domenica 2 marzo 2025

Napoleonic French Chevau-légers

 Chevau-légers



Light horses of the first six regiments

Short tailed coat of dark green cloth. Regimental colour collar with green piping. Green shoulder straps piped in regimental colour. Regimental colour squared lapels hooked down to the waist. Regimental colour pointed cuffs. Turnbacks in regimental colour bearing a green cloth eagle badge and Soubise pockets simulated by a piping in regimental colour. Brass buttons.

White cloth sleeveless vest and dark green cloth stable vest.

Dark green Hungarian breeches with bright yellow side band and black leather Hungarian boots. In field dress, dark green cloth overalls with regimental colour piping and black leather inserts.

Sleeved riding mantle with half-cape and facing coloured trim.

Helmet with brass crown and brass crest bearing a black fur caterpillar. Around crown, turban in false panther fur. Black leather peak and neck guard with brass strengthenings. Brass chinscales.

From 1813, company coloured pompon.

White leatherwork. Black leather cartridge pouch bearing a brass crowned N. Light cavalry sabre with brass three bars hilt and steel sheath. Black wood lance with scarlet over white pennon.

Black leather light cavalry harness. Hungarian saddle with white sheepskin saddle cover trimmed with facing coloured wolf teeth. Dark green cloth cylindrical portmanteau laced yellow.


Light horses of the last three regiments

Short tailed polish coat of dark blue cloth. Regimental collar. Blue shoulder straps piped in regimental colour. Regimental colour squared lapels hooked down to the waist. Regimental pointed cuffs. Turnbacks in regimental colour and vertical pockets simulated by a piping in regimental colour. Sleeves and back seams underlined with regimental colour piping. White metal buttons.

White cloth sleeveless vest and dark blue cloth stable vest.

Dark blue polish trousers with bright yellow side band and black leather light boots. In field dress, dark blue cloth overalls with regimental colour piping and black leather inserts.

Overcoat as French regiments.

Czapska with dark blue cloth top piped and laced in regimental colour and black leather crown bearing a white metal sunrays plate with brass centre stamped with crowned N cipher. Company coloured pompon over tricoloured cockade with white Maltese cross. Black leather peak and white metal chinchain.

Same equipment as French regiments. Cloth sash with white and blue stripes worn over sabre belt. Lance with crimson over white pennon.

Same horse equipment as French regiments. Dark blue cloth cylindrical portmanteau laced in regimental colour.

Elite companies

Fringed epaulets in red thread in French regiments and white thread in Polish regiments.

From 1813, red plumes tuft.


NCOs

Yellow (white in Polish regiments) or gold (silver in Polish regiments) rank chevrons over both cuffs.


Officers

Troopers’ dress with gold (silver in Polish regiments) thread rank epaulets. Saddle covers in green (blue in Polish regiments) cloth laced gold (silver in Polish regiments) embroidered with a gold (silver in Polish regiments) crowned N in front corner and a crowned eagle on crossed lances in rear corner.

Officers often wear a Minerva style helmet with fur extending on peak and neck guard.


Trumpeters and musicians

Dress of trumpeters and musicians, when known, is detailed in regimental plates.

Trumpeters usually wear troopers’ helmet with white fur caterpillar.

In 1811 and 1812 they usually wear the trooper’s dress in reversed colours with collar, lapels, cuffs and waist buttons laced white.

From 1813, short tailed habit-veste in green cloth closed by a row of nine buttons. Regimental collar with imperial livery lace trim. Facing colour piping on front of coat, bearing five livery buttonhole laces. Livery laces trim to cuffs and turnbacks. Livery lace trim to pockets. Green and yellow trumpet’s cord.


Chevau-légers

5th Light Horses Lancers Regiment


Decree of June 18, 1811 converts the 10th Dragoons Regiment into 5th Light Horses Lancers Regiment.

It joins the Cavalry Reserve of the Grand Army and takes part in campaigns of Russia in 1812 in the 5th Cavalry Corps, of Germany in 1813 and France in 1814.


After the first Restoration, the regiment, reinforced by 5th (Young Guard) squadron of the 2nd Guard Lancers, is renamed as Lancers of Angouleme and fights during Waterloo campaign in the 2nd Army Corps. It is disbanded on 21 November 1815 and strength transferred in the new Vosges Chasseurs (24th Chasseurs-a-Cheval).


