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RONALD PAWLY Is a respected member 01 several societies lor Napoleonic studies, and an expert on 19th century military portraiture. He Is the author 01 the monumental the Red Lancers: Anatomy of 8 Napoleonic Regiment. UNIFORMS and EQUIPMENT 39 th pr -l 10 unifOt111: ap - coats - mall I th. - rank di,tineti nridjng manu
RONALD PAWLY Is a respected member 01 several societies lor Napoleonic studies, and an expert on 19th century military portraiture. He Is the author 01 the monumental the Red Lancers: Anatomy of 8 Napoleonic Regiment. UNIFORMS and EQUIPMENT 39 th pr -l 10 unifOt111: ap - coats - mall I th. - rank di,tineti nridjng manu
RONALD PAWLY Is a respected member 01 several societies lor Napoleonic studies, and an expert on 19th century military portraiture. He Is the author 01 the monumental the Red Lancers: Anatomy of 8 Napoleonic Regiment. UNIFORMS and EQUIPMENT 39 th pr -l 10 unifOt111: ap - coats - mall I th. - rank di,tineti nridjng manu
3 15 35 23 R'gim nt Piqu t rman s arabinj r regimenLS n 'ulal' and Empir 1813: GERMANY 1812: RUSSIA 1814-15 INTRODUCTION Tb advan e - m lensk Bororuno - Mo'cO\ - inkovo Th rcrreat- th d quadran - th The Leipzig campaign 1 13-1 : arri n ervic in CONTE The 1805 ampaign - usterlilZ Th 1 06-07 campaigr - F.-icdland h 1809 campai n I 10: Arm llr and n w uniJOl111 Th campaign of France Th Fir t R storauon Th Hundr d Da Table af regim mal aloneL RONALD PAWLY, born In Antwerp, Belgium, In 1956 and stili living and working In that city, Is a respected member 01 several Intemational societies lor Napoleonic studies, and an expert on 19th century military portraiture. He Is the author 01 the monumental The Red Lancers: Anatomy of 8 Napoleonic Regiment (Crowood Press, 19981, and of a study 01 Napoleonic veterans' tombs in Belgium. He has previously written several books In the Men-at- Arms series including MAA 355: Wellington's Be/glan Allies 1815; MAA 371: Wellington'S Du1ch Allies 1815; MAA 378: Napoleon's Guards of Honour, MAA 389: Napo/eon's Red Lancers. UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT 39 Th pr -l 10 unifOt111: ap - coats - mall I th . - rank di,tineti n- - b Its 'wap os - table dre - ridjng manu hal'. furnitur - ffie r . uniform h 110unifoI111:helmt- uira -jakt-malllth rank di tin lions - weapon - riding manti - hor e urniture- offic r . uniform The 1812Bardin 111 difi alion SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 44 PATRICE COURCELLE was bom In northem France In 1950 and has been a professional illustrator for some 20 years. Entirely self- taught, he has Illustrated many books and magazine articles for Continental publishers, and his work hangs In a number of public and private collections. THE PLATES INDEX 45 48 Men-at-Arms 405 OSPREY PUBLISHING Napoleon's Carabiniers Ronald Pawly . Illustrated by Patrice Courcelle Sertes editor Martin Windrow Fnl ""'*'*' 21m Dy Osprwy PubIiII'*>ll Mickld _, w.t Odard OX2 OPH. lJI( .u3 P.... Awo'w SoulII. _ -. II(V 10018, USA .-- ,. --.""-" .., ,.. dooo*"l! OIl p+.-. -..dr. -.cra-nG _ _ Act. Its&. no P-'l <A". po-.IN\I be in _ .,...,.. G ItInSmIlled in .., Iorm G fir 8IIJ --. ... ---. .. pnor_ be lID" f'lltIIiIhars. ISBN 1 "178 7t 3 EdI!OO': "'-'In WincIrOw
lndBby Glyn SUto;lih Or1ginatld by The EIee1ttri: Page Company, Cwmbr.... UK Prlnt..:lln C!l1na \I'IrCoJlt> WorI<l PrInt It<l. 0508D708l1i1 1099765.321 FOR A CATAlOGUE OF AlL BOOKS PU8USHEO 8Y OSPREY MIUtAR'YANO AVlATlON PlEASE CCWlACl
_..... :M27 80ncI SlrMC, Pn. l. eo-es. USA em.t ......."'",---.com "'-oegoanI: Ospey DWec:t UK PO eo.. WtAo oougI\, --.u. NH8 2F... UK EmIl. lnIo.a"'l' ., __a.; etr 'f I. ,com Artist'. Note Readers may eate to IlOl8 !hat the origlnaI paintIngS fI'om wtodl the coIcu plates WI this book were preparBd ant availabllt lor private sale. AI copynght whatsoever is by the PubIish8rs. AI etllJM'\eS shouki be aoctessed to; Patric:e ClutleIIe. 33 __des YaIons, 1410 W3IMoo. 8eIgIu'n The Publishers tegret that !hey can .-.tel into no c:onespondenc:e upon !his martel. NAPOLEON'S CARA INTRODUCTION IERS The cuirass worn by Carabinier Fauveau at Waterloo on 18 June 1815, and now displayed In Les Invalldes - a vivid reminder of the limitations of body annour. and of the realities of Napoleonic warfare. (Photo: author's collection) HE VISITOR TO TI-lE Arm Museum at Le' Invaljd PaIis, who walks int the r m d v t d w th 1 1 ampajgn and th R toration I confront d b a dramatic reli taken from the battl fi Id of Wat rI . In a ill pIa cabinet tands a hands m p Ij h d ui fb pi ted te I 'Pre ing th martial glarnour of ap Ie n' arm I - ex pt that a huge hole i' punch d thr ugh b th bre t and back plat ,wher a &-pound cannonball 'mashed its wa through the trooper right he t and houlder. The ight f this ruined armour, nO' engraved with t.he date '18juin lSr: i 'traordimuil m ving, and th . itor ann t help but imagine t.h fat fthe 23-y ar-old rabini I' Ant ine Fran oi Fauv au \ bo w r it on that fatal unda. H r d Witll th 2nd mpany 4th quadr n f th 2nd R gim nt f Carabini rs - n f nl l:W r gin1 nts to w ar th learning b -fa d ui '. Brigad d t g t h e l ~ th lit units of the French h a caval of th Line wok part in the last de p rat harg ent in vain b Marshal again t the tubborn Btiti h infanu quare. auveau' cuh rna tand as all loqu t1l ymbol of Ie pailing urag and lili e, and f th final downfall of ap I on' mpir. Wh n un nt in Fauveau was t rn [i"om hi 'addl at Wat rloo, I p 1 arabini I had air ad b en fighting n Europ 's batt! field f, r 20 ar; but their histo goe back much furth r. The origins of the Carabinier regiments In the middle f th 16th eOlllry, the French c mmander ] an d'Albret ad pled th panish f 'hion farming m tight mount d troops with a h ner v i n f th infantry' arqucbu firearm. he use of this till rath r novel weapon (in Fr nch, ca.rabine) alo gave thes hor men a new title: initiall carabim, and later carabinier.. Th pI' d d dra oon in the rul of olcli I wh 0 v II d n h r ba k but ollid fight eith r mount d or di mount d. Re ogniuon f th potential f m unted troop armed in thi \'13. was follow d b a p liod xp rimCllts that howcd a certail' c nfusi n \I 1- til b t wa l rganiz them for UI tical effi t. t fi t they were fonned in regimen but t11 uni).'; wer di band db Loui IV in 1679; 3 Trumpeter In full dress, 1791; two years after the outbreak oJ the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was still on the throne, and this unltonn is still trimmed with redon-white 'royal livery' braid (see Plate A), although the white-fed-blue cockade has replaced the white royal cockade. TNmpeters were otten very young; most came Jrom the regimental enfanl$ de troupe - the sons oJ servIng soldiers. (Illustration by Pierre Benlgnl, Le Bivouac) two carabinier w re lh val ni r 4 Empir I I1l II h apol on r inrroduced Lh I nits r mal hal A contemporary drawing from the Weiland Manuscript, showing a carabinier In full dress. He retains the white tasselled cords and flounder on his bearskin, rather than the red speclfled In the regulations. The waistcoat and breeches are shown as white; although they resemble gaiters here, he In fact wears the high boots or the heavy cavalry. The firearm 15 unidentifiable. (Author's collection) 5 6 Carabiniers charging Austrian cavalry at the battle of Hochstaedt, 19 June 1800, where th y served In Gen Moreau's Army of the Rhine. Their bearskin caps and red epaulettes Indicated the CarabIniers' sta1us as the 'Grenadiers' of the Line cavalry. (Author's collection) and lonel-general. n mer with I.he lalter titJ was appointed to pra tieall ve ann in I.h Line cavalry: the Bus ar ( enJunot), Uil (Gen U i n ailll- r), Drag on n Baragua' d'Hilii r) and Mounted h' (Cen /farm nt), and apoleon' oung r brOLher Loui the nJlure King of Holland, recei ed the honorary rank of 01 n I-Cen raj to th orps f aTa ini r, DUling the rem nie marking ap lon' e ronati n Lh arm was repr nt d b r mall d I gati n. fr 111 a h regiment. hil the , I'm I' Con uJar uard, now le\ t d to Imp rial tatus, a led as e c rt l the newt' rown d mp ror: the arabiniers, quanered al un 'ville, were ordered b a pecial envoy to march towards Pari and t assi1. in tJle eel' monia!. On 2 D ember 1 04 eight arabinier squadron, led b Ma hal Murat, op ned tJl parad from the Tuilelie t otr Dame al.hedral and bac . Thre da lat I' lh Y werre m at lhe disnibuti n of the r styl d imp rial r gimentaJ bann rs r 'eagl '- a magnifi ent er m n that would b pre rved for po terit b the painter David, h wing a dazzling apoleonic ril.ual lUJder a radiant sun (lhe reality was rather different, ince it p ur d with rain n 5 0 ember). 1'h ceremonial duLies arri d OUl in 10'e llaborati n with Lhe Imperial uard, made the arabini r dreanl of be oming pan f that m t privil ged rp . This wa imp s ibl . how vel', lh Cuard all' ad had th M um d I' nadi r" a' its hea cavalry camp n nl. 1805-09: THE YEARS OF GLORY The 1805 campaign F II wing Lh rupture of lh Peac [Ami n on 16 1 03, ap leon - then Lill Fir l on ul- had gath I' d his arm near ili En lish bal1llel and N rth ea. pr ad all along tJ1 c t fr m Br t to Han v 1', it on i ted of hard-bitt n vet ran of th wars in hal th Rhin land and Egypt hi 'Aml f th oa ts of tJ1 can' ~ intended to mount an invasion of England when th I val situ rion permitted, and l11eanwhil had all the tim it n eded l train and I' quip, Th Carabinier, m unted on uperb bla k ho ,w re pan of this arm wb n th vents of autumn 1 0- em Lh m ra in a twar , pan ored and fund d I Britain, ilie Third alition again'l Fran e w form d in pril I 5 b u'tri, R; ia. w d n and me minor rman tal . B for it auld mount a tiv operation, how vel' apoleon fore !.alled it He be an marching his U'O OUl of th camps n th hannel coa l on 31 ugu t (and had thus abandon d the hope r invading Britain w II I for it w' finall d era d b on' naval vi t rya rafalgar on 21 tab r).lgn rant f ap leon' rna m nts, an u trian am1 und r G n Ma k invad d Bavaria n 2 pt mb r whil another und I' Ar hduk CharI pr par d t advanc into Ital, and ap I n the Rbil e part f a alry divijon Ii ught in lh Fr n h 'nu' left, b tw n arabini r bdgade harg d w r thr wn ba k t ward th vilriu Stable dress Is, unsurprlslngly, the order 0' dress least represented by artists. GenC8ult drew this trooper - who is not a carabinier, but gives us a good view 0' their typIcal appearance when wearing the fatigue cap and, In this case, campaign overalls. (Author's collection) 7
The 1806-07 campaigns
