6th Chevau-leger Lancers 2nd Squadron

 6th Chevau-Leger Lancers 2nd Squadron 

Next squadron completed for the lancer regiment, I have elected to mount them on bays although by 1813 I suspect horses were in short supply. Next up the command Sqaudron 

Cheers

Matt

6th Chevau-leger Lancers 3rd Sqaudron

6th Chevau-Leger Lancers 3rd Sqaudron

When Warlord recently had their Black Friday sale back a few months ago I could not resist and I purchased a 4 boxes of Lancers plus a few sprues from the sprue sale. I have organised these for General de Brigade/d’Armee and In the Grand Manner. I settled on three six figure Sqaudrons so per regiment. The 6th chevau-leger lancers uniform is quite striking, red pantaloons, and buff belts and gloves

Cheers

Matt

French White Uniform 1805-15

French Napoleonic White Uniforms 1805-15

This year I plan to add additional units to my French army, particularly the 1813-14 campaign. I also want to paint up some of my 1805-07 metal figures. I want to paint up a number of white uniformed units, probably a whole brigade at least. 

  The French Army traded its white uniform to blue during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution, the regulars in white the conscripts in blue. Napoleon attempted to re-introduce the white coats in 1806, their return aroused little enthusiasm. Their use was judged impractical, and within a year the project had been quietly discontinued, leaving only a few regiments in white-coats on the battlefields of Austerlitz, Jena/Auerstadt, Eylau and Friedland, the medley only fully disappeared by 1810.

As a result of Great Britain's blockade of the Continent, the French found themselves in 1804 cut off from all major sources of supply of indigo, the key ingredient of the dyes used to make the blue cloth for French uniforms. At first, the Ministry of War tried to find domestic substitutes for the substance, but these proved to be relatively inefficient and particularly expensive. The Ministry then began to consider in earnest the possibility that a change in the basic colour of the French uniform might serve as a solution to its problems. Finally, on the basis of extensive research, the Ministry put a formal proposal to the Emperor, and on February 13, 1805, Napoleon authorised the trial use of white uniforms by the third battalions of the 18th line and 4th light regiments.

These units received the new uniforms in the spring of 1805, and it is possible that they continued to wear the white coats even during the Austerlitz campaign. Napoleon was apparently satisfied with the trial run of the new white uniform, for on April 25, 1806, he decreed its adoption for all the regiments of line infantry, beginning with the 3rd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th, 32nd, 33rd, 34th and 36th regiments. The entire re-uniforming process was expected to be completed by 1809. A second decree issued on July 24 specified particulars of the new uniforms, which were intended to be practical and colourful at the same time.

The heart of the uniform regulations was an elaborate design for identifying each regiment by means of a unique pattern of coloured facings and trim on its new white coats. The 112 line regiments were divided for this purpose into 14 groups of 8 regiments, and each group was assigned a distinctive facing colour: regiments 1 to 8, Dark Green; 9 to 16, Black; 17 to 24, Scarlet; 25 to 32, Dark Brown; 33 to 40, Violet; 41 to 48, Sky Blue; 49 to 56, Pink; 57 to 64 Light Orange; 65 to 72, Dark Blue; 73 to 80, Yellow; 81 to 88, Grass Green; 89 to 96, Madder Red; 97 to 104, Crimson; and 104 to 112, Iron Grey. 

Within each of these groups, the first four regiments had yellow metal buttons and horizontal pockets on their coats, while the second four had white metal buttons and vertical pockets. 

The units within each of these series of four were then further differentiated according to the following formula: the first regiment wore the distinctive colour on lapels, collar and cuffs; the second, on lapels and cuffs; the third, on lapels and collar; the fourth wore it on collar and cuffs alone. Any facing left white was trimmed in the distinctive regimental colour and all facings in the distinctive colour were piped with white.

Throughout the spring and summer of 1806 the French magazines were the scene of frantic activity as the new uniforms were produced for the army, yet surprisingly, the uniform specifications seem to have been followed quite closely in the manufacturing process, with the exception of the addition of yellow collars to some voltigeur uniforms and some slight confusion as to whether the turnbacks should be in white or the facing colour. It is apparent from physical and documentary evidence, however, that there were some irregularities in the actual distribution of the finished product. In the end, it seems that only 12 regiments, as opposed to the 20 initially designated, were actually issued the white uniforms, and 3 of these were not even among those mentioned in the original decree. (See accompanying chart for a full listing of these regiments.) In addition, many officers of regiments retaining the blue uniform are thought to have purchased white uniforms on their own for reasons of high fashion, although in all cases officers retained their reliable blue surtouts for campaign wear.

