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The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard

The first in a new series

by P.J. Hoyer

Military Modelling, December 1976

2nd Lancer in classical ″Grand Tenue″ uniform, worn 1811-15.

Following the abdication of Napoleon's brother Louis from the throne of the Kingdom of Holland, this country was incorporated into the French Empire on July 9th, 1810. As a result of this union, the 1st regiment of Dutch Hussars and the Dutch Horse Guards who had amalgamated were incorporated in the Imperial Guard by the decree of the 13th September, 1810. The corps became known as the 2ème Regiment de Chevau-Légers-Lanciers de la Garde or, more commonly, ″Lanciers rouges″.
    The corps, mustering around 800 men, was sent to Versailles at the end of August 1810 to undergo training and in the following month was organised into four squadrons, the strength of the unit being supplemented by elements of the 3rd regiment of Dutch Hussars and the Dutch Gardes du Corps. The training would appear to have been very thorough as it was not until the 17th February, 1812 that the regiment left Versailles for Hanover and Russia. During the period at Versailles, the regiment was not idle, providing elements for escorting the Emperor, and familiarising themselves with the lance which was a notoriously difficult weapon to handle and needed constant practice.
    Shortly after it left Versailles, the regiment was augmented by an additional squadron raised by decree of the 11th March, 1812. The new squadron was formed mostly from Frenchmen and partly from members of the ex-Dutch Guard returning from Spain. At this time the corps' effective strength was intended to be 1,212 men but by the following September this had increased to 1,406 men with 171 velites.
    The decree of the 10th January, 1813 reconstituted and formed the corps into eight squadrons, incorporating the Dragoons of the Municipal Guard of Paris, with two further squadrons being subsequently added in the following March, increasing its strength to approximately 2500 men.
    On Napoleon's first abdication, the regiment's strength was reduced to four squadrons, and by the Royal Ordnance of the 12th May, 1814 was awarded the title Corps Royal des Chevau — Légers — Lanciers de France. On Napoleon's return from Elba, the corps was disbanded and immediately re-formed into four squadrons, with the Polish Lancers of Elba making a fifth squadron but taking precedence over the four French squadrons and retaining its name ″ Lanciers Polonais″. The French squadrons also reinstated the title held under the Empire but dropped the numeral viz. Regiment de Chevau — Légers — Lanciers de la Garde Imperiale. According to Fallou the four French squadrons comprised:-
           58 officers with 143 horses.
         930 N.C.O.s and men with 894 horses.
    Each squadron had two companies and each company when on a war footing was to be augmented by 50 additional personnel and the staff to have an additional 8 men. The theoretical strength should therefore have been 1,396 officers and men, but it is extremely unlikely that the additional strength ever materialised; indeed Saint Hilaire in his tables states 800 officers and men including the Polish squadron.
    After Waterloo the Polish squadron left France and entered Russian service and the French squadrons were finally disbanded as follows:- The staff and 1st squadron on the 22nd December, 1815 at Montpellier. The 2nd squadron on 21st December, 1815 at Agen. The 3rd squadron on the 9th November, 1815 at Castelsarrazin. The 4th squadron on the 16th November, 1815 at Grenade. The regiment was originally intended to become Cuirassiers due to the excellent physique of the men, some of whom were very tall, and it was a curious oversight by Napoleon himself who decided that this arm of the service should be designated ″light″ and ordered the horses accordingly. The result was very large men on very small horses. Notwithstanding the height of the men, the weight of the equipment and armament would have been sufficient to have classed the lancer as a ″medium″ cavalryman. Due to these circumstances, it was a common sight when on campaign, to see the lancer leading his horse on foot as the animals were soon worn out. Prior to the Russian campaign, the regiment had received instruction from the dragoons in foot combat and this must have stood them in good stead.
    From its official inauguration on the 21st September, 1810 by Marshal Bessiéres and Baron Felix until its disbanding at the end of 1815, the corps constantly gave sterling service, being present at the battles of Borodino, Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden, Montmirail, Craonne and Waterloo to mention but a few. The regiment particularly covered itself with glory at Bautzen in 1813, with a magnificent charge, which dispersed a Prussian hussar regiment and captured a battery of guns.
    Many outstanding cavalrymen served within its ranks including de Brack, de Watteville, Van Ticken, Van Merlen and, of course, the Colonel in Chief, the redoubtable General Baron Edouard de Colbert de Chabanais. This brilliant soldier first came into real prominence as a young Captain of Mamelukes of the Consular Guard and after a few years succeeded to the Colonelcy of the 7th Hussars. Decorated with the Legion d'honneur for outstanding bravery during the campaign of 1809, further laurels were gained by his conduct at the battle of Wagram, where he was wounded. Shortly after, having by now attained the grade of General of Brigade, he was promoted to the rank of General of Division on the 28th November, 1813, for his devotion to duty during the Russian campaign and his subsequent service. Colbert was again wounded at Waterloo where he and his regiment suffered greatly.

1. Lancer of the Old Guard in winter marching order and wearing the stable jacket.
2. Lancer of the Old Guard wearing mantle.
3. A Lancer of the Young Guard wearing distinctive bonnet de police.
4. A Lancer of the Old Guard in summer marching order.
Illustrations by the author.
See part 2 next month for more full colour uniform details.

By way of an introduction to the subsequent parts of this short series of articles which will deal mainly with arms, equipment and the classical lancer uniform, a few notes on what was worn prior to receiving the well known lancer dress will I hope, be of some interest. The first uniform worn by the corps was that of the undress uniform of the Dutch Hussars. This consisted of a red coat with pointed revers, with piping, collar and the cuffs in blue, red waistcoat trimmed with yellow braid and red trousers trimmed with yellow Austrian knots on the front flap and a yellow braid on the side seams traversing across the seat forming a loop in the middle. A shoulder knot was worn on the right shoulder and an aiguillette on the left with ornamentation in yellow and buttons in yellow metal. The head-dress was a plain black shako, trimmed with a yellow plaited cord which was adorned with two tassels and terminated by two raquettes and two further tassels; a cockade was held in position by a small uniform button and cord. The visor was edged with brass and a black plume completed the head-dress. The boots were in black, trimmed on the top edge with yellow cord with a yellow tassel, with steel spurs. The giberne was in black leather and the giberne strap, waistbelt, sabre-slings and sabre-knot in a yellowish leather. The sabre-hilt was in yellow metal and the scabbard in steel. Finally, the shabraque and the porte-manteau were blue with yellow lace trimming.
This then was basically the dress worn by the regiment in 1810, although it is probable that due to some of the clothing being found defective, blue trousers and waistcoats were issued, as mentioned in a letter written by de Watteville in March 1811, which described the dress of the chasseur at that time, and also as described by Lieutenant Dumonceau. In earlier correspondence, between Comte Daru and the Emperor, mention is made of the defective stocks of hussar clothing including the red trousers and coats. This uniform was in service however for only a very short time, and was replaced by the classical lancer uniform at the end of July 1811. And we'll be looking at this in detail next month.

Source: pp. 758-759, Military Modelling, December 1976.

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
Part 5 — The 2nd Regiment of Lancers of the French Imperial Guard by P.J. Hoyer — Officers

Other 19th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers