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

Artillery is the branch of arms that employs large-caliber guns.

Napoleon was a trained artilleryman and remained very close to this branch throughout his life.

The concentrated use of large batteries was a key element of his battlefield tactics.

The number of guns steadily increased during the Napoleonic Wars.

Miguel Ángel Martin Más (La Grande Armée. The History of Napoleon's Army, Berlin, p. 83) points out that at Austerlitz (1805) there were still 2 cannons per 1,000 soldiers; at Wagram (1809) the ratio had already risen to four cannons per 1,000 soldiers.

At Borodino (1812) the French had 587 guns (the Russians: 640 guns). At Waterloo (1815) there were 350 guns.

The well-known British military historian David Chandler describes (Napoleon, Munich 1973, pp. 175 ff.) the development of the French artillery in the Napoleonic era as follows:

"The artillery was divided into two main types: horse and foot artillery. The strength of the horse artillery, subdivided into companies (or batteries) of 8 guns and howitzers, increased rapidly. In 1800 there were 8 regiments of foot artillery compared with 6 mounted, and the number rose a little more, although the usual practice was to create new batteries for already existing regiments rather than to raise new regiments. The pontonniers or bridging units and battalions of the artillery train units (8 in 1800) were attached to the artillery companies. In 1805 France possessed in total more than 20,000 cannons, howitzers and mortars, and in 1813 the artillery personnel numbered 103,000 men. Artillery tactics included rapid firing (up to five rounds a minute) and gradually advancing to within sighting range of the enemy. The heavier guns — twelve-pounders — were often grouped into large batteries from 1806, and as the quality of the French infantry declined, more guns were used at the regimental and divisional levels. Units of the horse artillery and the artillerie volante (light field guns) together with a number of twelve-pounders regularly formed the army reserve under Napoleon's personal control for special tasks. Among the most experienced artillery generals were — after the Emperor himself — Marmont and Drouot. The cannons fired solid shot or canister, while the howitzers fired shells as well as canister, and the mortars (used mainly against buildings) fired bombs. Of course there were also heavy fortress guns, which, however, never took part in field operations with the army."

The equally well-known British military historian Christopher Duffy describes (The Battle of Austerlitz, Munich 1979, pp. 28 ff.) the state of the French artillery around 1805 as follows:

"Napoleon began his military career as an artilleryman, and his reputation as a tactician rested above all on the use he made of his mighty artillery. This consisted of a standard range of 4-, 8- and 12-pounder guns and 15.2 cm and 20.3 cm howitzers. The new 6-pounder gun was still a rarity in 1805. Some years earlier General Marmont had reorganized this arm in an impressive manner and by militarizing the drivers had brought the corps manpower to no less than 38,000 men. Each battery of eight to twelve pieces was assigned a gunner company. In each of the eight foot-artillery regiments there were 22 such companies and six in each of the six regiments of horse artillery.

The batteries themselves were allocated so as to achieve a strong concentration of fire. Most of the light guns were grouped into divisional reserves, while part of the horse artillery and the very effective 12-pounders were allocated to corps reserves and the army reserve and were therefore at the immediate disposal of the commanders. As we shall see, it was the timely intervention of six 12-pounders from the IV Corps reserve that gave the decisive turn to the course of the battle on the Pratzen Heights at Austerlitz."

On the prehistory and development of the French artillery B. P. Hughes writes in retrospect (Firearms. Use and Effect 1630 - 1800, Thun 1980, p. 15): "During the 18th century the French artillery was greatly improved. In 1732 General Valliére standardized all French guns, though he did not include the carriages. At that time the use of the howitzer in the French army was still very limited. A further reform was carried out in 1767 by General Gribeauval. The system named after him standardized and simplified the artillery equipment, including carriages and ammunition wagons. Gribeauval's reorganization encompassed the artillery as a whole. The Napoleonic armies thus had first-class material. The double trail carriages of these guns were shorter and lighter, which meant that it was possible for a gun commander to position the cannon alone using two levers."

The foot artillery company numbered just under 120 men, namely 1 officer, 10 non-commissioned officers and 106 rank-and-file.

In the horse artillery the company counted 100 men, namely 4 officers, 10 non-commissioned officers and 86 rank-and-file. All members of this company were mounted.

The train company consisted of 141 men, namely 1 officer, 14 non-commissioned officers and 126 rank-and-file.

According to Funcken, 8 to 15 artillerymen were required to operate a gun depending on caliber.

Eight artillerymen were required to serve a 12-pounder. In addition, further helpers were needed (15 persons in total).

The ammunition followed in corresponding wagons, which carried 48 to 100 round shot cartridges and 20 to 50 canister cartridges.

In the box of the carriage there were also 9 to 18 round shot cartridges.

