"Question bout the escort of a Divisional commander" Topic

I want to make vignettes for Corps and Divisional commanders at Waterloo in 28mm. This would be standard a luitenant=general, adjudant-commandant, Captains of artillerie and engineers, and 2-3 ADC's. To create some more visual interesting set-ups then 6 or 7 mounted generals and staff, I was thinking of adding some escort on foot. I know the Peery brothers do a lot of supporting staff dismounted but would their be any additional soldiers present (grenadiers, NCO's, vivandieres,..)? Are their any sources on this matter?
Thanks again in advance for any information.
Cheers

This sight details the make-up of the staff at each level and is very useful.

centjours.mont-saint-jean.com

With regard to escorts, there does not seem to have been a hard and fsst rule. I doubt that an infantry brigade commander would have an escort as there was no resource to tap. However, his cavalry equivalent could and I suspect divisional commanders of all types had the clout. Most generals of this type seem to have grabbed an escort of sorts. Comapgnies d'ordnance were pulled from cavalry regiments to escort corps commanders (usually light cavalry) and a smaller number would not have been unusual further down the chain of command. So for the sake of appearance, give your generals some escorts preferably from the same formation. And a cavalry general would definitely have a duty trumpeter.

Vivandieres and cantinieres would possible be around, but they would not be part of the HQ.

P.S.In 1809, many cavalry generals were criticised for using companies d'elite as their comapgnies d'ordnance

@Artilleryman, thank you for the information. Would a divisional infantry escort contain sappers? I was thinking of assigning grenadiers as an escort for infantry divisions.

Regards

" My dear wife, I have never seen that women or any such women, before in my life !!"

Re-raising this- 1815 is such an 'abstract', unnormal campaign with its' own distinct features- often involving penury.

And this other thread: TMP link
[Does commander really need escort in battle ? (tabletop)]

However, over the previous decade and earlier, while 'important' C's-in-C and specific personages had guards, guides and 'escorts', the most common down to actual Divisional level would have been a 'detachment' (in the commonest form of the word) of Gendarmerie (usually mounted).

It was a peloton at Divisionla IIRC, commanded by a sous-officers or senior NCO. They were used for all matters, not just security of the 'HQ staff' and environs.

Of course in fixed places and line of communications for security a foot detachment would take over.

In addition, some corps were assigned these roles frequently. Everyone notes when Napoleon used a line regiment for his 'missing Garde' escorts (ie 1er Hussards); but the 22e Chasseurs were frequently assigned policing and security duties with the Etat-Major Generale no less!

This regiment had a long and dedicated history of raising the finest cavalry leaders going back to the old regime time, so I regard them (a la Bowdens Empire) as 'superior' in every sense of the word.

On the matter of 'sapeur'- probably not, unless in a parade state. Certainly possible a peloton of 'elites', but just about anyone drawn from a generals command, could be assigned to camp security duties.

There was after all, an 'Officers Guard' required to be formed for all encampments. This involved picked NCO's, patrolling and inspecting, control of pickets and camp guards etc.
regards
dave

Colonel Meda, in his letter to Marshal Davout, asked for his chasseurs back as they were providing an escort for the Marshal before the start of the major battles in 1809. Meda says, "I beg you, General, to send me all the hunters who are in the headquarters, they are the best mounted and the most educated, I really need them; I was happy today, I can be better anotherday, and the enemy knowing my forces can double theirs and take revenge at the first moment" (Saski, 1900, p. 142).