FRENCH HORSE ARTILLERY OF THE LINE

By Stephen Heap

THE French Horse Artillery had, by 1815, taken to wearing a Chasseur a Cheval style uniform, but in the Artillery blue and red colours. The belts and equipment, etc., remained the same. The uniforms and other details are set out as follows:—
    The habit veste was worn from c. 1812-13 and was dark blue with red turnbacks bearing blue grenades; the lapels were also dark blue, edged red. The collar was plain dark blue and the pointed cuffs were red. Officers wore basically the same, but with gold grenades on the turnbacks and, of course, gold epaulettes indicating their rank. The coat-tails were decorated with red soubisse pockets for all ranks. The trumpeters wore the 1812 imperial livery, the habit veste was dark green with a blue collar, red turnbacks and cuffs. The epaulettes were red with a green retaining strap. The front of the habit veste was decorated with double bands of imperial livery, also the cuffs, the collar and the turnbacks were laced with livery. Blue grenades again appeared on the turnbacks.
    The breeches were blue with red lace on the thighs and red stripes on each leg. Officers wore blue breeches also but with gold lace on the thighs indicating their rank, plus gold stripes on each leg. Trumpeters' breeches were the same as the other ranks. Overalls were blue, bearing red stripes with 18 brass buttons on each stripe. The overalls also had black leather on the inside of the legs; these overalls were worn by all ranks for campaign.
    The skako was of black felt with a black leather peak, edged brass in some instances; the top and bottom of the shako was decorated with red bands, while the sides bore red chevrons. The shako plate was brass (gilt for Officers) and the design consisted of a crowned eagle over an amazon shield, which had crossed cannon barrels with a grenade above and the regimental number below the crossed cannon. Officers' shakos were the same, but with a gold band on the top edge of the shako, the width of the gold band again indicating rank. The plumes were red and the pom-pom, which was usually worn on campaign, was also red. The trumpeters' shako was without the red bands and chevrons. The chin scales were brass, while the chin scale bosses bore a star for the men and a grenade for the officers. The shako was worn in a black waterproof cover for campaign wear.
    The men's Hungarian sabre belt was white with a brass "S" clasp; the pouch belt was also white and the black leather pouch bore brass crossed cannon. The Officers' Hungarian sabre belt was red, edged gold with gold bosses and clasp, etc., while their pouch belts were also red, edged gold, bearing a gold lion's head with three gold chains attached to a gold shield; a second design features gold crossed cannon with a gold crown above. The pouch itself was also red, edged gold, bearing crossed cannon in gold with either a gold grenade or gold regimental number in the centre of the cannon. (The regimental number was slightly above centre of the crossed cannon.) Officers wore red pouch belt covers with gilt buttons for use on campaign.
    Corporals wore two yellow pointed chevrons above each cuff, while sergeants had one gold chevron above each cuff and sergeant-majors two chevrons above each cuff. The epaulettes for senior N.C.O.s were red with the epaulette strap edged gold; the retaining strap was also red, edged gold and the crescents were also gold, while the fringes were mixed red and gold. Sergeant-majors' fringes had more gold mixed in with the red. Senior N.C.O.s had a gold band round the shako top. The sabres were of many types and the sabre hilts could be either brass or steel, as could the scabbards. The Officers usually favoured a brass hilted weapon in a brass scabbard; sabre knots were white for the men, gold for Officers.
    The greatcoats worn by the men were single-breasted and were dark blue. The Officers could wear either a long dark blue cloak, with a short dark blue cape, with gold lace on the bottom edge or a fairly long double-breasted riding coat, which was also dark blue; the short dark blue cape with the gold edging could be worn with the riding coat also.
    The colour plate shows a Captain in campaign dress, with a pouch belt cover and overalls, while in the background can be seen a sergeant, also in campaign dress, holding the Officer's horse. The saddle cloths for the Officers were dark blue with gold edging and with either a gold regimental number or grenade in the rear corners of the cloth. The men's sheepskins were white, edged with red wolf's teeth, the trumpeters' sheepskins were black, again edged red.

The line drawings show a corporal in campaign dress, while a gunner, also in campaign dress, can be seen in the background.

Source: pp. 466-467, Military Modelling, August 1975.

Other 18th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers