs, C.18,0-1St with realyl.,d t .. rnhack•. Colo..ri..C •••bove, b ..t Ilold rao.k dr.evro.. .,d!.,d .c:arlet; sold presumably for the corners of the cartridge boxes "",rvi""" ",hevron on "pp"'r I",rt .I_v",; epaul",n... wiLh 1II01d .,dC;II! .lId CreliCnil .nd sold frillse overl.id On lc:arl",l. like those of the Grenadiers, It was observed lhal during the 'Hundred Days' not morc than 20 Septcmber 1803, described as blue in 1804-white members of the grd and 4th Cbasseurs could be linen trousers were used 01) the march in summer found dressed alike. and blue cloth in willler. Greatcoats (first issued in Drummers wore mixed green and gold lace, as for December 1805, according to Barres. and 'very Plate E3; scarlet 'swallows'-nest' wings with green welcome, for the cloth smocks in which we had and gold lace were worn before 1808; transverse made the campaign were neither warm nor epauletlestraps were gold. edged green, in 1802--05, handsome') were like those of the Grenadiers but and edged scarlet thereafter; and the broTldtnbourgs with epauletle retainjng slraps originally green. red were removed after 1811. The musicians dressed as in 1805-06 and blue in 1814-15; and in 1813-15 at Plate C3. with fivc brandmbourgs on the lapels. least, there was red piping on collar and cuffs. increased 10 seven after :March 1808. The drumEquipment was as for Grenadiers, but belts major wasdrcssed similarly, but with scarlet instead without stitched edges were still in store in 1805. of crimson facings, and wings with gold fringe unlil The original sword knot was ~TITn with a red knot . 1808. The hat had a green upright plume o\'er a
•8
tricolour 'panache' and scallop-edged lacc; the green were worn in Holland and were again ordered in baldric had gold lace and oakleaf embroidery, April 1811 ; their marching trousers were 'iron grey' costing 1,740 F.; the sabre was carried upon a white (grisdeJer). leather waist belt with gold lace and oakleaf The Dutch band (30 drummers, 20 fifers, 14 embroidery, with a gilt rectangular plate bearing a musicians, a chifde musique, two tambour-maitres and the 6ft 6ins-tall drum-major, Siliakus) retained bunting horn, costing 710 francs. their sky-blue unifonn with yellow facings when incorporated in the I mperial Guard, though it is not certain at what date the busby shown in Plate G2 was worn; otherwise there was a bicorn hat with The Dutch Grenadiers retained thc uniform of the scalloped silver lace edging, white plume, and old Royal Guard of Holland. Originally formed in alternate red, white and sky-blue feather edging. July 1806, this included both Grenadiers and Drummers (probably only those attached to the Olasscurs, and though it was composed cxclusively band) wore the fur grenadier cap (with white over oCGrenadiers from 1808 onwards the old Chasseur sky-blue plume) and the sky-blue uniform, with red uniform may have lingered for some time. The coat epauleltes; and the drum-major had the customary was white with crimson collar, cuBs, turnbacks, additional lace. 'Company' drummers wore the bpels, lining and pocket piping, ane! white cuff laps. In Dutch service the culls had borne no naps .and the lapds had yellow brandmbQllrgs or pointedmded loops; the latter were removed when the unit incorporated into the I mpcrial Guard, but it is -.dear exactly when cull'Aaps were adoptcd. Apart • colouring, the uniform followed French n:nadier lines, including red epaulettcs, brass Hons, and yellow grenade turnback badges; the -.dress surtout was white with crimson collar and backs and piping on the pockets, cuffs and the breast; the hat had a yellow loop and 'tics' .... a led carrot-pompon. The NCOs' and officers' 'nctions were similar in design to those of the rmch Grenadiers, though both officers' gorgets waist belt plates arc shown as silver with gilt ices, as well as the reverse; officers' epaulcltcs gold with grenade badges, and crimson 'lights' subalterns. The Chasseurs had WOI'l1 uniforms of same colouring but with pointed-ended light try lapels, green epauletles with rcd crescents, plullle with green tip, and shon gaiters, which yconceivably have been worn for a shon time in perial service until ncw uniforms were issued. Apart from the uniform colour, the most 'ncti\'e feature ofthe Dutch Grenadiers' unifonn their cap, which had no plate but a crimson Cha~r oa the tn.rel" priat from RNwrJ.J ",jllt_. r,~.c.n. patch bearing a white grenade (gold for (Pari.., .lhg), by Nichobs-Toussaiat Chart..... Ahho..," aot rs·; white cords, red plume, and, uniquely, enetly eoatemporary, Chari.... had iM'M,ed ia Lb.. N.pol ........, W.rs (be fo.. ~ht at Cli.,hy Gate ia Lbe dde.e:t! ofP.ria ia .8'4), chinscalcs, which had apparently not been ..ad kae... hi. • ..bjec::t, e~'ea Lbou~b be tellded to ov....... ro...... ticiH it. ne old Cha~ wears h.i.lJreateoat o~ for 10m in Dutch service but are shown thereafter. eaR of mo~·..m ....t; aot.. lb.. _m.....h.l ban.,n!CI h.t, ....d Lbe greatcoats of 'dark sky·blue' (blLu t:iltslLJonuj metal _ I..r Rask.
