"Gendarmes d'élite of the Imperial Guard in action" Topic

Apparently, those guys saw more action during the Napoleonic Era than I would have imagined. Can anyone tell me more about the history of this unit (combats and battles they were involved in)?

They were attached to the Grenadiers à cheval during battles, so if the Grenadiers were in action, the Gendarmes would usually fight alongside them.

The Napoleonic Army Handbook gives the Gendarmes d'élite as involved in the following actions:

Jena
Medina de Rio Seco (possibly a single sqn)
The Berezina
Lutzen
Leipzig
Quatre Bras
Mont St Jean

There is an excellent book on the Gendarmerie of Spain, which was an off-shoot of the Imperial Gendarmerie and who took their place in the line of battle when necessary.

La Gendarmerie Francaise en Espagne et en Portugal (Campagnes de 1807 a 1814), edited by C. Terana.

As decreed by Napoleon when he had the Gendarmerie completely purged and rebuilt when he became First Consul, A Gendarme had to have been a former soldier with at least four campaigns to his credit, had to be twenty-five or older, and literate. He made Moncey the First Inspector General of Gendarmerie assisted by six inspector generals with an 'adequate' staff.

General Etienne Radet was one of the outstanding Gendarme general officers and Gendarme training stressed gentleness, prudence, and moderation in dealing with law-abiding citizens and prompt, forceful action when dealing with criminals.

In the army, it was a capital offense to kill, wound, or hurt a gendarme.

When attached to the army in the field they carried messages, escorted prisoners back to the French frontier, guarded and regulated supply trains and in action they usually shook out in straggler lines in the rear of the fighting and had the authority to use any necessary force to drive 'stragglers, cowards, rebels, alarmists, or fugitives' back into line. They also supervised the evacuation of the wounded and would be assigned along the lines of communication to protect the courier and mail services, picked up stragglers and maintained discipline with the supply train troops. They were also assigned to gather in the 'contributions' of supplies and miney levied on occupied territories as well as protect the civilian population from deserters and marauders. They also were assigned as headquarters security guards.

They were also combat troops when necessary. Davout put in his gendarmerie detachment under his corps provost Colonel Louis Saunier with his corps cavalry and they overran a Prussian artillery battery.

Another helpful volume is Gendarmes and the State in Nineteenth-Century Europe by Clive Emsley. Pages 13-120 covers the French Gendarmerie with useful information on the Napoleonic period.

Interestingly, the famous Dromedary Regiment from Egypt was put into the Gendarmerie upon their return to France.

When the Gendarmerie was reorganized and reformed by Napoleon an elite squadron was formed for duty in Paris. The enlisted men had been NCOs in the army and had been noted for both bravery and devotion to duty. Many of the officers of the squadron had been officers in the Dromedary Regiment. This unit was taken into the Guard of the Consuls in March 1802.

In 1804 it was reorganized as the Legion of Elite Gendarmerie with 632 officers and men in four mounted and two foot companies. The two foot companies were dropped in 1809. Their primary duty was the protection of Napoleon's person, baggage and residence-and the enforcement of his orders.

Napoleon put them into action in 1806-1807. They also saw considerable combat against draft dodgers and bandits in France and against marauders and enemy irregulars on campaign. They were greatly respected as well as feared. They were disciplined, dangerous, and usually operated in small detachments.

From a purely wargaming perspective, you could use the gendarmes d'elite as a seperate "tiny in BP" unit, or integrate them with your Grenadiers a cheval squadrons, they wopuld have roughly the same fighting values but add a little extra colour to the regiment. You can also use a few loose figures as escorts for the imperial HQ. Don't forget to check the Gringo 40 and Perry Figures and the excellent paintjob Deadhed did on them.

Whirlwind, can I just ask why you refer to Waterloo as Mont St Jean? (I don't want a row, I'm just intrigued!)

No thing, I was just copying the book I took the list from. I normally call it Waterloo.

Brechtel198: Really enjoy that kind of stuff. Thanks, John Miller

You're very welcome. I have great admiration for the Gendarmerie of the period. Tough and disciplined troops who had a very difficult selection of jobs to do.

How would they have been at Quatre Bras?

Only the Guard Light Cavalry were there and then not even in combat.

Hello, the Guard heavy cavalry division was at Ligny on the 16th June.

Chris

Thanks for all the answers. Could anyone expand on the role performed by the Gendarmes d'élite at the battles of Lutzen and Leipzig?

They fought at Quatre Bras? Really? As far as I know, they were not present at Quatre Bras.

just also check Martinien – and the extra supplement you can download on Gallica, you will see the wounded or killed officers, indeed on 16th of June one officer killed at Ligny – so Quatre Bras?? not likley

These fellows were part of Guyot's Guard heavy cavalry division attached to the Grenadiers a cheval. The other part being the Empress Dragoons.

This division was in action at Ligny during the Guards attack towards the close of business.

It was never at Quatre Bras. The Guard Light division was initially at Quatre Bras in. a scouting role.

Chris

There are two references that might be helpful.

The first is Memoires du General Radet edited by A Combier. Radet was a senior officer in the Imperial Gendarmerie and commanded the Elite Gendarmes at Hanau in 1813. It is on Google Books:

link

The second is La Campagne de France: Napoleon et les Allies sur le Rhin by Lefebvre de Behaine, which contains the action at Hanau in October 1813. It is also on Google Books:

link

They were attached to the Grenadiers à cheval during battles, so if the Grenadiers were in action, the Gendarmes would usually fight alongside them.

This has to be at least classed as uninformed and without proof.

The 'Garde' corps were all separate- save the single company of the Mamelukes, attached to the regiment of the Chasseur á Cheval from 1800.

The Elite Gendarmes of the Guard performed what all Gendarmerie did in France, public policing and security.
If on the rotational 'Service' duty roster, when all regiments offered 'Escort' squadrons were formed up, they were all treated as an homogenous formation. The balance of the fighting regiments were brigaded and stood apart from the 'household' service squadrons of the Emperor.

Otherwise, the Elite Gendarmes had a broader role to play.
I've thoroughly trawled over many actions, and not read one word of it happening as cited above.

In contrast, at the desperate Battle of Auerstadt 1806, lacking cavalry support, Davout had his staff security peloton of the mounted Gendarmes (not Elites) charge an opportunity target of the Prussians with success.
regards d
[Now, wheres my lunch… *water*]

From John Elting's Swords Around A Throne, 190:

'Their [the Gendarerie d'Elite] duties were many and various, but the principal one was the protection of Napoleon's person, baggage, and residence-wherever that might be-and the enforcement of his orders throughout the Grande Armee. Because those missions seldom involved them in pitched battles, the rest of the Guard called them the 'Immortals' (a name the Grande Armee applied to the Guard as a whole). To clear their honor, Napoleon put them into action during 1807. Their charges went as deep as the best cavalry's, Guard or line, but it was too late: That nickname had been embedded in Guard tradition.'

'In actual fact, they saw considerable small-scale combat against both draft dodgers and bandits at home and maruaders and enemy irregulars along the Grande Armee's communications. Details of them trained the Italian and Neapolitan gendarmeries. High on their black horses they came and went in small detachments, silent, utterly disciplined, dangerous. Their uniform was that of the Gendarmerie Imperiale, but with a visored bearskin cap, only a little lower than the Grenadiers'.'

Compagnie de gendarmes a cheval:

2 officers, 1 marechal des logis chef, 3 marechaux des logis, 1 farrier, 6 brigadiers, 1 marechal-ferrant, 2 trumpets, 72 gendarmes.

Compagnie de gendarmes a pied:

3 officers, 1 marechal des logis chef, 5 marechaux des logis, 1 farrier, 10 brigadiers, 2 drummers, 100 gendarmes.

