"Help with Napoleon's personal guard?" Topic

Hey all,

Okay, coming back to the TMP folks on this one…

I am working on a conversion to make up one of Napoleon's personal guard Chasseur.

A pair of questions though…

First, does their colpak have that drape-y cloth thing hanging over a side? I cannot seem to tell from the pictures I've found.

Also; check out this photo of the Perry guards;

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What is that "loop" (for lack of a better word) on the guards right waist? That isn't part of their sword belt, obviously… so what is it?

Thanks!

I believe it is the cuff lace.

My understanding is that there was always a squadron of Chasseurs a Cheval of the imperial guard with him.

It appears to part of the barreled waist sash, and would be scarlet/red or a mixture of same with aurore.
See this image from the 100 days site
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Okay, I see it; thanks for the link.

Here is the converted figure, from a Perry Young Guard figure… for some reason he looks a bit "squished" but he doesn't look that way to the naked eye:)

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odd, his crossbelt seems to be over the wrong shoulder. It should be over his left, with the cartridge pouch at his right rear back.

This probably doesn't help but, apart from the 100 Days (which the Perry figures represent) the immediate escort to the Emperor were meant to be in full dress so that they were instantly recognisable. This means colpack bag and plume, pelisse and buckskin breeches and hussar boots not overalls.

*sigh* Hm. Not sure if I can do much… I can add the plume… a pelisse shouldn't actually be too hard to add… lemme see on the rest. I appreciate the info!:)

Okay, added some stuff… thanks for the info:) Working with green stuff is a lot of fun!:D

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Are the trousers a light tan, basically? It is hard to tell:) Being color blind is tough!:)

Yes, light tan is about right for the breeches.

Okay, another question… the fur on the pelisse should be black? Or should it be white, assumedly because the guards were officers?

Thanks again for all the help!

So much depends on the period chosen. Best sources are Rousellot prints, Osprey (Pawly,) Histoire and Collections (Jouinea and Mongin) and Napoleon's Imp Guard in Colour Photos (Maugham)…even if latter is "only" reconstructions. The last shows how that "loop" indeed related to the sash.

It is so complicated. Duty squadron (personal escort to Napoleon) wore the bag on the colpack, even in 1815. The plume and caplines were surely for full dress only. Summer dress; the green dolman and green overalls for campaign and for all ranks. Winter the pelisse done up (and not necessarily with the dolman beneath). Lace differed according to rank and the fur trim was white (actually nearer to grey) for officers, brown marmot (NCOs), black troopers. The sandy coloured deerskin breeches are full dress only and worn with light cavalry boots (try converting Perry hussars, build up the colpack with green stuff and sticking them on the metal C a Chev horses…works brilliantly).

But then….the alternative rig, wearing the cut away coat and red waistcoat, invariably worn by the Emperor himself. Basically the Perry Horse Artillery of the Guard in green; hardly any conversion needed and I have them gathered around the Imperial carriage. Perrys insist this outfit was not worn at Waterloo by C a Chev. They do not get much wrong, but I wonder here.

Sheesh:) Okay, so which color would his guards have on the pelisse fur? Would they be officers, since they are, after all, guarding Napoleon himself? Or black?

Clearly I am not going to get it exactly right, but I think I am getting close enough:)

Napoleon never went anywhere on campaign without a large bodyguard. There was a rotation, well described in "The Anatomy of Glory". So it could have been the Polish lancers squadron in direct attendance and the Grenadiers a Chev in reserve……..whatever, we are talking about a squadron right next to him, with several well documented occasions when they saw action and saved his bacon! Dismounted, he was surrounded (literally…few could approach) by the four privates as shown by the Perrys, armed with the light cavalry carbine. Many artists have shown them mounted with the butt resting on the right hip. They would be privates (black fur if wearing pelisse) but, equally, officers and NCOs in close proximity. The map carrier for example, an officer. We are talking about "the duty squadron of the day" so you cannot lose! Basically, whatever you do, it will be right for some occasion;
Winter
Summer
Full parade dress
Campaign dress
Officer, NCO, Trooper (don't get me started on trumpeters)
Duty squadron with the Emperor
The other approx 1000 troopers (surprisingly one of the biggest cavalry regiments there even tho' elite) at Waterloo who hardly saw him.
The habit veste with long tails which is ignored but looks great..try those Art a Chev of the Garde

Oh heck…..then there is no such thing as black fur anyway. I was back in Musee de l'Armee last week and it reminded me that all black fur is very dark brown….

No, you are right. No one will ever get it exactly right, because, after all this time no-one knows. Get close enough and enjoy it! Reality is to cover them in Dark Earth and Oilskins, with a high gloss as they are soaking wet and want to go home…….like all soldiers…

Okay, and I finished him! I think he came out well; the pictures do not do him justice:D Thanks again for all the help guys; this was a bit obscure for my library!:D

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