Dutch Gn?llodiers
*
crimson facings had been ordered, still with gold lacc; bUl it was probably only worn on rare occasions, ifat all, as it can only have been delivered shonly before the Russian campaign. Sajxurs had the same uniform distinctions as the French Grenadier sajNurs, though the Carl Collection shows the crimson coat with white facings as worn by the band; and similarly a blue coat, faced crimson, was ordered in 181 I to replace the existing sajNurs' uniform of white, faced crimson.
Cre-dier (lert) a.nd Cha........r or d.e Outdo Royal Guard, c.• .." print .rler H. BoisHlicr rrom the Bucquoy Hries. Thitl ..how.. the early Uftif'onn pc...ibly retaioN briefly afler inCGrponuion into tbe Imperial Cword, ..-b;le coat wido red collar. cuff., lapel... linia~ a.nd I...... J..C..I.; yellow loop" 0.. collar a.nd I.. pel... white cap cord... The Cre_dier b §Carlet plume ....d epa.. lcltes; doe Cha-liH..r, a scarlet pl e tipped IJrft1l, !rff" epaWlHlt:tI wilh jjC8.rlel I and the l ...dil;o... lli~ht infanlry rcal .. r f t or poinlN cuffs, lapels aad
C.......,.,..
p;ten.
white uniform with red epauleltcs, and ycllow lace (including hrandmhourgs) on the collar, cuffs and lapels. Lapel-loops arc shown either pointcd-ended or tasselled. The Carl Collection shows a Negro musician wearing an oriental costume of a silverlaced red fez with white pagri; a yeUow sleeved waistcoat with pointed cufls laccd with Austrian knots; a sky-bluc bolero laced white, including 'swallows'-ncst' wings; white stroual (mamelukestyle baggy trousers), red shoes and cummerbund, and an oriental sabre slung from a shoulder belt worn beneath the bolcro. Othcr recorded band uniforms include, from the Carl Collection, a crimson coat with white facings and ycllow/gold lace, presumably worn beforc the rcgiment was absorbed into the Imperial Guard. By mid- to late 1811 a ncw musicians' uniform of dark blue with
3"
Firearms The Consular Guard had its own pattern ofmusket, with a raised check-piece, lock with patent pan cover, and brass fittings including a butt plate with a grenade-shaped finial set into the top of the butt. 1,600 of this type were ordered on 26 February 1797, and on 28 November 1799 a further supply was commissioned. New muskets were distributed in 1802, no longer with the raised cheek-piece or patcnt pan, but retaining the brass fittings which characterised Guard muskets throughout the era. A dcvelopment on the An IX model, the Guard muskct had an o\'crall length of 152cm (barrel 113.7cm); the calibre was 1.75cm, and the weight 4.5kg. Chasscurs were armed with a slightly lightcr version with an overall length of 144cm. A later development was a reinforced ramrod channel with beak-shaped rim. Some 9,000 muskets of this pattern werc produced between Year IX and 1812, the date oCthe last production; obviously, in times of difficulty, Line-pattern muskcts must have been prcssed into service. Veterans The Old Guard's Veteran Company was fonncd on 12 July IBoI, for men 'who by reason of age or infirmity were unablc to remain 011 active duty'; they continucd to wear a version of Grcnadier uniform, with a sur/our and a bicorn instcad of the fur bonnct, red lapels and blue cuffflapson thehahi/. They continued to draw the pay and privilegcs of the activc Guardsmen, and penonned with their old resolve at the siege of I)aris, in which they defended the bridge at Neuilly crying, 'The Old Guard has never laid down its arms.' They were allowed to keep their weapons and magazine by the
terms of surrender, and continued in existence even under the monarchy. The Veteran Companyofthc DUich Grenadiers, which was used to guard the Palace at Amsterdam, wore the uniform shown in Plate G3.