There were four mounted companies and two dismounted companies initially in 1804. In 1809 the foot companies were abolished. Interestingly, Napoleon referred to them as 'the regiment of the gendarmerie d'elite of our Guard.' The four companies made up two squadrons, so that reference does make sense.

I tink leading off with the 'baggage guards' is likely to leadto some poor sportsmanship!

However, quite right:-
31 juillet 1801 (12 thermidor an IX) : Arrêté sur l'organisation de la Gendarmerie nationale (Bulletin des lois, vendémiaire an X, vol. 3, n° 95, arrêté n° 792). Il dispose que la Gendarmerie nationale est divisée en 27 légions, dont une d'élite, forte de six cents hommes, répartie en deux escadrons à deux compagnies à cheval et un bataillon à deux compagnies à pied.

So yes, 'in the plans' for 1804 the 27th Legion became, you guessed it…

29 juillet 1804 (10 thermidor an XII) : Création d'une légion de gendarmerie d'élite à pied et à cheval, intégrée à la garde impériale.
-

I tend to suspect that the Gendarmerie d'Élite, even when deployed in a single squadron or company, were often mistaken for the Horse Grenadiers (there seems to be quite good evidence for this at Medina de Rioseco and Waterloo)…

From a distance that is quite possible. Closer not so much.

How close are you imagining people getting? I'm not talking about them being drawn up parade-style at the rear, I'm talking about them up-front charging and skirmishing…

At Waterloo, the British artillery officer Cavalié Mercer naturally equated the fur-capped French cavalry in front of him with Horse Grenadiers, but specifically mentions "… blue uniforms without facings, cuffs or collars. Broad, very broad buff belts"…

link

Recent research discussed here indicates that the Horse Grenadiers were still in their classic white-lapel tunics…

TMP link

… and they certainly didn't wear buff shoulderbelts.

Medina de Rioseco and perhaps Ligny might also repay investigation – disentangling which was which at other moments at Waterloo would require some careful tracking of both regiments' movements….

Of course, sometimes the Horse Grenadiers are just the Horse Grenadiers (at Austerlitz, for instance)…

How close are you imagining people getting? I'm not talking about them being drawn up parade-style at the rear, I'm talking about them up-front charging and skirmishing…

Close enough to tell the difference between buff and white for the shoulder belts. And the bearskins of the Gendarmes had visors. Generally speaking, cavalry actions were close, especially if it came to a melee.

And, apparently, at least some of the elite Gendarmes wore the helmet issued to them by the Bourbons in 1814. That would be a significant distance.

And Napoleonic history does not necessarily revolve around Waterloo…

>>Recent research discussed here indicates that the Horse Grenadiers were still in their classic white-lapel tunics…

So Rousellot was completely wrong when he stated they undertook the campaign in surtout only?? Hmmm….

I don't believe that Rousselot was incorrect. But we'll have to see if anyone comes up with something more substantial and as well-researched as Rousselot's material.

The research I've heard about in favor of The Horse Grenadiers and Gd. Dragoons wearing their white lapelled jackets in the 100 Days campaign is based on cloth purchases made on their behalf during the mobilization. IIRC, this info comes from the archives at Vincennes.

Gentlemen,

I was researching alongside Paul Dawson in the archives at Vincennes, back in October 2016, when he was working through the documents box for the Grenadiers à Cheval.
Should you wish to investigate and research this yourself, the file box catalogue number is Xab34.

I can confirm that there were only three single breasted Cuirassier style habits made in 1814-15, which were ordered when the regiment was the Corps Royal de Cuirassiers de France, during the First Restoration.

These three habits were to serve as models for the regimental tailor to work from, as master garments, and were in the three basic standard sizes.

