"Imperial Staff" Topic

Hi there

I'm new to Napoleonic wargaming, so please forgive my ignorance of such matters, but I was wondering what colour uniform an Imperial Orderly c. 1815 would have worn? I've just received a box of Perry generals and support staff, and apart from the generals I'm not sure how to paint the other figures.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Keith

If you mean an officer d'ordonnance, a staff officer attached to Imperial Headquarters, they wore a light blue uniform – as I recall, other aide-de-camps wore a dark blue Kinski-style tunic and, in the field, usually wore overalls rather than breeches and calf-length boots, which was their more formal dress – for headgear bicornes were often worn on campaign, although shakoes were also common

For an ADC of a division, I have a print of one with a dark blue tunic, red waistcoat, dark blue breeches with Hungarian boots and a light blue shako

This topic has always confused me. First, there is a matter of semantics. I don't think there was such a thing as an "orderly" in the French system.

If you mean "adjutant," I have at least one source.

Adjutant Commandant

Black cocked hat, the blue-red-white cockade underlaid with a golden rosette.

All dark blue jacket – with or without lapels – the collar with two golden galloons on each side.

Gold epaulettes, like a colonel.

White or chamois breeches going into high black riding boots.

Blue belt with gold edging.

Regular Adjutants – as above, EXCEPT:

Pointed cuffs, collar and lapels (when worn) – light blue.

Epaulettes by rank of wearer.

For the Emperor's own adjutants:

Light blue coat with light blue facings trimmed silver.
Silver epaulettes with silver aigrettes/lanyards on right shoulder.
Red vest with silver cording.
light blue breeches with silver trim, going into black hussar boots with silver trim and tassel.

Adjutants wore arm sashes on the upper left arm, colored by staff level:

Brigade: light blue sash plume green over blue
Division: red sash with red over blue plume
Corps/Army: white sash with red over blue plume.

The sashes may have had gold embroidery (leaf shapes) along the top and bottom edges.

Thanks for the info. it has been most helpful. I think I'll probably go for a division adjutant. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one finding this a problem!

Do you mean set FN54 ??
The fist plate of the following Historex plate shows Napoleon and some of his staff:

link

If you read French there's this:
link

These painted examples might help?

link

link

And generally: link

FN 54 is the one I've just bought.

Thanks for the extra links, they have proved to be really useful.

There was a good discussion in some recent Soldates Napoloniennes about the colour of the coat of the Officiers d'Ordonnance, it seems that bleu barbeau was the colour they should wear and not the sky blue ones usually depicted.