"1813 French Marines" Topic

How were the Marines in Marmont's Corps during the Leipzig campaign uniformed? Like so?: link
This is apparently a Marine of the Guard, but Osprey's book on the campaign don't show any Marines in the Guard organization.
Thanks in advance…

These were not the Guard troops in the link, but were in fact naval artillerymen hastily remustered as land troops in 1813. Some of these were sent to the line artillery, but most were formed into 4 'Regiments d'Artillerie de Marine' who, despite their name, were infantry units in Marmont's 6th Corps. Very good troops they proved to be.

Their campaign uniform was smart but simple- dark blue greatcoats with blue trousers, crossbelts and sabre. There were variations of equipment- some wore shakos with black covers and some bicornes, some had white crossbelts and some black, some wore red grenadier epaulettes and some not. I don't know whether these variations were at individual or unit level, but as they were troops fresh from depots in 1813- I would GUESS that the variation was more by unit.

Pretty much any greatcoated Grenadier figures would suit these units.

Oh, the other thing about the guardsmen in the link is that they were actually real sailors ('Marins'), who knew seamanship, rather than marines.
Hope those thoughts help.

@bobspruster

There is the difference in the way of assigning men to ships, as well as the close relationship of French and Englsih which will cause a confusion.

One may think of the orgainsations in this way

In the US Navy and Her Majesty's Royal Navy : the sailors will both sail the ship (the sails, the steering) and fire the main guns and also (more rare) fight on the land with musket or cutloss.
The Marines are a different arm of service. They will be the infanterie of the ship, but (more rare) they will help at the great guns or to make a change of sails

In the French service,
The sailors will be in two broad sortes : the sailors who will sail the ship and the sailors who will fire the great guns. (in effect there are many "classes" or skills for sailors, bit these are the two main sortes.
If there is a need for infanterie on the ships, a detachement of the regular armee will be sent (it is call ed the "garrison" of the ship).

In the time of the Empire, there was little for the sailors to do on the seas.

There were some "équipages" (it means "crews") of the sailors who sail the ship who were sent as infanterie to fight on land, such as in Spain

Also, there were some équipages (for the small boats of the navy) sent to support the the making of bridges of boats, to sail a boat on a river, etc.with the main armee.

Lastly, some of the best sailors who sail ships where taken into the Garde, and it is a picture of these you have given to us.

For the sailors who shoot the great guns, they are also assigned to the great guns of the ports and alos have workers and armorers to make make installations for guns and to service and to maintian them.

These sailors who shoot guns did form in various bataillons and compagnies, and there were many attempts to change this organisation.
in 1813, it is 20 bataillons of 10,000 such "artillerie de la marine" were assigned to fight as infanterie under the général Marmont.

There will be uniforme :
bleu habit long, with red piping on cuff, collar, retrousssis, etc.
red shoulder straps or epaullettes for 1st Cannoniers
yellow buttons
bleu pantaloons long
mixed of black shako (some with red cords and pompon) and chapeau (red pompon)
mix of white and black leatherwork
bleu great coats -- it is like the garde
bleu veste
black shoes and short gaiters

to look for them some more, you can try to search with the French name :

"régiment(s) d'artillerie de la marine"

Bobspreuster,

The back dust jacket cover of the book Napoleon's Grande Armee of 1813 has a color picture of these naval artillerists. Their organization, strengths and combat performance are included in the text.

FYI…

Regards,

SCOTT BOWDEN

Thanks, all! I guess I lost that argument!

I use OG French Elites (15mm) since no one to my knowledge makes a true Marine figure. There are some differences but at 15mm hardly worth noting. Paint up as un ami suggests. Don't use a greatcoat figure since the Marines look absolutely amazing in their solid blue uniforms with red plumes, facings, epaulettes etc..

Sailors, gentlemen, sailors. The naval regiments in 1813 were naval artillerymen and not marines. In essence, they were sailors. Some of them were also used to rebuild the Guard artillery in 1813.

Sincerely,
Kevin

It's my understanding that they were crews of the French ships blockaded in their ports by the Royal Navy. Napoleon made use of this manpower by forming them into what were effectively Naval Battalions.

The naval artillery regiments were not ship's crews, but naval artillerymen which were separate and distinct from the run of the mill sailor.

I agree, the Regiments in Marmont's Corps were from the naval artillery branch. The Marins of the Guard were at least partly drawn from the ropes and rigging types of the seaman branch. I've always admired the Marins, they really seem to have been able to turn their hands tp everything.