The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard

Part 4 of the series on this famous regiment by P. J. Hoyer.

by P.J. Hoyer

Military Modelling, March 1977

IN THIS, the fourth part of the series, we look at the uniform worn by the trumpeters. During the Napoleonic wars the role of the trumpeter was hazardous in the extreme, life expectancy being somewhat short, but a brilliant uniform and a slight pecuniary advantage, did to some extent — especially in times of peace - help offset the added dangers that their duties entailed. Whilst not quite the gilded poppinjay on the battlefield as he was on the parade ground, the trumpeter, nevertheless, presented an easy target in his distinctive uniform, riding a white or grey horse. It is not surprising that these brave men were often mistaken for high ranking officers and received more of the enemy fire than their more conservatively dressed colleagues.
    Initially, each of the four squadrons had six trumpeters who were commanded by a Trumpet-Major and two Brigadier-Trumpeters totalling 27 men in all. The strength was increased to 33 in 1812 when an additional squadron was raised. On its reorganisation in 1813, the regiment boasted 10 squadrons, the number of trumpeters increasing proportionally to 60 with four Brigadier-Trumpeters and the Trumpet-Major making 65. These latter squadrons were classed as Young Guard, but contrary to the practice of differentiating between the uniforms of the Old and Young Guard as in the case of the troopers, those of the trumpeters appear to have been identical.

    The trumpeters had basically two distinct uniforms, one reserved for parades and special functions, the other worn when doing ordinary duties or when on the march or on campaign.

1. A Trumpeter in the undress uniform; the trumpet cord and tassels would have been a mixture of red and yellow and the kurtka and trousers in sky blue cloth but similar in design and function to those of the parade dress uniform. The sword belt and slings are also as worn with the parade dress.
2. A Trumpet-Major based on a drawing by Benigni; he wears the pricey white colback with its scarlet bag — towards the end of the Empire his head-dress was the same as that of the trumpeters. Note scalloped edge to sheepskin — a feature missing from the original Bucquoy card.

The Parade Dress
    The chapska was of the same design and proportions as described previously for the troop, except for the upper portion which was white, a broad gold lace masked the junction of the two halves and the braid on the edges and across the diagonals on the trencher top was scarlet. The cord was a mixture of gold and scarlet terminated by ″raquettes″ and tassels. The plume was white with a scarlet tip. The plaque, chinscales, cockade, bosses and fitments were the same as those of the troop.

    The kurtka was white of similar cut and design as the scarlet one. The collar, cuffs, revers, turnbacks and piping were scarlet and an 11mm wide gold lace bordered the collar, cuffs and revers. The same lace framed the seven buttonholes either side of the revers. An epaulette was worn on the right shoulder and an aiguillette on the left, these being a mixture of red and gold and the same as worn by the N.C.O.s of the troop. The epaulette keeper was in gold lace, 9mm wide.

    The trousers were of scarlet cloth trimmed either side with two gold laces each 22mm wide between which a round gold lace masked the seam. A small strap with button was provided which went under the foot and fastened through a buttonhole on the outside of the leg. The writer has to admit no definite knowledge of how the trousers were ″kept up″ — the popular methods at that time were of course the adjustable waistband or braces; as these were full length trousers as opposed to knee length breeches the latter is the most likely. Similarly, did the trousers have the front flap? The answer to this point must almost certainly be yes — assuming this to be so, then the opening would have been down the centre fastening with buttons in the vertical position, all being hidden by the flap which itself was buttoned in position by either two or four buttons stitched to the waistband. As sources of information are somewhat limited in this country and definite facts on minutiae such as this hard to come by, one cannot afford to be dogmatic on any point of dress, and the foregoing assumption should be treated as nothing more than that.
    When on parade, the waistbelt was replaced by a sash in red cloth, trimmed with four gold stripes. The sash was probably fastened on the side with straps and buckles.
    The trumpeters utilised the black leather giberne of the N.C.O., having brass sides and an eagle on the flap. The giberne strap was in leather covered in red cloth and trimmed with four gold lace stripes. On the front was positioned an escutcheon stamped with an eagle and a lion′s head boss, these ornaments being connected by three small brass chains. The buckle, slide, tip and buttons were in brass.
    The sabre belt and slings were of the light cavalry model, being covered in red cloth and trimmed with gold lace. The belt fastened at the front with a brass hook and fitments. The sabre was as previously described for the troop, but the knot was in white leather terminating with a tassel in red and gold.

    All other equipment viz. gloves, boots, spurs etc. were all as previously described.

