| Grognard66 | 01 May 2017 6:12 a.m. PST |
Hi,
It may seem a very basic question but would French Fusiliers ever wear plumes in battle ?
Cheers G |
 Artilleryman  | 01 May 2017 6:19 a.m. PST |
They certainly had them for parades so it is possible that they were worn on the day of battle in some regiments. After all, many colonel's believed that you could not be too well dressed in the presence of the enemy! |
| Garde de Paris | 01 May 2017 8:09 a.m. PST |
If you mean the 4 fusilier companies of a line infantry battalion, I only remember one regiment (3rd Line with dark blue/mid-blue plume, top 1/3 scarlet) where the fusiliers had plumes at all. So NO, no plumes for line fusiliers at any time. If you mean middle guard Fusilier Grenadiers and Fusilier Chasseurs, they would have worn their plumes for battle is mandated by the Emperor. GdeP |
| 42flanker | 01 May 2017 1:08 p.m. PST |
No plumes for line fusiliers at any time Could I ask whether this was true of houpes as well as full-length plumes, or were these as more practical for wear in the field? |
| Lord Hill | 01 May 2017 1:24 p.m. PST |
If I may ask the reverse of this question – when did French flank infantry NOT wear plumes? I have some old Foundry figs which are wearing Bardin line infantry uniform (square cuffs), with epaulettes, but they have pompoms on their shakos (like fusiliers). Can anyone tell me what these guys are? |
| Brechtel198 | 01 May 2017 1:28 p.m. PST |
French uniform regulations were 'uniformly' ignored by regimental commanders who would often have fusiliers and chasseurs in the infantry regiments with plumes for their shakos and epaulets whether or not they were in the battalions' elite companies. The Bardin regulations of 1812 were the first uniform regulations for the French army instituted for the entire army, except for the Imperial Guard, who had their own uniform regulations. |
| Grognard66 | 01 May 2017 2:42 p.m. PST |
The figures I have are Essex PN63-Plumed but with no epaulettes ?
G |
| Brechtel198 | 01 May 2017 3:06 p.m. PST |
They could have both, one or the other, or neither. |
| von Winterfeldt | 01 May 2017 10:59 p.m. PST |
in case you look at contemporary documents, you will find fusiliers with plumes, 3e de ligne for example. |
| Grognard66 | 02 May 2017 2:30 a.m. PST |
So base pompom would be Fusilier Company colour with white plume or what ??
Cheers G |
| von Winterfeldt | 02 May 2017 3:24 a.m. PST |
white plume is reserved for colonels |
| MDavout | 08 May 2017 8:33 p.m. PST |
Brech,
You stated, "French uniform regulations were 'uniformly' ignored by regimental commanders who would often have fusiliers and chasseurs in the infantry regiments with plumes for their shakos and epaulets whether or not they were in the battalions' elite companies." I completely agree with that. I've even seen prints with Fusiliers carrying briquets. The one thing I was curious about was the reference to epaulettes. That's one thing I hadn't seen. I was curious as to where you found that.
Rob |
| von Winterfeldt | 09 May 2017 2:48 a.m. PST |
for fusiliers very unlikley – for Chasseurs – yes |
| MDavout | 14 May 2017 1:50 p.m. PST |
VW – Thats right, I forgot about the chasseurs of Leger regiments. Thanks. |
looks at a multi-period building.