UNIF - Uniforms of La Grande Armée
UNIF - Uniforms of La Grande Armée
UNIF - Uniforms of La Grande Armée
National Guard and the white uniforms of seasoned veterans from the old Royal army. The blue dress was named
the National Uniform and was worn by all line infantry
by 1796. While headgear and details in cut changed, the
uniform remained almost completely the same from the
beginning of the French Revolution.
The uniform was made of a blue coat, red piped white
collar and cus, white piped red lapels, blue piped red
cu aps and shoulder straps, white turnbacks piped red,
and brass buttons. Only the brass buttons had the units
identication numbers stamped on them. The lapels were
fastened at the upper chest but sloped away below. The
hat, a black felt bicorne, was the standard infantry headdress at some of Napoleons greatest battles. In 1807,
the hat was replaced by the shako, which was made of
black felt, chevron on the side and visor, a brass diamond
shaped plate stamped with the Imperial eagle over the
units regimental number, white cords, and brass chin
scales. Napoleon experimented with a few units by reintroducing white coats with facings of dierent colours
specic to each unit (reminiscent of the old Royal armys
coats), but these proved unpopular.[1]
1
1.1
Every regiment had a squad of Sappers who were generally dressed as grenadiers with red epaulettes and a cross
axes badge on the upper sleeves, a bearskin cap with red
Infantrymen carried the 1777 charleville musket that had cords and feather but no plate. They were equipped with a
a bayonet with a 406 mm blade. The black leather M. long leather apron, white gauntlet gloves, and an axe with
1801 cartridge box held 35 rounds of ammunition and a brass mounted handle. It was customary for sappers to
was carried by a white bu shoulder belt; that for fusiliers grow beards.
had a frog for the bayonet. The cartridge box ap gener- Ocers wore the same uniform as their men but it was
ally had a white linen cover and the forage cap was rolled of better quality. Their brass buttons were gilt, they had
under the box with red tassel hanging out. The M. 1801 epaulettes according to their rank, and, on duty, they had
knapsack was made of cow hide with two straps (later a gilt gorget with a silver badge, generally a crowned eathree straps) to hold the rolled greatcoat on the top.
gle. Their turnback ornaments were identical to those
1.2
Heavy Cavalry
1.2
1.2.1
Heavy Cavalry
Carabiniers
French Cuirassier
Dragoons
1.5
1.3.2
Line artillery
Chevau-legers lanciers
1.4
1.4.1
Light cavalry
Hussars
Chasseur cheval
1.5.2
Horse artillery
2.1
with white cords and red plume, and a red patch with a
golden grenade on the top of the bearskin. Other differences include the blue collar of the Guard Grenadiers
(instead of red pipped white collar for Line grenadiers)
and longer red turnbacks with gold grenades (instead of
white turnbacks piped red with red grenades).
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
2.1.5
2.1.6
Marines
Raised from sailors of the French navy who had distinguished themselves, the battalion of Marins wore a distinctive, elaborate uniform resembling that of the hussars.
Their ocers bore titles of rank derived from their
seagoing compatriots, and the overall commander of the Marine of the Guard
marines bore the rank of Capitaine de Vaisseau. Their
duties including manning boats and other watercaft used
2.2
2.2.1
Empress Dragoon
2.2.2
Empress dragoons
2.3
9
After 1804: The cahouk became red with a brass crescent
and star, and the shirt was closed and had a collar. The
main change was the addition of a regulation chasseurstyle saddle cloth and roll, imperial green in color, piped
red, with a red and white fringe. The saddle and harness
remained Arabic in style. The undress uniform was as for
the Chasseurs--Cheval of the Guard, but of a dark blue
cloth.
2.2.6 Elite Gendarmes
Further information: Gendarmes d'lite de la Garde
Impriale
The Gendarmes d'lite wore a blue coat with red lappels, cus and turnbacks. The collar and cu aps were
red piped blue. They wore bu breeches, waistcoat and
gloves. They had white aiguillettes and clover-shaped
epaulettes. They wore a tall bearskin cap with a visor,
topped by a red round cloth patch nicknamed cul-de-singe
(monkey bottom) with a white grenade embroidered on
it. They rode black horses.
3 Others
3.1 Engineers
3.2 Medical service
4 Insignia
4.1 Ranks
10
4.1.1
4 INSIGNIA
The Hussar system later became the insignia
of French ocers from the rank of Colonel to
below.
Ocers
Galons d'anciennet
11
1 Chevron = 10-15 Years service.
2 Chevrons = 15-20 Years service.
3 Chevrons = 20-25 Years of service.
Some soldiers in the Guard were awarded a fourth
chevron (more than 30 years of service), but they were
very few.