The critical test of the white uniform came swiftly after its adoption and, unfortunately, the results were discouraging. During the course of the rugged Prussian and Polish campaigns the major drawbacks of the white uniform became, literally, all too clear. The white coats certainly made a splendid impression on parade, but in the field, as one officer put it, "they were impossible to keep clean … and in action, blood showed up vividly on them, a fact which produced an unfortunate effect on the morale of the men". Napoleon himself is said to have been appalled at the sight of the white-coated casualties and survivors of the gruesome combat at Eylau in February of 1807. 

As a result, on May 23, 1806, the Emperor ordered further distribution of the white coats halted, and on June 26 he delivered the definitive coup de grace to the new uniform: "I am very displeased with the white coats." The Ministry of War completed the necessary paperwork to carry this sentiment into action with administrative orders on September 24 and October 2 halting use of the white uniforms by all units.

The return to blue uniforms was, in practice, a sporadic operation. Many regiments simply kept the white coats until they wore out, and that seems to have been a lengthy process as certain units in Spain were still wearing white uniforms in 1809. The regiments which remained with the Grand Army were undoubtedly quicker to abandon the white coats, to the great dismay of many who had made special outlays for the new uniform. The following lamentation by an officer of the 15th regiment in 1807 reveals, among other items, how rarely French officers wore full dress uniform during a period of active campaigning: "I only regret having been obliged to buy new uniforms which resulted in a useless expenditure of 200 francs. The Emperor re-instituted the blue coat after only a short time and of the two white uniforms I purchased I wore one only a few times, and the other never." And so the grand scheme for re-uniforming the French army faded quietly away.

 It is interesting to note, however, that the Emperor and the Ministry of War never put the thought of white uniforms completely out of mind. In 1810 the two regiments of Carabiniers were given luxurious new white uniforms, and here again the choice was dictated both by preference and by economic necessity, Finally, in the twilight hours of the First Empire, it was again proposed to issue white uniforms to the French infantry, this time for the very grim reason that the losses of the army in 1813 caused there to be insufficient blue cloth to uniform the new Marie-Louises of 1814, but this ironic encore to the experiment of 1806 never reached fruition.

Regiments that received the uniform 

Regiment Lapels Collar Cuffs Pockets Buttons
3rd Dark Green Dark Green White Horizontal Yellow buttons 
13th Black Black Black Vertical White buttons 
14th Black White Black Vertical White buttons 
15th Black Black White Vertical White buttons 
16th White Black Black Vertical White buttons 
17th Scarlet Scarlet Scarlet Horizontal Yellow buttons 
18th Scarlet White Scarlet Horizontal Yellow buttons 
21st Scarlet Scarlet Scarlet Vertical White buttons 
32nd White Dark Brown Dark Brown Vertical White buttons 
33rd Violet Violet Violet Horizontal Yellow buttons 
46th Sky Blue White Sky Blue Vertical White buttons 
53rd Pink Pink Pink Vertical White buttons 

Notes:
1. Facings in the distinctive colour were piped white: those in white were piped in the distinctive colour.
2. According to regulations, the turnbacks of the coat were white, but in practice they were often of the distinctive colour.
3. Cuff flaps were the same colour as the cuffs.

The white uniform coat showing positions of the pipings and buttons; refer to chart above for individual regimental distinctions.

Sources
Materials consulted in the preparation of this article include:
Carnet de la Sabretache; La Giberne; Le Passepoil; H. Malibran,
Guide a l'Usage des Artistes et des Costumiers, Paris, 1904; Assorted manuscripts in la Musée de l’Armee

3e Chevau Leger Lancers 3rd Sqaudron

 The final Sqaudron for the 3rd Chevau Leger Lancers. Again warlord miniatures, this time armed with swords and carbines. 

Cheers

Matt

3e Chevau Leger Lancers 2nd Sqaudron

 The next Sqaudron for my Lancer Regiment, all armed with lance. Again Warlord Games miniatures

Cheers

Matt

 3e Chevau Leger Lancers 1812-15 1st Squadron 

After visiting five of the 1814 battlefields this year in spring in the champagne district. I have decided to add lancers to my French army collection, the options are wide however I elected to purchase 4 boxes the warlord figures and a few sprues at the sales last year and finally got around to assembling them all in the last 6 weeks. After purchasing more sprues in the last Black Friday sale to make up three sqaudrons in each regiment that I intend to paint. The warlord horses are a bit of a worry with puddle type feet rather than a whole base and the metal horse is particularly week at the hocks as the metal is really soft, I needed to pin the officers horse in three places on all the command horses in the four boxes, another gripe is the lances I would of preferred no pennant on them and not enough vertical lances in the boxes and soft sculpting on the turnbacks flaps and portmanteau. For the elite company I added plumes from the plastic Victrix Bavarian infantry set, as a simple solution. 