Sources
In addition to the usual contemporary pictures and atant items ofequipment, the work ofcertain noncontemporary artists is recommended, in particular Lucien Rousselot (L'Annie Franfoise),j. Onfroy de Briville (,Job'), Albert Rigondaud ('Rigo'), and the artists ofthe Bucquoy series, some ofwhose work may be found in us UnifonneJ du Prtmitr Empire: La Corde Imp/riale (E. L. Bucquoy, ed. L.-Y. Bucquoy a: G. Devalltollr, Paris 1977). Histories of the Imperial Guard include La Garde Imperiale (L. fallou, Paris 19o1); Histoire anecdotique, politique et _itai" de 10 Garde Impirialt (E. Marco de St. Hilaire, Paris 1847); and, most accessible, the magnificent Anatomy of Glory (H. Lachouque & .\. S. K. Brown, London 196'2), which is the English adaptation of Lachouque's Napoleon et 10 Garde lapiriale. Basic details of successive changes in orpnisation and equipment are listed in Guide Ii uagtdts Artistes et CostumitrS ... Unijomlt.J dt l' Annie Frrtllfaise (H. Malibran, Paris 1904, reprimed dd 197'2); and the Guard's Colours are dttailed in Dra/Naux et Etmdards dt 10 Rioolution et de Lnpire (P. Charrie, Paris IgB'2). Among numerous lDmloirs by members of the Old Guard, twO IStanding examples are available in translation: 1M Note·BooKs of Captain Coignet (J .. R. Coignet, London 1928), and Memoirs oj a Na/Jollo,,;c Officer J.·B. Barres, London [9'25).
shown hanging at the right side of the cap may not be so.
.42: Drummtr, GrtnaditTs, Consular Guard. 1&0 This figure, based. upon an illustration by Nicolaus Hoffman, shows the early full dress of Grenadier drummers, including both gold lace (on collar, cuffs and wings) and orange-red lace elsewhere, with pointed.c:nded bulton-loops and the classic 'swallows'-nest' style wings, as worn umil 1808. The cap has the alternative Consular Guard plate with 'wavy' sides, and although an original by Hoffman apparently shows a mauvish·coloured cord (with gold rrontal tassel), the colour is apparently intended to be red. Theoriginalshowsoneofseveral varieties or drum-hoop design, in this case white with blue grenades and intersecting lines.
The Plates b: Officer. Grtnaditrs. Consular Guard. 1&0
upon a print by Alexis Chataignier, this re has one of several recorded. versions of the ular Guard cap pia Ie, here with 'straighl' sides bearing a silvered grenadc. Olher features of Chataignier original-whilc collar piping and ally spaced bUllons on the lapels-would ar to be errors by the artist, though a tassel
G~d.i"" of I.... Ihuch R~nol iu th....aifonn wo........h.... ;ucorponlecl mto lh.. lmperial G.... rd---...-kit..,..,;th red facias" ....d qMlul .. ues, _ r l ..l p11lDl" and ....kil.. ClIp cord.. Print by
Marl;...l.
3'
leather apron and gauntlets; axe and case, and full beard, the latter a compulsory feature for sapeurs; Coignet's beard was something of a spectacle, no less than 13 inches long! The cap il1ustrated apparently has a rear patch, and green cords and raqlfeltes, the lanel" hanging at the rear, a fashion apparently not unique at this early period. Plain green epauleHes are somewhat unusual. The axe· case bears a brass crossed·axes badge, which is repeated (with the addition of a hunting horn) upon the belt and, in cloth, upon the sleeves. A4: Grenadier, Garde dlf Directoire, f797 This figure wears what is virtually the uniform ofa grenadier of a demi-brigade of Line infantry, but for the white cuff flap. The fur cap was also of Line Drumnu:r.., drum-major and musicians of the Dutch Grenadie..... Allhough not contemporary, this print shows the busby worn with the musicians' sky_blue coat with yellow facings and sHver lace. The drum_major's silver-laced baldric is red. His epauleues alone c:ost ag6 f .... nc:"! Though often 'shown plain red, drummers' and sam"" dress epauleues must have been muc:b more elaborate than normal-they cost 25 franc:.., as against ,6 francs for sergeants' and .. franc:s for co.-porals' and grenadiers' epaulettes.