Uefore lhe rcgimenLS were able to rctum to Fr.mce to lhe heroes' welcome which was being planl1ed for lhe \iCIOli01l5 Grande Annce, the Cambinicno bcbrall to notice nc,,' llniLS and reinforcements arriving in GenmHl)'_ Outing the St."Cond half of 1806 lhe)' became aware thai a new c:nnpaign "'as inllninCIlI. That 5umlllcr lhe Emperor rcorg-dnil.ed his Cd\WI1'. 011 31 Augtl5l he d&reed thai henceforth the Cuirassier and Carabinier regiments would consist of:t staff and four squadrons of IWO companies each. lOulling 820 :.oldie!') dud 830 hurse. DUling warume a firLh squadron. fonned m' laking men from Lhc fouf squadrons, would setTe as depot squadron. NOI even a )car I:uer. howe"cr. on 10 1807. lhe depot squadron was created on a pennanelll basis. A regiment would now consist of a 51.1fT. and fi,'c squadrons of 1\\'0 compani<."S edeh, tot,J.lling 1.040 all ranks - 41 officers with 59 horses. and 999 men \\;Ih 994 horses. The new call 10 anns c.lIne ;It the beginning of October 1806. Prussia and s.uoll)no\\'joined Britain and Russia in:a Founh Coalition, aiming (0 drive the French :mnics out ofCcnn:any. On 2 October Ihe brigade .)Ianed marching towards Ihe Pmssiall ann\. Three da\"S laler Prince Borghese rejoined his r<'"gimem at Bamberg: the next d:w he was prcscnled to the 1st Carabiniers as their commander. and officiall\' recognized as colonel br Ihe ofticers and Iroopers. Gener.!l Nansolll"'S di\'ision 1\"aS now in Marshal Soult's Cavah) Corps. and the brig-.!de \\'as commanded b\ Cen Defrance, The Cambiniers did nOl pia\' an imponam pan in the baltJe of.Jena on 14 October. nor in the laler engagemcIHs of the campaign, Pursuing the be:uen Prussians. Ih<'1' entered Berlin where. on 29 OCtober. the\' I:t:lradcd logether "';th the Impcri:ll Guard in front of Ihe Emperor and his splendid" tunloo-out stafT, After Ihis finn stage of the c:nnpaign the Carabiniel"S found \\;nler qllarlCI'S on the righl bank of Ihe River OrL)'c: but inJamlary' ISO; they \I'CI'C scm to Warsaw, where Ihey arrived on Ihe 31st of thai 01011lh, On Ihe saIne da) Col fllorin oflhe 2nd Regl "'''IS promoted gflliml d,lmgtul, and replaced at Ihe head of his regiment b)' Col BlancaI'd. a former s<1l1adron leader of the Mounted Grenadiers of Lhe Imperial Guard, At \'\':u'S<lW Lhe)' learned b)' means of an imperial pl'odamatioll that a new campaign against the Russians had sianed; a Russian anllr under Gell Bennigsell had raided illiO Poland, and Napoleon was purslling il. Cr'oss;ng Ibe River Ilug. the followed all lhe trail of lhe alread), advancing French ann)'. After Ihree days of almOSI cOlllintious marching they were on the verge of rejoining tJle resl of the French arm)' when Gen NansOlll)"s division I'''.IS ordered LO hah and 10 take qllanel"S. WitJlOtlt knowing wh),thc)' had been ordered lO halt, the)' were nOI presenl at lhe bUlcher), of E)'I:llI on 8 February - an indecisive action which "'''as foughl in a snm\' blinard and allo\\'cd Benniw;en 10 withdraw despile heal')' losses on both sides, New marching orders set tJ1C brigade on the road once again. crossing the hideous battlefield of E)'lall on 10 February', Some minor engagements took place: on 16 February' at Ostrolenka they charged tJle RlL'i.sians wilh their usual elan, before the continuing appalling weather forct.-o the French La bring the action 10 a dose short of\;ctory, Snow and cold forced both anllies b.'l.ck into their "';nter quaners unlil OPPOSITE C.r.blnl.r In lull d,...., e180', br lhll.t.r 19th e.nlu.... 'ril,t 06t,III., Th. red wool urvle. eh ron on hi. upper left .1_ Indle.te- th" h. I. ,I....ctr , \I.t.ran, It Is Interesting thet D6lellle shows the' fur of the' beerNln d....Qd to upwe",s, end , cemlnl dIp on tt.e shouldtil' belt. tIM Clrabffl,lera' meln n,..,rm .. tIM ....bjKt of unc:ertalnty, -... early Illuetraotloml - .g, e wetercolour b7' Zb. - do show thl' erTangemetlt -... wlttI the' IH9' 181 0 unlfof'm. jAuthor'I; eollec:tion) Lh prin; bUl numb r m n. h I Lh fi Id in. n nditi n 11 wed th mO" m III Jar I' wa n: and un, Lh two annie w uJd Lak how d no consid ration Ii r tti lr p, 9 10 Trumpeter of the 2nd Carabiniers In campaign dress, 1806-08. In the earty days of the Empire the favoured campaign uniform was this rather plain single-breasted surlouf. Trumpeters wore reversed colours - a red coat with blue piping and tumbacks: white epaulettes and silver braid collar edging are the only 'fantasies' displayed here, and even the cords and tauels are removed from his bearskin. Trumpeters rode 'whlte' horses (greys) whenever available; like their special uniform distinctions. this was In order to make them Instantly recognizable In battle, when their officers relied upon them to sound the calls that controlled the troopers. (illustration by Pierre Benign! Le Bivouac) * * '" The binie wer Pregel; [r m th r lh Han v , wh r the ree v r r pia men' and r m un . now ,:io ed a period B 15 0 1 t gt, 16 enJant regimen rebuilding. number d: into a qui- II Junol' r t invade and arshal ural I d 11 Regimental Colonels of the Carabiniers 1st Regiment 18.,Uy1189-25.,Uy1791. VI9CCUll et..l5a/llw'T1, MartrA de 00i. i ..... of the CwabriiIn de MonsIeu" 25 .,Uy 1791- 5 Feb'l8y 119:2: Jeen.ElaptastI eyn.. MiIriI AdlllBidI ThTbn..nI, _..-.. 5 F8brulwy-16M1y l1al: J8In FrlWIOOls dB 8Irr\I)9 16 MlIy- 30 SIplIlfrillr 1192; LaJo_...... 30 119:2-30..u.1193 ..... - 10 ..u. 17'93 - 23 SIplerroer 1195: dB..-.ocut dB. lou" Z3 SIple,.. 1795 - A SIplermer 1199: ..... _"""' " S8plentIIr 17'9'i1- 2" oec.m.l805: ...... a.-.""""* 2A 18015-1<1 May 1807- c.. Prnce de GI..esC* lA .... 1801- 285ePten'1t* 1813; _........ 28 1813 - 19 May 1815: FrinXlIs a.1I&. ctlfMIiIef dI BaIIrau1 Fto'n 19 May 1815' """"- ...- 18 r 17 GabrilII Herri. 0:wm8 de B8mII d'Clr'JII8f. (XlIl.' ...... 1Eld 00'. i.idIi 01 2nd Aegimrd: oIlhI Clnbiniln de I.J:UI, Comte ell RlucaAL dB Besse. lid lhI regrnenr lRi
A Apt _ Alq..I8l 11'92.: CtaielIrploI. 0llMI'er tel. dB R8n:xllr1 August - 30 1192: LouIs Ch8tIIS ArlU*TI Be8utfanchlIl d'Ayat XI SeplllII'lbW 1192 - 29 My 1199: JeEr'l de Bas!lio'*, Comte d'AngIEn 29.,Uy 1199-31 Auglst 1803: L.ouIs ArmIn:l Augusll. de CaADinoclln, ""' .."""'" 31 At.9JsI 1803 - 15 JaruirY 1801: --- 23 J<n..lafY 1807 - 28 5ep!emt>er 1813: -""' ........ 28 Seplember 1813 - 19 AprI!18Hi: MIIrIIlJ:llMI Jo&8ph Desilw 19 AprI- 29 Ncwember 18\.5: FfiIl'lOOls 8Iugoe1 a much larger French ;:mny into Spain: the family were taken into exiled and Napoleon placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne, prO\'oking the first of what became almost nationwide insulTections all10ng the population. July 1808 brought the French their first setback in Spain - and almost tile only major victory b)' Spanish regular trOOpS during tllC Peninsular War - when Cen Dupont was obliged to surrender his anny at Ba),len. TIle Emperor decided to take charge of the campa.i!,'ll in person; however. before leaving for the Iberian Peninsula Napoleon decided to safeguard his eastem frontiers by meeting Tsar AJexander I at Erfurt, The Car.tbiniers ,\'ere called in La escOrt !.he Tsar and the Grand Duke Constantine during their joumey LO and from Erfurt. The Carabiniers' bearing, uniforms and mounts camed the admiration of both the roral brotllers. who more than once imited Lhe two colonels to their table. After tllis escort duty the brigade retunll.'CI. to the Elbe, marching !.hrough Berlin on I NO\"embcr 1808 to stay the next day at I'otsdam. With increasing numbers of troops marching ofT towards Spain, Marshal Oa\,olll. commanding the French trOOps in Gemmll)'. dc.:creed thai from 15 October onwards the Grande Annee would be renamed the Armce du Rhin, and as commander- in-ehief he ordered a personal escort of half a squadl'On of c:."\rabiniers. to be selected from among the squadrons of the brigade: the escorts would be rotated, cach in immediate attendancc 011 tile marshal for 24 hours. The bribtade lell Berlin on 3 December, rctllming to Hanover to lind ncw winter quarters. The 1809 campaign The Peace of Tilsit would prove as fragile as earlier u'c,ilics; hungry for rc\'enge. the Allstrians under Archduke Charles took. advalllage of Napoleon's absence with the majority of his army in Spain to cross the Ibv:uian border in early April 1809. The c:.'trabinie1"S wcre still the weak French forces in centntl and southern Cenllany; still led by Cen Defrance as the 1st Brig3de of Cen Nansollt)"s hea\)' cavalry di\;sion, !.hC)' fonned pim of Marshal Bessieres Reserve Cavalry, CoullI.ing seven squadrons in the 1st Regl and six in Ihe 2nd, Ihe brigade mustered with other forces around R.."\tisbonIlC, Ingolnadt and Augsburg. 'apolean returned from Spain to take charge of a threatening silu;ujon and. crossing the Danube. he di\;ded the Allsui:m fOI'ces at the battle of Abensberg on 19-20 April. 12 Portraits of two officers of the 2nd Regt 0' Carabiniers, both showing the cap lines looped down and attached to the unlfonn. Sqn ldr Hardouln Tarbe weaMi his sword belt over the right shoulder, a common custom before the new dress regulations of 1810. It Basslgny. depleted at the battle of Wagram In 1809, displays the newly acquIred chin scales on his bearskln cap. (Author's collec:t1on) enain lind d f n \ i nna n Lh no lh bank r lh . till mar hjng Emp r r. H .oon thi rare defeal al lhe ar fully whil n. r lh apolioll' - r in front f \ hi h lb had laid a igll with Lb i ha ". , it burni h d oal wilh CarabInier of the 1st R e ~ 1810-12, on guard In dismounted full dress with drawn sabre. Without his cuirass, this trooper shows the full dress White Jacket with sky- blue facings piped white, and sky-blue piping and tumbacks; his cream-coloured sheep's leather breeches are confined by black Infantry-style gaiters for dismounted duty. His white- edged ochre sabre belt is worn over the right shoulder. (Illustration by Pierre Benlgnl, La Bivouac) 13 14 A farrier of the 1st Regt, 1811, In full dress Jacket and grey campaign overalls, without cuirass; he rides at ease, with his chin scales tied above the peak of his helmet. His trade Is indicated by the red horseshoe below the red length-otservlce chevron on his sleeve; note also the thick leather tool bolt attached below his portmanteau. His sabre has a plain three-bar guard, curved blade and steel scabbard, but he retains the old blackandred Carabinier sword knot. (illustration by Plene Benlgnl, Le Bivouac) t tailing In J0000 m n, ill Emp ror had b n b k d b ill enormou Ie. WaHon ver lh I aulefi Id n tJl da after tl1 action, and dng th no\ lain d r d with bl ad, he \ hard s yill 'What a ma a ret' ... He de id d that 11 hi n'ral and 'lafI' fEc rs weI' in utur to have the protection of a cuiras'; h would et the xample himsel . and bad fine qualit heLmets and cuirasses mad Dr him and lar hal B rt.hier. apoleon' arm ur was deli,,' r d al Til it in Jun 1 07; when h tried it on in fr nt of hi' taff th I tt T nearl bur l 11l laughing at t.h ight - ap I on did n t have th build for b dy armour. Th id a was oon forgotten and tIl cuira tor d awa ; th rd r t introdu uira se becam applicable nl t g n I I in comn ar of h a I cavalry units. B the d r f hri una Eve 1809 the Carabini r undenv nt a lran formation of unifOll1l mor c mpJ t than is often seen in miJitaJ hi. tOJ . The Emper r knew thal b th r gimen adored their traditi nal, auster dark blu and red uniform and the b ar kin which how d their eli e 'gr nadier status. H kn w that fitLing th maul with ui would n t b popular. h thought it wi to chang tl1 ir wb Je ppearan draslicall aU at once - thi might help th m acc pt th e hanges more willingl than mer 1 i' 'wn armour, whi h would ha 1 ft them I' s mbling th uiras i rs even