Table Of ContentMEN-AT-ARMS SERIES
EDITOR: MARTIN WI DROW
oleon's
LJ
Text by PHILIP HAYTHORNTHWAITE
Colour plates by BRYAN FOSTEN
OSPREY Pl;BLlSHI\"G 1.0:-':00:-':
Published in 1983 by
Osprey Publishing Ltd
Member company of the George Philip Group
1'2~14 Long Acre, London ',VC2E gLP
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©
Copyright 1983 Osprey Publishing Ltd
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Reprinted 1983. 1984
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This book is copyrighted under the Berne Convention.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Dala
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Haythormhwaitc, Philip
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Napoleons line infamry.-(Men-at-Arms series; 141)
I. Franee .4fflt.e.t hifanlerie 2. Franee- \'
History 178g-1815 J
1. Title II. Series t
:l.i6·.II·u~44 VA705 r
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Filmset in Great Britain
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Printed in Hong Kong
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Dedication
To my mother (
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lVapo/eoll'sLil/eIllfal/flJ'
Orgallisatioll
units provided fire-cover while Others charged; the
system was potentially in\'incible until the French
encountered opponents equally innovative.
l'\apoleol1's line infantry was founded upon that of Demi-Brigade battalions termed 'de Bataille' ror
the Ancien Rigim., eomprising (in 1789) 79 Freneh line infantry and 'Legere' for light each comprised
and 23 foreign regiments, each of twO battalions eight fusilier companies and one ofgrenadiers, the
(the.8th had rour), with 'heartillery rankingas the latter no longer armed with grenadcs! being in
64th line, and 22 provincial regiments and 78 theory the battalion elite, the most steadfast and
garrison battalions as the 97th. often largest men; there was in addition a
A total re-organisation began on January 1791 regimental artillery company equipped with six
I
with the abolition ofthe old regimental titles, and 4-pdr. fieldpieces, reduced to three in 1795. The
over the next (wo years an increasing number of original 198 Demi-Brigades de Bataille increased to
conscript and volunteer battalions were formed, 211, but on 8 January 1796 a further re-
culminating with the leuee en masse of 1793. Their
quality varied rrom the proficiency or the early
National Guard regiments to the untrained and ill c
equipped rabbleofthe levee, whose main tactic was a
headlong rush, even basic manoeuvre being quile S
S L SM S SL
beyond them. To combine the discipline and
steadiness of the regular army with the rev
olutionary fervour of the new army, the Amalgame
was decreed on 2 February 793 and enacted on 8
I I
January 1794; by this measure each regular
battalion became the nucleus ofa Demi-Brigadc, a
new term to replace 'regiment', which was es
chewed for political reasons.
To every regular battalion (now the 2nd or
centre battalion ofa Demi-Brigade) was added a 1st
S===:
and 3rd battalion from a newly-raised corps; for
example, on 8 December 1794 the .nd Demi L
Brigade was created from the 1st Bn. ofthe old 1st
Regl. (Regl. Picardie), with the 5th Paris and 4th
Somme volunteer battalions. The tactical impli SM
cation was obvious: the centre regular) battalion
could manoeuvre in line and concentrate its
firepower, while the conscripts on either flank
could make rapid advances in column. Born of .Iool't',a companyinline:first section(right),second(left),each
three ranks deep. Positions marked: C- captain;
necessity, this system developed into the classic L-lieute.nant; SL= sous-lieute.Da.Dt; 8M_ sergeant-major; 8
sergeant.Brlou'. a company in collUDD., each section three
Napoleonic tactic of L'ordre mixle, operating at all
ranks deep, key as above.
levels from battalion to division, by which alternate
3
corporal), eight corporals, two drummers and 1°4
I'--------'v__l l_--=G_........I
fusiliers, and each grenadier company likewise
except that there were four sergeants and 64
I_......:.F__I I_---:.F__I grenadiers. Throughout theentire period, however,
aClUal strengths often bore little relation to the
official establishment; for example, instead of the
I I I I regulation 96 officers and 3,300 men, in February
F F
1795 the I09th Demi-Brigade numbered only 92
officers and 1,239 men.
The term 'regiment' was re-instated on 24
September ,803, 'demi-brigadc' being applied
henceforth only to provisional units; the regimental
artillery was disbanded at this time, being res
urrected in 1809 but generally dispersed again in
v v v 1812. Ninety infantry regiments existed in 1803, 19
with four battalions and the remainder with three.