    The trumpets were of yellow metal, their cords and tassels being a mixture of red and gold. The trumpet pennon was of blue taffeta with fringes and attaching cords in gold. On one side was a streamer in silver lined with red and bordered with a gold cord inscribed with the legend ″2 eme Regt. de Chevau Legers Lanciers″, beneath this an eagle and crown in gold. The pennon, being swallow tailed, had in each corner two gold lances entwined with oak and laurel leaves all in gold. The lances were complete with pennons which were in white and red silk, the white being uppermost. On the reverse side the legend reads ″Garde Imperiale″ and a crowned ″N″ in lieu of the eagle, the lances, pennons and leaves are repeated.
    The shabraque was covered in scarlet cloth piped on the edge with yellow and a single gold lace ″en systéme″*, in the rear corners a crowned eagle in gold. The sheepskin was white with a yellow scalloped edge.
    The horse harnessing was the same as that for the troop, but when on parade a gold snaffle-bridle was utilised.
    The accompanying sketch of the Trumpet-Major is based on the drawing by Benigni in the Bucquoy series of cards. This shows him wearing a white colback with scarlet bag trimmed with red and gold plaited cord, ″raquettes″ and red and gold tassels. The colback was a very expensive item of equipment and in the latter years of the Empire he wore the same head-dress as the trumpeters. The collar of the kurtka is trimmed with three gold stripes. He would also have worn the stripes of the maréchal-des-logis-chef. The clothing worn by the Trumpet-Major was of a superior quality to that of his subordinates, and his trumpet and accessories more expensive. The shabraque has two gold stripes. There are one or two points that deserve specific mention, these include the plaque on the sash bearing a crowned which must have been a special feature for the Trumpet-Major. Also the portemanteau is carried which is unusual in ″Grande Tenue″ and the sheepskin has no scalloped edge (added in my sketch). Another surprise is that the buttonholes on the revers are not trimmed with gold lace — could the Trumpet-Major have had an intermediate uniform, worn on less formal occasions? Finally, with regard to this card, the breast ornament on the horse is the heart-shaped fitment for which I have substituted a sunburst.
    A painting by Géricault shows a trumpeter in ″Grande Tenue″; he has two gold stripes around the collar, which may well depict a brigadier. Unfortunately he wears gloves and one is unable to see his rank stripes, which would have been those of a maréchal-des-logis had he been a brigadier-trumpeter.

Wounded trumpeter in campaign dress.
The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer.

Wounded trumpeter in campaign dress.
The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer.

The Undress Uniform
    We will now consider the undress uniform — the kurtka and trousers being in sky-blue cloth, similar in specification to those of the parade uniforms. The revers of the kurtka were edged with gold lace but the buttonholes were plain. Piping, turnbacks, revers and collar were red and the buttons yellow metal all as per the parade kurtka. The trousers had two red stripes down each side of the outer leg with red piping masking the seam, otherwise they were generally of the same specification but not of the same quality as previously described.
    In undress the trumpet cord and tassels were a mixture of red and yellow; the pennon was not used.
    The chapska, giberne, giberne-strap, sword-belt and slings and the sabre-knot were all as worn with parade dress. The parade shabraque was utilised together with the portemanteau of the troop.
    When on campaign or on the march, as previously mentioned, the chapska was encased in an oilskin cover and the plume carefully stowed. The accompanying illustration depicts a trumpeter in campaign dress. Our wounded hero wears the undress kurtka with the revers buttoned over, the right going over the left, showing a red ″piping″ on the edge. His overalls are those as previously described for the troop. His horse has been wounded and he rides a captured steed — contrary to popular belief, trumpeters were not mounted on donkeys, though no doubt in common with all cavalrymen they sometimes thought they were! The parade shabraque is shown but, without doubt, the blue shabraque of the troop would have been utilised so as to preserve the more expensive one. When on campaign the parade dress was normally returned to the stores and forwarded when the campaign season had closed.
    To complete the uniform, mention must be made of the bonnet de police which was the N.C.O.s′ model worn by the troop; also the mantle and stable jacket which again were of the general pattern. According to Rousselot N.C.O.s were also issued with a sky-blue coat ornamented with their rank stripes, aiguillette and epaulette.
    From contemporary sources we learn that the trumpeters were not averse to permutating their items of clothing viz. the undress sky-blue kurtka with the scarlet parade trousers — this combination must have presented a truly magnificent spectacle. . . Similarly the white parade kurtka could be worn with the undress trousers — the combination and permutations of the various items made for numerous orders of dress.
    Finally, mention must be made of the figures formerly in the Boersch Collection, amongst which were a number of musicians depicted generally in the uniform as described for ″Grande Tenue″ and also a kettledrummer who wears a uniform similar to that of the kettledrummer of the 1st Regiment. Did the 2nd Regiment have a kettledrummer? It is very difficult to place much reliance on these figures.
*Lace ″en systéme″ was lace that had a pattern on one side only.

Source: pp. 176, 177 & 187, Military Modelling, March 1977.

Part 1 — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer — Introduction
Part 2 — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer — Uniform
Part 3 — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer — Arms & Equipment
Part 5 — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer — Officers

Other 19th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers