"Oudinot's Division, 1806" Topic

I may seem fixated on this enigmatic unit, but it's so . . . enigmatic.

How is it that the OBs on this unit contain what look like full battalions of line regiments in its 1806 organization? I thought this unit was composed of elite companies of line and light regiments. Nafzinger clearly shows otherwise.

Can someone fill me in? Did the unit get disolved and then rebuilt between 1805 and 06? And in the 1806 version fundamentally evolve from detached elites to two line battalions "converged" into what is being called a "grenadier regiment?"

This link may help answer your questions:

link

It shows the Table of organization of Oudinot's Grenadier Division from 1806 – 1809 written by George Nafzinger

See also TMP link

Lots of detail there, including info from the Nafziger article rebel222 linked above.

The TMP thread covers the 1805 version, which was dissolved after the Austerlitz campaign, and the different entity formed in the autumn of 1806.

And neither was formed from detached elites from regiments in the Grande Armee, both were formed from detached elites from regiments that were NOT a part of the Grande Armee – from regiments in garrisons and coastal defense in 1805 and from the depot battalions of the GA regiments in 1806. In both cases, Napoleon stripped the elites from battalions left in France to conjure up another division to use.

Oh, and don't use the term "converged" on TMP lest the thread get hijacked by pedants trying to appear scholarly. Say anything, just not converged. please. i don't think I can take any more of that.

In Napoleon's Apogee, I wrote an extensive appendix regarding Oudinot's 1806 division and the many changes/detachments it underwent during that year. This appendix has the orders of battle by date, along with the details of the artillery detached from the division that formed, in part, the guns and personnel attached to the Imperial Guard at the Battle of Jena.

Regards,

Scott Bowden

Here is what George has on them.

Oudinot's Grenadier Division: 1806 – 1809
By George Nafziger

A total of 17 "elite" battalions were raised and organized into seven regiments in December 1806. These regiments were organized into Oudinot's famous "Grenadier division." On 5 December 1805 this division was organized as:

Grenadier Division: General de division Oudinot
Brigade: Generaux de brigade Dupas & Ruffin
1st Grenadier Regiment
58th Line Regiment (16/439)
13th Line Regiment (15/508)
2nd Grenadier Regiment
9th Line Regiment (19/470)
81st Line Regiment (15/515)
3rd Grenadier Regiment
2nd Legere Regiment (18/499)
3rd Legere Regiment (18/549)
4th Grenadier Regiment
28th Legere Regiment (20/547)
31st Legere Regiment (22/588)
5th Grenadier Regiment
12th Legere Regiment (20/560)
15th Legere Regiment (20/516)
Artillery:
Det. 6th Horse Artillery (1/27)
Det. 1st Foot Artillery (4/101)
2-12pdrs
6-8pdrs
4-4pdrs
Det. 5th (bis) Train Battalion (2/179)

The division underwent several changes. In January 1806 it had:

Grenadier Division: General de division Oudinot
Brigade: Generaux de brigade Dupas & Ruffin
1st Grenadier Regiment
58th Line Regiment (18/547)
13th Line Regiment (detached)
2nd Grenadier Regiment (detached)
9th Line Regiment
81st Line Regiment
3rd Grenadier Regiment
2nd Legere Regiment (21/690)
3rd Legere Regiment (20/640)
4th Grenadier Regiment
28th Legere Regiment (21/685)
31st Legere Regiment (21/628)
5th Grenadier Regiment
12th Legere Regiment (22/723)
15th Legere Regiment (23/619)
Artillery:
Det. 6th Horse Artillery (1/47)
Det. 1st Foot Artillery (5/130)
2-12pdrs
6-8pdrs
4-4pdrs
Det. 5th (bis) Train Battalion (4/214)
Det. 4th Artillery Artisans (0

William

There was a lot of info & discussion of the NSF a while back, might be worth looking through the archives, seem to think there were even more details than the post above.

shall we call it the Oudinot converged grenadier division from now on ;¬)

sorry should be 'on' the NSF or Napoleon series forum

napoleon-series.org

So let me get this straight. According to everyone here, it looks like the original "Grenadier Division" for 1805 was composed of line and light battalions. Nothing particularly "grenadier" about it at all.

The OB shifted back and forth, but the division was still composed of line and light battalions until 1807, when it became composed of detached elite companies. Only at this time was it really a "grenadier" division.

Then it was rebuilt into a small corps in 1809, when it was composed of nothing but 4th battalions of line regiments.