Unit commanders

1811 : François Chabert

1815 : Jean-François Jacqueminot de Ham


Battles

1812 : Borodino, Winkowo

1813 : Wachau, Hanau

1814 : Montmirail

1815: Ligny, Waterloo


Standards

When created, the Regiment keeps one of the eagles of his parent 10th Dragoons Regiment. It is granted in 1812 with a standard of 1812 model with the following battles names :


ULM

AUSTERLITZ

IENA

EYLAU

FRIEDLAND


Plate caption 1. Light horse (Carl)(a), blacksmith (Brégeot)(b), trumpeter of elite company in habit-surtout (Marckolsheim)(c) and of centre companies (Lienhart & Humbert)(d) in 1812. Officer in marching order 1813 (Freyberg)(e). Trumpeter of Angouleme Lancers (Valmont)(f)


Chevau-légers

6th Light Horses Lancers Regiment


Decree of June 18, 1811 converts the 29th Dragoons Regiment into 6th Light Horses Lancers Regiment.


It takes part in campaigns of Russia in 1812, Germany in 1813 and France in 1814.


After the first Restoration, the regiment, reinforced by the remnants of the 12th Hussars Regiment is renamed as Lancers of Berry and fights during Waterloo campaign in the 2nd Army Corps. It is disbanded in 1816.


Unit commanders

28 May 1803: Jacques Avice

14 October 1811: Laurent Marbeuf

11 March 1813: Sébastien Perquit

25 February 1813: Nicolas de Galbois


Battles

1812: Krasnoïe, Smolensk, Borodino and Berezina

1813: Leipzig and Hanau

1814: Champaubert, Montmirail, Vauchamps, Arcis-sur-Aube and Saint-Dizier

1815: Fleurus and Waterloo


Standards

When created, the Regiment keeps one of the eagles of its parent 29th Dragoons Regiment.

It is granted in 1812 with a standard of 1812 model with the following battles names :


WAGRAM


Plate caption

1. Trumpeter in provisional dress 1811 (Marckolsheim)(a). Captain in 1812 (Martinet)(b). Trumpeter of elite company in 1812 (Marckolsheim)(c).

2. Berry Lancers Regiment 1814-1815: light horse (a), elite company (b), sapper 

(c) and musician (d) (Jolly).



Chevau-légers

7th Light Horses Lancers Regiment


Decree of June 18, 1811 converts the 1st Vistula Lancers Regiment into 7th Light Horses Lancers Regiment.

It is posted in Spain until 1812 and joins the Grande Armée in 1813 to take part in campaign in Germany in 1813 and France in 1814.

The 7th Light Horses Regiment is disbanded in May 1814.


Unit commanders

15 July 1807: Jan Konopka

22 October 1811: Stanislas Klicki

May 1812: Ignace Ferdinand Stokowski

2 July 1813: Casimir-Alexandre Tanski

19 January 1814: Thomas Lubienski


Battles

1813 : Dresden and Hanau

1814 : Montereau

Standards

No known standard.


Plate caption

1. Light horse (Bucquoy)(a) and trumpeter (Morawski)(b) of the elite company in 1811. Captain in everyday dress (reconstitution)(c). Light horse in 1813 (Freyberg)(d) and in 1814 (Elbersfeld)(e). Officers in 1813, full dress (f), everyday dress (g) and quarter dress (h)(Freyberg).


8th Light Horses Lancers Regiment
Chevau-légers

Decree of June 18, 1811 converts the 2nd Vistula Lancers Regiment into 8th Light Horses Lancers Regiment.
It takes part in campaigns of Russia in 1812 in Corbineau brigade of 2nd Army Corps, Germany in 1813 and France in 1814.
The 8th Light Horses Regiment is disbanded on January 19 1814 and remaining strength transferred to 7th Regiment.

Unit commanders
8 February 1811: Thomas Lubienski
Battles

1812 : Polotsk and Beresina
1813 : Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden and Leipzig
1814 : Champaubert

Standards
No known standard.

Plate caption
1. Light horse 1811 (Knötel)(a) and 1812 (Bregeot)(b). Trumpeter in full dress (Knötel d.J.)(c) and in parade dress (Marckolsheim)(d) in 1812.



Chevau-légers
9th Light Horses Lancers Regiment

Decree of June 18, 1811 converts the 30th Chasseurs Regiment into 9th Light Horses Lancers Regiment.
It takes part in campaigns of Russia in 1812, Germany in 1813 and France in 1814.
The 9th Light Horses Regiment is disbanded in May 1814.

Unit commanders
14 March 1811: Martin Gobrecht
13 July 1813: Jan Fredro
26 September 1813: Gaspard Hug

Battles
1812 : Vitebsk, Ostrowno, Borodino and Berezina
1813 : Mockern and Kulm
1814 : Vauchamps

Standards
Unknown standard.

Plate caption
1. 1811-1812 period: light horse (a), trumpeter (b) and officer (c) [a and b : Knötel d.J, c : Suhr].
2. 1813-1814 period: light horse and trumpeter of centre companies (a and c) and elite company (b and d) and officer (e) [a, b, c, d and e : Marckolsheim].











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