Although some regiments had possessed 'lighl
G I
companies' as early as 1800, on 20September 1804
a company of voltigeurs (literally 'vaulters') was
F added to each battalion by the conversion of a
fusilier company; theoretically these were the
smallest and most nimble members ofthe battalion,
I_----'-F__I
most adept at scouting and skirmishing.
A decree of ,8 February 1808 confirmed a
I I change in establishment which seems to have been
F
in motion already, by which each regiment was to
comprise four bataillons de guerre and one depot
I_----'-F__I
battalion, the latter offour companies commanded
by the senior captain, with a major in command of
the depot itself. Each bataill." de guerre was com
.Ibou, battalion colwnn, six-eompany establishment, IN by manded by a chif de balaill." and comprised four
elite cODlpanies.Each cOInpa..ny three ranks deep; frontage 75
fusilier companies and one each of grenadiers and
yards, depth 15 yards. Key: V.roltignm; G_grenadiers;
F_ fusillen. 8tlou'.alternative battalioncolwnn,Siz-cODlpany voltigeurs, each company composed ofa captain, a
establish.nJ.enL Five companies in colwnn, each three ranks
lieutenant, a sous-limtenant, a sergeant-major, four
deep, preceded by screen ofuoit.gntn as skirnlishers.
Grenadierscouldleadthecolumnorbringuptherearifother sergeants, a caporal-Jourrier, eight corporals, two
companies were likely to waver.
drummers and 121 privates. The regimental staff
consisted ofa colonel, a major, four chefs de bataillon,
organisation reduced the number to 100, with the five adjutants and five assistants, ten sergeant
weaker corps broken Up and amalgamated; for majors, an 'Eagle'-bearer and two escorts, a drum
example, on ,8 February '796 the 3rd, 91st and majorand drum-corporal (caporal-tambour), a band
'27th Demi-Brigades de Bataille were together master, seven musicians, four craftsmen, a quarter
formed into a new 3rd Demi-Brigade de Ligne, the master, paymaster, surgeon-major and four assis
term 'de Bataille' beingdiscontinued. On 30 March tants, the regimental establishment being 108
1796 the number of Demi-Brigades de Ligne was officers and 3,862 other ranks. In each bataill." de
increased to guerre were four sapeurs (pioneers) as pan of the
I 10.
In a Demi-Brigade, each fusilier company grenadier company, with one sapeur corporal per
officially comprised a captain, a lieutenant, a sous regiment. The grenadiers occupied the right ofthe
lieutenant (2nd lieutenant), a sergeant-major, five line, the voltigeurs the left.
sergeants, a caporaL-fourrier (quanermaster- In the later campaigns the Line infantry was
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v v v v v v v v v
B
A A
increased by the creauon of 5th, 6th and even 7th 'L'o"JrrmUIr': three battalions (establislunent ofnine compan
ies per battalion). Key: A=battalions in colUDJ..DS ofdivisions
battalions of existing regiments, and by the for
(two company frontage, each cODlpany occupying appro
malion of new corps, including some from foreign xi.m.ately 25 yards, each three ranks deep). Depth ofbattalion
in colUDJ..D approximately 25 yards. B_ battalion in line.
personnel. As progressively youngerconscripts were V _ oolt1lrur companies of all three battalions deployed as
slrirn:J.isbers.
called, culminating with the teenaged <Marie
Louises' of 1813-14, the standard of recruits
declined markedly. subject has been covered by a previous Men-at
<if
Formations for manoeuvre wefe flexible, and the Arms title (MAA 77, Flags alld Stalldards the
accompanying diagrams show typical examples Napoleonic Wars (I)), the briefest note will suffice
from company to brigade strength; the terms here. Though the sculpted eagle was each
'division', 'platoon' and 'section' referred not to battalion's symbol, a flag was usually attached
sub-units but LO formations, a 'division' being a (though often removed on campaign). The .804
tactical unit of two companies. The decree of pattern consisted ofa white diamond with alternate
February 1808 noted that when the elite companies corner triangles of red and blue bearing the
(grenadiers and uoltigeurs) wefe present, a banalion regimental number within a laurel wreath, the
would act by divisions, and when they were diamond inscribed in gold lettering, on one
detached, by 'platoon', each company constituting side 'L'Empereur/des Fran~ais/au-~Regiment/
a'platoon' and each half-company a 'section', Such d'lnfanterie de Ligne', and on the other 'Valeur/et
detachment of clites might be caused by the Discipline' and the battalion number. In 1808, due
deployment as skirmishers ofthe voltigeurs, or by the partly to the number lost in action, it was decreed
consolidation of the elites ofseveral regiments into that an 'Eagle' was to be carried by only one
composite battalions of selected personnel, as battalion per regiment, other battalions having
employed by Gudino!. (The screen of skirmishers simple marker-flags. In the design of flag for
1811
which covered many manoeuvres was not necess the 'Eagle' was changed to one based upon the
arily composed exclusively of voltigeurs, as whole 'tricolour', one side bearing the presentation
regiments could be employed thus; light infantry inscription as before but the other emblazoned with
tactics will be covered in depth in the companion battle-honours, reverting to the practice used by the
title, Napoleon's Light bifantry.) Demi-Brigades. A third tricolour pattern, issued
hastily in ,8'5, lacked almost all the magnificent
Tetes de Colonne embroidery of the previous types.
