"Austrian Grenadiers Winter Standing Shoulder Arms" Topic

"During the wars with Napoleon the Austrian regiment usually consisted of three battalions of fusiliers (six companies each) plus two companies of grenadiers attached directly to the regiment and not to any battalion. When at war these two grenadier companies were usually split from their regiment and grouped together in a battalion of six grenadier companies to form an elite unit. Such elite units would then be deployed independently, providing the best elements of the Habsburg infantry.

By far the most distinctive part of the appearance of the Austrian grenadier was his cap. Nicknamed the fauteuil (armchair) by the French, it had a tall front and a low rear, hence the comparison. It was covered in fur, with a plate on the front and a bag at the rear, and this is what most of these figures wear. However the sculptor has misunderstood how the bag worked, and has it as a separate extra element extending from the upper part of the cap. Also they have made the fur come down right over the hair and reaching the collar of the coat, which is an exaggeration of how far this fur actually fell. They have also attempted an eagle-type badge on the plate, which is far too large and would have been better left blank or indistinct. All these problems are hidden on some of the figures as they wear a cover over the cap, and while these do not reflect the way they were tied up they are better than the uncovered caps. Two of the poses wear something very different – a small cap rather like a 20th century side cap. We could find no evidence for this style of cap except one photograph of a reenacter dressed as a Jäger, and it is nothing like the normal cap, which as a simple round affair made out of old uniform, so there must be serious doubt as to the validity of this item…."

Full Review here
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Amicalement
Armand

"Two of the poses wear something very different – a small cap rather like a 20th century side cap. We could find no evidence for this style of cap….so there must be serious doubt as to the validity of this item."

Not so. The laagerkappe (replacing the earlier round holzmutze with a turned up frontal flap) was a folding forage cap with a pleated crown introduced for Austrian infantry in 1812-13. It was worn either fore-and-aft or athwart, sometimes with the front flap lowered to serve as an eye shade (peak).

Would post an jpg image if I could.

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

If Marechal Ney had really been Scottish, I'd be making a diorama of him dancing the "Hielan' Fling" (look at the officer in cloak).