The Uniforms of the French Army under Napoleon I. (1800 - 1815) - Imperial Guard - 1st and 3rd Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers

A mounted honor guard made up of Polish nobles that accompanied Napoleon in 1807 in Warsaw inspired him to establish a corresponding unit for the (Old) Imperial Guard.

On 02.03.1807 the Chevaux-Légers-Polonais were formed - organized into four squadrons - with a total of 968 men.

The garrison of this formation was in Chantilly.

Only in 1809 did they receive lances and thus become the Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers. Earlier, many Austrian lances had been captured in the Battle of Wagram (05./06.07.1809).

When the Dutch army was integrated into the French army the following year, former Dutch cavalrymen - hussars of the Guard and of the Garde du Corps - were formed into a second Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers regiment.

Subsequently the Polish (blue) uhlans bore No. 1 and the Dutch (red) uhlans No. 2.

In 1812 a 5th squadron was established. In that year the 1st Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers already numbered 1,500 men.

The famous Polish uhlans also proved themselves in the field and, for example, achieved a notable military success in the Battle of Somosierra on 30.11.1808 during the so-called Peninsular War. In a costly charge they broke through the Spanish position and captured fortified artillery positions.

After his abdication in 1814 Napoleon was assigned the island of Elba as a principality in exile. A certain number of volunteers from the Imperial Guard were allowed to accompany the Emperor, among them 120 Polish uhlans.

In May 1815 there were according to Haythornthwaite (still or again) 964 uhlans. In that year's summer campaign the blue and red uhlans fought together in a combined unit at the Battle of Waterloo (18.06.1815), together with the chasseurs on horseback. The commander was Baron Jerzmanowski.

After the defeat and Napoleon's final abdication the formation was disbanded on 01.10.1815.

On 05.07.1812 the 3rd Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers were formed. They consisted of volunteers and were commanded by General Konopka.

Already on 18.10.1812 the new unit met its fate at the hands of Cossacks, who surprised and almost completely annihilated them.

The remnants of the 3rd Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers were incorporated into the regiment of the 1st Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers the following year (11.04).

The 1st Guard Chevaux-Légers Lancers were of course uniformed in the Polish style, i.e., the typical kutka and the tschapka as headdress defined the uniform.

The base color of the kutka was blue; the facings: collar, lapels and pointed sleeve cuffs were a crimson color, as were the skirt flaps.

The collar and the lapels of the kutka were edged or piped in white.

The lapels could be folded over or buttoned. Then only a narrow piping in the facing color was visible.

On the left a white epaulette and on the right white shoulder cords were worn. With the introduction of the lance (1809) the epaulette and the lanyard each changed sides.

In the field a single-breasted, waistcoat-like blue jacket could also be worn (as depicted by V. Huen).

The tschapka was adorned with a yellow brass plate with a radiant wreath (sun rosette), which bore a large "N" in the center.

The upper headpiece - covered with crimson fabric and edged in white at the borders - had a square top.

On the left the tschapka displayed the cockade, which was decorated with a silver Polish cross. Above it a tall white plume was worn. The hanging (lanyard etc.) was also white.

In the field the tschapka was protected by a black oilcloth cover.

The pennons on the lances were red (top) and white (bottom). In the field etc. the lance pennon was placed in a waterproof scabbard.

The blue trousers had broad piping on the sides in crimson. The leather reinforcements to protect the trousers while riding were black.

In the field blue over-trousers with a red button placket were worn. Grey over-trousers are also depicted.

The leather equipment was white. The belt buckle was made of brass and displayed an eagle.

Over time only the leading rank of the uhlans continued to carry the lance. Otherwise sabres and pistols served as armament. The other ranks of the uhlans were armed with the carbine. This was (according to Knötel) carried on the horse at the front right or fastened tight.

The voluminous white riding cloak had a crimson collar.

The cloak could also be worn en bandoulière in the field (as depicted by Bucquoy).

The blue saddlecloth had a crimson - white-piped - edging. In the front rounded "corner" there was a crowned "N", in the rear point an eagle, both in white.

The cloak roll was also crimson with a band-like white (side) trim.

The officers' uniforms were naturally more splendid; the trim was silver. The kutka had a special trim or special braid for parade purposes.

The (parade) trousers were crimson with silver - side - piping.

The sword knot was trimmed in silver as well.

On parade a sash was worn; otherwise officers had a belt trimmed in silver.

The officers' cloaks were blue with a crimson collar.

The officers' saddlecloth corresponded to that of the rank-and-file but had silver braids and an overcover of panther skin.

In addition to the blue uniform, musicians also had a white uniform for parade purposes with crimson facings and silver trim. The trousers were then crimson.

For the trumpeters there was also a sky-blue uniform with crimson facings.

Knötel shows a musician in service uniform with a special musical instrument.

The timbalier of the Polish uhlans is shown further below.

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

Fallou, L., La Garde Impériale (1804-1815), Paris 1901 (reprint Krefeld 1975).

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.

LA VIEILLE GARDE IMPÉRIALE. Illustrations by JOB.

Knötel/ Sieg, Handbook of Uniform Studies, Hamburg 1937.

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

Rogers, H. C. B., Napoleon's Army, Stuttgart 1976.

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

Tranié & Carmigniani, Les Polonais de Napoleon, Paris 1982.