The Tiles de Colonne (literally 'heads of column') In 1808 the 'Eagle'-escort was ordered to consist
comprised the musicians, sapeurs and colour-escort. ofa lieutenant or sous-lieutenant as premierporte-algie,
The varicd flags of the Demi-Brigades (usually in with two veterans whose illiteracy had prevented
the national colours of red, white and blue and their promotion as deuxienu and troisiemeporte-aigles,
bearing republican symbols such as hcwrs' fasces paid as sergeant-majors and ranking as sergeants.
and the Phrygian cap or 'bonnet ofliberty') were They were usually armed with pistols and a halberd
replaced in ,804 by 'Eagles': gilt-bronze sculpted bearing a coloured pennon (often red for the 2nd
Imperial eagles atop a standard-pole, serving not and white for the 3rd, with' apoleon' on one side
only as the conventional rallying-point, but sym and the regimental number on the other). Many
bolising the unit's honour and fidelity. As this were dressed as grenadiers, but from 1812 some
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adopted versions of the carabinier helmet, a units with drafts of men sent from their depots.
practice probabl) never widespread. Togcthcr with uniforms made by local manufac
turers and modifications made of necessity on
campaign, this rendered the appearance of
Uli/on7lS
Napoleon's infantry very divergent from the reg
ulations. Examples of regimental variations are
In the following sections it should be noted that recorded below, these often being only discernible
official dress regulations were frequently not from contemporary descriptions and illustrations
obeyed. In lhe 17905 materiel was so deficient lhal unsupported by otherevidence; it is not unusual for
French forces resembled a ragbag; and under the sources to conflict, non-regulation examples con
Empire regimental variations were legion, even ceivably representing a single uniform worn out or
between battalionsofthe same regiment and within necessity or executed on the whim oran individual,
each battalion, due to thc praClice of reinforcing as some officers and :"lCOs enjoyed considerable
freedom in their dress. Others may represent
L~l Blallo~'It! Blruf: French infantrywearingboththe newblue transient variations instigated by the regimental or
unUorDl and the white coat oftheex-Royal army. Detail after
Hippolyte Lecomte's Enlr" d~ f'.lrllli~Frol/foistd .\fonJ. battalion commander.
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Table A ('79')
Rtgls.
Collar,
(a) (b) (c) (d) (t) (f) (g) lAptis cuffjldps Cuffs Blltlons
I, 7 13, 19 25.31 37,43 49,56 67, 74 82, 102 X X x yellow
2, 8 14. '20 26, 32 38, 44 5°,57 68,75 83 x x yellow
3,9 15. '21 27, 33 39, 45 51, 58 70, 78 84 x x yellow
4. 10 16, 22 28, 34 4°,46 52,59 71, 79 go x x x white
5. II 17. 23 29.35 41,47 54,60 72,80 91 X x white
6, 12 18, 24 30, 36 42,48 55. 61 73,81 93 x x white
Colours: (a) black, (b) violet, (c) pink, (d) sky blue, (e) crimson, (f) scarlet, (g) dark blue. First ofeach pairof
regiments had horizontal pockets, second venical.