Solid shot was used most frequently. The effective range depended on the caliber and was 500 to 900 m. The 12-pounder gun achieved a range of up to 1,800 m.

According to Mikhail Arushev the barrel of the 12-pounder cannon was 2.3 meters long and weighed 986 kilograms. Together with the carriage this gun weighed almost 2 tons.

To protect the wooden parts of the wagons, the gun and the loading boxes from the weather, they were painted green.

According to Knötel (Handbook of Uniformology, p. 185) the uniform of the French artillery was traditionally blue with red. In 1776 the lapels were blue with red piping.

This pattern was followed by the artillery uniform during the Revolution and the Empire.

Before the introduction of the habit-veste (from 1812) blue waistcoats were worn under the long-tailed coat.

In 1810 shakos were introduced.

In the field covers for the shako were customary.

Non-commissioned officers and rank-and-file of the foot artillery wore red epaulettes on the coat and dark blue shoulder straps. The latter had red piping.

The shako was decorated with a red pompom and red braiding (according to Haythornthwaite, The Uniforms of the Battle of Waterloo, p. 158 — in the 1815 campaign only sparsely).

The shako's cloth flap was also red.

For legwear dark blue breeches and black gaiters were used.

Alternatively, dark blue trousers were worn.

Arms consisted of short muskets and sabers.

The horse artillery wore a blue hussar-style uniform with red braiding already from 1792, initially with a ‘raupen’ helmet, later with fur caps and shakos or bearskins. Each with red cloth flap and plume.

At that time the single-breasted surtout was also worn as an alternative.

After 1812 the horse artilleryman wore a blue waistcoat-coat with scarlet red sleeve cuffs and skirt flaps. The collar and lapels were blue.

The epaulettes were red; Knötel reports on plate 53 (Vol. XVI of Uniformology, Rathenow) scaled epaulettes for a gunner of the horse artillery.

Officers, however, still liked to wear a hussar-like uniform after 1812 with a dolman and fur, but with gold cords and braiding.

Equipment also included a sabre pouch — partly with different ornamentation — with gold trim.

In the field, however, a simpler uniform was worn, e.g. a short-cut frock coat (kollett) or the surtout.

The breeches or over-trousers were also dark blue or gray.

Riding boots were worn.

The armament was that of light cavalry.

The musicians of the artillery often wore uniforms in reversed colors — as was common in other branches. According to Knötel, this was generally the case for the horse artillery (trumpeters).

Below follows an illustration of a trumpeter of the horse artillery with shako and a coat in reversed colors.

For the 9th Foot Artillery Regiment shakos as headdress are also reported. They wore red coats with blue collar, lapels and sleeve cuffs.

The piping — also of the red facings — was yellow or gilt.

Additionally, the pontonniers and pioneers or miners must be mentioned here.

They were specialist troops.

Since the year 1800 the Corps Imperial du Génie existed (until 1814).

The officers of this establishment were responsible for military constructions and also the maintenance of fortifications.

The pioneer company belonging to the Imperial Guard (from 1810) was already discussed in a separate contribution.

The Napoleonic army included 5 battalions of sappers and 5 companies of miners.

These French units were later supplemented by further corresponding units composed of non-Frenchmen (Dutch, Italians, Spaniards).

Furthermore, there were additional auxiliaries for the maintenance of fortifications.

According to Funcken the pioneer train was founded in 1806.

The miners were responsible for digging galleries for mines during sieges, an extremely risky task.

From 1811 another unit was created for the manufacture and maintenance of pioneer equipment.

The pontonniers had already existed since 1792.

They were uniformed like the artillery, but the sappers were equipped for their work in the trenches near the enemy with a special heavy cuirass and a heavy helmet. These pieces of equipment were painted black.

The uniform had a blue base color, but the collar, lapels, sleeve cuffs and facings were black, each with red piping. The skirt flaps were red and showed a blue grenade.

The shako with red trim and cloth flap was customary.

The officers wore the bicorne. For them the collar, lapels, sleeve cuffs and facings were made of velvet.

Cdt. Bucquoy, Les Uniformes du Premier Empire, L`Infanterie, Paris 1979.

Liliane and Fred Funcken, Historical Uniforms. Napoleonic Era, Vol. 2, Munich 1978.

Philipp Haythornthwaite/ Michael Chappell, Uniforms of the Napoleonic Russian Campaign, Munich 1977.

Philipp Haythornthwaite, The Uniforms of the Battle of Waterloo, Munich 1976.

Knötel/ Sieg, Handbook of Uniformology, Hamburg 1937.

Paul Martin, The French Army 1789 - 1807, Stuttgart.

Lucien Rousselot, Napoleon's Army 1800 - 1815, Berlin 2010.

Note: With regard to the artillery train reference is made to the corresponding separate contribution.