The drummers played a role of vital importance to the morale of the Guard. Coignet recalled that at Austerlitz, when the band (at Napoleon's orders and 'contrary to custom') remained in the centre of the unit playing 'On va leur lureer Ie fiane', the drummers '\)cat a charge loud enough to break their drumheads in. The drums and music mingled together. It was enough to make a paralytic move forward.' A3: Sapfur, Chasseurs. COl/suiar Guard, f&J/ Based upon a print published 'ehezJean', this early sapfllr uniform includes the traditional features of (A) Uniform. of the Negro musician of the Dutc:h Grenadiers. The yellow, sleeved waistc:oat fastened with hooks and eye.., and was edged wilh white/silver lace; the yellow cuffs and c:ollar had lace decoration. The sky_blue bolero jacket had 'swallows'_nest' wings, and was edged with white/silver lace with c:ord trac:"ry on the inner edges; there were tass.,)s at the fn>nt CornerS. The scarlet fez had silv"r 'wolf-tooth' tace n>und the top, and a white turban fastened by a silver (?) buc:kl". This uniform was worn with a crimson waist sash and ankle-length baggy trousers (.
pattern, including the red cords, which may conceivably have been replaced by yellow cords before the adoption of the whi le. BI: 0ffiCir, GTmaditrs,jull dTess, 1805 This figure, wearing the magnificent full dress ofthe Guard, is based upon a well-known Martinet print which depicts the use of white gaiters, though brttches and boots would probably have been more mmmon (and, for walking-out dress, breeches with silk stockings and buckled shoes, and the bicorn hat instead of the fur bonnet). As was customary, the cut-feather plumes worn by officers are often depicted as evcn more magnificent than those of the othcr ranks, though the difference in rank was not always marked; Vlli/e Barres, for example, remarked Wilh pride lhat though only all ordinary soldier he managed to acquire an olTicer's cap! Plumes worn by senior officers, of the while colour which normally signified headquarters staff, were usually of the upright aigrelle variely rather than of CUt feathers. The full dress uniform depicted here, "lOOm by the entire regiment, is dcscril)(:d with pride by Coignet, who admits: 'We were splendid to look .aI, but abominably uncomfortable!' B2: Vlli/,.jull drus, 1805 After an illustration by Hoffman, the Vilit, uniform illustrated resembles that of the ordinary grtnadi"s, but with blue cuff flaps piped white and blue shoulder straps piped red, and a bicorn worn instead of the bonnel (some sources indicate the use of red plumes). Similar shoulder Slraps were probably worn upon the surtOllt, which in oliler respeClS resembled that of the grenadiers or dwssellrs; but Barres notes that when he was admitted to the Chasseur-Vclites in 18°4, his surtout was lined and piped scarlel, his bicorn yellow-laced, his epaulettes wt:re green with red lrimming, and he soon afterwards wore the fur bonnet. Coigllet remarks upon an ingeniollsaid to the instruction ofcompany drill: he used 200 little wooden soldiers both to teach himself and, no doubt, his pupils.
83: &rgtall/-major. Grenadiers, summer wolking-out dress (Tmue dt Sor/ie), 1805 This figure wears the ordinary walking-out dress, mnsisting of the ordinary habit (still at this period with lhe more voluminous skirts, the turnbacks not
Drummer, Duu'h Crnladieroo, pri..e .rter H. 80iSHlier from the Bucq....y HriU, baHt'! 0" the·tAll......... .~~i'. This is the e.u&tttaLic: c:rim_.. unifonn wieh white c:ol"'r, "'pel.. e:uJJ.. flaps, liaia5 aad ",",bac~appa~c1yworn by ehe tiu*c-'in c.tllo9 10 (1). Scarlee ph.me aJKI ~u.I~l", white ap c:ord.. !old "'''C!; bran drum, Iill:ht blue hoops.
yet 'streamlint'
Based upon an illustration by Nicolaus Hoffman, this figure illustratt"S the magnificence of the Grenadier drum-major's costume as worn for full dress, among the richest and most expensive uniforms devised during the emire period. Though less elaborate uniforms were worn on active service, they invariably included gold-laced facings, gold epaulettcs and lhe customarysergeant-major's rank bars. The tambour-maE/Tts or caporallx-tambours wore a less elaborate though similar uniform, including gold-laced facings with pointed-ended loops on Ihe 33
turn backs; sky-blue lining; gold shoulder edged red; and a silver-fringed sash. As before, the Chataignier version of the cymbalisl of the Grenadier band dcpicts a different costume. C3: Musician,
CJwss~urs.
straps noted Negro totally
1&8
The Chasseurs' version of the classic Old Guard musicians' uniform varied from that of the Grenadiers by its Ijght infantry cut (pointed-ended lapels and pointed cuffs) and by its colouring, lhe hat having an edging of green and white feathers and the lapels being white. As described before, the musicians wore five brandrnbourgs upon each lapel until March 1808, when the number was increased to the usual seven. Each of the Guard musicians was a virtuoso, and (excluding thc pcrcussionists) each owncd his own instrument and was rcsponsiblc for its maintcnance. DI:
!MfntrJ ohloe Dulch G ......ildirrs: prinl .llr.. 8oi..rlier. The left_ haadtnil.. wetl ... lhr1ast....uo orde,...dfo.. Lhelmtk. ._.of da ..k bl..e fa~ wiLh crim_ The ..the... wn .. whilr faced wilh enrnHD. Sao.. lrl phlrnes., white cord., sold and crim ...... rpa..lrUetl; sold badS.... baekrel rrirnHD.