marc cia I. apo]eon bjm elf cho e an 'Ancient reek' tyl of bras heun t, with the routa! plat chjn cale and unbur t r etle in white m tal. Th narrow c mb rai ed and plac dwell ba k on tll kull for a la ical app aranc ,wa urm unLed b a ad l wo I chenille or . alerpillar' luffed WitJl h r ellair. Th cuiras was mad from tel, but ov r d almost entirel with bras pi l ex pt for a border. whi h was I ft bare but cmb Hi'h d with bra studs. Th brass-plated cuirass wa much heavi r han thal of th uiras iers, and co talmo t double th price (62.2 franc. against 4.01 fran r the uiras i r ). To find a uitable unit rm to wear und I' Lh b d armour ral trial pie e were pr . ent d for th mperor' in 'pe lioll' r d, white, black, and en pik -blu uniform w ron. ider d. Bla k wa ut of the que tion for the Mini t l' of War; and both l' gimental colonel were against the idea of adopting pik -blue, whi h r embl d Ih col ur \' am b the lowl troops of the rtiHery Train. Thi I ft twO P ibiliti - I' d or white; and th Mini. t l' or War dmini trali n, Oml La I ~ d e ac. mad tl1 final ch ic. h r d was to expen iv prod e, and for I' n of e on m h ho e tlle white, even tJlOugh a project to uniform the infanu in white had I een abandon d a ~ wears earlj r. he n w unifoll11 for the rabini I' would on i t f a white ja k LWitJl ky-blu a ing - tb Ian r olour 'upp edl h en b th 'mpre" t the am tim a th ad po n of h n w armour and unifonn Ih Carabini r w I' to hand in th ir mu k . bUl th e would lat r b replaced b avalry mu ket on . Th Emp ror. deere al 0 di minu d the regim ntal fifth dep l 'quadron, di 'persin i men ber. en the four 'ervi 'gu dron . ach r giment would now on. ito four quadron of 2 men and 200 h r e , t tailing oall rank. e pit th glamour f the n \ uniIi ml, the proudl liUst arabini r' wer initiall' unbapp al th id a fling their traditi nal blue and red, 1 tal n qui ring [he troubl and burden of a ui . Th annour \\ thought to b a ign thal tb wer to ha e tb am talUS as the ui i rs, whi h was anath rna to them; bUl nothing uJd alter ap I on" d ci j nand, giv n lim ,til be r n iI d to the chan . Impatient to r c iv the n w unifi rm , Lt d'Alga wrote to hi par n n 2 ar h I II thal h uira and helm had graduall tart d to an'ive. 'Il will mak a fin 0 tum " wrOle on' Mon i tlr Ian ou , our gen ral- or ralb r the falh r of our divi ion - ha pI' mi d u w halJ b Lit uiras ier .' ith th exc ption of th ruel war n the fb rian Penin ula 1 J0-11 \ a p ri d of r lati epa in Etlr p ; but th r lalion hjp b tw en ran e and R ia was alwa un h park lhal w uld ignil a ren \ cI \ r b tw n t11 m \ s Ru ia' trad with Britain. Th island nao n' vital weapon, whi hall \ d h r lO inrerC r with apol n ambiti n d pit th la k r a larK arm on th onlin nl, wer lh r at w allh r at d b h r illl mati nal maritime trade, and th oa ' thal protect d it. With the aim r rippling lh Briti'h nom, \ hi h funded rhe coalitions form d again l Franc, in 1 06 the Emperor ign'd his fam us Berwl d cr e Ii rbidding all uClde contacts \ ith Britaln and th 'Iu i n f all Brio h goods from EltrOp - [h o-caJlecl' ontinental t m'. lap I on I arl re gniz d Britain' implacable h tilit t ward his r lm, and the fa l that h r riv I' r g ld could au e aim t Jimitl mi chi f through ul hi aI 'late ; h therefore ~ ok thi polk of embarg very eriousl . [n 1 06 h in tailed hi broth r L ui on th thl' n of Holland' oj four years later h w '0 incen ed b Loui' lurning f a blind e lO u'ade with Britaio - impOrtanl to DUlch in[ r - that he anne 'ed Holland and drove hi broth I' int exil. (trangel nougb th Emper r himself 001 used imported Engli h ap, and th mpr J phine omel.im had xouc plan S I1l L h r b' mans ofBriti h hip.) In 1 1 11 ar xand r l k th same Ial1ce the r rmer Kin oui.. , and allowed impo of Briti h c nd Briti h-carried go d via lh Baltic. tal . Hi final renun iation f the ontinental ,t m enraged apoleon who i. tled rdel thr II h Ul Europe LO m biliz th 15 1812: RUSSIA An officer In the full dress order of the 1810 uniform watches his passing Carabiniers; this gives an Idea of the Imposing presence of the newly helmeted and armoured heavy cavalry. The officer's sky-blue shabraque has broad figured sliver braid edgIng - see Plate F - and bearskIn covers to the holsters. (Author's collection) mounts m unts th n cover d Lh RJ-tine \ r mbled. wLing in Janu r n h and allied troop from v m r on erge n lh r ad that 1 d Lhrough Lh R French heavy cavalry In Russia, 1812 - a drawing by the eye- witness Faber du Filur. The enormous losses of horses during the march into Russia 'orced the troopers to remount themselves as best they could from local breeds like the kon/as - small horses with long tails and manes, that lived In herds In the Russian forests. The Carabiniers and Cuirassiers looked ridiculous, with their feet and sabres almost scraping the ground. This Carabinier's shabraque Is shown as distinctly non-regulation. (Author's collection) 16 at lIch a rat ~ b i n i e r [ ining th e f battle and on tant evasive r tr ats left f their m em nts and disp iti n ; aJ battl t inflict am r al damag armi a hiev a tion' Borodlno/Moskowa n 7 pt mb r J 12 l.h first major baltl b [w n l.h r n band Ru ian armi [0 k pia nth plain fB r din ( in id ntall ,part th tate th Ru sian g n ral Pnn Bagration); the Fr nch w uld nam thi action 'th Mo k wa'. afl r a lillJ riv r Lbal cr d th banJ Ii ld. Her, m 60 mil we of 0 ow, th n wi app illt d R ian veraJl mmand r n Mikhail Kutuz \' alt mpl d [ d fi nd Gros's romantic painting of Lt de Larlbolslere taking leave of hIs father before riding In the charge on the Grand Redoubt at Borodlno which cost him his life. Ferdinand de Larlbolslere wears full dress uniform with cuirass; among the non-regulation details are the red horsehair mane failing behind his helmet crest, and the absence of the officers' sunburst badge from his breastplate - the latter seems to have been removed, as the cuirass shows a hole or rivet where the 'star' was normally "Ked. On the left an orderly stands waiting with his officer's horse; In the right background Carabinier trumpeters (who are shewn In the uncropped picture to be wearing cuirasses, Incidentally) sound the calls for the advance. (Author's collection) 17 18 A detailed drawing showing Lt Ferdinand de Larlbolslel'6 of the 1st Carabiniers. This clearly shows the absence of the breastplate badge; the mane at the rear of the helmet crest; the cross of the Legion of Honour attached to the cuirass left shoulder strap; and the darit blue cuirass lining, edged with double silver lace. It seems to have been a rule that regimental officers had two sliver stripes and general officers a line of embroidered leaves. (Author's collection) th apital, and ach 'id w uld commit am 120 00 m n. he Ru ian arm wa drawn up in a defen i e front about 3 mile wid b tw n tw road from molen k t 0 CO" masked t am extent b wood and tr ams and an hor d on everaJ field r d UbLS. Th large t, on th Ru ian entr -right, was known as the rand R doubt, and was heavil fortified and armed - an wi 0"1 called i a' 01 an f fir pow r'. It \ pposile thi ector that G n Mombrun' 2nd avalr orp was depl d. Drawn up on th battl field awaitin ord I , th cam lmd rhea Russian artiU ry fir and m v teran b cam angry at having to uB:i r th e asualti s without a hance t strik back. rgeam-Maj r Ravat of tll arabini rs shout d OUL, ' ith r we harge, r w 1 a th fi Id.', t whi h hi apt du BaraiJ r pli d,' ne more word and I'll br ak ow' g bumi rabl jean-Foutre! [ 0 d-for-noming]' h N h Id hi P a ,and a few minutes lar r th order to charg arrived. After everal vain aU mpts LO take th Grand R d ubI: the Fr n h now launched a rene\ ed infan alta k support d b m' es of cavalry to sweep away the Ru ian infanll drawn up in tr ngth around tlle fi Id works. 0 over th advance towards tlle trongpoint 'ome 200 French gun b mbaI'd d it, reducing the redoubt i elf LO an unr ognizable wt' k. h as ault was laun h d at ar und noon to Ipm und r tll ommand of n UgusL de auJain ourt, and drawing in tIle 2nd 3rd and 4th rp f th Re rv vaLry. Tb harer was mad in O'3.diti nal frontal attack in traight and compact , d Li ring ho k after hock to the defender. r walkin forward half..wa to the targ t, th , would hall and check fonnation . the order to advan e th y would tart at walking pa ,in re ing t a ITot after balf th di tan e then a c I rating a ain inl th gall p, under co tant h ut d ordel to em:1.! (' lour ranks'). n1 wh n the W I' within m 60 ards from th en my would tb rd r b giv 11 to increas p d to a full charg or'tripl g Il p', finally r acrun the momentum to torm if to th ranks of Rus ian infantry, alread haken b cannon fire. For tho unfortllnat who formation had b n weakened and dislUpted b' tll cann nad th approach of LI wav of cavalry m t ha e be n an in diol' rrightenin p ctac! . ter nomlOU 10 on bolh id ,th . 01 an of ftr ' from th raJld R d u t I1nall fell il nt. Whil th Carabini r brigad was rallvin after th hal' pt du Barail w aj Ravat witll Ru ian bl ad drippin r m hi abr and 'oaking hi d ht I eve. 'Well pLain.' Ra'aL b uLed. am I till a mi rabl jean-F'outre?' ri were h' h. L jud e b' tho e recorded am ng th offi er of the b' de. from th I l arabini'r, apt Baill and ILt bricoun "-ere - and Lt d Larib i iere would di f hi . wound' a fe\\ d Later; L.dr Baillien urt., apt d'AI a , L tz inccnot and u and La R h lin, Mill land P rr w r \ unded In thr nd qn Ldr B r kh im and Lt D e listed as killed, and Col B1ancard, Sqn Ldr Viel, C"1pt Benoit, LL Prcvot- Sans;lc de FOllchimben. and SILts Aublin and Langlois wounded. C."1rl Schell, a trlllllpeter in the 2nd Regt, wrOle in his memoirs: 'After the roll calion 8 September, \lie becamc aW'dfe that 360 troopel1l and 17 officers were absenl. My company lost all its officers; our sergealll-m.yor led us in the baule. Among the senior ranks of the Grande Armce at Borodino, 12 French generals were ki1Jed including Napoleon's valued old comrade Gen de Caulaincourl. One less iIlusu'ious casually became more famous than all the others. however, because of the record left for poSlCrity by two famous French painters: Gros and Lejeune. Both pailllings are testimonies to tllC glor)' of soldiers who are prescnled. in their gleaming br.lSS cuirasses and c1assicall)' shaped helmets, as resembling andent Creek gods of war. Fcrdinand de Lariboisicre, son of the inspector gener'll of the French aniller)' and a fanner page to the Emperor, had been commissioned sOIIS-lielltenullt in the 1st Company of the lSI Squadron in the 1st Regimen[ ofC"1rabiniel1l all 9 November 1811. His mortal wounding at Borodino was represemed in a painting b) the soldier-artist Baron Lejeune. Howcver. the posthumous ponrait by Gros shows liS a confident young officer [uming his head to....'ards the regimental trltlnpclers who are calling the bligade 10 charge, whilc bidding farewell to his father. The story was that Cell Comle de Lariboisierc had positioned himself facing the Grand Redoubt .....hile the Carabinier brigade marched pas! to deploy for their charge: secing his fatllcr. the 21-year-old