This does not make sense to me. It would figure that it would be called a "grenadier division" first, and composed of detached elites, and then digressed but kept the name. I does not make sense that it would be called a "grenadier division" when composed of line and light battalions, only to be reconfigured with actual elites at a later date, see what I mean?

So the statement from the other thread:

"On 5 December 1808 Napoleon began breaking up Oudinot's grenadiers by returning those companies whose parent regiments were assigned to Bernadotte's and Davout's corps. It was reduced to a total of 62 companies organized into ten elite battalions. It was organized as follows (the elite companies coming from the battalions indicated.)"

. . . indicates that the elite companies of the 1807 OB were NOT from rear areas, as Vendome stated. Not that I disagree with Vendome. It's just that I don't know and am looking to find out. In this case, all one needs do is track down the parent units of all the composite companies.

Scott – I don't own your book, unfortunately.

The full article from the NSF

link

Also, the 1809 OB indicates that the composite units of Oudinot's mini-corps of grenadiers were detached elites again, but only of newly-raised 4th battalions. So they had zero combat experience and were elite in name and uniform only.

One of the threads from NSF

link

Another thread from NSF (very topical)

link

The Nafzinger article has, I believe, an unfortunate typo. See what you think.

"A total of 17 "elite" battalions were raised and organized into seven regiments in December 1806. These regiments were organized into Oudinot's famous "Grenadier division." On 5 December 1805 this division was organized as:"

I'm sure he means, " . . . into seven regiments in December 1805," n'est pas?

Anyway, thanks to all for the links. This continues to be a fascinating subject, and I'll read all the stuff provided.

Ok, never mind. I think I got it. Elites and the first fusilier/chasseur companies were stripped from ALL these rear-echelon battalions. A regiment of three battalions could produce a battalion of "elites."

An interesting detail – It was a parade at Aras in the rain, ruining their chapeaux, that caused them to be issued that "sober shako," mentioned in Oudinot's memoires. They thus became the first division in the army to be dressed completely in shakos.

The "sober shako," might have disappeared after the 1807 reorganization, when the personel were completely changed out.

So for the Austerlitz and Jena campaigns, I would expect to see them all in a simple black shako, maybe with a red pompon.

For the Eylau and Friedland campaigns, it's anybody's guess. I would expect that the original members would have worn their shakos back to their parent depots, n'est pas?

So the 1807 division may have been wearing every known variety of headgear, based upon their parent regimental distinctions.

The shako – for light infantry only, and despite that – Rigo is discussing uniforms of Ouidinot's division in 1805 – shows a contemporary picture – with carabiniers with bearskin cap.

Also of interest

Grenadiers d'Oudinot, Fanions, 1805 – 1809 – plate 166

Seems that a lot of elite companies did have a bearskin cap.

'Seems that a lot of elite companies did have a bearskin cap.'

I don't believe that was ever in doubt.

Sincerely,
K

Can we get a link to the Rigo pictures?

The doubt about the bearskins is entirely reasonable. Following the links and cross-referencing them with Oudinot's memoires draws us to the conclusion that the original division, paraded at Aras in the rain in 1804/05, had their hats ruined. The original commander, Junot, requested that the ruined hats be replaced with a shako, as worn by the light infantry. This is verified by Oudinot's memoires.

However, we have reason to expect that those original shakos returned to the parent regiments along with the troops in 1806, when the personel were dismissed--must have looked curious alongside the hats and bearskins worn by the other troops. Then, when the unit was reconstituted in 1807 with entirely different units. At this point we have to figure that all members wore their parent regiment's headgear, whatever that was.

Rigo refers to a contemporary painting of the 1805 campaigns, showing French light infantry in bearskin caps.

It would seem odd that rain ruined the hats – the whole French Army would have had to throw them away – which they didn't evidently.

The shako story comes from two sources. One is from John Cook on another forum, which tells the story of the rainy parade and Juno's request for the shakos. Why Junot did not merely have the hats replaced is unknown to me. Perhaps he was looking for a more permanent solution to the problem. That IS how the shako became standard, anyway.

The other source is Oudinot's memoires, wherein it is stated that the division was attired in "a sober shako." No more detail is noted, but Oudinot was not the original commander, so probably didn't know or care how or why the division came to be wearing the shakos.

Between the two sources, we have pretty good evidence that the original 1804-05 division wore the shako.

After that, we have nothing. The division was reorganized completely in 1807. I have seen no info that the shakos were re-issued. After the Jena campaign, we may very well have a mixed bag of headgear in the division. this was just the time period when the shako was becoming standard for the entire army, so we can be fairly sure there were no hats, but there may have been every description of shako. along with bearskins. I don't know. Wish I did.

