"French republican FPW cavalry" Topic

When the third French Republic was created the new provincial infantry, and the rgt's. de marche lost their epauletts. Did the same happen with the the cavalry? Did the dragoons retain their helmets or did thay take to wearing kepis like the light cavalry? Thanks.

I would think that they wore whatever they could get their hands on, especially uniform items already available in garrison stores.

Jim

I don't have access to my files and library right now but I think the cavalry of the Empire kept their original uniforms during the Republican phase of the battle. Very expensive to change all that just for political reasons. I would think the Republican military was happy to have them.

I think your concept of lose and retain is wrong. The imperial army was destroyed at Sedan, so there was no need to give away parts of the uniform.

The republican army was newly build and so the soldiers got new uniforms. And these needed to be cheap, so some items/parts were no longer made or bought.

But there were a number of regiments de marche formed from depot companies from the various cavalry regiments. They would have kept their Imperial uniforms.

But I do agree that the newly raised Republican cavalry units would have had non-Imperial uniforms. The Osprey book on the Republican French units has pictures of a number of them for inspiration.

Jim