Iielilenant left the ranks to shake his hand. ani}' moments later the young officcr was hit by a ball, and aflel' thc ballie some soldiers of his company carried him to his father's tent. The Emperor's own surgeon, Alexandre YV3n, remO\'ed the bullet thaI same night. but Ferdinand died a few days latcr at Mojaisk. His f-ather .....ould su.... the retreat frOIll Mosco...... but would dic from exhaustion ill Konigsberg on 21 December I 12. Ferdinand was buried in Russia, and his father lies al the Invalides in Paris; but the hearts of both son and mther were remO\'ed before burial. and are blllied together at the family chapel of their chateau at Louvigne-du-Dcserl. Another incident was recorded during the charge of the 1st Carabiniers: while they were overrunning Russian infantl)' Capt Macreau, following close behind the regiment. heard someone shouting his name and lurned to see a ,,'olltlCled NCO trapped under his fallcn horse. Riding back, Macreau recognized him as Sgt Bologuigny, a tall It:lian, who was still holding thc regimental eagle high. The captain could do nothing for llologuign)' except to rescuc the regime mal standard. Despite appalling losses on both sides - some 40.000 Russian and 28,000 French casualties - the resuh .....as indecisive; Napoleon had shown little tactical flair, and perhaps the first signs of those inexplicable attacks oflethar!:."Y which would mark his laler career. KIllUso\, continued to retreal: at 9am on the moming of 8 September. Cen Chouard's brigade recrossed the battlefield, I\'here a heavy frost mercifully hid some of the horrors. Several officers were assigned [,0 search the ground o\"er which the brigade had charged in order to find an)' woundcd Carabiniers who might survive. 1. 20 A detail from Le/eune's Moskowa painting; Lejeune's pictures are always accounts of different events during a battle, united Into single scenes. Here we see an even more romanticized vision of the wounded Lt de Laribolsiilre, carried from the battlefield by a few Carabiniers and greeted by his father. In this version of events Lejeune himself - an ADC of Marshal Berthler, In hussar unlfonn - brings him the cross of the Legion from the Emperor. In reality the young officer lay for hours on the battlefield until the end of the action allowed him to be found and brought to his father's tent. (Author's collection) 011 10 pt rob r, Lh arabiniers harg d the Russian trOOP at ojai k, but th played litL! par in the oth r d la 'ng action whi h w r fought b h Ru ian r arguard. n th aft rno n of ]4 pt mber arshal Mu.rat., at th h ad of the cavalJ ,finaJ] ntered a Mo c w bandon d b th Ru ian arm - and n paru d u'oyed b U1 fire appar nu tarted b Ru i n < n. An un a atmi ti was agre d t all w n goLiations; Napol n exp et d Lhe ']'ar to'U or p ace term, but wa di appointed. Th Ru ian wer onfidel1l of their long-t rill advantage; tb rande Armee enjo ed a bri f glut \ hi! th mptied Mo cow' l r hou but U1 city uld never feed and helter u h numb r during the coming wil1l r. t th nd f thi' P Ii d 1urat' avah I cam und r 'rp,i alta k at ink n 1 0 lober. The King of aple ath r d uira i rand at-abinier and harg d 10 r 12 tim in ord r to r store the 'ituaLi nand lh e entuall managed t de tr a full Rus ian division. a uaJtie w re hjgh however; and one of them wa I Blancard of the 2nd arabinier, who could enter another wound on hi rvi e record. apol 11 ac ept d thal h w uld ha\ to withdraw, and the arm ' retr at fr m Mas ow b gaD on 19 0 lob r 1 12. On that am da ur ntl n ed d r infor III n for th arabiniers alTived' dllJin th whole retreat maJI d La hm nts from th r ar d pots w uld orne up to join the brigade as repla ements, but as n as th arri ed the would disapp ar like no\ in th sun. The retreat from Moscow From the first da th r u' at w, onducl d und r ndition of eliou di order. Thou and of arts carria e and wa on cramm d with u el b ory low d d wn th reo"eat ver the bad road. he logi tic prepa- ration were wh II inadequat , and with wint r oming on ap leon' LI ual in i l nee that hi armi Ii e off th country on tl1e line of march was a mass ntenc of death. Tho e who fell behind b cam the victim f the k hor emen wh on- hani d U1 olumn; Lraggler w re Lak n prison r, bUl this wa a privil ge mainl r rved for offi el' - even if spared th lanc -U1rust or pi tal bullet tro per w re ripp d of anything on i red valuable and 'imply left b hind half nak d in th now and fre zing wind. Within a di integrating arm man wLiLS were oon redu ed to their offi r with ju l a ew 10 al m n till gath r d around their agle. How r, me regimen managed to slay more or less inU\ct and disciplined, though all'ead)' greatJ)' weakened in su"cnglh and losing more men \\ith evcT)' mile they rerreatcd. The best werc units ....ith a S!.rOng rct:,rimenU\1 tmdition, such as the Old Guard and the Cambinicrs. On 14 November. near Smolensk, once proud Carabinier brig"dde numbered onl)' some 200 wellmoullled men, and these were incor- pomted illlO one of two ad hoc regiments fanned from the remaining moullled hea\)' ca\'d.IT)', undcr lhe command ofGen TIle unit in which the Cm"binicrs served soon became known as the Regimclll Piquct: this managed to sun'h'e ulllii lhe retreating aml)' reached Kovno, .....hcre it ceased to existlhrough lack of men and horses. During its existence lhe last moulHed men had rcnclcrc.'d lhe nccessary proteclion to the foot columns wherc\'cr thcy were ablc. The dismounted hea\'y troopers werc gathercd into a fonnation ofbctween 6.000 and 7,000 mcn, marching al the head of the ann)' as well as they could. Anothcr unit crc;ued during the retrcat .....as the 'Sacred &llladl"On. AI Bobr on 23 Novembcr the Emperor decided to gathcr all mounled officers illlo one I:lrgc unit to sen'c as his bodyguard. and generals werc ordered to assemble the remaining onicers of their corps. The Escadron Sacre would be composed of four companies of 150 men each. drawn from the officers of thc former four cavalry corps. The commandcr-in<hicr was none other than Marshal r...lurat; thc coloncl was Gell Gl"Ollchy. formcr commander of the 3rd Cavalry Corps. Divisional gencrals scn'cd as captains. brigade generals :IS lieutenants, colonels were NCOs, and sCluaciron leaders, captains and lieutcnants served as simple troopers. The 1st Compan)' was commanded by Cen Sainl-Germain. the 2nd b)' Gen SCbasliani, the 3rd b)' Gen Lahoussaye and the 4th by the Saxon Cen Thic1milnn. Howe\"cr. the idea .....as ncver really embraced. and the unil never had more than aboul 300 officers. Voluntcers for the squadron from the 1st Carabiniers wcre Col Laroche. Sqn LeII' Coimer, AdjMaj Chautcl, CaplS B11'd.t, Macreau and Etienne, and Lts and SILlS Varlier, Coca, Benard, Rival, Lebon, Gerson, Millct, Per and Domjcux. From the 2nd Rcgl one rinds the nallles of AdjM;ys de I'Epinay and Dupart, Capt Midy, and LIS and SILts Cre\'3.11X, Dubar.lil. Dcspreaux, d'Argent, Doria. de Chabaux and de la Viemillc. TWo Carablnlef'l ahowIng lashlonablot 0Q)'tI to _r u.. riding .,..,.,t\tl when d'-"ted. This w.. quite InacIequMe In u.. elrt_ of the RUAlen winter; _Iry boola, too, .tmolt gu.8ranteed hvoIlbftto, slnce they __ 100 tJght to nt erry uaefUl _tof in&ulIIUng mllteriallMIde. For the 1810 uniform the c.ped, .....,...... genervualy cut cloak wat made of I Whlte/allyblue mbted wn.... thet 'Pl)Mf1ld White It .n)' distance. The regu..tklns specified thet It be III'Mld on the coll.r and up the fnHIt edges In aky-blue, IKll Mf'e Vernel shows the lining as _r1et. He also pIllntt the helmet pWt_ In the same braN coloUr .. the skull .nd pe.ks, wfth only the crowned 'N' In white met.I. ThIs w.. In IICCOn1ence with the 1812 a.ntIn regulltlons, but was not I/WI)'$ obeyed by the (Aft Vemet; _............, 21 22 Following the ann)' headquarters, the members of this S<luadron had to look aner themselves in every respect, even finding lorage for their horses. Mosl ofikcrs preferred 10 march with their few remaining loyal soldiers or in groups with their ser"anlS or orderlies; in Ihis way it was easier to find food and to protcct themselves against the evcr-preselll Cossacks. (Threc days aftcr Napoleon abandoned his anny and left for P.uis on 5 December. the few remnanLS of the Sacred Squadron would be disbanded; the remaining officers were ordered to rejoin their units, but most of these had all'cad), ceased to exist.) Arriving ncar the Rivcr Bcresina, thc Regimen! Piquet helped protect the bridges during the first two days of thc crossings. On the third day, 28 Novcmber, Gen L.uour-Maubourg was leading the regimcnttowards aile of the makeshifl blidges to cross in their tum whcn sevcral Russian squadrons suddenly chargcd, crcating panic among tbe thousands of stragglers gathcrcd on the cast bank. Lmour-Maubollrg turned about and led his regimen! towards the Russians. who instantl)' gave \ \ ~ 1 Y . Taking lip a position on the riverside plain between the Russians and the bridgcs, the hcavy troopers continued to protect the retreat. This dcmonstration of discipline and Ilghting spirit attracted othcr moutHed soldiers and officers who still had the will to fight (even some gcnerals), and many nowjoined the Regiment Piquet. Mter their heroic stand at the Beresina had allowed large numbers of men to escape cermin captivity, the unit crossed the river themselves and followed the army. From now on the Regimem Piquet mainly provided nank protcction, though their ranks dwindled day by day from frostbite, exhaustion and starvation. Finally rcaching thc Russo- Polish border ncar Kovno, they crossed the Nielllen into friendl)' territol}. General L..