lapels. One cOlllcmporary source indicates a white shoulder bell bearing a gilt grcnade badge and supponing an ordinary sabrc with gold knot. and a gold-laccd bicorn worn 'forc-and-aft' with a red plume. Thc lattcr was also worn by the drum-major at a later date, as were hussar boots of a more convcntional style than the laced variety shown. For much of thc period thc drum·major of thc Grenadiers was the legcndary Senol, a huge and imposing figure who had becn a caplain in lhe Royal army and who later became a lieutcnant in the 2nd Grcnadiers. C2: C)mba/ist, Grmadiers. 1&4
This figure is again taken from Hoffman but a second version of Ihe same picture, also painted by the anist himself, shows a sky-blue cap with an upright black fcathcr and fj\"C white oncs cach with a sky-bluc and red patch; shorter coat skirts without 34
Ch(lss~ur.
campaign dws, 1&7
This figure is basically as shown in the Otto MS, a collCClion of contcmporary watercolours (possibly by C.-f. Weiland) executed for Major Otto in Wicsbadcn. The 1806-07 campaign uniform is depicted, comprising fur cap and surtout, though the Otto ~'IS appears to be in error in showing more buttons on the breast of the surtout than actually existed. As mcntioned before. the OtlO ~'IS shows a rear patch on the Chasseur cap (probably the latcsi datc at which this qucstionable feature is rccorded), and includes a suggestion of red edging to thc cpaulctte strap; whcrc the lattcr appears in contemporary pictures it represents not a piping but only the cpaulctlc lining. Among thc most distinguished of the Chasseurs of this period was Jean-Claude DcpoJd orthe 1st Battalion, who took over a 12·lxlr fieldpiecc at VVagram, thc successful defcnce of the position being attributcd to his 'industry and courage. . in the face of sharp attacks'. D2: OjJim. Grrnadias. maTching orda. 1&7 This figure wears typical tmue de rout~. including a bicorn instead of the bonnet, and displays the common stylcofwcaring a rolled greatcoat ovcrone shoulder. which not only contained personal possessions within the roll but served as a rudimcntary defcnce against sabre cuts. Thc surtout
was equally popular on campaign; the Otto MS shows it worn by an officer with the fur cap (and a black leather waist belt), though the red piping sometimes shown was probably nothing marc than the lining becoming visible due to stretching with wear.
ordinary equipment, worn here with the surtout. The whole assemblage was similar to that used by the Line infantry. One shoulder belt supported the cartridge box on the right hip, and the other a combined frog holding both the sabre- and bayonet-scabbards. Larger knapsacks than normal in the Line were usually carried by the Guard. The cap decorations, excluding thc frontal tassel which was stitched into place, were usually removed on campaign except when action was imminent.
D3: Grtnaditr, campaign dms, r&:q Based upon a Boersch figure, the exact datc of this greatcoated grenadier is uncertain; Roussclot thought it a latc cxample, perhaps 1811-14. It is especially intcresting in showing a z,;tuX moustache with three senrice chevrons) wearing a coat which has both collar patch and piping, ncither apparently regulated officially; and striped ticking trousers which apparently match the fabric used to cover the bonnet, carried atop the knapsack. New issues of the bicorn continued in lise on campaign even after the mass destruction of hats in 18og.
This illustrates the early Chasseur uniform of the classic light infantry cut, before the re-styling of the lapels and turnbacks and before the changes in the colouring of epaulettes, plume, etc., and while the cartridge box still bore the hunting horn badge of the light infantry. Despite the Otto figure having only a single tassel at the front of his platcless cap, it
D4: Gunaditr, campaign dress, 1807 As shown by altO, this figurc depicts the rear of the
Napol......'. fa.-ewell 10 the G....rd at Fo..Ul.inebleau, '9 April .8'4: e ..sra..u.s .rler Hora"e Veruel. N.pol...... ilJ "mbra"ed by Geaeral Petil while U .....lta....t Fon;.., beIl"';..S the 'EaS)'" of Ihe ,st Grnr.adie.... hides Jr.is rau ... emolioll.
EI: Chasstur,!ull dress, 1&5
£3: Drummer, Chasseurs,ju/l drtss, 1808 This figure shows the uniform of Old Guard drummers following the removal of the 'wings'; drummers of Grenadiers were dressed in a similar fashion, but with their own regimental distinctions of cap, uniform-cut, and red and gold lace. Grenadiers' drums at this period arc usually shown with grenade badges upon the shells, and light blue hoops with or without grenades upon them. The drum bellS included a rectangular plate with tubes affixed into which the drumsticks fitted, and arc usually shown with the regiment's distinctive badge (in this case a horn) higher up the belt. Not all drummers wereequipped identically; e.g. drummer Estienne of the Chasseurs, known as 'the drummer of Arcola', was a Iigionnaire d'hmmeur who used his own, silver-mounted 'drumsticks of honour'.
