"Painting Napoleonic French part 2" Topic

Hi guys,

I need your help again concerning painting.

I just stated to building 10th division of 3rd French Corps 1812 and attachted to it the 9th cavalary brigade.

The 129th Infantry (ex Westphalian)regiment was part of this division. I wonder what kind of uniforms they wore in 1812. The standard french uniform or else? I have read in "Napoleon's Mercenaries"(by G. Dempsey) that there was an Westphalian regiment "regiment de Westphalie" serving the French in Spain dressed in white German-cut uniforms with red collars and cuffs with Prussian equipment.

Furthermore I would like to make a brigade HQ stand for the 9th cavalary brigade. It was commandend by General de Brigade Moriez. I tried to google this fellow but I can't find anything of him. Does anyone know what he wore in 1812 (like a hussar uniform)or in general what a french Cavalary brigade commander was wearing in 1812?

thanks,
Chris

I can provide only educated guesses on the uniforms you seek. The unit is quite obscure.

It's probable that the Regiment de Westphalie was re-equipped with the standard French uniform as they moved from Spain to eastern Europe. Campaigning probably reduced their clothing in Spain to a mixture of styles, including native brown cloth, etc. I would guess that they would have passed through their regimental depot on the way to Poland and received new French uniforms there. Elting, in his Napoleonic Uniforms, states that they consisted of only one battalion and had a brief existance.

Unless there is a family portrait of Moriez someplace, we can assume he wore the standard uniform of a French general or, just as likely, a more lavish version of a light cavalry officer's uniform,

Re: the 129th. According to Hourtoulle this very much weakened regiment was not at Borodino (and hence there is no other info about it).

Also according to Hourtoulle the 9th was commanded by one Mourier. There used to be a nice series of plates online at napoleonuniforme.free.fr that had all the different general uniforms.

That's a nice corps to do. Lots of French but some variety with the Portuguese and Wurtemberg contingents.