-'lI.our-Maubourg expressed his gratilllde to the rcmaining soldiers, allowing them to continue on their own or lO relllrn to their units. Nearly all the Carabinicrs asked to continue escorting the general's sledge; but at Glimbinnen he look his final leave of the bare dozen remaining mounted Carabiniers, who thcn tried LO find their brigade. Once OUt of Russia at last, the survivors of this horrific reu'eat wcre dispersed to diffcrcl1I places; the Carabiniers alTived at Konigsberg to lind orders to march to Elbing and then to Marienwerder, whcre they wcre allowcd a \\'cek's rest. Being 011 friendly lcrritory did not mean that thcir sufferings wcrc at an end, however. Many of them died from exhaustion and typhoid. Another m ~ o r cause was the change in diet; suddcnly, aftcr months on shon Tdtions, they arrived in wellprovided towns. where overeating and drinking killed many of them. Barely recognizable as Carabinicrs, the survivors were from time to time confronted with their miscrable condition whcn they saw well- drcssed and superbly mounled Carabinier reinforcemcnts arriving from LlIncvillc. While the men tried to find their respective units, those who were still mounted and fit were gathered into a provisional regiment, LO sen'c under the Viceroy of Imly, Napoleon's able stepson Eugene, who was trying to hold off the advancing Russians and put down an uprising in Prussia. While his rag-t.'lg army concentrated along the Elbe, the rest of the troops were sent to different dcpots in Germany or Fl"allce. Here the pitiless arithmetic of the Russian campaign would finally be collated. Sergeant In barracks dress, 1810. His plain sky-blue single- breasted jacket displays his rank stripes on the rorearms, and sliver/scarlet Intermb:ed epaulettes. His knee breeches are shown as cream colour, worn with white stockJngs and sliver-buckled black shoes. He cames his white bonnet de police piped with sky-blue; here the Illustrator shows the tassel as white Instead or sky-blue. (illustration by Pierre Benlgnl, Le Bivouac) 1813: GERMANY 23 24 Sergeantmalor standard-bearer of the 2nd Carabiniers In campaIgn dress, 1813-14. Here we see a blue single-breasted Jacket without collar facIng: more than one artist represents Carabiniers on campaign post- 1809 In blue uniforms - an entIrely plausible feature, given the speed with whIch the white uniform would get dirty. Normally a Junior officer carried the regImental eagle, but sometimes, for lack of officers, a senior NCO had thIs dangerous honour. The regimental eagle Is of the 1812 model; It would carry the battle honours ULM, AUSTERLITZ, lENA, EYLAU, FRIEDLAND, ECKMUHL and WAGRAM. We know that the eagle of the 2nd Regt returned from Russia In late 1812, thanks to the devotion of one Lt Lavleuvllle. (illustration by PIerre Benigni, Le Bivouac) During those ix weeks ap leon cone ntrated on rebuilding his annie. Regimental depo wer bur ring wiLh On l;pts and thou and more \ er on lh roam marching to j in th field arm ; but they wer m tly onl patchil dr s d and quipp d and hastil ua.in ,and the normou 10 sin Rus ia had left the arm chronicall h l"l [v t ran a and regimental offic n army with a 'paper' u'ength of om 500,000 n ver approached thal numb r in th field, and of th se wh did r ach apol on aboul two-third \ ere raw teenager. part from the casualtie in exp rienced men, the 10 s of hundreds of thou and of horse in Rus ia had I Ft the 6 ur ca all corp m r had w of th ir former Iv and with th Allie pr . ing f; rward n ev raj fr nlS th Empir' hmnken tenito was hard pr d to provid the n ary rem unts. M re than one caval 'regiment' uld in fa t fi Id only the tr ngth fa ingl quadron. c rclin to th armi rice term. hosriliti \ uld r op n n 1 ugu l 1 13. The Allie had concentrated thre major for e : The Ann of the orth, with aboul Ii 0,000 Pms ians wedes, Russian and oned ennan', ommanded b the rown Prine of wed n- ap I on's (orm l' marshal, Bemad lte. Th Ann [ile ia, with 'ome 110000 Pru ian and Ru ian troop under n Blucher. The Arm f B h mia, with om 230,000 men und r the u'trian en chwarzenb rg and th Ru ian n Barcia. here was also a re erve of about 0,000 Russian under en Bennig n in Poland, and anoth r of ar und 30000 u'trian guarding th River Inn, ap I on cho e orLitz the pivot for hi ne 'l Call1paign, and cone ntrat d hi' r rv around this p int b tw n th River Katzba h and Dr d n. With a front lin that tr t hed from Han1burg to the u trian bord r, th mp ror had to di pel e hi force wid I . in th north, arsbal Da out 'ontroJled the region around Han1burg, n irard w at agd bourg and ar hal udin t ntroJled Witlenb rg. neral B rtrand and R yni r wer intend d to tak B rLin wh n ho tilitie reop ned (althoughthi wasne ra hi v d). Facing BIll her, apol none ntrat d 1arshal e 's and n eba tiani' orp around Liegnitz, ogether with al hal a donald' at LOwenberg, iarshai Marm n' at BumJau and n Lauriston' al nmdb rg. h P lish n Poniatovrki and Marshal i t r c ntrolJ d the b rder with B h mia, n ral Duro n I and ouvion t- yr wer at Dr d n and in th Pin a-Koni l in region. and n andamm' orp tood at Bautz n with n Lat ur- aubourg' cavalry. During Lhe 1 13 campaign the arabinier bJigade erved together will1 th 1st uiras ier iJ1 en aint- rmain' 2nd H a aval Divi ion, part of n 'bastiani' 2nd avau rp with Mal hal a donald' (1) of th Bbl'. (rmll i mud 011 page 33) 1791-94 1: Carabinier 2: Trumpeter 3: Officer 3 2 A B 3 REVOLUTIONARY WARS.1790s 1,2& 3: Carabiniers 2 CONSULATE & EMPIRE. 1804-05 1: Louis Bonaparte. Colonel-Geneml of Carabiniers 2 & 3: Officers 4: Carabinier 3 c D THE EARLY EMPIRE, 1806-10 1: Officer In service dress 2: Trumpeter in parade dress 3: Carabinier in parade dress 2 3 CAMPAIGN DRESS, 1806-10 1: Officer 2: Trumpeter 3: Carabinier 2 .-' t'.. ; E F PARADE DRESS. 1810-15 1: Field officer 2 & 3: Carabiniers TRUMPETERS & DRUMMER, 1810-14 1: Trumpeter, 1810 2: Kettle drummer, 1810-14 3: Trumpeter, 1810-13 G H CAMPAIGN DRESS, 1813-15 1: Trumpeter 2: Carabinier 3: Officer 2 3 The Leipzig campaign On 16 August 1813, 2-1 hoUl'S bcfOl'e the armistice omciall)' ended. BIl"lCher opened his ofTensi\'C. This would prove 10 be a new t)1>e of campaign: this time the ABies ;woided direct contact with the Emperor's main forces, and cOllcellLrated on be'iling his lieutenants, E.'lch timc thC\' gained some success. the\' retreated in the face of Napoleon's con.sequelll advance \,ith his reserves, beforc manocU\,-ing to defeat another detached French corps. Bll"lchcr's unexpected ad\'allce pllsht.'Cl the French trOOps backwards: Napoleon inllnediatel)' responded, but the Ann)' of Silesia retreated before him. By now Dresden was threatened 1' the Austrians from Bohemia, and Napoleon had to tllm ag'.-linsl this new threat. le:l\ing Marshal Macdonald to dt.-al ....ith the Pmssians. \\11en Napoleon .....as engaged at Dresden, ntl"lcher ad\.ll\ced again, defeating Macdonald on 26 August at K..1t1:bach. This battle cost tile French 10,000 killed. as man)' taken prisoner and about 100 guns, and won BIl"lcher tile rank of marshal and a plincedolll. After a 24-hour rout Macdonald "'as able to .... lIy behind the River Bober: his defeat out.....eighed tile gains of Napoleon's 0\\11 \ictol) at Dresden. Napoleon manOCU\Too \'ainl\' to bring tile AJlies to a decisive kittle ,,'hile his lieutenants "'cre defeated one In one. but on 8 October his ally Bavaria changt."<f sides. A .....eek later tile Emperor concenlJ"ated aboUl 15;,000 men and 900 guns arOlUld Leip7jg......here he ....'Quld figln 'tile Battle of thc Nations' October) ag-.l.inst the much larger forces of Blucher. SCh....'arlenblirg and finalh' Bcmadotte, TIle complex story of this battle is fllll)'cO\"ered elsewhere: and although tile Emperor managed to extract a brge p.'lrt of his ann)' from encirclement his defeat .....as still crushing, and COsl him hi.... laSl all). S:l."on)"l j\t LeipLig. Cell 1st and Sebastiani's 2nd Cavall")' Corp......cre placed solllll-east of the cit), facing the ach.tIlce of Schwarzenberg, \\'hich l'\apoleon had intended to be lhe poim of decision. The he'I\')' ca\'ah)' were dl'awn up on the French centre-left. the 1st Corps behind the \illage of Liebertwolkwiu and the 2nd lx-hind the .....oods between thill \'illagc and the Kollllberg hill. Macdonald's XI C.o!l>s was some W'd)' behind their left flank, before HoI7.hausen, As the baule progressed this wing \,'cre driven in north-weslwards, and by lhe of the 18th, Sebastian;'s 4,800-0dd troopers would be behind Macdonald's infantl1' di\'is;ons before lhe \'illagc of Slot!erilz. The Cuirassier officer SILt Rilliel wrOte in his journal (published in 1908) thaI the 2nd Cavillry Coq)S was deployed in column of regiments, with the lSI C;mlbi"iers in from and Cen SCbastiani with his sl.'lff off 10 their right. Suddenl)' a lllass of enemy cavall1'. mainl)' Hungarian hussars, charged c10\\'11 on tile Qmtbiniers. The general waved his aiding crop and exclaimed. 'Brd\'Q! This \,ill l>e channing - hussars charging Carabiniers!' But instead of accepting the challenge. which their ;lnnour. \,'eapons and training should ha\'e fitted lhem 1,0 meet without difficulty, the lst Car:tbiniel'$ reponedl)' tumed lheir horses and fell back. Far from reSloring the situation, the 2nd Regt followed them, pulling the 1st Sqn of tile 1st Cuirassiers with them, OnI)' the last two Cuirassier squadrons kept fonnation and charged, supponed b)' the ad\'ancing 2nd Bde ofGen Saint-Cermain's di\ision. Rilliet claims that
33 34 An Impression of the rear view of the Carabinier uniform of 1810, by Job. (Author's collection) al lh th wi1h other d tachments int provi ional r - iment.,; til . - weI' to join 111 main ann' in recapturing nnan and Polj h tcniLOry. he Ci t dctachm nt w n f 60 bini r. r the 1 t Re and 33 for th 2nd, all di mounted. larchin \'ja tr I w' ainz and W ' I. til )' aniv d at M gd bw'g n U 1St I and \ er ir u d with the . hon; . a thi mall d lacllm III added cvernl Carabinie still ani\ing fr m Russi and [Tom hospital. Th Lun ',iIle 1 pt. )011 'CIll an 111 r 1.\ d tachmen and with number ri jng two quadron c uld b rganiz d: on of th 1 I R'gt mmand d b pt uillawne, and ne of the _nd led b' apt F r-t. g ther the quadran COUIlL d 16 ollic ,four ergeant-m,y n;, r. ur JOlll7iers and uffi i III corp rals. During the amli ti e rJun - uguSt I 13, '(agd blll'g b came J entr for th n 11- U ti l10ftr p ,arm and ammunition. tth nd f Ih armisti e lh lag 1 burg garri 11 had b n il1l nded t make a rti t j in Ma 'h I udin t'. mar h t wards B din, hut in tll v III \.hi exp dition nev r happ ned, and IJagdeburg', 25.0 tfong garri on " n under . i e b AJlied tr p. The gani n remain d a ti\'e, how vcr: th v anied ul'e eral u cessful .ortie t lind a tJ ,r cider and r. od. and at 0 in rder to k ep up the I. n i n in the t n'ur Lhal m re u'o p \ ere ti d lown b ' lh ie II 14 April I 14 new r a hed the i' ilial \.h Emp r r had abdicat d. n 23 pril an i n d. and w . handed over to th Hie. on 1 en I'ill L Marai.. military gov mor of thc cit)' and AD t the Emp 1'01'. left for Fran e with the I' main fth gan'ison - . m 1 ,Om nand 4 gtl11 . 1814-15 Tn 1 14. re rganized el again, th ara ini r brigade parti ipated in til "ampaign of France', now 1 db.-h fOllner alan I of Ih 2nd Regt. n Bhncard. The I 1 campaign was one f rced march and c unter-marche' a p I 11. med t I' eli 0'1' I' hi' old brillian e. VI ith a mall but v ry m bile arm}. he kept at b r; r month' th mu h tr I1g rand IW rging armi. 01" th alition; on o a i n. ind ed, h cam do La d i'i\' vi tori . TIl Carabinie' till pan f en ailll- y rmain" h a\' avalt divi i 11. di tingui bed th m '1'1' at Brienn (31 January 1 14), ulna (3 FebrualJ'). auchamp (14- ebruary), raonne (7 arch), Laon ( 1\farch), rci ur- ube (20 March). and on 2 h at Fere-Champ noi.e - all de p rat I auk ugbt ag-ain l h 3\'V dds. But th v ,wh Imin I, 'up ri r numl e' th iii rCf'r1 lh Fr n h lroops awa from Painting by Vemet of an officer In full dress but without cuirass, following the 1812 Bardin regulat ons (as so often, the gauntlet cuffs hide the Jacket cuff detail whIch are the only way to distinguish the 1st from the 2nd Regiment). It Is Interesting to see two saddles: the entirely blue one on the horse WiIS probably for everyday use, and the sliver-edged one (right) for full dress. In several paintings Vemet shows the pistol holster covers In cloth rather than In the usual bearskin. The red plume on the left of this helmet Is also unusual. Before 1810 the Junior officers wore red plumes on their bearsJdn caps, and senior officers white plumes, this might also have been the case after 1810. but we only know of white plumes for senior officers In full dress. (Author's collection) 35 36 Paris: after a fierce but brief resistance the capital capillliated, and lhe fil1it signs of defections from Napoleon's anny - and from among his seniOl' commanders - became apparent. The Emperor tried to :lbdicate in fa\'our of his infant son at Fomaineblcau on 6 April, but the Allies reject.ed this pia)' and insisted on unconditional surrender. This ....'as agreed on II April, and soon afte.....'ards Nilpolcon took thc road to the south and exile on the lillie Mediterranean island of Elba. Wit.h the monarchy restored and peace rClUl"Iling to the European continent. the Carabiniers retul1lcd to their depot at on 13June 1814. The First Restoration Undcr the First Restoration the ann)' was reduced to normal peacetime proporrions. A ro)'al ordnance of 12 Ma)' 1814 recognized the Carabiniers' honorary precedence in the Line ca\'alry', ....ith two regiments each of four squadrons of {\\'o companies. The regimental 'itaffs would consist of eight officers and 12 rankcrs ....ith 23 hOl'SCS, and e:'lch compan}' ....ould ha\'e four officers. 