The 800 or so single breasted habits de cuirasse that were on order were due to have been made during April, May and June of 1815, but Napoleon's return from Elba meant that this never happened. The orders were cancelled, and the regiment remained in their traditional habits, with long tails and white revers (lapels) for the Hundred Days Campaign.

The relevant documents at Vincennes even show how much white cloth was used for their construction. Only a fraction of this amount of white cloth would have been used for the Cuirassier style single breasted habits, as it would only have been needed on the white cuff flap. The amount of buttons used (22 small for a habit à revers, compared with only 8 small for a habit de cuirasse) is also carefully totalled and recorded in the stores and regimental receipts, which allows one to confirm that only the traditional Grenadier à Cheval habits were made and hence worn in 1815.

I've seen the actual original documents which confirms all of the above. Honestly, only the three master garment Cuirassier style habits were ever made, and they remained unissued and still in the stores when the regiment was disbanded later in the year.

Hope that helps and clarifies this for you.

>>I don't believe…

The assertion was to the claimant, not in general.

Purchase of 'cloth' dos not in any way indicate the creation and making/ wearing of uniforms.
Nice info, not proof.

Teey weren't called habits- they were surtouts (blue).
d

Forgive my ignorance, but did the Horse Grenadiers still have a regulation surtout in 1815? And does anyone know precisely why Rousselot said they wore one on the campaign?

Brechtel198 – are you agreeing with me that Mercer's reference to buff shoulder-belts may indicate that he misidentified Gd'É as GàC?

Fair point about the helmets – though that reminds me that Mercer thought he was looking at GàC with Cuirassiers in their rear – if he was atcually looking at Gd'É, maybe he saw some of those First Restoration cuirassier-style helmets at the back…?

I'm aware that Waterloo (or the Hundred Days in general) is only part of the story. That's why I mentioned Medina de Rioseco, where in place of the reserve of Horse Grenadiers of earlier reports, modern sources give a single company of either 57 or 107 Gendarmes d'Élite.

Other people might have other examples to add…

The nomenclature can be confusing.

There are habits, habit-vestes, surtouts and even Kinskis!

I think this picture helps with differentiation;

The surtout ("overall") I always think of as still exposing the waistcoat, but lacking lapels. The cuirassier habit had its lower edge across the waist, no lapels and, in the pattern intended for the GaC it is always shown with the white sword belt over the jacket.

That should have been habits-veste of course, but you knew that. Like courts martial.

Let me illustrate the novelty of the proposed new jacket. The belt work over not under…shown in other illustrations too. A Cuirassier habit truly. A horrible look, but even worse for them or the dragoons of the Guard being shown in the surtout.

Arguably among the best known units of the Napoleonic Imperial Army, why are folk so reluctant to model them in their true glory, well in 28mm anyway? Strong hint to a pair of well known UK makers. You will give us Norwegian Pontoniers, but not decent Imperial Guard Cavalry;

I'm not sure if the picture was aimed at me (in which case, thanks!) – but I was aware of the distinction between the three types of uniform.

The real question I was trying to ask was this: were the Grenadiers à Cheval in 1815 actually issued a single-breasted surtout alongside their habit (which Tassie seems to have shown was still furnished with the classic white lapels, and not a more "surtout-like" habit droit / habit à cuirasse)…?

I'm also curious about how often surtouts diverged from the expected pattern – chasing the answer to my question above, I notice that Dawson's book on the Grenadiers à Cheval has a contemporary image of a trooper from the regiment c. 1801, in a surtout that's still only partially buttoned and without a defined waistline. How long did that old-fashioned pattern last?!

Thanks!

BTW, Rousellot states that the companies of elite legions 'Gendarmes a Pied' were demobbed in 1806 "mostly going to the mounted troops". Whether '06 or '09 largrly immaterial. If they left Paris they'd probably been waggoned everywhere, given their status and 'essential' nature of work.

On the surtout- strange twist of threads we have. However I wouldn't have called them 'overalls' in any way.
With respect, that name [given my understanding of this period] only applies to 'trouser' type coverings when they were and did in fact 'cover' over better quality clothing, like breeches and gaiters etc..

Not to overlap, though it is, double-breasted clothing did exist, just mone of it here. The kinski worn by Poles (Initially) could be, but that isn't a surtout either. Even Malibran specifically states that the 1786 regulation habit lapels were purely decoration, and because of the design, they couldn't be overlapped even if you wanted to.

The habit, worn by infantry and copied by all the army, including cavalry, was standard. Royal Blue was the vernacular, until the revolution changed it to 'National' blue. Then of course 'Imperial' blue.

The habit tails, dictated with the Cavalry upon whom all others followed, were marginally shorter than those of the infantry. While the infantry reached the knees, the cavalry had them shorter by a few cms.

The 'new' regulation habit issued "about the time regiments received cuirasses" beginning 1804 (Malibran), was significantly cut shorter, 300mm from the knee, but with identical features, except for the revers (lapels) for 'new' cuirass issued/ wearing regiments.

However, Bucquoy Notes the same but calls them 1806?, helpfully informs us that- inspections between 1804 and 1810 showed-
- some regiments retained the older habit, or
- received new habit, but kept the revers, or
- continued wearing the old issue until 1810, never having 'issued' the later model. So much for regulations…

The sword belt was always worn over the gilet/veste and/ or surtout, never under.

If you want ultra-trvial uniform and decoration detail, you will note that the ornamental lace that formed the edging to the respective schabraques for the Grenadiers and Gendarmes respectively were rversed- one had a 54mm wide lace inside and 27mm outer, while the other had the thinner lace inside and wider outside, even though different colurs- one was aurore/gold and other white/silver. Who goes to that kind of detail???

Certainly they were supposed to be there; aurore facings versus silver/white on man and horse furniture; bare baearskins and/ or helmets (again Rousellot cites that bearskins were issued 'from the Stores' and the helmet plate with Coat of Arms of France removed and replaced with a grenade' for the Gendarmes, of which he said there was actually 100, not 50 men present.

And on that note, I wouldn't rate highly any eyewitness account from someone so busy as an enemy battery commander to identify charging cavalry accurately. Perhaps they had a chat about it in a pub after the match???

regards d

FWIW Haythornthwaite's Uniforms of Waterloo has the GaC in surtout; the bearskin is shown with a cockade on the left and an aurore cross on the top patch, and he reckons the trumpeters wore light blue coats and white bearskins (goatskins presumably).

The gendarmes are similar except they have a buff waistcoat and gloves and a carabinier-style crossbelt that is buff edged white. The sources are not cited so whether he used Mercer or found another source that backs up Mercer is unclear.

The bottom line on French uniform regulations is that there were none for the army as a whole (the Imperial Guard excepted as they had their own uniform regulations) until the Bardin regulations of 1812. And those were probably not in effect for the whole army until 1813.

For 1815 you had uniforms/uniform details introduced by the Bourbons, such as the new helmets for the Gendarmerie d'Elite that may of may not have been worn in Belgium.

Rousselot, Malibran, Knotel, General Vanson and other uniform authorities, plus eyewitness accounts by those who were present, are the best accounts to use and refer to for valid information.

I just took a look at Mercer's memoir and there is not mention of any Guard cavalry which he saw that wore helmets that some of the Gendarmes d'Elite might have worn in Belgium

>>FWIW Haythornthwaite's Uniforms of Waterloo

Practically nil IMHO these days.
Regurgitation of 50+ year old data in infinite number of guises just galling… bought (cheap and glad it was) the 'Who's…' book and nothing new, except a bunch of non-entities and mainly British with little to no actual 'relevant' worth to the subject (for military worth that is).

-Bardin- I'm yet to see an explanation about why 'municipal gards' were wearing this style of dress in c1810 as shown by Bucquoy. Too many to be a fallacy.

