"French Infantry officer Horse Blanket" Topic
9 Posts
All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.
For more information, see the TMP FAQ.
Back to the Sharp Practice Message Board Back to the Napoleonic Discussion Message Board Back to the Napoleonic Painting Guides Message Board
|
| 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).
|
| 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… |
|