From a large and helpful birdie…

Re: Schako:

Page 32 of the English edition:

link
link

Page 33 [n62] of the French edition:
link
link

See also: Recherches historiques sur la chevelure militaire; par le general Bardin:
link
link

link

link

link

link

Re: Rain vs chapeaux:

link
link
link
link
link
link

John Cook's post:

"The first mention I can find of a shako in the context of grenadiers is in 1803. Junot was given the responsibility for forming a corps comprising 12,000 men at Arras, which later became better known under Oudinot's command. This was composed of grenadier companies from various regiments and after a revue in the rain where the chapeau was worn Junot noted the inconvenience of this item which offered no protection from the elements, indeed they actually formed a convenient gutter channelling the water onto the soldiers'shoulders. He proposed the adoption of a shako for his corps, of the kind then in use by the light infantry."

napoleon-series.org/cgi-
bin/forum/archive2002_config.pl?page=1;md=read;id=4609

Though Junot is mentioning that the hats did not give a good protection against the rain – the shako was not introduced in 1804, a contemporary battle field painting about Elchingen gives the carabiniers bearskin caps, Rigo shows this in one of his articles about the uniforms of that division in Gazette des Uniformes.

In 1805 Napoleon could not equip his army properly, first he had to plunder conquered states, for more information see Morvan : Le Soldat Imperiale.

Von Winterfeldt,

We have two eyewitness accounts of the unit wearing the shako, "as prescribed for light infantry", in 1804. The light infantry was already being issued the shako at that time. Junot simply suggested that would be a good headgear for the grenadier corps. Why you refuse to believe it is beyond me, but I don't really care. A painting does not take historical precedence as a source.

nvrsaynver,

My French is not so good. Can you offer a brief explanation of the information you provide. I am most interested.

It is not rare to have conflicting sources, one must make an interpretation and then draw a conclusion.

I don't dismiss the probability that the grenadiers d´Oudinot did get a shako, but I would like to research this matter further without disregarding other sources or trying to find more.

The light infantry part of Oudinot's division would have worn either a bearskin cap or shako (there light infantry usually did wear shakos on 1804)
As for the grenadiers of the line – all I found is about the 9e de ligne:

le bataillon du 9e de ligne prend la direction de la ville d'Arras le 24 septembre 1804. Il compte à cette époque 591 hommes et officiers mais aucun bonnet à poils, ce qui est quand même curieux pour des grenadiers.
source see below

Widowson, I did not ignore the sources you provided, but did you look into mine, or did you dismiss them offhand?
Are you willing to go further on discussing the subject or just ignoring other evidence?

Uniformes Nr. 61 / 1989

Rigo : Les Grenadiers D'Oudinot ou "les retroussis de la gloire"

Where in fact he is discussing the painting by Voltz – about Wertingen –
réalisée en 1806, représentant l'arrivé des grenadiers d'Oudinot sur le champ de bataille de Wertingen (planches centrales). L'artiste avait parfaitement détaille les uniformes et notamment ceux portés par de carabiniers d'infanterie légère.
(Here with bearskin cap)

also of interest

Le plumet planche 166 – to find out about the fanions the battailons d'elite did wear.

Rigo mentions amongst his sources :

Journal du docteur Dumas dit "Journal historique de la division des grenadiers d'Oudinot" publié dans les carnets de la Sabretache.

Maybe illustrious researchers like Chuvak or Steven Smith will find out in what numbers this journal was published.

My conclusions – and in contrast to some other participants, I don't claim that it is of absolute truth – but nothing else than a hypothesis.

The "grenadiers" d'Oudinot were formed from elite companies – of light and line infantry.

Interestingly – when formed – there did not exist voltigeurs in the line infantry (they were introduced during the campaign, as attested be memoires, as Fezensac).
Indeed the colonel Pépin 9e de ligne – writes on 20.th December 1803 that he has only 75 grenadiers et 243 chasseurs – one could ask where are the Chasseurs from – in a line unit – or are these the famous eclaireurs which were formed ad hoc in a lot of units during the French Revolutionary Wars?

Part of them – despite being elite companies did wear hats.

Junot was dissatisfied with the hats and proposed shakos – he did not say that they were introduced.

The Grande Armée of 1804 / 1805 had a lot of problems to be well equipped – see discussion in Morvan : Le Soldat Imperiale.

