"Russian Greatcoat Collars in 1812" Topic

The title pretty much says it all. What color are the collars for line infantry wearing greatcoats? I've checked the web but could not find anything definitive.

napolun.com had the closest thing I could find: In November 1807 was issued an order for all grenadier regiments: "collars and cuffs of coats, as well as collars of greatcoats, are directed to be of red cloth"

I'm not painting grenadiers though.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Greatcoats were ordered to have Red collars & cuffs for Line Infantry (Musketeers), as well as Grenadiers from November 1807, according to M. Conrad's translation of A.V. Viskovatov. By 1812, this order should certainly have been fully in force.

To be really extra precise …

The part about collars and cuffs refers to the "coat" or "habit" or "mundir".
For the greatcoats, the collar only was to be red, with the cuffs gray. The shoulder straps were to be as on the mundir (for enlisted ranks).
This last disctinction had some variation :
- some infantry and jager regiments put their numbers on the greatcoat shoulder straps per regulation, some did not
- greatcoats issued from central stores or magazines (increasingly common as the period progressed) would lack shoulder strap disctinctions, which may or may not have been corrected later in the regiments.
Here are grenadiers from an infantry regiment, winter 1813/1814 :
picture

These apper to be grenadiers of the 3rd grenadier company (grenadiers of the 3rd battalion – blue surround for the pompon on the left and blue upper edging of the forage cap on the right) in one of the senior regiments (red shoulder straps) of a division serving Saxony.

The heavy mittens, of greatcoat material and attached by a cord to the greatcoat, could be easily dropped to shoot. A second mitten, usually of old mundir material and with a trigger finger, could be worn underneath.

For the shoulder strap distinctions :
link
(includes various corrections to Viskovatov and really rather good color samples – brilliant charts!)

Chuvak

I leave it to Chuvak to provide the assistance on all Russian questions going forward, as my own attempts obviously contain too many errors. White flag. The ground is entirely yours, sir.

No way, Greystreak !

THe ground is entirely OURS, working together. MY errors are more legion than yours, anyway.
:-)

Chuey

While I agree with Chuvak – I found nevertheless – for discussion – this interesting print, I don't know the author – but the details are quite convincing, and here a non regulation great coat with red cuffs.

picture

Von Winterfeldt,

Excellent!

Note the two figures in the center background (one sitting on the side of the bridge and the other standing) : they look like jägers (green pants, black porte-gibernes) with white knapsack leatherwork.
Also the figure standing just behind the mounted man in a greatcoat : single grenade shako badge (so not a grenadier), has a briquet (on a white porte-briquet), knapsnack with blck black leatherwork, possible unter-ofitser distinction on his collar, enlisted ranks pompon.

So, lots of non-regulation combinations. Very plausible, convincing and realistic to me.
Thank you very much !

Chuvak

Yes, the partialy white belted Jäger could be recently converted musketeer regiments which still have the white leatherwork.

I quite like the pale blue non regulation field trousers as well.

picture