74 mcn and 63 horses: the regimental strength was thus 40 officers. 604 rankers and 527 horses. The restoration of outward signs of the (mC'im rigi"1L saw I.he Carabinier brigade become Le Corps de Carabiniers de Monsieur. under the command of Marechal-de-cunp Coone d'Escars and the Comte d'Anois - King Louis unpopular )'ounger brother, who receh'ed the rank of honor:tf)' colonel by ro)'al ordnancc on 20 May 1814, On the e\'ening of the following 30 October thc CoUIlI. of Artois, weating C;lrabinier unifonn, came to Lune\'ilIe for an inspection: the next da)' he had both regiments paraded ill frout of him, and on I November. the da)' before he left. he g;lthered both regiments on foot in the manigr or riding school. There twO long tables were set for the troopers and NCOs, crossed at the ends b)' another long t..,ble for the count. officers and guestS of both regiments. After a distribution of dccomtions, the officers and men were to a luncheon presided o\'er b), their honorary colonel. After drinking the hcalth of the regimenls, some members of the count's elllourdge, in the traditional manner, threw their emptied glasses to slllash on t.he ground. At this, lhe Carabinier officen; followed their example br dl'awing their long swords and smashing up lhe elab- orately dressed tables. Bollles. plates, glasses and dishes flew through the ail' in frab'1lICllts. 1.0 thc considerable shock of thc Comtc d'Artois, The next da), the COUIll left Lunc\'ilIe \\ith an escort of Car'abiniers who followed him I.Owards Nanc),. Shortly afterwards. Cen Pail hold distributed the new regimental standards which were to replace the old eagles. This was not. the only impelial emblem that the anny ordered to discontinue by the nc\.' go,cnllllel1l.. On 22 July 1814 ncw helmets were distributed 1.0 both Carabinier regimentS. in the same st),le as pre\iollsly but tlOW ...ithout the 'I'hite metal frOIll plate sho,\ing the crownt..d C)vher 'N'; instead the plate sho,,'cd the honol'af)' colonel's blazon of arms, When Napoleon escaped from Elba in 1815 and retllmed to power, he found a full)' equipped and full strength brigade who were eager to unscrew the Count of Anois' amls from their helmets, (Officers, who had to pay for their own equipment, probably still had their old impelial helmets.) hi. j ume I fr m lh uLh Iba gar!; n, becam a Officer In winter undress uniform with overcoat, and senior officer In winter petit tsnus de ville, c1810. Off duty, the officer on the left wears his blcom. With the comfortable sky-blue double-breasted overcoat he wears black stockings for wInter, and black shoes with silver buckles. On the right, his senior colleague wears a sky-blue single- breasted uniform coat with collar and cuffs In the same colour piped sliver, and white tumbacks. For winter he wears dark blue trousers and the traditional heavy cavalry boots, and an epee Is frogged to a belt passing under his clothing. (illustration by Pierre Benlgnl, Le Bivouac) 37 38 01 Le pold and 2 h r Drag n [[j uiton. Col ourticl' and 20 t11 r uira ier ollie >rs. Tn the 121.h Div, ell ROll al d 'Hurbal and Donop. 1- randj .U1 an La rai , and 28 oth I' fie r becam c, ualti The Linc cmrab ofch 3rd m'p' wcr followed up Lh ,101 es, in th ir (Urn, b, en uyot', H a avail of th u<u'd - ch Ll h LI > xa 't hain of command re pon ibilit, f r Lhi' Lill k i till di pULed, Tllcse lIni made lhre "parale charg .,' ith th usualla k of 1..1 e " Th' later qu n of charge, b' the wh Ie R s rv avalry (ex ept the arabiniers) - 63 'quadrons, totallin perhap 9,000 m n - ar de' lib d b e e- witn se', bUL L1,e detail are confus d. t some Lime ar lind 5,' 0-61 m, while lhe char e 0 chc uard Dragoon and Mounted Cr nadiers w re in l11 pI' c of p tering OUL in exh u ted frustraLi n, an infantry atta k \ a m LImed ea't f the Houg um [t cis and enclosme , by the divi ion of Cen Bachelu and Fo , The e troop' were r pu] ed b lIea\' fire from ALlied batteric and the'quare f dam' light infantry brigade - notably L11 7]sl and 52nd R'gimcl1t' - whi h had b en brought forward inLO the front line behind the nonl, asL orner of the H ugoum nt r hard. It was at about th 'alllC time or 'lighLl 'l t I' that th arabini r brigad \ as thrown illt an attack a ainst t11 <Ulle Briti'h 'quare " itLing their hoI' patienLl, in Ul ir gleaming bra' armour ancl scarlet-crest d h ImeLS, n Blan ard' regim nLS wer bound to altra t the e of'Mar hal a h 10 k d around wildl or ev I' more m n t invesL in his fail d gamb]. n ral K 11 nnann later wrOLe that h had III word to 'lOp tl1 m, blll toO lat. Th 'weI' verlooked I' m lh fir t b th BriLi h infanu r and gun n [h r Sl whi h in 1 ] 5 d minat d Ih ,lop m re 'harpl than it ha cion in th lat I' r [ion of the Lion <found (L11 Wim apt d Bra k. f the R d Lancer. ompared it to the gall 'of an amphith au' overlookjng th ar na), 1n ob dien e to th mal hal' unqu lionable orders the' start d to walk their h av}' h 'e forward on to th ,lop - de p in mud. tom up b innunl ra I h 0 s, and number d b}' d ad and dying h I' and m n. radually warming up tlleir m unLS as tl1 1110 cd to a trot and a alll 1', Ul arabini pi ked lip P d in Ih la. t fe\ doz n yard, and dr v up 0 and b tw n u1e nem 'qual' . nabl. like all pr viou char . to break lh infanu n: i tan . th ',er fir d upon rom all side, !lotabl b th 71 I Lighl lnfanU)' at tl1 ir ront and Lh 52nd f)O Lh ir right. apt d Bra k would writ : .... h arabi! i r brigad merg don ur right at a g ntl trOL' I d in olumn f u'oop, r 'd th al'en alon . and rode all al I g th n TIl ball rie t llack tl1 Briti h righl. Th n WIEnert n" musk I' and nn n fire brok out t lh r, t tJ:'k to eth r t tl1 am rg l, and mix d with th t1lt1nd r f th ir firing [we heard] three blllCh r hr. In f, w m m nLS, b' d ath r Right. th arabiru r had vani hed.' Charging Carabiniers in full dress, f 81 o-f 5, Carabiniers were traditionally mounted on large black horses of Norman or Flemish breedsj but despite their strength, their final charge at Waterloo was robbed of Its full Impact by having to attack up a muddy slope that had been repeatedly churned up by thousands of other horsemen for hours beforehand, and was obstl'\lcted with masses of fallen horses and men, Their corps commander Gen Kellennann would later write that he tried in vain to prevent Marshal Ney committing this last reserve to his failed attacks; and that 'half of the brigade was laid low' by the BritIsh musketry and artillery. (Courtesy Hennann- Historica, oHG. Munich, Germany) OPPOSITE Interesting reeon- struction of a Carabinier wearing a cuirass as early as 1802. Support for it survives in a letter written by Gen Gassendl on 23 June 1802, In which he mentions that some neWly made cuirasses for the Cuirassiers were sent to the Carabiniers while they were serving In the Army of the Rhine. (Illustration by Pierre Benignl, Le Bivouac) G n ral Blancard wa - \ ound d n again. and 01 R mmand r f the 1st Re l, had hi h r kill d und r him; h wa r "cu d and Laken to af ty b hi men. An th r wounded offie r was apL Marceau who had saved the regimental eagle at Borodin . adl . the arabini rs w u1d al am a f LU L in Lb hi t I f at rI by another act - an L r treach I ,- suppa edl' at Lh crid al m m nt when Nap leon was pr pat;ng to nd hi Imp rial uard infantry int th batLl in the h p of breaking Wellington's line b r. re th pproa hing Prus ian oven h 1m d the Fr nch ri hl flank. An offic r of the 2nd arabiniers, apt du Barail, lefL the French Lin s under the prete t far onnai ance; when his companion would go 110 further h suddenI lapped spurs to hi h r e and galloped aero s LO the A1li d line, houting 'Vive Ie Roil' H t Id Ll I Ib m r til 52nd, th anill ry oromand r ir ugu tu raser, and Maj Blair f dam', bl;gad till t infonn W Jlingl a f til iml ading atta k by th Imp rial 'uard. 1n fa thi d f, tor Lold the British n thing thaI the auld n t have pr eli led [01' th m Ive. 111e rotal 10 se of th R erv avah are not re orded, but w r e timaL el b r d Iph hier (I 62) aL ,000 men. harras (I 69) wroLe that Ne 10 t on -third of his men and hor e that man of tho wb returned w r on fi or, and that th r mainel r wer apabl r litue more lhaL da . Though beaten at Wal rloo the at'abini r till [ought a fi w rearguard a ti n in d fen of th ir count. L II enan. Lh sabred uleir wa thr ugh the u trian infantry. and at h vr mont rh did the ame to Lh Ru ian. Rail .ng aL Rims, th I am el of apol on's econd abdi aLion. ncler the and Re'toraci n the new reduction' in the army w uld 11 0 affect Ul arabinier thi time but Ul would III 'iv. 11 ordn n c [16 .luI 1 15 r rganized Lhem il1lo a 'ill Ie r im nt one mar und r th name [ arabini r cI Mansi ur. M n ar later, under Ul nd Empir , lheir dream ofj ining th Imperial uard would com tru. UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT The pre-1810 uniform Th bearskin cap was fi db' d ref 26 0 t b r 1 01: 1. m (12. 