"Prussian foot artillery train collars 1815" Topic

Now apologies. I do notice some daft questions that could easily be solved with some basic research, but sometimes one comes up with contradictory info.

Briefly, I am working on a diorama "The Road to Plancenoit". I want to include the Perry limber and foot six pounder with the (foot not horse)crew struggling to get it out of the mud.

The artillery drivers have me puzzled though. Everything tells me their rig was little different to the gun crews (esp black collars), but for overalls as riders. But then I come across pale blue collars mentioned. (Mt St J website, Knotel, Haythornthwaite etc). Was this for transport folk rather than artillery drivers? If so, what would caisson drivers have worn?

Apologies this is a very basic question to the experts amongst you, but I suspect I'll soon have the answer.

I am right, am I not, that all foot crews were indistinguishable by 1815 also?

Thanks for any info………

I checked several sources: Haythornthwaite, Mont Saint Jean, Elting, Osprey, and Knoetel. They all say the same thing, that artillery had black collars piped red and that the drivers had unpiped light (medium?) blue collars.

The uniforms of artillery (if not all infantry) were standardized by 1815.

Drivers of infantry regimental wagons wore the same color collar as the regiment they served. Thus a driver for an Elbe regiment would have light blue collars, yellow for Silesian, etc.

Dan B, much appreciated.

Well worth knowing that artillery were indeed "uniformly" turned out, as I suspected.

Light blue would be great, as it would add a badly needed bit of colour….but I suspect it is still more complicated.

I wonder if the guys pulling the guns were different from the rest of the transport. As you say, Knotel shows a light blue collar, but his rider is pulling a hay cart. Haythornthwaite indeed favours pale blue for towing guns. The Mt St Jean site shows both versions, the black collar as "conducteur" for foot artillery……and the pale blue as for "collones de Parc"……somehow I still suspect that a "conducteur" is the guy riding the horse pulling the gun. The chap in blue is pulling a wagon?

Shame if so……..

light blue collars are wrong – that it for train in general but not for artillery train – which is totaly different – ask Oliver Schmidt, he would know for sure, otherwise I opt for black collars as for their "parent" unit – the foot artillery.

I think that sounds right…thanks to all!

Have a look at Mont St Jean, they have uniforms for both Artillery Support and Artillery Park.

link

Artillery train had black collars and cuffs. The order in March 1813 was for the Column train to change to that of the units attached was made so the light blue collar and cuffs disappeared during 1813. Remember Prussia had no money and changing uniform facings was not a high priority.

Stephen

Great thing about this forum. You can get the advice from the real experts, even for something this mundane and I imagine all too obvious to them. It was not to me, so thanks again!!!

As Dr. Summerfield points out artillery train and the usual equipment train are two different things.

I could well imagine that those who pulled the guns in and out of action and supplied the ammo, would have considered themselves a cut above those who pulled the supply train on the safer lines of communication. My understanding is that the latter were all left behind by Blucher as he headed off to Plancenoit. So black collars it is! Just waiting now to hear from Calpe, as the Perry figures are ready for undercoating.

Again apologies for such a simplistic question, but the answers are much appreciated.

Dear Liam
The simple questions are the hardest. What has been written in the various books is misleading. I had to dig through and then look at all the illustrations.

Stephen