--
'Royal C...,nadius'--4'ormer Imp
£4: Gunadier in smock, /808 The grenadier illustrated shows the design offorage cap and smock (sarreau) worn with blue or white trousers in/enue de con'le, though the waistcoat could be worn instead. Coignet notes that beforc DOnienne imposed stricter discipline troops usually paraded for roll
PI: S"gtanl, ChaJsturs,jull drtSS. 1810 This shows the latcr version ofChaSSClIrs' full dress which followed that depicted in I)late £1, with seems that thc Chasscun; always worc two. NCO rank distinctions in the form of bars 011 the sleeves, epaulettes and distinctivc cap cords. The £2: CQrporal, Grenadim,jull dms, 1&J8 latter consisted of a strand of red and a strand of The corpor,,1 illustrated wean; another example of grccn cord, both with gold interwoven, bUI the the magnificent but 'abominably uncomfortable' raquelles were woven of equally-sized strands of red, dress uniform of the Grenadiers; note the while gold and green. gaiters with white garters and buttons, and while gloves, worn in parade dress. Surprisingly, Coignet F2: Liell/emlllt Porte-Aigle, IS/ Grmadiers, 181/ records that at one time there was a shortage in the Successive designs of Colour and 'Eagles' are shown Guard of NCOs' rank distinctions, SO that when he and described in the black-and-white illustrations, was promotcd to scrgeant he had to hand his but during the Empire period they followed the corporal's stripes to the man who succeeded him, in basic styles in general usc with the remainder of the the mcamime wearing no rank markings himself army. Evcn after the number of 'Eagles' was despite his appointment. But after Essling there was reduced to one per regiment, battalion numbers no longer any shortage, for his platoon collected continued to be carried on the flag. Exact details of stripes and epaulettes from the uniforms of the dead, the colour-bellS used by thc POrlt-Aiglts arc unccrtain, the existing illustrations apparently and soon Coignet had 'pockets full'. being reconstructions; but they were basically scarlet for Grcnadiers and green for Chasscurs, with
gold lace edging and gold embroidery, perhaps with gold fringing for the Consular Guard (as 100\\ n by Potrelle), and perhaps bearing gilt ITgimcllIal badges. The 'Eagles' of the Guard were regarded with even greater devotion than those of lhe Line; at Plancenoit Gen. Pelet grabbed that of lhe 1St Chasseurs crying, 'To me, Chasseurs, to me! avc the Eagle ordie round it!' The rcmnantsofthe 2nd Chasscurs formed a hedge of bayonets around it, saving both the 'Eagle' and themselves. At Eylau a shell smashed the 'Eagle'-stafrofthe 1st Battalion of the [St Grenadiers; its bearer, Lt. Morlay, picked up the broken pole and jammed it into the muzzle of a musket, carrying it like that for the rest ortheday. F3: SajNur, Grtnadim,juil dms, 1810 This figure wears the full dress sojJtur uniform with the additional lace, including on the sleeve seams, ",-hich was apparcllIly illlroduced around 1810. Contemporary sources show a varicty ofyersions of cap cords, cpauleltcs and badgcs used by Guard ../Jturs. Potrelle shows for the Consular Guard cords of mixed \\ hill' and gold: Hofrman shows gold, OttO
'Napoleot> at W.t~rtoo'_ _ t~~to..r by Chari" St.....bnl, ..howinll tb~ Emperor o;hdt~rinll in.. id~ a square or cla~ Gre... di~n • P;ed.