Voltz shows the grenadiers d'Oudinot at Wertingen 1805 – at least part of them, carabiniers d'infanterie légère with bearskin caps.

So – in my view – regardless what Oudinot writes in his memoires – it is more likley that the line units did continue to wear hat and bearskin caps and the light units shako and bearskin caps, there Oudinot did not have the money to equip on his own cost the whole division with a shako.
Usually the parent units would have been responsible to supply their detached units and they had no money to spend as well.

Thanks to Big Al

C. de Fromont, "Journal historique de la division de grenadiers d'Oudinot,
recueilli par J. Dumas, docteur en médecine et chirurgien-major du
bataillon d'élite du 28e régiment d'infanterie légère, grande arméée, 5e
corps. Années 1805 et 1806." Carnet de la Sabretache 2nd ser., 9 (1910):
pp 481 – 496, 545 – 566.

@Widowson, I recommend that you read these pages, full of interesting stuff about the grenadiers d'Oudinot.

at page 496 –

Nore dragons firent grande tenue ainsi que la division de grenadiers. L'on mit les capotes sur le sac, plumets au bonnets.

at 22 november 1805 the division replaced a lot of old French muskets with new Austrian ones – so you can paint the musket rings brass ;-)).
page 547

WS,

Rousselot in Plate 17 mentions that as of October 1804 the grenadiers in Oudinot's division wore either bearskin caps or shakos.

Sincerely,
K

Gentlemen,

I'll take the accounts of Junot and Oudinot very seriously, because they are independent first hand accounts which support each other. That's pretty strong evidence.

On the other hand, the division had so many incarnations that what applies to the division in 1804 probably does not apply to 1807. The division was actually first formed in 1803 under Junot. At that time there were no voltiguers, and many grenadiers wore bicorns. I would bet that the entire division probably wore the shako in its 1804 -06 incarnation, but not afterwards. Such an ad hoc formation most likely had no uniform standards to speak of.

As for chasseurs being part of the grenadier division – in at least one of its incarnations, it included not only the elite companies, but the first companies of fusiliers/chasseurs of the battalions in question.

vW – I thank you for the leads, but I have problems with them. My French language skills are very poor, and a topic like this requires a knowledge of subtle context and other language related issues. So even if I took the time to find all the sources you mention, they would do me little good.

The Fromont source looks very appealing, but, again, my French is probably not up to the task. Too bad. An entire book on the division is a source I SHOULD have. Are the pages in question available on line? Do you have a link?

10M – Rousselot is not really a primary source. On the other hand, I cannot discount the possibility that grenadiers already wearing bearskins might have kept them, despite being issued the shako.

I'll try to find Fromont and see what I can read of it.

Thanks again.

WS,

Fromont is a two part article which can be downloaded here:

link

Left click on green inkon in the top right that is to the left of the envelope symbol (it has an arrow in it).

Click in the box in front of "En cochant cette ….", then click on the green "Envoyer" in the lower right. Wait a bit.

Right click on the blue "click here". Then click on the "Save target as …."

Your normal download page should then come up. It will take some time to download.

Good Luck.

Big Al

"Click in the box in front of "En cochant cette ….", then click on the green "Envoyer" in the lower right. Wait a bit."

That doesn't come up for me. Maybe I'm getting the English translation on the site, but I don't find the words you used. What I do get is a document listed as 'Screen 1 of 753." I don't need all that.

Am I missing something?

@Steve

I did download the entire Carnet, and read Fromont, very usefull, see also my citations.

I disagree that there are two written accounts which claim that the shako was introduced in 1804 for all of Oudino'ts men.
Junot only proposed it. I got in touch with John Cook who affirmed that it was only a proposal.

Try to look at this logically.

We know that Junot proposed the shakos in 1804.

Oudinot's memoires affirm that the division was wearing the "sober shako" when he took command in 1805. It is the only note of uniform in his entire memoire.

It is logical to conclude, is it not, that Junot's request was granted, and the division was wearing the shako when Oudinot took command? He noted the shakos in a letter to his wife. It would have been noteworthy because, at that time, the infantry shako was worn only by the light infantry. It was still a new innovation in headgear.

Otherwise, are we to conclude that Junot requested the shako, the request was denied, and Oudinot, unaware of Junot's request, lied about his men wearing that particular piece of headgear when he took command in 1805?

I leave it to the membership to follow the logic.

Again, vW, by 1807, the division was completely reconstituted, and no longer contained the units which were issued that shako in 1804. Of course it's possible that the division held onto the shakos, but not likely, as they had been disbanded officially between campaigns.