72in) tall, it h uld ha bad s arl t, 001 floun r. and t II d at ach nd, but in fa L it em thal rh arabiniel' n v r ad pt d the" ,keepin their whit cord as p r Lh ] 791 regul Lions. Th top of me bu by at the back wa covered with a round pi c of Cat'l l f It doth d c rat cI wilh whire cro d trip . Th dark bIll full dres Iwhit at had a traigl mnding liar of the ame blue, edged with 'carlel piping. Th uffi w r 'carl l pip d with blu . fr m 1791 lb tw r gimen Ii tingui h d only b rll uff flap. th f rll 1 t t bein <lrl Lwith blu pipin nd th of th 2nd bein in reversed coloUl- . The culm a" 'carlet lapel had 'even mall button dOl n each outer ed . and thr larg _r on , eonLinu d th lin b 1m th right lap I. h 39 40 This portrait of Cpl Marteau of the 1st Carabiniers clearly dates from after Ratlsbonne In 1809, since the bearskin Is fltted with chin scales. Note the white edging to the strap of his red epauiette, the while bride edged with red, the crossed white braid on the red top patc;h of his bearskin, the red plume and the white tasselled c;ord with two flounders. were de r-at d with Lhret: lar bULL nand d \ ith ingl- hlike the full UI". piped wiLh wn 41 Portrait of a trumpet-major of either Carabiniers or Cuirassiers between 1796 and 1806, displaying the old-fashioned powdered hairstyle - cropped at the top, long over the ears, and tied into a long pigtail at the back. He wears a slngle- breasted dark blue coat, with double sliver braid stJipes edging his collar Inside a line of scarlet piping. His epaulette strap shows a narrow red centre between broad sliver braid edges, a sliver bride, a silver pad with a radial effect, and Intermixed sliver and scarlet crescent and frlnge. (Author's collection) The 1810 uniform h helmet wa mad fy II w bras and d oral d with a r ntal band in \ hite metal ending al the b . e fi r lh chin cale; a br r wn d 'N' ,\laS pia d ntrall on thi- band. \ hi h wa iweplup into a pint belm th froJlt of th mb. narrower white In tal band ntinued from behind tb chin ale bo e around th rear b, a the kull. Th from peak had an edg binding of b . th r ar ne k guard an edging ofwhil me1.<1 I. Th bomb r r l' d orat d with fluting, and bra large red chenille ('cal rpiJlar') r padd d hOI ehair. h whit m tal chin cal c n i led of16 I" , , fix d t I ather SUtlp ; Lh \ hit metal b w r fa Itly d unbUl l d ign with a bl liv -poin tar in the centr , 'h steel cuirass had a leaving a 25mm bare t I bard r all TOlUld ri e ,Th bre' l nd ba k plat w re h II t geu1er b a b It [natural I alh r with b buckle, and by wo I ath r h ul I" trap pr t t d b br ai, t rminauJ iI br plate pier ed with two fixing h Ie fOl- md. Tr p r had n mbl 111 n th br a tplale. h in ide of th breastplat was padded with 'tron loth tuffed wilh hoI' ehaiJ-; the edge of this lining prom,ld d above b 1m and in th armh Ie of the cuiras , showing dark blue wilh a line of whit edgin . he h n-tail d iJ1g1 -br 'l d jacket, whit, with a traighl tanding ollar and utE f k -blu pip d with whit. Th front. ed e of ,addl b hind it b a I op of trap. h b n twa am d frogged verti cal I to lh word b It. t th I ft hip. Stable dress in Iud d a blu fatigu p - bonnet de police 'ti La dmgonne'- pip d I' d, with a br ad whil band ar wld th t P f the 'l1.uban', whit t:as 1 al the lip f th tuck d-in flame' hanging er th r nt dg of th turban, and a \ hit gr nade badge n th 'onL I ubi -br ' t d blu I th tabl jack t wa w m with faligu tr u e in while or lu lin n. he arabinier w r a I vele riding mantle mad fr m I th of a white/blue mixed wave - giving a lighl blu -gr app arance - wilh r d linin howin al th front; thi had a tanding collar and a houlder ape. Wh n not worn this lI11mleau wa roll d and placed on lOp 0 the portmant au, Th tatt r , dark bill, d d with whit and di playing a whil gr nad al b th nd; it was initiall lindri al in hap but h ng d l a r tan ular v I' i n fr m ab ut 1 O. ,hit heep kin addl eyer wilh vandyke' r'w IF -l lh' edging [red cI lh. wa worn r a dark blue half-shabraqu (addl loth) with white r nad the quar d corner, and dged with whit braid. Officers' uniforms were essentially the arne as tho e of th troop but mol' finel tailored II ing high r quality m trial'. Th ir bll ton w r iJver d; th ir p ial pall m paul lle with embr id red gr nad I aul lle I p the gr nad n their al turnb ',their ap ord and ta el, and th d' ng of lh ir hI" belts wer all f i1v r m talli braid and embr id I, mpan' grade fficer' wore a carl t cap plum , fj Id grad r talI offi e ,or whit, he offi 'ridin manU wa dark blu witl1 I" d lini_ng at the front dged in iJver. 42 Trooper's brass helmet, showing details of the upswept comb and chenille, and the crowned cypher 'N' on the white metal frontal plate. (Author's collectIon) A trooper's brasshllted Carabinier sabre. showing the shell embossed with a grenade. The scabbard Is of black leather with brass fittings. (Author's collection' lit ja k l \\' sk '-blu 1812 Bardin modifications In 1 12 lh I' modifi ali n t th L 10 regulati n' were i 'u d; ffi 0\' from 1 1 l1\ -d. man' of lh merel ratified e ci 'un unifoml pm ti e , and for lh arabinier th chan \ re probably minimal. The jacket cuffs w r to be red lor the 1 t Regl. r maining k ,- blue (i r t.h 2nd; both r giro n henc ~ rth had "l-blue cufTnap with \ lUte piping. Th while wah oat \ as t b I \' I ' . and the emlls f gr 1 lh, Th blu .tabl jack t had a ingl ralh I' than two r o ~ , uf buu I , nd a id p k l; and th Id 'night ap' bonnet d.e IJOliee was t b r pI c d with th 1 12 polwlem trp ,in white wit.h k -blu piping and bad e. h grenad 1\ lh end of th p rtmam au wa 1.0 b repla cd wilh a r 'mcntalnumber and the habraqu dging\ as to be a in le \ \ ~ d e uipe. ABOVE A drawing of the white pokaJem'. with sky-blue badge and piping around the front and ear flaps. (Author's collection) LEFT Vemet painting of a famer of the 1 t Regt In tenue de route, and a corporal In stable Jacket and 'pokalem' fatigue cap, according to the 1812 Bardin refonns. The famen white Jacket shows a sky-blue collar, the red cuffs Introduced for the 1st Carabiniers by Bardin, and the red horseshoe of his trade, Note his buttoned grey campaign overalls reinforced with black leather: and two black tool bags tied at his waist. The corporal wears his sky-blue single breasted stable Jacket with white breeches and black gaiters, His rank stripes are shown as red, although regulatIons called for white edged with sky-blue. 43 ABOVE A trooper's brass waist belt plate with grenade badge. (Author's collection) RIGHT Breast- and back plates of a trooper's brass-plated steel cuirass. (Author's collection) A flne ellample of an officer's helmet with Its original bOll. The skull Is copper red; the comb Is gilt, as are the star on the silver sunburst rosett.es, and the crown and 'N' on the highly decorative silver front plate. The sllve.... scaled chin straps are tied together with tas- selled gold cords. 44 (Courtesy Piasa, Paris) SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY hi" in the library of Lbe B 19ian Ro I Arm Mus urn, Bm . I Le Manu (fit dfJ Librairi run pul hr (Paris, 1 9) Bu'. apitain, Livre d'Or de arabiniers (Pari, 1 9 ) pp n', B rnard, P. our ell , Hougou7Tlont - at rloa 1 1-, Le ame d.e La ampagne o. J, di' on de la Belle Jian e ( rus els. 1 9 arg nd, J. Le uiras. des Carabiniers (Pari,) 11) ncl ur, Jan-Philipp, l aI., (ffte Bam: Grand !lor'" de fa Cavalerie rrancaise - 1 J-, Les amets d La ampagne 0.5, Edjli n d la B lJe Allian e (Bm I, 2002) Bulletin and j urnals: Le Pas La Giherne, nifonnes, Tradition Co fumes e/ nifo17n (Fran van udale) THE PLATES A: 1791-94 A1: Carabinier A2: Trumpeter A3: Officer All three figures are reconstructed after dress regUlations and period engravings. The trumpeter A2 wears the standard regimental uniform but with white-and-red lace on the sleeves, cuffs. lapels. pockets and shoulders: this. in combination with the blue coat. gives the national colours of revolutionary France. The turnback grenades are still blue; and note the details of his sabre. The powdered and queued hairstyle of all these figures is still very much 'ancien regime'. The bearskin cap is of a model with upswept fur and a leather front peak. The horses were mainly black or bays (brown horses with black manes. tails, and legs below the knees), but trumpeters rode greys. The troopers' saddlery is of the standard French heavy cavalry pattern: that of the officer A3 is of a more personal taste, and Includes a large shabraque edged with red cloth. B: REVOLUTIONARY WARS, 17908 B1, 2 & 3: Carabiniers This period was marked by shortages of uniforms and equipment, and soldiers laid hands on anything they could find, on the battlefield and elsewhere, to more or less complete their inadequate government issues. The brown bearskin worn by one trooper (B1 - after a contemporary German document) - still bears a plate with the former royal motif, and the fur dressed to sweep upwards; he wears 'ducksfoot'-shaped shoulder straps instead of epaulettes. and his carbine is slung over his shoulder on a length of rope. Another trooper (83 - after Seele) wears an adapted infantry coat; both he and the third (82 - after Mellinet) have greyish overalls with a yellow stripe down the buttoned outseam. Saddlery is simplified, and a mixture of French and captured Austrian equipment is used. C: CONSULATE & EMPIRE, 1804-05 C1: Louis Bonaparte, Colonel-General of Carabiniers C2, C3: OHicers C4: Carabinier The Consulate was a prosperous period of relative peace. when elite regiments had time and money to spend on their uniforms and equ pment. The 'royenst' Carabiniers returned to their ancien regime hairstyles and uniforms, and officers ordered their coats decorated with sliver 'brandenbourgs' around the buttonholes: C2, C3 & C4 are all reconstructed after Hofmann. The bearskin caps were now dressed with the fur combed downwards, but were still shown as being of a lower model than those specified in the October 1801 Officer's red copper cuirass, with slivered 'sunburst' badge; note also the elttra turned edge on the Inside of the bare steel borders. (Author's collection) regulations, which would soon appear. Napoleon's younger brother Louis Bonaparte (C1 - after Ysabey), the future King of Holland, was named as the Colonel-General of the Carabinier branch: for Napoleon's coronation as Emperor in 1804 he wore this regimental uniform with massive sliver embroidery, aigulllettes, and the sash of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. D: THE EARLY EMPIRE, 1806-10 01: Officer in service dress 02: Trumpeter in parade dress 03: Carabinier in parade dress All these figures are reconstructed after dress regulations and period engravings. The traditional style of Carabinier uniform is still worn, but by now, following fashion. the cut is more closely fitting, the bearskin caps are taller, and the hair powder has finally been discontinued. The bearskins - Inadequately secured to the head by a leather strap passing under the pigtail at the back of the head - are still dressed with White cords, despite the change to red In the 1801 regulations; only the officer 01 has yet acquired a long attachment cord passing under his epaulette to a coat buttonhole, to prevent his cap being lost in battle. The trumpeter 02 wears a regimental uniform in reversed colours laced and decorated with white, including dark blue epaulettes. Note that 03 carries his Dragoon musket with the butt forwards and down in a leather 'bucket', the barrel secured by a strap. E: CAMPAIGN DRESS, 1806-10 E1: Officer E2: Trumpeter E3: Carabinier The officer (E1 - after a contemporary picture) wears what appears to be a trooper's coat, to which he has added the silver epaulettes (thinly fringed on left, fringeless counter- epaulette on right) of his subaltern status. His shabraque is drawn out Into rear points decorated with silver tassels - certainly an extravagance that only officers could afford. The trumpeter (E2 - after dress regulations and contemporary paintings) is again in reversed colours; but both he and the trooper (E3 - after a contemporary painting) wear the single-breasted surtout, very popular within the Carabinier regiments. The trumpeter's is scarlet. lined and piped dark blue, with white epaulettes and grenade badges; the trooper's is dark blue. lined and piped scarlet, with white grenade badges, and white braid edging the straps of the scarlet epaulettes. The officer and trumpeter both wear 'baggy' dark blue trousers noticeably more loosely cut than the trooper's overalls. The metal chin scales added to the bearskin caps Indicate that these uniforms were worn in or after 1809. when this feature was ordered in Vienna; and aU three figures have attachment cords on their caps. Note that E3 has his musket fixed butt forward on the right side of his saddle, Its 'bUcket' Just showing beyond his mount's shoulder. 