The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard

Concluding the short series by P. J. Hoyer on the uniforms of this famous regiment.

by P.J. Hoyer

Military Modelling, April 1977

Officer in parade dress — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer.

IN the four preceding parts of this article we have studied the uniforms and equipment of the men, N.C.O.s and trumpeters; in this the final part, we will consider the Officers.
    The czapska was of the same form as that previously described for the men; the lace of the trencher top and sides, and that masking the joint of the two halves, was in gold. The plaque, ″N″ and crown, studs, bosses, hooks, edging of the visor and chain of the chinstrap were gilt. The czapskas of the superior officers had a gold overstitching between the fluting at the top. The cord was in gold thread and went twice round the body of the head-dress, it was terminated by ″raquettes″ and tassels having fringes in either thread or bullion according to rank. The plume was white in vulture feathers for subalterns or heron feathers for the superior officers. Some models had a lion′s head boss on the front angle at the top, a ring being fixed through the mouth through which passed the cords. Presumably, the so called ″cords″ were, in fact, a single cord which was doubled over and was attached by passing the ends through the noose of the false end, or, to borrow a nautical expression, ″tied or passed through the bight″.
    The officers′ parade dress was generally the same as that of the troop, incorporating the above mentioned czapska, and a red kurtka similar to that of the mens but in a finer cloth with gilt buttons, epaulette of rank, gold thread aiguillette with keepers in gold. The parade trousers were in fine red cloth ornamented by two gold laces on each leg, between which was a gold cord piping; they were laced at the bottom in the form of a gaiter.
    The waistbelt was of dark blue trimmed with six gold laces — in the middle was a gilt plaque bearing a crowned eagle in silver; the fitments were in gilt; the dark blue sabre-slings were trimmed on the edges with gold lace.
    A similar belt was also utilised, this being a thinner version of the parade belt, being fastened in the front with a hook and clasp in gilt with fittings in gilt.
    Sometimes a gold sash was worn on parade; this was striped with blue silk, terminating with gold and blue tassels with gold and blue fringes — the sash was tied on the left. When the sash was worn, the narrow waistbelt was utilised, being much more convenient.
    The giberne was a very handsome affair, having its flap recovered in red moroccan leather, upon which was a gilt crowned eagle on a silver sunray. The sides of the casket were in the form of gilded brass figureheads and the clasps were jointed. The shoulder strap was in plain gold lace ornamented on the front by a crowned eagle in silver (a single crown only according to some authorities i.e. Fallou etc.) which was attached to a silver escutcheon by means of small chains; the shield was stamped with the letter ″N″; the buckle, keeper and buttons were all gilt.
    The officers were armed with the sabre — cavalry officer pattern model AN XI — having a steel scabbard with guard and ringlets in gilt. Doubtless, due to the great loss of arms and equipment over the years, other models both regulation and non-regulation were used. The sword—knot was in gold lace with the fringes in either thread or bullion according to rank.
    The horse harnessing comprised a light cavalry bridle with the chain mounts of the nosestrap, frontal, cross-strap, throat-strap, bosses of the bit, noseplate, crescent, curbchain and cross-strap ornament all gilt — the latter being adorned with an eagle. The parade snaffle—bridle was gold, the remaining strapping being in black leather with the halter lined with red cloth as per the men′s. The mounts of the breast strap and crupper and the ornament of the former — the same as that on the cross-strap — were gilt, the strapping being in black leather. The saddle—straps and girth strap were in red moroccan leather, the hoops of gilded brass with the stirrup leathers red and the stirrups brass.
    The shabraque was dark blue with a leopard-skin seat; it was bordered with yellow piping and two gold laces. ln the rear angles were gold crowned eagles; the friction pads were red.
    Our coloured illustration this month depicts an officer in parade dress as just described; he would be wearing the parade waistbelt but not the sash.
    The line drawing Fig. 1. illustrates an officer in ″Tenue de Route″. The kurtka is worn crossed over — buttoned on the right — opposite to the men; this was in consequence of wearing the aiguillette on the right shoulder and the epaulette on the left. It is interesting to note that the officers′ adjutants — majors — wore the aiguillette on the same side as the men viz. on the left and consequently buttoned the kurtka on the left — although Benigni in the Bucquoy series of cards shows it the opposite way round — it would seem however that he was in error.
    The czapska is encased in an oilskin similar to that of the men but of a yellowy fawn colour.
    To protect the very ornate and expensive giberne strap it was encased in a red leather cover with gilt buttons. Similarly, the parade waistbelt also being an expensive item of equipment, was laid aside and replaced by a white leather belt with gilt plaque bearing a silver crowned eagle. This waistbelt was probably that used by the troop viz. the Old Guard model stitched along the edge.
    The red parade trousers were carefully stowed and were replaced by blue overalls having a single gold stripe down the outside of each leg.
    As far as the horse equipment is concerned, the parade harnessing was set aside and a simple bridle and snaffle bridle utilised. The rear corners of the shabraque were often doubled back to protect it from dirt and debris thrown up by the horse′s hooves — this also helped to keep the eagles in the corners clean. However, it would seem likely that cheaper models would have been used as indicated by Lejeune in his famous painting of the battle of Borodino. A porte-manteau was utilised when on campaign; this was red trimmed on the ends with gold lace. It was not, however, carried when the officer wore ″Grande Tenue″.
    The above mentioned painting of Borodino by Lejeune throws up one or two interesting points — the officers appear to be wearing what is a mixture of Dress and Undress — however, the plumes and cords are probably artist′s ″licence″ to gain effect. One wears a red overall with gold stripes upon which are a number of buttons, the other wears a blue overall with a red stripe down each leg. Our man in the blue overall wears an aiguillette on the left and must therefore be a staff officer. His brother officer wears a red kurtka with an epaulette on the left shoulder buttoned on the right and doubtless the aiguillette on the right although this cannot be seen in the painting. Both men wear the parade waistbelt and giberne strap which is shown to be encased. One has a shabraque as already described but with an ″N″ in each corner in lieu of crowned eagles and carries a blue porte-manteau laced with gold on the ends. The other has a more simple version of the shabraque with no ornamentation in either front or rear corners but tassels hanging from the points at the rear.
    The bonnet de police was generally the same as that of the men having a blue turban with red ″flame″ but the lace, piping and tassel were gold.
    The officers also utilised another service dress; this incorporated a red ″Konfederatka″ trimmed on the edges, across the diagonals and around the body with gold lace. The lower section was made from black fur. A single breasted surtout, piped down the front and along the turnbacks in scarlet, was worn, the colour being blue with scarlet collar and cuffs. An epaulette was worn on the left and an aiguillette on the right; the buttons were gilt. A blue or white waistcoat was worn with the surtout. The overall was in blue cloth trimmed down each leg with red stripes and piping, the bottom finishing in the form of a gaiter.
    The lancer officers appear to have had a waistbelt for every order of dress as yet another was used with the service dress described above; this was in black leather, with gilt snake clasp and gilt fittings. The sabre-slings used with this particular belt were also in black leather with gilt buckles and fittings.
    During inclement weather, use was made of a dark blue overcoat with two ranges of gilt buttons. This garment did not carry rank insignia.
    Fig.2. depicts an officer in ″tenue de bal″; this was worn at soirées and balls and, to modern eyes, looks very smart, although probably was not much appreciated by the fighting men of that era. The head-dress was the black bicorne adorned with the tricolour, gold tightener with a tassel in each end, gold lace cockade strap, gilt button and white plume. The elegant surtout was scarlet, with dark blue collar, blue pointed cuffs, blue piping on the revers and turnbacks. An epaulette of rank was worn on the left shoulder and the aiguillette on the right; buttons were gilt. A white waistcoat, white knee-breeches, white hose and black buckled shoes completed the uniform. It is worth noting that a white stock was worn in place of the normal black service one. As was normal with this order of dress, the sabre was laid aside and an epée was carried. The epée had a gilded hilt and was carried in a black sheath reinforced at the bottom with yellow metal, suspended from a white waistbelt (yet another variety) and frog; the gold sword-knot was affixed to the hilt.
    The Colonel of the Regiment Colbert, who became a General of Division, wore the uniform of the regiment with certain rank modifications, the most obvious being his czapska which was adorned with oak-leaf lace. The white plume issued from a black tuft, the circle of the visor was probably stamped with oak-leaves and the ″raquettes″ each carried three silver stars signifying his rank. His kurtka was ornamented with oak-leaves, two ranges of embroidery on the collar and revers and probably single rows on the turnbacks and cuffs. The trousers would also have been trimmed with two rows of oak-leaf lace down each leg. The three stars are again to be seen on the epaulette, sash and sword-knot, the latter also bearing the oak-leaf pattern. He would also have worn the gold embroidered sash of his rank which had red net groundwork, also the waistbelt which was elaborately embroidered in the same colours and bore the special gilt plate of rank.