4.3
Speciality insignia
Haythornthwaite, Philip & Chappell, Michael. Uniforms of 1812: Napoleons Retreat from Moscow.
Blandford, 1982.
4.4
Musicians
Bibliography
Napoleonic Wars: Napoleons Army Ren Chartrand, Copyright 1996, 2000 Brasseys
French, Prussian and Anglo-allies uniforms during
the Battle of Waterloo : Mont-Saint-Jean (FR)
6 References
[1] The White Uniforms of the French Army, 1806-1807.
greatest-battles.webs.com. Retrieved 2 Jul 2013.
[2] Strachan, Edward (2009) Russian Orientalism & Constantinople, p. 150. Sphinx Fine Art At Google Books.
Retrieved 23 August 2013.
[3] Pawly, Ronald (2012) Napoleons Mamelukes, p. 46. Osprey Publishing At Google Books. Retrieved 23 August
2013.
Bucquoy, Cdt. E. L. Les Uniformes de Premier Empire. (Complete 10 Volume set). Paris: Grancher,
1977-1985. Vol. 1. La Garde Imperiale, Troupes
a Pied. (Tome I); Vol. 2. La Garde Imperiale, Troupes a Cheval. (Tome II); Vol. 3. Les
Cuirassiers; Vol. 4. L'Infanterie; Vol. 5. La Cavalerie Legere; Vol. 6. Dragons et Guides; Vol. 7.
12
REFERENCES
13
7.1
Text
7.2
Images
14
Louis14
File:Epaulettes_major.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Epaulettes_major.svg License: CC BY-SA
4.0 Contributors: This le was derived from: Epaulette colonel armee Napolonienne.svg
Original artist: Louis14 (bitmap original)
File:Gen.Div-ImpFrArmy.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Gen.Div-ImpFrArmy.jpg License: CC
BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Louis14
File:Grenadier-a-pied-de-la-Vieille-Garde.png
Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/
Grenadier-a-pied-de-la-Vieille-Garde.png License: Public domain Contributors: :fr:Image:Membre-de-la-Vieille-Garde.png Original artist: R.D.H. (Ghost In The Machine) at en.wikipedia
File:Leut1-ImpFrArmy.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Leut1-ImpFrArmy.jpg License: CC BYSA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Louis14
File:Leut2-ImpFrArmy.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Leut2-ImpFrArmy.jpg License: CC BYSA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Louis14
File:Lieutenant-colonel.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Lieutenant-colonel.png License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Lieutenant.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Lieutenant.png License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Major-French-Army.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Major-French-Army.png License: CCBY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Napoleon_Artillery_train_and_Foot_artillerist_by_Bellange.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/
19/Napoleon_Artillery_train_and_Foot_artillerist_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812:
[1] with courtesy of Vasili Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Carabiner_of_1812_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Napoleon_
Carabiner_of_1812_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Carabinier_of_1810_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Napoleon_
Carabinier_of_1810_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Chasseur-a-Cheval_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Napoleon_
Chasseur-a-Cheval_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Chasseur_from_Guard_by_Bellange.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Napoleon_
Chasseur_from_Guard_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: artist Bellange (1800-1866)
File:Napoleon_Cuirassier_in_1809_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Napoleon_
Cuirassier_in_1809_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: artist Bellange (1800-1866)
File:Napoleon_Division_General_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Napoleon_
Division_General_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: artist Bellange (1800-1866)
File:Napoleon_Dragoon_and_Sapper_by_Bellange.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Napoleon_
Dragoon_and_Sapper_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Empress_dragoon_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Napoleon_
Empress_dragoon_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_French_Lancer_by_Bellange.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Napoleon_French_
Lancer_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Grenadier_of_1808_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Napoleon_
Grenadier_of_1808_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: artist Bellange (1800-1866)
File:Napoleon_Guard_Chasseurs_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Napoleon_
Guard_Chasseurs_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili
Kolcheev Original artist: artist Bellange (1800-1866)
File:Napoleon_Guard_Horse_Grenadier_by_Bellange.jpg
Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/
Napoleon_Guard_Horse_Grenadier_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy
of Vasili Kolcheev Original artist: artist Bellange (1800-1866)
File:Napoleon_Guard_Light_horse_lancer_by_Bellange.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/
Napoleon_Guard_Light_horse_lancer_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with
courtesy of Vasili Kolcheev Original artist: Hippolyte Bellang
File:Napoleon_Guard_Marine_by_Bellange.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Napoleon_Guard_
Marine_by_Bellange.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Russian site of War of 1812: [1] with courtesy of Vasili Kolcheev Original
artist: Hippolyte Bellang
7.3
Content license
15
7.3
Content license