45 46 ,.-- /" / / / I I \ CarabInier tnlmpeter, as recommended by Bardin In 1812; compare with Plate H1. The helmet has a white chenille; and the sky-blue collar Is edged with the 'Imperial livery' braid, of green-on-yellow altematlng crowned 'Ns' and eagles, edged with red. More than one artist shows the tnlmpeters wearing cuirasses; this would seem enUrely sensible on campaign, but no documentary proof for the practice has yet been found. (Author'S collection) F: PARADE DRESS, 1810-15 F1: Field ofticer F2 & F3: Carabiniers During 1810 the Carabiniers received their new uniforms and armour, ordered by Napoleon's decree of 24 December 1809: all these figures are reconstructed from the regUlations and from contemporary pictures. (The armour was not at first popular; it was not only uncomfortably heavy, and need.ed constant polishing - it was also seen as an insult to their bravery.) The major or colonel F1 wears a helmet skull and cuirass of a coppery red shade, con- trasting with the yellower brass alloy of his helmet comb. Otherwise his officer status Is most obviously marked by the silvered sunburst decoration on his breastplate, with a central copper star; and by the sliver or silver-plated fittings and decorallons of his uniform and equipment. Note the double silver braid edging to his cuirass lining. and the double sliver chains on its blue-faced shoulder straps. As a field officer he wears a pair of epaulettes with thick fringes. The officer's saddle Is recognizable by the special Carabinier lace edging, and the fur holster covers. F2 &F3 illustrate the paler brass helmet and armour of the enlisted ranks; note also the newly issued musketoon carried muzzle down on the right side of the saddle, hanging from the second belt worn over the pouch belt; the pouch, heavy with cartridges, resting on the portmanteau: the bayonet frogged to the sword belt on the left hip; and the straight- bladed sabre with a plain three-bar guard, carried n a steel scabbard. The white riding cloak on top of the portmanteau is folded to show its partial sky-blue lining. G: TRUMPETERS & DRUMMER, 1810-14 G1: Trumpeter, 1810 G2: Kettle drummer, 1810-14 G3: Trumpeter, 1810-13 The uniforms of regimental trumpeters of Napoleon's armies. and to an even greater extent those of the musicians of each unrt's lele de colonne. are often variously Illustrated and described In pictorial and documentary sources. In an age when absolute uniformity and adherence to regUla ions was seldom rigidly enforced, these uniforms stili offered some of their historic opportunities for special display, according to unit custom and the wealth ot the officers. With the introduction of the new while and sky-blue Carabinier uniform a number ot choices seem to have been put forward and tried oul. One was this red coat (G1 - after Rousselot in 'Le Passepoll'). faced and lined dark blue and laced white, Including tasselled bars across the chest. and worn with the old bearskin cap. To whatever extent this was adopted, It was soon dropped in favour of a more conventional surlout In sky-blue faced, lined and laced whrte (G3 - after the famous collection of 'cardboard toy soldiers of Strasbourg'), with plain lace bars across the chest, and worn with a whlte- crested helmet. Some contemporary illustrations also show trumpeters wearing a cuirass. Uke every elite mounted corps the Carabinier regiments also had a mounted kettle drummer for parading on special occasions; G2 is reconstructed after dress regUlations. OPPOSrTE Detail drawings of the Carabinier helmet according to Bardin, the officer entrusted with writing the new 1812 dress regulations for the French Army. This profile clearly shows the dramatically 'classical' shape, with the comb set far back on the back-swept skull and the chenille crest protruding far forwards. (Author's collection) Vemet painting of a trooper and officer of Ute 2nd Regt;fter Ute 1812 Bardin reforms the 2nd Carabiniers were Identifiable by sky-blue cuffs, the 1st by red cuffs, both with sky-blue flaps. The trooper - here wearing black gaiters for dismounted duty - shows clearly how the An IX musketoon was hooked to a second shoulder belt over the pouch belt. Armed with this carbine, a heavy sabre, a bayonet and two pistOlS, and wearing armour, the Carabiniers - like the Cuirassiers - could be considered as the 'tanks' of Napoleon'S time. (Author's collection) H: CAMPAIGN DRESS, 1813-15 H1: Trumpeter H2: Carabinier H3: Officer All these figures are reconstructed after dress regulations and contemporary SOurces. In 1812, after several unsuc- cessful attempts to temper regimental excesses in the dress for drummers and trumpeters particularly, Napoleon ordered a new regulation uniform for them. For the first time regiments had to adopt the 'Imperial Livery'; a green uniform with chevrons and bands of yellow-green-red lace on the sleeves, cuffs, collars, tails and around the buttons on the chest. In this uniform. worn from 1813 onwards, Hl retaIns the Carabiniers' sky-blue collar, cuffs and piping. Another distinction is the white 'caterpillar' crest on the helmet, though this was sometimes also represented as sky-blue. The white uniforms of the Carabiniers were so prone to dirt when In the field that replacements for campaign use were apparently adopted. More than one contemporary artist (e.g. Albrecht Adam during the Russian campaign) shows Carabiniers in blue uniforms of a shade between sky-blue and the normal French blue - see H2, a trooper at Waterloo, after contemporary pictures. We know that other cavalry regiments replaced their full dress uniforms when on campaign, so it is plausible that the Carabiniers did the same. Alternatively they wore their stable jackets or undress uniforms of that colour. The Waterloo campaign was characterized by a number of transitional uniform features. All royalist emblems had to be removed. yet since there was practically no time to replace them with Imperial equivalents soldiers often wore neither - e.g. this trooper has no helmet insignia. Note his red grenade turnback badge; and the old- style shell guard and black sword knot attached to his new- style curved sabre. The mounted officer H3 also wears a substitute campaign uniform, here a long-tailed mid-blue coal, under his copper- red cuirass; but when the Emperor was present and commanding in person the officers were supposed to wear their white full dress uniforms in the field. Note that his helmet comb is made from the same copper-coloured alloy as the skull; and the long red horsehair mane hanging below his chenille - this gave some extra protection against cuts, as well as being decorative. 47 48 INDEX FiglllC) ill uuld refcr to iItU)Ir-.HiollS. Ahbtd.Josc:pll c\e",iIIWsS ,KCOurllS 9. 12-13 (>r 11 AIlx'mdcrl.Tsotro(Russi,. 10. II, 15 Treou), of 5.6 'Ar111) of the CoastS of the Ocean' 6 1\lIstcrlilJ, hallie of 7 Austri,lll armies 5,6. II. 12. 13 Bal'day. Geller-II Michael 24 Bassignac. Colonel Jcom de 5 Ikllnigs.cn. General Levin 9 Ikl'lmdouc, Cro,,'n Prince of S",'cdcn 24. 33 Bcssicrcs. Marsh:.1 11 Blancard, Colonel 8.9. 10. 19,20.35. 37,38,39 Bliichcr. Gcm:rnl Gd)bard 21. 2fl Borghcsc. PI'ince C;llnillc 7.8. 9 Borodino. b..111lc of 17-20 campaiJ:"lIs 1'oiapoleonic (1805) 6-7 (1806-07) 8-9 (1809) 11-13 (1812) 1.'l-23 (1813) 23-1.33-5 ([813-14) 34-5 (1814-1." 3S-6 Friedland 9-1 I rCln::l.l frOl1l Moscow 20-3 as Rc\,n]uLiomlry troops 5 ;IS Roptisl troops" Carnbinicrs de Momicur .. C1ral)in;I'('S elu COlllpU: de Prm't'l1ce '1 dll Roi " Chambrouc. Sc:rge:lm <J Charles. Archduke of Austria [I, [2 Ctmlilions Fnlllce Third 6-7 Fourth 8 Sixth 23 'Comincuml S)'stem' If, cuirasses 3,3, [3-101,41,44.45 dAlhrd.Jc;m :} d'Anglan, Comic > d'Anois, UUllte 36 D;l\'Olll, Marshal Louis II Defrance, C-enem[ 9. II. 12 Elbing 9 Antoine :1 Friedland. b;lIl1e of 9-10 Friedrich Wilhelm, King nf I'russia to helmets '11.42,44, ,16 Kellermilli. 37.38 KlllllZO\', General Mikail 7.17 I...;lriboiserc. Uell!. Ferdinand (It: 17, 18.19.20 Laroche, Colonel Frall,ois 7.9,21 Army Museum 3 LOllis XIV, Killg of Fr;lllce 1 l\'lad.. (;cucrnl Karl fi l\l:igdcburg garrison 34-5 Mosko....l. bauit' of Jet BorodillO, b;-mle of :'>1;lrshaIJO;lfhiln Ii. [Ii, 20. 21,23 Gencml 7, 8. 9, 10. II. [2.15 IJonap:lrtf' iUlll rcfonns OfCar;lbinit'T Rt'gilllCI1LS 5-6 return from Elha ('xile 37-9 Nl,'crwindcn. b;ulJc of 4 N,,\. :'>larsh:.1 Michel 3.37.38. 3!,l I'CllinsU!;lr W,lr II Portugal 10 I'rcsshurg. Trcatl' of 7 rank diqinctions 010,012 Rcgimclll Piquet 21.22 rcgimenmlorg;lllh;inion at bomle of Hodm."ledt 6 Colonels of regimCIlI II :Il first and French +-6 and i\'llJXlIi:OI1 8 Olig;ns 3--4 Rille!. S/IJeutemlllt elc witne!>S ;U:COUl1l 3:'1. 31 :If'Il1;es 7 Sacred Squadwl1 21-2 K:lrl 24.33 Soult. Marsh..1Nicol;ls R. \1 Spain 10-1 I nIsi!. Pellee of 10. II uniforms 39-4'1 1'1'('-1810 3!J-41 1810 41-3 18121\ardil1 n\o<lifir;ulon< 43 t".lnlbini(n 5,9,13.21, AI, B. C-l. 03. .3. f2, F3. H2. 34. 35. 38, 39.015,46. 'Ii. 47 Coq)or..1 40 dnl1nmcr.. G2.46 r.lrrieT 14. 43 heal) c:II'al'1' 16 LOUIS Bonap:lflc el,45 Nap<J[conic changes [3-15 ollkel'S 12. 15. 17, A3. C2, C3. 01. EI '1. H3. 37. 45. 46. 017.47 tiding m:lIllle< 21,41.42 Sc:rge:tlil 23 Sc:l'gc:lm,M;tiur 201 smhle drcloli 7. 'II TI'U111jX'Hn'!,jor 41 4, 10.;\2.02. E2. GI. G3. HI, 40. 42. 015. ,16. 'Ii Viennil capture of 7.12 VillerX'Il-<:;llIche. b."lillc llf 5 Wagl.lIll. b,mk of 12.13 WalerlO!.>. b:m1e of 37-9 we;lpons 10-1. 12, 42 The uniforms, equipment. history and organization of the world's military forces, past and present apol on's Carabinier Full colour artwork Illustrations OSPREY PUBLISHING www.oprepublibing.com Photographs Unrivalled detail The two priviJeg d regiments of rabinier urvi d th r nch R olution with their lite statu intact. They co ered them elves with glory at Au t r1Hz, Fri dland, Ratisbonn and Wagram- where their blo dy 10 se hocked ap I on into ord rin th m n whelm t and cuira se . R -form d aft r near annihilati n in Ru ia in 1 12, th f u hl at Leipzig and in man actions f th 1814 French campaign, and m de n f the final charg at Wat rio. illustrated with rare earl print and m ticuJous lour r n truction , thi b k d tail th ir tory, and th iT unique uniforms, from urviving p ri d document. ISB 1-84176-709-3 III I III 9 781841 7670