National Garde du Nantes
I am currently working on my French Revolution and Napoleonic’s this month and I am planning some National Garde units for fighting the Chouan and Vendee royalist rebellions.
To my surprise I also found a National Garde du Nantes uniform for the 1808 visit of Napoleon and Josephine to the capital of Brittany. The city of Nantes and the region had still not recovered from the counter revolution fighting in the region from 1793 to 1795, and some chouan were still active in Brittany and Maine/Mayenne departments.
The honor Garde was raised as a volunteer unit, uniforms were paid for partially by the members. It consisted of a two companies of 84 cavalry and two companies of 120 infantry and a band of 26 musicians. The city also presented two standards the unit, the Nantes Garde of honor was commanded by colonel Pitier Deurbroucq, who had lead the defence of the city in the Revolutionary wars.
Cavalry Uniform
Black bicorne, white plume over an amaranth base, national cockade, gilt twisted braid edging, tassels, and gold buttons. Green Chasseur à Cheval-style coat with pointed lapels, collar, lapels, pointed cuffs, and amaranth turnbacks, gold buttons with an eagle bearing "Garde d'Honneur de Nantes" , gilt braided aiguillettes on the left shoulder, gold trefoils on the right shoulder, gilt hunting horns on the turnbacks.Officers wear the aiguillettes on the right and an epaulette of their rank on the left. The bicorne is edged in gold.
Ochre gloves. White waistcoat with three rows of gold buttons. White breeches with gold trefoils and braid. Black boots with gold trim and tassels. Sabre with copper gilt scabbard, gold sword knot, black belt and loops, gilt buckle.
Ochre gloves. White waistcoat with three rows of gold buttons. White breeches with gold trefoils and braid. Black boots with gold trim and tassels. Sabre with copper gilt scabbard, gold sword knot, black belt and loops, gilt buckle.
The officers also have a dress uniform with a coat whose lapels are green piped in amaranth, the rest as above. Undress uniform White cashmere breeches, white stockings, black shoes with gold buckles, small sword.
A hunting-style black leather horse harness with white metal buckles. The halter is trimmed with amaranth cloth, and it includes a black fly whisk, an amaranth surcingle, and a breastplate adorned with an eagle. The shabraque is made of dark green cloth, edged with amaranth cloth, with a gold lace braid running along the edge. It has gilt hunting horns in the corners, no portmanteau was fitted, pistols are holstered under the saddlecloth.
The trumpeters wear a uniform with the colors reversed, as was customary during the early part of the empire.
A hunting-style black leather horse harness with white metal buckles. The halter is trimmed with amaranth cloth, and it includes a black fly whisk, an amaranth surcingle, and a breastplate adorned with an eagle. The shabraque is made of dark green cloth, edged with amaranth cloth, with a gold lace braid running along the edge. It has gilt hunting horns in the corners, no portmanteau was fitted, pistols are holstered under the saddlecloth.
The trumpeters wear a uniform with the colors reversed, as was customary during the early part of the empire.
 |
| Mounted Chasseur Officer |
 |
| Flag Finial |
 |
| The mounted company drapeau |
 | ||
Uniform habit of a OR
|
 |
| Cuff and flap detail |
 |
| Turn back detail |
 |
| OR habit veste |