mixed red and sih·cr, and ~Iartinet white. Similarly, epaulettes range from those laced in the manner of sergeants to others shown plain red. Sleeve badges arc shown variously to consist of red crossed axes (Otto, on the surtout); white axes edged red (Martinet); gold axes edged white (Potrelle); or gold grenade over axes with or without a lower grenade,those on the left sleeve superimposed upon service chevrons where applicable. Another version shows the usc of pistols carried in loops on the waist belt, presumably carried in place of the usual carbine; and various patterns ofsabre were used, as shown in the black-and-white illustrations. Gl: Corporal. 3'd Grtnodim.juil dms. 18u
This shows the uniform of the Dutch Grenadiers after the removal of the brandmhourgs from the lafX'ls, and with the addjtion of Cliff flaps though the date at which the Raps were added is uncertain, as most of the cOlllemporary pictures show the 37
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lAl 'Eagle', HOI Grenadierll, inue of ,~ pattern. \VIUle ce.ural diamond; COmer lrianglea blue (lop 1.,£1, bollom rigbl) and red; all dfl'oruionll ~old. Dimensio.... 80cm aqua~. Gilded Eagle. The 180" .nue was similar bUI for Ibe inscriptio.. 'DtGJlt."iADU,It5' inllead of'DEI GRENADIERS'; .Dd Ihe number'I' on Ihe'Easle' plinlh. Two.~ paltern 'Eaglea' were presenled.o Ihe 1111 Grenadiers un 5 December .80....... d two 10 Ibe '''I Cha.....urs on 5 s.,.plember. O .. e each of the 18•• illllue ...... pr.....,nted 10 Ihe 3rd Gr"nadi"rs (:JOJune .8,.), .... d to the It" a ..d 2..d Gre..adiers lIJ)d III and 2nd ...,urs ..n '5 Augu.1 .8.,. Th"re i.. no evidence 110.1 Ihe 2..d Grenadiers and 2..d Cha•• eurs of .806 09 ever re«ived 'Eagl",,'. The in...,ripliol> 01> Ihe re'·e...e wal as (8) below. (8) Re'·., of 'Eagle' of 2nd ...,ur.. ,a•• i....u" of .8n.j; pan",rn. Gf,1I" Uyc:olour. a. above, bUI ..ote bluetria.nsl"'lop righI, bonom lefl. In."ript.io.. 0" ob"'e~ •• (A) .bove, with obvio..s differe..ce or resimenlal litle. Corner numbe...
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o"e per ballalio.. 10 one per r"Jime"l. Sta.fT usually blur, f1aS fixed will. s;ilded lilUd.. (C) Re"erse of 'Easle', lin Grenadie.....8'2 pan.,...... Tri""lour-blu", r ... l 1I1.rr, wkite, ....... All d""o .... liolls d frinse, sold.. Cr " of "eMical lricolour band.. sold tm_ broidery a ..d tOrd.. The ob,·e..... bo..." Ihe insc:riplio.. 'G...1lDI: l'tJ'£IUAJ...E: l'L't1"EJlE1l11. NU'OLI:ON AU •'" IU:CIYlDtT O£S GIlENAOII:ali A PII;O'. The other d""onuio... we..." ide..tical 10 Ihe re'·erH. NOle ..nuliuallipelling of'MAIU."iGO'. Dim".."io....... &rem "'Iuare. Th" palle 1 rec:e;"ed i.. April ,a'3 by Ihe ...1 aDd 2Dd Gre..adi"' d in ~hy by Ihe aDd:md CIoaneu" (these, with 100 " probably repl.ci ..S the S..-.ades). 'Eagl"",' w"'.... issued in .8,S 10 the 'Sl Gre....diers and Chas....u ... 0..1)1 th..se were d ....l.roy.... in Mpletnber ,8•.;, bul w"re probably of .itnilar deaiSII 10 the ,al3 iSllue abo,-e-allb..ugb Ih",y tnay co..cei....bly have be.... e battle-l>........... Oil boll. sid..... •• did II.", .Iandard of Ihe Guard Arlill""'Y' wkieb "liD m .. t .. The 'Eagle' of Ihe "'I <:haS...,U" was apparently carried al ""'alerl.... by Ih"r"Jim",.. I'JI2..d B...,andwa"u-.:llo rally Lbe2..d Chaneu....
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slee,·cs positioned in such a way Ihal the nap, or its absence, is nOI visible! The equipmenl, Icgweiu, etc., resemble those of the French Crenadiers; but note the yellow lace rank bars and service chevrons, and the distinClivc fur bonnet without a plate but with the unusual addition of chinscalcs.