The '79' Unifonn was unpopular. The 9th Demi-Brigade kept their
The white uniform which gave the regulars their helmets at least until 1798; but the 46th, receiving
nickname (/es biancs, contrasting with les bleus ofthe them in 1793, found them so noisome by t796 that
volunteer and conscript battalions) was designed in in a massdemonstration theentire regiment pitched
1779 and confirmed on October t786, with facing their helmets into the river at Strasbourg, replacing
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colours borne on the lapels, collar, cuffs and them with bicornsat five francs per man! Grenadier
turnbacks of the long-tailed coat. Considerable caps had a red rear patch bearinga white lace cross,
laxity ofstyle included high or low collars, and cuffs a brass plate bearing a grenade or regimental
with lhree- or four-button flaps or with a piped insignia, a red plume and white cords, and in some
opening instead ofa flap; headdress was the bieorll cases a peak.
hat, with the white Royal cockade replaced on 27
The 1792 Unifonn
May t790 byoneofthe national red, white and blue
New regiments were formed in 1792 and on '5
<tricolour' in concentric rings of varying arrange
January new facing colours were specified for
ments of colours. The fur grenadier cap was re
regiments numbered higher than 48 (see Table B);
introduced in t789.
the short life ofthe t79t facings for these regiments
In '791 some regiments were renumbered and a
must cast doubts upon their use.
new sequence of facing colours introduced, with a
Other innovations in 1792 included sky-blue
three-button cuff flap (though the other types still
greatcoats with facing-coloured collars for officers,
persisted); fusiliers had while shoulder straps piped
and the general replacement on campaign of
in the facing colour, grenadiers wearing the red
grenadier caps and officers' helmets in favour ofthe
epauleues which remained their distinction
bicorn, which had a white lace cockade+loop (silver
throughout the period. (For facings, see Table A.)
for sergeants and sergeant-majors).
The '791 headdress was a peaked leather helmet
resembling the British 'Tarleton') with an imitation The 1793 Unifonn
fur lurban and a fur crest; this was often ofshoddy Toeradicate the difference between ltSblanes and lts
manufacture, with the crest being sometimes only a bleus, an egalitarian blue uniform was introduced
straw-filled fabric 'sausage'. The skull had metal universally in 1793, based upon that ofthe National
reinforcing-bands, a tricolour cockade and a white Guard, created in t789. But due partiy to shortage
plume with facing-coloured tip, feathers for full ofcloth and partly to reverence for the traditional
dress and a woollen pompon on other occasions. colour, it was some years before the white uniform
The 'Tarleton' was apparently never received by disappeared, it being not uncommon for regular
some regiments (which retained the bicorn) and officers and COs to retain their white uniform
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Table B (1792)
Regis.
Col/or,
(aj (6j (ej (dj (tj Laptls cuffflaps Cuffs Buttons
49,55 61, 72 79,87 93, 102 108 x x x yellow
5°,56 62, 73 80,88 94, 103 109 x x yellow
51, 57 67, 74 81,89 96, 1°4 110 x x yellow
•
52,58 68, 75 82, go 98, 1°5 III x x x while
53,59 70, 77 83,91 99, 106 x x white
54,60 71, 78 84,92 101, 1°7 x x white
Colours: (oJ crimson, (b) scarlet, (e) dark bluc, (d) dark green, (e) light green. First ofeach pair ofregimenIS
had horizontal pockets. second vertical.
even though their men were dressed in blue, a total disregard of uniform regulations; a soldier
practice causing criticism from republicans. might consider himself lucky to receive a hat and
Early National Guard uniform was varied; while coat, irrespective of style, and leg'-vear and waist
blue coats with white lapels, cuffs and turnbacks coats were almost unknown as 'issue' items, the
and red collar was the eventual dress of the Paris individual having to scavenge for civilian garments
ational Guard (their original red lapels and cuffs to supplement his wardrobe. In place of the
seemingly never, or only brieAy, adopted), pro regulation breeches and gaiters, loose trousers as
vincial corps WOfC such varied styles as the scarlet worn by the sans-culottes of the Revolution were
with black facings of the Brest unit, the red faced usual, white with red and/or blue stripes being
with blue ofAvignon and the white faced with red I
of Pont-St.-Esprit. J
Typicalcolouroflate18th--ce.Dturylityle:NationalGuardofthe
The National Guard uniform standardised in District de SaiDt-Magloire, Paris (9th 80.,4th DivisioD), 1790. I
179t and copied as the dress of the Demi-Brigades White colour with gold scrolls aDd cypher, g~Dleaves, red
ribbon, silversword withgoldhilt,brown lDusket with silver
in 1793 consisted of a long-tailed dark blue habit metalwork.