WS,

Perhaps "p. NP (Screen 1 / 753)"? Well, you do need all of that! You need to download the full volume.

If you provide me with your e-mail address, I will send you a file with just the tp and the two parts of the article.

I have only just returned.

Big Al

Al,

Thanks, but I found a way to get it. For my Homerific computer, it was a long and painful experience. Unfortunately, the on-line version is a series of scans of the pages of the book. That means that I cannot copy portions of the text for a translation program.

So I'll just have to wade through it, in my completely inadequate French, and see if I can find anything relevant.

It's great to know this info is available, and makes me wonder how many thousands of documents are out there. So much of this stuff should be translated to English--I wish.

I'll let you all know if I think I've found anything relevant. I would not expect much in the way of uniform information. It's a journal of the division, concerned mostly with which units were where, combat reports and such. But we can hope.

I already quoted from that source :

at page 496 –

Notre dragons firent grande tenue ainsi que la division de grenadiers. L'on mit les capotes sur le sac, plumets au bonnets.

so greandiers with plumes on their bearskin caps.

Here we can see the limitations of Bablefish, who translate the passage thus:

"Our dragons made great behaviour [grande tenue] as well as the pomegranate division. L' one put the hoods on the bag, plumets with the bonnets."

Not much help, there. The pomegranate division? I gotta add that to my OB.

However, vW has a point here. But the question now becomes one of context of translation. Does "plumets au bonnets" specifically refer to bearskins, or is it a more generic term for full dress, like "full and fancy", or "plumes on hats"?

There is no doubt that the passage in question refers to events in 1805 (I checked).

Some of our French members might have an opinion on this, and I hope they chime in.

As for von Winterfeldt, I say "good catch." Thanks for the input, even though it only adds to the confusion. Hat tip.

Does anyone have a link to Rousselot Plate 17? It may be of some use, especially if it has the original French text.

I have a complete set. I will try to have the plates sent to me in a day or two.

Big Al

I will have them on Wednesday.

Von Winterfeldt – devil his due – I have a black and white photocopy of Le Plumet Plate 166 showing the fanions of Oudinot's Grenadiers. It shows the 1805 fanion and the 1809 fanion (we know nothing of the 1807 fanions, if there were any).

Notably, it also shows a carabinier carrying the 1805 fanion, and he is wearing a bearskin with cords and plume (and sergeant's bars). There is French text from the back of the plate. I'll struggle with it and let you know if I find anything.

We could argue that the source is not definitive re such details. And we could argue that flag bearers sometimes wore special headgear. Still, it's one more thing on your side of the scales. Kuddos.

The figure with the 1809 fanion appears to be a master sergeant of a line elite company in shako.

Sorry, the French text tells me that the 1809 figure is a fusilier sergeant. The second crossbelt threw me, tho I now recall that fusilier NCOs often carried the sword. No other uniform info that I can detect. Again, the dissolution of the original division in July, 1806 is confirmed, the respective companies returning to their parent regiments after the close of the Jena Campaign.

It was only four months later that Napoleon re-instituted the division afresh for the 1807 campaign (disolved again after Tilsit). Seems unlikely the old fanions would have been retained, but anything's possible.

WS,

I am sorry but they were not able to locate the plates. They will check again perhaps tomorrow, if not, on the weekend.

A large part of my collection is still in shipping crates. I thought the plates had been removed already. Several crates were opened when I was last there but the contents were not removed and placed on shelves. It is these crates that they will now check.

Big Al

Plate 17:

Les voltigeurs ont-ils pris le shako en même temps que les fusiliers? C'est probable; mais il nous faut rappeler qu'en octobre 1804, tous les corps de la réserve (plus connus sous le nom de "Grenadiers d'Oudinot" composés de compagnies de grenadiers et de voltigeurs tirés de differents regiments de l'Armée d'Angleterre, avainet des bonnets de grenadiers ou des shakos.

…

Nous pouvons admettre que les compagnies de voltigeurs, sauf celles qui faisaient partie de a division de grenadiers de la réserve, prirent le shako en 1807, en même temps que les fusiliers…

Rousselot is not very exact in this, due to the memoires or the order book of Pepin – 9e de ligne – it is known that the elite companies he did sent to Oudinot – did all wear hats.
Also shakos could only be worn by the light infantry units (or in case also bearskin caps for the carabiniers)
From memoires it is known that the voltigeurs for line units were introduced in the middle of the campaign of 1805

Rousselot is discussing that some regiments in the line did get shakos for their éclaireurs as 5th, 6th, 35th and 64 th demi brigades de ligne in november 1800.

