The Uniforms of the French Army under Napoleon I (1800 - 1815) - Artillery and Baggage Train

In past centuries the army's baggage train handled the supply.

With the emergence of modern armies, an efficient administration and a more effective supply and transport system were required.

The latter institution was called the Train. In the literal sense this referred to a column of vehicles that transported the material required for or to the troops.

Train also designated the corresponding unit or military branch responsible for supply, i.e. for provisions, rations, ammunition, bridging equipment, medical supplies or siege equipment, etc.

Already during the Revolution the army administration in France was reorganized. It had not proven itself in the turmoil of the Revolutionary Wars.

Under Napoleon as First Consul the administrative functions were finally separated from the military functions and on 08.03.1800 the army administration was founded.

There, intendance officials were responsible for ensuring adequate supply of the troops.

At the same time an inspection was responsible for the actual troop administration and the control of the units.

Transport itself was still handled by civilian contractors before 1800, i.e. civilian carriers transported the supplies and the guns.

Rogers (The Army of Napoleon, p. 157) names the Breidt Company in this context as the principal firm for this purpose.

But this practice, decoupled from the actual military, did not prove itself, especially in wartime or before, during and after a battle.

For this reason, on 26.03.1807 a proper military wagon transport command was founded, which initially consisted of 9 battalions of 6 companies each.

As this organizational form and the direct attachment to the troops proved effective, this Train was continually expanded. In 1808 the 10th and 11th battalions were then established; by 1810 there were 13 battalions.

In 1812 nine more battalions were formed, so that there were finally 22 battalions. One of these belonged to the Imperial Guard.

The 18th battalion was used as an ambulance unit (transport of the wounded).

To illustrate the needs of an army of that time, it makes sense to show the necessary rations per day and per soldier.

According to Henri de Nanteuil these amounted to:

750 g bread

60 g dried vegetables

250 g meat

7 g spirits.

In addition there was the need for ammunition: 300 cartridges per musket and campaign and 500 - 600 rounds per gun.

Furthermore the horses had to be fed.

For every 10 horses 1 kg oats, 6 kg hay and 3 kg straw per day were required.

The bread was baked centrally and held in magazines.

Livestock was usually carried alive. It was assumed that one head of cattle covered the meat requirements for 1000 men per day.

Source: Wolfgang v. Groote and Klaus-Jürgen Müller, Napoleon I and the Military Affairs of His Time, Freiburg 1968, p. 65 ff.

One must distinguish the artillery trains of the Guard and of the Line from the actual train for supply and provisioning. These were separate units and will be discussed here first.

The Train of the Guard Artillery goes back to the Consular Guard.

On 08.09.1800 a single company was initially formed, later a second, and eventually there were four companies in total.

In 1806 an entire battalion was formed.

In 1809 there were two battalions totaling 12 companies.

From 1813 the Guard Artillery Train already formed a full regiment.

The uniform pieces of the Guard Train consisted of the coat, the waistcoat, the long trousers, a pair of knee breeches made of sheepskin, the hat (later the shako), the camp cap and the boots.

The double-breasted coat had as a base color blue-gray or iron-gray and a dark-blue collar, pointed dark-blue lapels and dark-blue sleeve cuffs, as well as blue-gray or iron-gray shoulder straps with dark-blue piping.

The collar, lapels and sleeve straps had red piping, as did the pocket trim. The skirt flaps were dark blue and bore a red grenade.

The buttons were white.

Later (from 1813) the coat was replaced by a waistcoat-style coat with short skirts.

Originally a hat served as headgear, later the shako.

The shako plate showed the crowned eagle on two cannon barrels. This ornament was also on the belt plate.

The trousers were also blue-gray or iron-gray; in the field or on the march buttonable over-trousers with a leather insert were also worn.

The leather riding boots were black.

For the full dress uniform the shako had a red top trim band, red hanging and a red plume. Red epaulettes were then worn on the coat.

The riding coat was also blue-gray or iron-gray.

Members of the Guard Train are always depicted with white leather equipment.

The uniform of the Line Train was gray with blue insignia and white buttons.

Yellowish undergarments were worn with it.

The shakos had a white hanging.

The uniform introduced on 06.04.1807 was described in a contemporary official source as follows: "The uniform of the Battalion of the Transport and Supply Service should be the same as the uniform of the Artillery Train with the exception that the lapels, sleeve cuffs, collar, piping and lining fabrics should be the color chestnut brown. The part of the hat plume which is usually blue should be chestnut brown. The buttons should be white with the number of the battalion. The skirt flaps should be buttoned with a star of the same material as the coat for the soldiers and silver for the officers" (quoted from: Lucien Rousselot; Napoleons Armee 1800 - 1815 - German edition: Hans-Joachim Lehmann, p. 200).