"please identify this unit" Topic

As we seem to have a blank space, I could only suggest the Duke of Cumberland Hussars by the close of 18th June?

I do wonder who posted this and what they are trying to show us!

1-й волонтерный конно-казачий полк ополчения Санкт-Петербурга, названный «Смертоносный»
1-y volonternyy konno-kazachiy polk opolcheniya Sankt-Peterburga, nazvannyy "Smertonosnyy"
1st volunteer horse cossack regiment of the Saint-Petersburg militia, called the "Death Dealers"

- this was a Saint-Petersburg city regiment, founded by a Portuguese resident businessman, retired lieutenant Don Joaquim Antônio Gonçalves de Oliveira, and incorporating many foreigners, but not actual ethnic "Cossacks" – except if some of the volonteers brought Cossack employees or servants into the unit
- black uniformed Russian lancers with a death's head insignia on their shako : who could ask for more?

Great topic.
:-)

- Sasha

Thanks for the replys, not sure why my original got eaten.

The unit is Lancers, Red blouse with green front, and yellow pants. Painted over 20 years ago and I cant for the life of me remember what they are. I am just getting back into 15mm Napoleonics and am looking to finish some stuff I started a long time ago. I am sure they are French allys, as that is about all I was painting, other than a few french.

Owen

Could they be the Saxon Prince Clemens regiment?

No That is not them, these have green saddle blankets, and the troops pants are very yellow

The Osprey doesn't give much detail, but does suggest that saddle furniture for Saxons is facing colour (dark or light green, depending on regiment); breeches buff rather than yellow though. Nothing about lances though.

I'm no expert, but a quick flick though my Funcken on French allies gives only that Saxons and Danes as having red faced green tunics amongst French allies.

Information on uniforms was (and still can be) pretty incomplete and false information can persist.

What kind of headgear are they wearing and what colour is it?

Black Shako, green pom on it.

The only really odd thing about them is the Yellow pants. I cant find anybody with them.

I seem to have been doing mostly Bavarians and Saxons, but that doesnt mean I didnt do a one off, I have always liked adding a few odd units to break up the grind of doing 20 similar BNs.

Thanks for the help so far, this one is bugging me more than it should, it is not even a complete regiment.

owen

…maybe you gave up on them because you didn't like the yellow pants?

Are these guys (Mexican-American War) anywhere close?

Close. Darker green, Shako is straight. I need to figure out how to post pics here.

owen

Those colours, especially on 17th March, suggest to me the Lep Recon unit from Connemara. Green coats, Shamrocks on the coat tail turnbacks and Guinness in the canteen…….

You don't suppose the yellow was an innocent early attempt at buff breeches do you? Just as MatthewGreen pointed out above……..Saxons would be my bet.

I knew a guy who painted an entire French light infantry battalion based on a picture in Funken that turned out to be a coronet. Is it possible you copied a trumpeter with your unit? Otherwise the Danes had red-coated horsemen.

It certainly could. o would like to find at least the original of what i thought I was doing. I really thought the pants would ring a bell and somebody would point me to what ever obscure unit I did. Almost has to be Saxons, but I cant find my copy of Poles and Saxons. i now suspect it is in there, as it is not in any of the other books i regularly used and cant find that one (of course).

At this point I would welcome the "hey dummy that is a ….." as I discover I copied somebodys imagination lancer or some such. of course I mostly hope it is a real unit, I dont fancy repainting unless i have to.

owen

Yellow was a tricky colour for contemporary dyes, so it wasn't a popular uniform colour (though not infrequent for facings). Saxon heavies are one of the few examples of its use (as well as the Neuchatel battalion). My guess is that it is a misinterpretation of buff – which would put the Saxon Clemens or Albrecht chevaulegers as the top candidates.

I think the 9th French Lancer Reg't wore buff trousers at some point in their history, with green jackets and buff facings(?). Their uniforms morphed alot in their early years.

I will try a new post with a pivcture of it this weekend, if my ludite self can figure out how to do it.

And a big thank you to everybody.

owen

Badger, you need to upload the picture somewhere else, e.g. photobucket, then link to that site in your post here.

My money is on the Saxons, althought Danes (the Jutland light dragoons) are another possibility.

Found the book and yes Prince Clemens. Looking at the Pic i wonder if I just didnt pay close enough attention, or what when i grabbed the paint. of course as it was 20 years ago or so, perhaps the Glenlevits controbuted to my confusion.

Owen