"French Infantry colors for 1809 Danube campaign" Topic

Is there a definitive answer to the question of what colors the 2nd, 3rd, 4th , etc battalions carried?

I've read variously that they all carried "national" flags with Eagles or that only the first battalion carried the national flag with Eagle and the rest carried a "fanion" on a plain pole (no Eagle).

If the latter, is it correct that the fanions were just plain colored flags with no markings, numbers, or device?

And what we're the colors then? Were they prescribed or chosen by the regiment?

Thanks.

This might help

link

Thanks. That site states clealry that on and after 1808 regulations dictated that only one Eagle be carried per regiment while on campaign.

But the Eagle is just the piece that sits on top of the flag pole.

Didn't the battalions still carry flags even if on an unadorned pole?

And if so, which flag was it?

That's really what I'm trying to find out.

Thanks.

Despite the change in the regulations some regiments, particularly the Leger, still carried the eagle with every battalion. In the converse to your question many regiments carried the eagle but not the flag. Those battalions that did not carry the eagle had the fanion. By regulation they were meant to be plain colors as per the information in Dave's link. However, the French Army being what it was, many regiments had very fancy fanions. Some were based upon the basic colour and others looked like the flag that went with the eagle but without the key 'From the Emperor….' wording. Some regiments, such as the 4th Ligne had fanions based upon different blue and red horizontal bands. GMB Flags to a fine series of different fanions in 28mm. No two regiments need look the same.