G2: /vlusiciol/, Dutch Gmwdiers,Jufl dms, ,Ow The date of the usc of the busby by the band of the Dutch Crenadiers is uncertain; it may perhaps have pre- or post-dated 1810. It is likely that the band llsually wore the bicorn hat, with scalloped silver lace edging; silver 'tics' and loop; rcd, white and sky-blue fcather edging, and white plume, with the sky-bluc uniform as well as with the (presumably) earlier crimson version, and the later dark blue band uniform with crimson facinb'S' Though the drum-major wore the sky-blue band uniform with yellow facings, and presumably also the busby, sky. blue was probably only worn by those drummers attached to the band; 'company' drummers would haye worn the ordinary white uniform with crimson facings and yellow lace, including brondtnbourgs. The brass drum-shells bore grenade badges, the
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G3: Veteran, 3rd Grmodiers, /8/2 The veteran illustrated wears lhe uniform of the company which guarded lhe Palace at Amsterdam; basically the lenue de ville of lhe ordinary Dutch Grenadiers, consisLing of the bicorn hal, and a surtoul in regimental colouring-white with crimsonfred collar, lining, turnbaeks and epauletlcs, and red piping on the vertical pockeLS and around the white cuffs. G4: Guimhordier. 3rd GrtnaditrS, campaign dress. 1812 The figure illustrated represents one of the 12 regimelllal guimbardiers (drivers of regimental transport waggons) atlached to the Dutch Grenadiers; the uniform is a reconstrucLion after BoisseJier, as their exact costume is unknown. The man illustrated wears the rcgimelllal sky-blue greatcoat; and it is known that thegllimhardiers were equipped with shakos costing 9 r. each. HI.' Sergeant. Grmadiers, campaign dress. ,81:r15 'La Card.. M.... rt', wreathed in ,b...mok.. orban.!." all 't:.~I..' is Campaign dress towards the end of the Empire raised in d ..fian« Ov.,r 110.. 1a!JI .tand or Lb.. Old Guard at Wat ..rloo. Print .rt.. r I{ippoty,.. lk.llan~~, .&t9tended to become increasingly bizarre, as official ~upplies ran out and all manner of captured or The officer illustrated wears the surtout, popular for looted clothing and equipment was pressed into usc on campaign. The epaulcues arc allowed to sen'ice. Nevertheless, the Guard always maintained hang loose Onto the breast, so as to be visible in the as uniform an appearance as JX>SSible; lhe main opening of thc greatcoat. This could \'ary in colour aception was during the retreat from Moscow, from blue to brown or grcy for officers. Some \II'hen the usc of civilian clothes and tattered pictures suggest that the bieorn hat, worn 'fore-anduniforms led to the whole army resembling aft' (en co{ollne), could have the cockadc loop turned phantoms in carnival masks', in lhe words of Col. to either side. Gnois of tbe Guard Artillery. The vieux moustache illustrated here retains a 'regulation' appearance- H3: Sergeant-major, Clwsseurs, undress, /81:r/5 though the usc of hats, bonnets with cords and This shows the usc of the Sllrloul with the hat, winter plumes removed, and the possible usc of single- breeches and 'Suvarov' boots, with NCO rank breasted greatcoats (as common in tbe Line) and distinctions including an officers'·stylc epee worn Ul)users of bluc, white or ochrc tended to disrupt with a waist belt, as permitted for Guard NCOs«)Ial uniformity. The sergeant wears a plain who kept the Jllrtolll evcn though it appears to have ~atcoat (devoid of piping, unlike some recorded been withdrawn from the privates and corporals aamples from this period), with the epauleltes and around 1810. bars of his rank attached. Note also the mixed The veteran sergeant-majors represented Karlel and gold hat decorations worn by NCOs. A perhaps the most stalwart 'old of the Old' who common practice was to wear a rectangle of red 'didn't give a b .... .', as Schehcns wrote. Coignet ribbon scwn to the left breast as an alternative to was typical. He recounts a lucky cscape at Essling, displaying the cross of the Ligion d'Honnellr. when performing his natural functions in no-man's· land between the armies. A roundshot landed Ib: Officer, Crmaditrs. campaign dress, 1812-15 nearby, lhrowing up a shower ofstones; 'black and 39
bluc behind', h~ shuffiro ba k to lh~ F~nch line. musket in one hand and trouscn in the otht'r. 'That \'I a nar thing', said his captain. '11 \\as, sir,' replied Coigncl; 'their paper's 100 hard, I couldn't lIscit'!
H.,: Cluusntr. ,ruml""g (JI"", 1815 This figul"(' shows lhe rcarofthe equipmellt as
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An unrivalled source of infonnation on the hisrol')', organisation, appearance and equipment of the world's fighting men of past and presenL The Men-at-Anns tides cover subjects as diverse as the Imperial Roman anny and the Central American wars of toda)' in their popular 48-page fonnat including some 40 photographs and diagrams, and eight full-colour plates. COMPANION SERlES FROM OSPREY ELITE Detailed infonnation on the history and appearance of the world's famous fighting men. Each 64-page book contains some SO photographs and diagrams, and 12 pages of full-colour artwork. VANGUARD Key units and weapons systems of 20th century warfare, with a strong emphasis on annoured vehicles. CAMPAIGN Concise, authoritative accounts of the great conflicts of history. Each 96-page book contains more than 90 illustrations including maps, charts and colour plates, plus a series of three-dimensional battle maps that mark the critical stages of the campaign. THE ANCIENT WORLD 11'AroentOw>eseAm-.es lotAroentModcleEm
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