(coat) with scarlet collar and cuffs piped white;
white lapels, lurnbacks and cuffAaps piped red; red
pocket-piping, and brass bultons (though old
regulars often transferred theirold buttons onto the FAIT MA GiO
If&,
new uniform). Blue shoulder straps piped red were
specified, but red epaulcttes we[e often worn
indiscriminately, no longer restricted to grenadiers;
and numerous cuffdesigns existed, including those
with red or blue Aaps, or the t786 flapless version
with piping on the opening. The bicorn bore the
tricolour cockade, often with a yellow loop, and red
or red-and-white pompon; but adrooping plume of
red horsehair was popular, notjust for grenadiers,
and was used as late as 800, when it was banned by
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Gen. Belliard when commandant ofCairo. Officers
continued to weaf gorgets and melallic lace
epaulettes, as described later. Appalling shortages
of everything throughout the I 790S led to almost
8
popular. Footwear was so scarce that lucky men woollen pompon on top; grenadiers had brass
might aspire to wooden clogs stuffed with straw, grenade badges on each side of the cap and
while the majority of some French armies weill sometimes all-red poufs (e.g. the 25th Demi
barefoot. Uniformity ofinsignia wasequally neglec Brigade). Legwear usually consisted of cotton
ted; grenadiers might wear the regulation red trousers and shon gaiters, or one-piece 'gaiter
grenade badgeson the turnbacks, butotherdevices, trousers'.
including hearts, numbers or mottoes, were legion. Shortage ofcloth in autumn 1799 occasioned the
Plumes occurred in all varieties of'tricolour', both so-called 'Kleber Ordinance' by which infantry
upright and drooping. Even such major variations received uniforms of the 798 pattern but in any
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as coats with red lapels or without turnbacks were colour of cloth available; numerous variations are
not uncommon, the whole ensemble often in a state recorded (descriptions of the same colour perhaps
of total dilapidation. varying as the uniforms faded), and it is possible
that lapels and madder-red trousers may have been
The 'Egyptian' Unifonn contemplated, but there is no evidence that they
Ordinary uniform was worn at the outset of the ever existed. Among recorded variations are the
Egyptian expedition, at least four Demi-Brigades pointed cuffs instead ofround) and white bastion
(18th, 251h, 32nd and 75th) wearing red-and-white shaped collar-loop of the 88th Demi-Brigade, and
striped trousers. As the campaign is covered by the green breeches (or red trousers with green
MAA 79, Napoleoll's Egypliall Campaiglls, briefdetails stripe) ofthe 9th's ollicers. Table C lists examples of
will suffice here. In autumn 1798 Bonaparte the 'Egyptian' uniform.
introduced a shon-tailed, single-breasted jacket
dyed with local indigo, with scarlet collar and cuffs The pre-,806 Unifonn
and white turnbacks, and blue shoulder straps (red Confirmed by several regulations around 800-0
J I,
epaulettes for grenadiers); the wooden buttons were the uniform evolved gradually from the 1793
covered in cloth, brass buttons being reserved for pattern. The dark blue coat (habit alafrallfaise. was
elite units, and so scarce as to serve as currency! A given shoneI' tails with false turnbacks, but which
peaked leather cap, the pelil casquelle or casquelle a did not extend to the bottom edge ofthe tails until
pouf, was worn with a tricolourcockade on the left, a about J81O, and the lapels received an accentuated
Rap to be lowered as a neck-shade, and a poufor curve. The regulations specified red collar and cuffs
Table C ('Egyptian')
Reg/. Coal Col/ar/Piping Cuffs Tumbacks Pipillg Pou!
91h scarlet blue/red white white blue red
13th cnmson dark blue/white puce puce while blue
181h scarlet brown yellow yellow blue black
25th cnmson sky-blue/white sky-blue sky-blue white white/red
32nd brown scarlet/blue orange orange• white while/blue
61st cnmson dark blue/yellow dark blue dark bluc yello\\ white/black
6gth brown scarlet/blue white white white white!yellow
751h scarlet sky-blue/white sky-blue sky-blue white red:blue
85th brown scarlet/blue yellow yellow white red/yellow
88th violet blue/white green green white blue/yellow
Recordedalternatives: 9th, green facings piped white; 18th, yellow facings piped white, or blue facings and scarlel
collaron brownjacket; 32nd,crimson faced blue; 6lst, lightgreen cuffsand turnbacks piped white, brown faced
yellow, or brown with yellowcollar and light green cuffs and turnbacks piped blue; 69th scarlet facings piped
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white; 88th,crimsonjackets; 13th,green piping; 18th,scarlet collarand cullS, white turnbacksand piping; blue
piping for 69th, 75th, 85th; violet jackets for 32nd and 61st.
9
