"Some help/advice on uniforms and responsibilities?" Topic

Hey all!

Hoping that you all could give me a hand… my knowledge of Napoleonic officers and staff stuff is really, really limited… and while I picked up a few packs of French Perry officers for a project, I am not sure exactly what each figure represents, or how to paint them… and also what their respective jobs would be! Any chance you guys could help out please?

These are the two packs…

I really would rather not mess this up:) Thanks in advance!

I guess they'd all be either officers commanding divisions or higher formations or else ADCs.

Well, I know that much:) I mean specifically; what would each guy be, as far as rank/unit? I don't know these uniforms at all… for example. in the top photo, who is the guy in the red? And the the guy mopping his brow? Infantry? Cavalry? No idea. And in the bottom group; who is the guy looking through the glass? And the guy with the hat in his hand? And the guy at the far right, holding the map case? All the Perry site says is ADCs for the top photo and generals and 2 IG Adjuncts and an Imperial orderly for the bottom photo… unfortunately, I don't quite know anything about what that means, in terms of uniform or responsibilities.

The ADCs in the top picture are all cavalry. They may still wear their old regimental uniform, they may wear the official ADC uniform, or a uniform designed by the Marshal they served. The second group are, from right to left, Adjoint (Staff Officer), 3 Generals, Imperial Orderly Officer and Staff Officer.

Most ADCs usually wear the ribbon? around thier biceps

Yes. Light/sky blue was the color for aides.

The Color reflects the Officers rank they are attached to.
White for Marshal
Red for General of Division
lt Blue for General of Brigade

VB, do you know the actual name for the ribbons…apologize if I'm hijacking

The arm band is called a brassard.
John

Hey guys!

Okay, thanks for the input, but I am hoping someone has specifics.

For example;

In the first photo, who is the fellow in red? What is that uniform? Is he some form of hussar?

How about the guy on the far right of the first photo? The one with the light blue shako looking thing…

As for the ADCs in that first photo, the first and the third look to be in matching uniforms. Are they? Is that a unit uniform?

As for the second photo, what is an adjoint? The Generals are easy enough, but who is the fellow without a hat, and what action is he modeled to be doing? I can't quite tell. Who is the guy with the telescope on the far left?

Anyway, if anyone can help…:) I really need some guidance to get this right, and it is quite foreign to me. I'd like to get some very colorful uniforms, but… even some examples would be appreciated!

Thanks!

ADCs as has been mentioned could wear the regulation uniform for ADCs (which had many variations), their old regimental uniform with the appropriate brassard or a special uniform concocted by the marshal they served. In the first picture, the two guys at the table are probably adjutant-commandants who were staff officers present in most staffs from divisional level upwards. The aigulettes suggest an imperial HQ. The three guys in blue and sky blue are wearing versions of the regulation uniform and from their brassards seem to be serving, from the left, a gen de bde, a gen de div and a marshal or CinC. The hussar is probably from the 6th, 9th or 12th Hussars serving a gen de bde.
In the second picture the three generals could be anybody depending on the colour mixed in with the gold of their sach and the stars on their epaulettes all the way up to marshal. The two outer guys are more adjutants while the one with his hat off is an Imperial Orderly Officer and what he is doing is politely doffing his hat as an alternative to saluting. These guys were kind of personal staff officers to the Emperor.
Hope that helps.

That is definitely helpful, thank you.

So…

First photo, I can paint the guys at the table and the two guys in the regulation uniform as is.

Then I can do the (is it TWO hussars, or one? The guy on the far right of the shot looks similar to the red-dressed hussar) other guys in whatever hussar uniform looks good in the scene.

For the second photo, the three generals can be done however, as long as it is generals uniforms.

The adjuncts… They can be given the dark blue jackets and grey pants, like the guy being handed the order in the first photo? Painted the same as that guy?

The Imperial Orderly Officer… I don't know much about them. What do their uniforms look like?

Does anyone know any link to photos of official orderly/adjunct uniforms? I don't seem to have them listed in any book I own, and I am struggling finding examples online:(

The ADC on the right is in a version of the ADC uniform with a laced waistcoat, but if you painted him differently, e.g. in green, he could be a chasseur a cheval on ADC duty. The hussar could be painted as any hussar regiment. In the second picture, the adj on the right would probably be in white breeches with the one on the left in blue with gold 'darts'. The Orderly would be in imperial green before 1809 and sky blue (though darker than you might think) thereafter.
The Osprey books 'Napoleon's HQ' parts 1 and 2 are good sources and there is also centjours.mont-saint-jean.com which is an excellent source. (Look under 'Officiers/nation'.)

Try the Mont St Jean website for uniforms of the HQ staff, including officiers d'ordonnance.

From the homepage, click officiers/nation, then France, then Commandants d'armee, then Commandant en chef, then uniformes. Officier d'ordonnance are on etat-major (2).

Elting's Swords Around a Throne, Chapter 5, is good on who did what at Napoleon's HQ.

Shouldn'y they all have a bricole?

Hey all!

Okay, another question; what color for the turn backs for the imperial orderly? I cannot seem to find that uniform anywhere online:(

Thanks!