Then

Ceux-ci prmière forme de voltigeurs, furent formés à l'effectif d'une compagnie de 100 par bataillon, probalement en août 1800, dans les 12e, 35e, 45e, et 64e demi bgirgades de ligne et 26e légére …

Also this is not precise, there from memoires it is known that Lecourbe formed such companies in 1799 to wage his war in the Alps, also they were formed in Egypt and probably earlier.

I don't know on what source Rousselot bases his statement that all Voltigeurs in Oudinot's division in 1804 should have shakos (9e de ligne did not) – there for line Voltigeurs contemporary prints of 1806 show them still with hats.

For me – still they had a mix of shakos and bearskin caps (for light infantry elite companies) and a mix of hats and bearskin caps (for line infantry elite companies.

As I've said before, I don't read French very well. If you are going to go to the trouble of typing in all the French, could you let us in on a translation?

WS,

Here's a translation of what was posted by VW:

'Les voltigeurs ont-ils pris le shako en même temps que les fusiliers? C'est probable; mais il nous faut rappeler qu'en octobre 1804, tous les corps de la réserve (plus connus sous le nom de "Grenadiers d'Oudinot" composés de compagnies de grenadiers et de voltigeurs tirés de differents regiments de l'Armée d'Angleterre, avainet des bonnets de grenadiers ou des shakos.'

'Did the voltigeurs adopt the shako at the same time as the fusiliers? It does seem probable but we must remember that in October 1804, all regiments of the division of reserve grenadiers (better known as the Grenadiers d'Oudinot'), made up from companies of grenadiers and voltigeurs taken from different regiments in the Army of England, had bearskin bonnets or shakos.'

'Nous pouvons admettre que les compagnies de voltigeurs, sauf celles qui faisaient partie de a division de grenadiers de la réserve, prirent le shako en 1807, en même temps que les fusiliers, tout en conservant le chapeau comme coiffure de ville, les compagnies d'elite ayant deux coiffures.'

'We could admit that the companies of voltigeurs, except those forming a part of the division of reserve grenadiers, adopted the shako in 1807, at the same time as the fusiliers, but at the same time, kep;t the hat for use when wearing walking out dress, elite companies having two forms of headress.'

'A cette date, le shako n'etait pas une nouveante dans l'infanterie de ligne. Deja en novembre 1800, le ministre faisait delivrer des shakos aux, eclaireurs des 5e, 6e, 35e et 64e demi-brigades de ligne. Ceux-ci première forme de voltigeurs, furent formés à l'effectif d'une compagnie de 100 hommes par bataillon, probalement en août 1800, dans les 12e, 35e, 45e, et 64e demi brigades de ligne et 26e légére (Correspence de Napoleon, 18 juillet 1800).'

'At this time, the shako was not a novelty in the line infantry. In November 1800 the ministry had delivered shakos to the scouts of the 5th, 6th, 35th, and 64th demi-brigades of the line. These men, the forerunners of the voltigeurs, were formed into companies of 100 men per battalion, probably in August 1800, in the 12th, 35th, 45th, and 64th demi-brigades of the line and the 26th regiment of light infantry.'

I hope this helps you in your further study. It should be noted that the voltigeur companies were first authorized for light infantry regiments in March 1804 and for the line infantry regiments in September 1805. Between 1796 and 1801 there were already 'eclaireur' (scout) companies in some of the infantry regiments, both Teste and Coignet state that they existed. So, those companies were merely made 'official' by Napoleon's decision/decree and were already formed.

The voltigeur companies were to be converted from the 3d company in each infantry battalion and it was not until 1808 that these new companies were officially granted the post of honor on the left of the line as well as high pay and other privileges of elite troops. They were generally formed and organized on the run in the campaigns of 1805 and 1806 and they were small men, 4 foot 11 inches (French) for the enlisted men and 5 feet for the officers. And that was the top level for height. They could be shorter.

Sincerely,
Kevin

Not wishing to sidetrack the thread but don't forget the French had official chasseur companies in each regiment before the revolution, but for some reason they were abolished.

Mark,

That's not off-topic and you're correct.

Sincerely,
K

I don't know when they were exactly abolished but they were not shown any longer in the 1791 regulations for the line infantry.

However from memoires you can see that ad hoc formations, which they called eclaireurs were very often formed.

Kevin,

Thanks for the translation. It only adds to my confusion, but I know it took some time.

Thanks again,

Bill