With the units organisation  I commenced with the thought of the 1814 battles predominantly. The 3rd regiment of Chevau Leger Lancers served in a number of battles from 1812-15. An added bonus was pink facings that always look great contrasted against the green of the uniform. I am undecided upon the next regiment I am thinking either 5th with light blue or the 6th with its buff belts red combs and red facings. 

I am very happy though with the result and they paint up quickly. As always I commence with the horses, I have elected to have the dark bay, light bay and chesnut sqaudrons, in reality in 1814 I doubt much uniformity of horseflesh existed. The horses for the first regiment were completed by the end of November, the riders however sat to one side of my painting desk as I was renovating the house completing another bathroom on the third floor. With the commencement of the XV Analogue Painting Challenge I picked them up with intention of completing them as the first entry. 

Regiment history 

Created in 1811 from the 8th dragoons. The regiment retained one of the 1804 model eagles of the 8th dragoons and the standard, until 1812 they had a standard with the battle honours of  Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena and Eylau, the standard and Eagle were lost at Beresina (although conjecture surrounds some eagles being thrown into the river). A new 1812 model eagle and standard were issued for the 1813 campaign, using the 1812 pattern flag and served until surrender in 1814. The regiment was renamed with the restoration the Dauphin regiment, then with napoleons return in 1815 the regiment returned to regiment 3, receiving the 1815 model standard and its old 1812 eagle. After 1812 they did not carry the eagle into the field.

Colonels

1811: Baron Lebrun (Alexandre-Louis-Jules) (died of wounds 26th October 1812)
1813: Hatry (Charles-Joseph)(killed 14th October 1813 at Liebertwolkwitz)
1814: d'Hautefeuille (Eugene-Gabriel-Louis-Texier)
1815: Martique (Charles-Francois)

Battles 

1812: Polotsk and La Beresina 
1813: Bautzen, Reichenbach, Dresden, Leipzig, and Hanau 
1814: Champaubert, Vauchamps, and Troyes 
1815: Ligny and Waterloo

Battle Honours Polotsk 1812, Bautzen 1813, Dresden 1813 and Champaubert 1814

Cheers

Matt

Cuirassiers Waterloo Part 2

 Another batch completed this week, onto the next lot 100 to go to complete the commission

Cheers

Matt

WIP Cuirassiers 1/72

 More progress on the 1/72 project, another 9 almost completed. 

Cheers

Matt

French Cuirassiers 1/72 Waterloo build part 1

 I volunteered to paint 402 1/72 Cuirassiers for the new Waterloo build in England, so this month I thought I had better complete some more for the build. I am pleasantly surprised at the detail on the Zvezda Cuirassiers, they are excellent to paint too. First 60 completed, clear coat of varnish as soon as it gets warm again. 

Cheers

Matt

Birthday Haul

 Last week was my 55th birthday, as a treat we visited the champagne district of France, we stayed in Épernay then visited a number of champagne house (17), Reims cathedral and Museum and managed three 1814 Napoleonic battle locations. When I returned home I had a number of packages awaiting pick up.

The most exciting was the Old Guard band by Warlord Games, some books on Stalingrad, French Indian war bits, French Waterloo uniforms, American airborne medics in Normandy, six T54 for my ongoing Egyptian project for Yom Kippur war, a new gardening trowel and sone zinnias for my garden. 

Very blessed with great gifts from Vanessa, Allison, Mum, and my mates. 

Cheers

Matt

Napoleonic French casualties

  I have been busy this last week since returning and have managed a number of hours at the desk. First up some 28mm Napoleonic French casualties from old glory and out of ammunition markers. A simple afternoons painting, then basing on warbases dials, ready for General de Brigade or Grand Armee games. 

Cheers

Matt 

VICTOIRES et CONQUÊTES des ARMÈES FRANCAISES 1792 - 1801 book review

A fabulous pick up at a second hand book shop yesterday VICTOIRES et CONQUÊTES des ARMÈES FRANCAISES 1792 - 1801.


96 fabulous Revolutionary French army plates from various artists, some I have never seen before. Particularly some of the Ardennes and Italian campaign. Published in 1898 I think my copy is 1901. 

Cheers

Matt

Napoleonic French Mamelukes of the guard wip 2

 Underway with the painting of my band, a lot more to go on the 12 figures. The miniatures are from Gringo 40s, Another week at least before they get to wash stage. 

Cheers

Matt

Napoleonic French Mamelukes of the Guard WIP 1

 Settling back into the painting desk this week before I need to move it to a new location on the weekend completing lots of WIP and preparing projects for the Summer push. 

First up, I promised Ged at Gringo 40s I would paint his French Guard Mameluke band for display in the next few months, so I thought I had best get cracking. 

First up some research pics to help with motivation, for tunics, kettle drum, drummers, jingling jonnies and trumpets etc, really for my quick reference! Wip progress photos tomorrow as I started last night! 

Cheers

Matt