After the creation of the kingdom of Etruria in 1801, a cavalry unit was newly formed of local Italians in 1802 as the "compagnia dei dragoni d'Etruria", intended for internal security duties. Expanded to 2 squadrons in 1803, it was renamed "real corpo dei dragoni d'Etruria". This was reduced to 1 squadron in July 1805. After the French annexation of the Kingdom of Etruria in October 1807, the unit was fielded as 2 squadrons with the inclusion of the former royal horse guards. In early 1808, they were known briefly as the "reggimento dei dragoni toscani" or "régiment de dragons de Toscane" until being taken onto the French service as the "28e régiment de chassuers à cheval" on 29 May 1808. But the regiment, actually still only 2 squadrons, had already been sent to fight in Spain several months previously. They were raised to the usual 4 squadrons per a decree of 1 July 1809.
Originally they were uniformed by the kingdom of Etruria in blue surtouts trimmed red at the collar, cuffs and turnbacks, off-white or light chamois veste and culottes, knee high black boots without knee covers and with white manchettes, a black chapeau with gold galon and French cocade and red plume, whitened leather work and yellow metalwork. I do not know when they were re-unifomed à la French chasseurs. It was at least after July 1809, and most likley in 1811. I also do not know what flag they may have had in Etrurian service, but the tablets for their trumpets (who wore red trimmed blue inversed surtouts) were red fringed gold with the coat of arms of the kingdom of Etruria.
Kingdom of Etruria complete flag :
A simplified state flag was also in use :
An analog of the French tricolor was also in use :
If the 28e chasseurs had squadron guidons, I would like to think that they would recall their Italian/Tuscan heritage and I would model them as striped in azure and white.
The 28e chasseurs were not given a real French flag and eagle until about April 1813, when one was ordered pending an opportunity for Napoléon to make its presentation. The drapeau was a model 1812, with no inscritpions for victories or cities.
On 1 July 1813, Napoléon ordered that the regiment's dépôt, colonel, major, aigle and drapeau be sent to Hamburg, as the regiment had been assigned to Davout. However, since Napoléon was never able to present the aigle, it may well have been kept in storage. This was the regulation, and the maréchal Davout was unlikely to allow a deviation.
The regiment fought a Göhrde on 18 September 1813 (likley without their aigle), and then was shut up in the defense of Hambourg. On 11 April 1814 Napoléon abdicated, but Davout held out in Hambourg until this was proven to him by the arrival of a delegation of French officers and officials. When the garrision of Hamburg made their march back to Paris in June 1814, the national flags and symbols had already been ordered changed by the restored monarchy. Again per regulations, Davout would have been required to turn in the imperial symbols for destruction. The regiment itself had been dissolved per the royal order of 12 May 1814 on the organization of the French cavalry. An order of 8 June 1814 directed that men of the 16e through 31e chasseurs be re-assigned to the 15 remaining regiment of chasseurs per the new organization.
The Italians in the 28e chasseurs, likely still the majority, were sent home from Paris back to Tuscany, as the French formally ceded their imperial Tuscan possessions under the Treaty of Paris signed on 30 May, and withdrew thier local government on 4 June 1814. The restored Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Habsburg Ferdinand III, did not manage to return to govern until September. Formerly Grand Duke of Würzburg (a member state of the Confederation of the Rhine), Ferdinand had renouced his alliance with France immediately after the battle of Leipzig, but had stayed in Würzburg until after 4 June 1814, when the Grand Duchy of Würzburg was dissolved and its territory ceded to Bavaria.
The 28e chasseurs were not re-formed for the Cent Jours. Their last commander, the colonel chevalier Thomas-Eléonore-Ambroise Courtier (1772-1837, de Charmentray dans la Marne) commanded the 11e cuirassiers at Mont-Saint-Jean.
There is no record of the fate of the aigle of the 28e chasseurs – an aigle ordered but never likely presented or even less likely used by the regiment.
gets started with Flintloque.