Fig. 1., an officer. 2nd Regiment Lancers of the French Imperial Guard in ″Tenue de route″ with czapska in its fawn oilskin protector and expensive giberne strap also covered against the elements in a red leather case with gilt buttons. The red parade trousers were also replaced by blue overalls on campaign.
Fig. 2 shows an officer in ″Tenue de bal″, the attractive evening uniform with black bicorn and white plume, elegant scarlet surtout with blue piping and turnbacks, white waistcoat and knee breeches etc. Note that an epée in a black sheath replaces the sabre in this order of dress. Shiny black leather buckled shoes and white stockings complete the uniform.

    The following authorities and references were consulted in the preparation of this series:-
L. Rousselot — L′Armée Francaise. Plates No. 1, 47, 68, 75, 77 and 88.
E. L Bucquoy — Les Uniformes du Premier Empire. Series 43, 44, 187, 188, 189 and 190.
L. Fallou — La Garde Impériale 1804-1815.
E. M. de Saint-Hilaire — La Garde Impériale.
J. O. B. and Jean de Mitty — La Vieille Garde Impériale (Les Lanciers Rouges).
H. Malibran — Guide a L′usage des Artistes et des Costumiers.
A. S. K. Brown and H. Lachouque — The Anatomy of Glory.
H. Lachouque — Waterloo.
P. Martinet — Galerie des Enfans de Mars.
E. Fieffé — Napoleon 1e et La Garde Impériale.
Rouen — L′armée Belge.
    Paintings, Pictures, Plates and Drawings by the following artists: Bellange, Detaile, Grammont, Vernier, Knotel, Vernet, De Moraine, Ruhl, Lami, Lejeune, De Beaufort, Benigni, Philippoteaux, Vallet, Girbal, Lalauze, Dighton.
    Journals and Periodicals:- Uniformes les Armee de L′Histoire, La Sabretache, Tradition, Le Passepoil.
    Miscellaneous: The Panorama at Waterloo by Louis Dumoulin.
The figures formerly in the Collection Boersch.
Photographs and descriptions of actual items of dress.
The Musée de L′Armée-Paris. Le Costume chez Lez Peuples Anciens et Modernes — Hottenroth.

Source: pp. 258-259, Military Modelling, April 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 4 — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer — Trumpeters

Other 19th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers