"French Infantry officer Horse Blanket" Topic
9 Posts
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Wulfgar  | 16 Apr 2017 1:01 p.m. PST |
Does anyone have a strong opinion on whether the captain in charge of a French line infantry company might have ridden a horse? And if so, what color might the horse blanket have been? I'm asking because I'm finishing up a French force for Sharp Practice 2, and I have a splendid AB mounted infantry officer in my possession. Thanks for your advice! |
| JimDuncanUK | 16 Apr 2017 1:49 p.m. PST |
Probably just the Colonel and his immediates. Captains need to be with their company in order to direct their movement and fire. |
| 79thPA | 16 Apr 2017 2:49 p.m. PST |
I guess you could use the figure as some kind of staff adjutant, but a company commander is going to be on foot with his company. |
 Artilleryman | 16 Apr 2017 2:58 p.m. PST |
I am afraid that a company commander would be on foot. For information, mounted line officers would have a dark blue shabraque and holster covers trimmed in gold. |
| Wulfgar | 16 Apr 2017 2:59 p.m. PST |
Thanks, guys! I'll use him as a level IV character for RP then, and stick to a dismounted figure for my Level III Captain. Knowing that the shabraque is blue is also very helpful. I appreciate the solid advice. |
| Le Breton | 16 Apr 2017 3:15 p.m. PST |
As far as I know, when the unit was formed, only the colonel, the major en 2e (1812/1813) and the chefs de bataillon were mounted. The other officers of the regimental staff had horses provided to them, but even they dismounted when the were with the troops. Similarly, I recall that captains over the age of 50 were granted horses for non-combat use (not sure if this was French infanterie, or artillerie à pied & génie).
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| Le Breton | 16 Apr 2017 3:20 p.m. PST |
Shabraque trim :
ligne
--- 1 gold gallon : chef de bataillon
--- 1 gold + thin silver : major
--- 1 gold + thin gold : colonel
might have grenade in the bottom/reat corner (not per regulations)
légère
--- 1 silver gallon : chef de bataillon
--- 1 silver + thin gold : major
--- 1 silver + thin silver : colonel |
| Wulfgar | 16 Apr 2017 11:28 p.m. PST |
Thank you, Le Breton, for the excellent information. |
| Musketier | 17 Apr 2017 2:48 a.m. PST |
Captains certainly served on foot when in the ranks with their company, but for the business of skirmishing being mounted would have been rather useful in getting a overview of the skirmish line, which extended over the whole front of the battalion. Contemporary Prussian regulations explicitly allowed for a horse (and groom) for the captain commanding the skirmishers drawn from the third rank.
So, if your voltigeur captain acquired a horse, be it through trade or from the enemy, I doubt he would have been forbidden to use it? EDIT: Sorry, I see you specifically asked about line copanies – should read more carefully the first time… |
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