Another question- How could something as important as an 'artillery system' review (ie how could we kill more enemy efficiently?) take over 5 years to develop; yet finding a complete 'cheaper' uniform dress system (ie how can I make my corpses look better?) only took 2 years? It beggars belief, so call me a sceptic…
d

In a way, the ranking of 'everything' in terms of "battle efficiency" is ridiculous.

As G.Six displays, the unit comes last in the hierarchy of mounted corps. Next to the train, ouvriers etc. it is the least likely offensive unit in existence.

There are things apparent at battles, that for want of a better term, are decoration, and to some extent, these are. Their first and last role was of administrative security, not battle.

I'd chosen wilfully and without prejudice more than a decade ago to never create such a corps- yet [since] I've gone down the path of complete command structures to such an extent that, with a 'maison de l'empereur' and 'etat-major-generale', I can no longer uphold my own decision!
So… a small peloton will appear, mostly as gardes, some dismounted conversions (!) and a soulfull sorry tiny troop at the rear of some important people. Officers, trompettes but no Aigle!

I'm not comfortable with the versions of history (written elsewhere that confuse them with 'ordinary' Gendarmerie (Nationale) and 'Legions d'Espagne, though a peloton did travel with the mounted Garde both under N. and Joseph, as we know.
d

When it comes to identifying units on the battlefield, along with eyewitness accounts (who were usually personally invested in not dying), I use my own experience of taking photos of the 2015 Waterloo refight for an impression of what was visible at anything over 40-50m, particularly after a couple of hours of black powder smoke. Add in the noise, time distortion, adrenalin, fatigue and filth and it's no wonder there are so many different perspectives of the same event, which vary massively.

I think I picked up some 15mm Gendarmarie by mistake, not realising what they were in a bad photo, but happy to stick them on the table as heavy cavalry. I recently acquired a load of greatcoated infantry with multiple headwear variants as generic infantry. If I make some quick change flag-poles, I think they could look far more attractive than dummy markers for most games.

SHaT1984 – looks like we just have different views on whether the Gendarmerie d'Élite had a genuine reserve-cavalry role.

And you're probably right that I've been talking too much about lapels, but that's really just a coincidence – "did the GàC in 1815 have a uniform without lapels that corresponds to Mercer's description?" isn't really connected in my mind to "has our understanding of cuirassier uniforms been garbled over time?"

On the cuirassiers, my short response is that the conventional interpretations don't seem to match the sources that they cite (the key quotes and links are in my reply to you in the other thread)…. but my slightly longer response is to add that Tassie seems convinced the cuirassiers did adopt a single-breasted habit around 1803, based on his research into additional, unpublished regimental documents…

Brechtel198 – fur-cap Guard cavalry "in front" of "cuirassiers"

link (same link as in my earlier reply)

If the Gendarmerie d'Élite had some First Restoration "cuirassier" helmets tucked into the formation, that could have been what he was seeing at the back….

La Belle Ruffian – actual experience of trying to perform unit identification through the powder smoke at Waterloo? That trumps anything the rest of us can say. Did you make any dramatic misidentifications?

For what this is worth, I consulted Radet's biog – link thoughtfully provided above by Brechtel – concerning my campaign and battle of predilection (France 1814/Montmirail).

The evidence is sparse, but Radet does write that he was involved in sabreing masses of Russian infantry that day – I presume as part of the final push of Garde cavalry which sealed the action. I find it hard to imagine that the General took off on a whim without his Gendarmes, and since the Grenadiers a Cheval took part in the final charge, I think this tells me all I need to know.

OK, this is just one battle, and a comparatively small one. But I see a general picture here.

