The Uniforms of the French Army under Napoleon I (1800 - 1815) - (Old) Imperial Guard - Mounted Grenadiers

The Imperial Guard included various branches of cavalry. Already with the precursor of the Imperial Guard, the Consular Guard, the mounted grenadiers formed its heavy cavalry together with the chasseurs on horseback (Chasseurs à cheval). Originally they had been created in 1796 as a mounted unit to protect the Directory. Their authorized strength in 1804 consisted of four squadrons with two companies each and totaled 1,018 men. At the end of 1805 there were 1,310 men, as two velites companies had been incorporated into the formation. After the costly Russian campaign, at the beginning of 1813 only 127 mounted grenadiers could still be mustered.

At their last appearance on the battlefield at Waterloo, the mounted grenadiers formed together with the dragoons of the Imperial Guard a total of 13 squadrons with 1,519 men under the command of Lieutenant General Count Guyot¹. Strict admission criteria applied to this elite formation.

The uniform of this elite mounted unit was essentially the same as that of the foot grenadiers. In the field the plain single-breasted blue surtout and grey trousers (over-buttoned trousers) were often worn². The parade or gala uniform comprised a coat with white lapels, beneath it a white waistcoat and tight white breeches as well as high black boots with a stiff shaft. From 1807 the coat bore two counter-epaulettes and a shoulder cord on the right. These were bright orange. The coat’s red skirt facings were adorned with flaming grenades.

The wide greatcoat was white with a blue collar and red piping and had a red lining³.

The black bearskin cap had no metal plate but did have scale chains and a red cap- or cloth-patch with a cross-shaped ornament. The plume above the French cockade was red. The fur cap could, if necessary, be protected by a waterproof cover.

The orange-coloured parts of the enlisted uniform were gold on the officer’s uniform, i.e. the epaulettes, shoulder cords, and grenades on the skirt panels.

The leather gauntlet gloves were white. The regiment in question was, as a privilege, allowed to wear braids (hair queues).

The blue — rectangular-cut — shabraque, like the pistol pockets (schabruncken) and the cloak bag, showed orange-coloured trimming with braids; the former also displayed a crown in the rear corner. For officers this trimming, etc., was gold.

The armament consisted of two pistols, a carbine and a pallasch⁴.