Radet was actually the head of the gendarmes, as in police (the same corps provided both military police for provost duty, and the civil police in France). Although the Gd'É were notionally affiliated to the corps, the indications I can find on a quick text search indicate that they didn't have much to do with him:

link

link

I would suspect (while being cheerfully prepared to be wrong) that at Montmirail, he was commanding the regimental-strength force of mounted police on provost duty with the army – separate from the Gendarmerie d'Élite under Dautancourt. I think they were still wearing bicorns…

A couple of things:

Generally speaking, the Gendarmerie was made up of combat veterans who had made at least four campaigns, were twenty-five years old or older, and were literate (When the Dromedary Regiment returned from Egypt, they were put into the Gendarmerie, for example). In the later Empire there were a shortage of qualified recruits and Napoleon instituted the grade of student-gendarme who would meet the gendarmerie's physical and educational standards and would also uniform, equip, and mount themselves. After a four-year probationary period, they would become regular gendarmes.

Second, the design of the helmet introduced during the first restoration was in the style of the Carabinier helmet but along with the comb had a horsehair tail. A good portion of the elite gendarmes were but into the Gendarmerie des Chasses du Roi in 1814 (who patrolled the royal hunting preserves) and promptly joined Napoleon upon his return from Elba.

Apparently, there were not enough bearskins so the helmet was worn in Belgium.

Regarding Radet, one of the gendarmerie's excellent general officers, in 1815 he was the provost general for Nord.

For more on the gendarmerie during the period, this volume is excellent and very helpful:

-Gendarmes and the State in Nineteenth-Century Europe by Clive Emsley. The appropriate chapters for the period are from page 13-103.

Passing Scotsman- Mercer's reference to the 'buff belts' of the cavalrymen opposed to him might not be revealing one way or the other. In those days British use of the term buff could equally refer to the shade buff, or to the substance buff leather- which might be coloured or uncoloured.

You do have to admit that the Maison du Roi had simply sensational uniforms, with many innovations like the horse tail on the combed helmet, not just for the Gens de Ch du Roi of course. Rubbish soldiers generally, in the Maison, but what a rig they sported! Nothing compares with the second squadron of Black Musketeers. Nothing. (OK, maybe the Grenadiers a Chev in their proper parade dress I admit)

and yes, Mercer could well have described white belts as "Broad buff etc" according to contemporary usage

Mercer's reference to the 'buff belts' of the cavalrymen opposed to him might not be revealing one way or the other. In those days British use of the term buff could equally refer to the shade buff, or to the substance buff leather- which might be coloured or uncoloured.

Correct-agree absolutely.

Travelling Scotsman, I'll try to find the photo albums, to remind myself of what I saw, although that in itself tells a story. On the Friday night my brother and I were sitting apart in the stands (e-tickets from Japan…), before starting the Saturday evening in front of them. Halfway through my brother and I moved round to the side and by that time there was so much smoke as everyone wanted to get rid of their ammunition it was well and truly murky. Standards and mounted officers really helped, I know that much.

A key factor helping us though was that we'd actually wandered through the camps with the re-enactors in the daytime, walked past them as they formed up, spent years looking at plates and painting guides, so we knew what we were looking for before our eyes saw anything. If someone already thinks they know what is in front of them (or what to expect (based on experience or hearsay) then they're far more likely to see it, particularly in stressful situations.

Discussing AARs with soldiers now, or reading accounts tell the same story. Time distortion, fancy becomes fact, etc. That's without getting into nascent supply chains and centralised national mobilisations, poor quality control and indifferent personal admin, all of which will affect what people wore in the first place. I can't see Peninsular scarecrows developing quickly in June 1815, but several days in the field with no accommodation, plus plentiful dried mud can't have helped.

To answer the OP though, they're your soldiers and I would concur with Marcel 1809. Add some colour to your Guard Cavalry and if you're gaming in 28mm+ then they could make a much more viable option for skirmish games.

p.s. deadhead, thank you for that plate – it makes some early 80s figures make more sense.

The OP was 4 years ago and the OP'er hasn't been around since last year.
Anyway, none of which alters usage @will.
Deadheads 'snippet' is from Rousellot.

Notwithstanding actual 'status' of a mounted person, practically everyone joined in charges it seems when they were near by- whether excessive enthusiasm or 'peer pressure' to perform who knows?

Certainly a 'police force' couldn't operate if it was itself disordered, or dysfunctional (look at now perhaps?); that they 'could' be in a battle is a probability; that they were 'on duty' while others were doing their duty, is a signal requirement.

Although the cossacks didn't have the best of it in 1805, by 1807 they'd been given the largesse to operate in their natural way, thus scouring, intimidating and marauding rear and LOC with impunity, hence the greater forces required to be left behind to guard them.

On the day of Austerlitz the Gends. d'Elite were securing the city of Brunn, probably as much for recalcitrants and malingerers rather than marauders.

Had an actual turning 'breakthrough' by allied enemy occurred via the Turas plain, then it was highly likely they would have become 'front line' very quickly.

As to what they wore @1815 or their function that day I could care less.
It was the premise being promoted for gaming use, an interpretation, that they were 'magickly enhanced' to battle-ready status, always along with the Gren.á Cheval that required some disputation.
I have done my job…
d

Brechtel198 – when I say the Gendearmerie des Chasses helmet was "cuirassier" style, I'm referring to the basic pattern – turban, steel dome, brass upright, black crest; put that on a blue uniform at the back of some Gd'É, and you'd be forgiven for thinking you were looking at GàC with Cuirassiers in support.

I agree with you that the swanky Minerva design and "caterpillar" crest were Carabinier fashion, though. Just not bronze with silver and red accents…

The Emsley book is indeed excellent, and Radet seems to have been truly remarkable – effectively the founder of the modern French police, and their ranking "professional" officer, double-hatting in charge of the military police of the main campaign army from 1813.

ReallySameSeneffeAsBefore – I'd concede that buff might just mean leather, though I think the choice of term suggests unwhitened leather (especially in conjunction with plain coats, as I suspect the GàC are more likely to have been in grand tenue with lapels); this is why I'm curious if the GàC had a single-breasted petit tenu in 1815 – if not, the description pivots more emphatically to match the Gd'É.

Agreed that the First Restoration introduced some swanky uniforms. The glimpse of the Mousquetaires escorting Orson Welles' Louis XVII in Waterloo always intrigued me, though I've been disoriented more recently to discover that Guericaut was a trooper in 1e Compagnie… not, as you say, a combat-hardened unit.

Though I'll admit that I have a certain partisanship to the pre-revolutionary Gendarmes Écossais (even if they weren't very Scottish by the eighteenth century)…

La Belle Ruffian – thanks for that. I think I'm probably more inclined to think that answers can be obtained by using contradictions and multiple perspectives, but as well as being fascinated (and a wee bit jealous), I can't really argue with what you say about the powder-smoke…

Totally agree about that momentary sequence in Waterloo showing the Black Musketeers escorting Louis XVIII. Now that is what I call research into uniforms and it is the only glimpse I have ever found of a trumpeter of the second squadron in reversed colours. That and the exhibit at la Musee de l'Armee inspired me.

The red lapels clearly were still the fashion, even if not worn in action. They soon gave way to a Bardin style, waist length cut, still with the helmet, soon after the Second Restoration

…when I say the Gendearmerie des Chasses helmet was "cuirassier" style, I'm referring to the basic pattern – turban, steel dome, brass upright, black crest…

Sorry, but the Gendarmerie helmet does not look like a cuirassier helmet. If you have a reliable illustration, take a look and do a comparison of the two. It could be mistaken for a carabiner helmet, but not a cuirassier helmet-even at a distance.

There is an excellent watercolor of a Gendarme des Chasses in Volume II of Napoleonic Uniforms by John Elting. If you have the two volumes, you can do a comparison of it with both a cuirassier and a carabinier helmet, those two units being in Volume I of the set.