"Which insignia for commanding generals" Topic

I realized I better started a new topic for this question after my first question about the chapeaux de generaux distinctions.

After reading through the advice and info from the above members, I started to look further on the internet with more specific search terms and got my books out to search for more information. I`m looking specifically for uniforms and organization during the 100 day campaign.
I came to a list of ranks and positions/functions with their insignia. The following (questions) came up;
Organization: I started with the organization of an field army down to brigade.
Army commander, usually a Marshal(de L`empire) with 5 silver stars or crossed batons, sash gold and white or just gold?. White feathers and gold lace on the chapeaux. Apparently their are other appointments for a army commander: Général d'armée,Général-en-chef, which would be a general de division appointed to this function. What is the difference between those terms? Would his sash be also gold and white and carry five silver stars and chapeaux with the white feather border or would he keep his gold and red sash as?
Next level is Corps d`armee;
Again the command seems to be held by a marshal (de L`empire)or an appointed general de division under the personal title of Général de corps d'armée or Général-en-chef.
What colour for the sash for Marechal or General de corps and how many stars? I found contradicting results, but I assume 4 stars? Would this also apply for a Marechal in command of an corps? Chapeaux for marechal and General-en-chef with white feather border and gold lace?

Lots of questions but It would be very nice to have a document as reference with the organisation and uniforms of an army during the 100day campaign. If anyone wants to browse trough the draft version, I can mail a copy.

Regards and again thank you for all the assistance

Try this site. It should answer all your questions.

link

@Artilleryman,

Thank you,
Its a site I visit almost weekly to look for information. Alas, no uniform plate for de corps commanders. It seems corps commander where all rank of lieutenant-général and position/title would then be General de corps? I assume four stars for this command but what would be the colour of the sash?
Regards

The position of command and the actual rank of the holder would vary. At the height of the Empire, a corps commander would almost certainly have been a Maréchal. However as time went on and the wars expanded, this could not always be the case. In Spain, the marshals tended to command armies with corps command devolving to generals de division. During the 100 Days, this was certainly the case as the Emperor did not have enough active marshals returning to the eagles. Therefore, the key thing is to look at the individual commanders and find out their rank, not their position. I think then you will find during the 100 Days, the marshals were commanding wings and generals of division the corps.

The added confusion for the 100 Days is that the general officers continued to use the rank titles introduced by the returning monarchy in 1814. A general de brigade became a maréchal de camp (blue distinctions, two stars) and a general de division became a lieutenant-general (red distinctions, three stars). A Maréchal was still a Maréchal (white distinctions, crossed batons).

It is all as clear as mud, but I hope that this helps.

@Artilleryman,

Thank you for the reply. It makes sense. I know the hundred day campaign is not the most straight forwarded period to look for regulations and ranking system, uniforms etc.
But looking trough the position insignia I came across pictures and text that mentioned 4 or 5 stars for a Marechal, or army commanders and corps commanders. I realize that in 28 mm not many will paint or look for those details but thats the fun for me to find out who is wearing what. Thanks again for the help.
Regards

Important to remember that "Marshal of the Empire" was not a military rank. On the battlefield, they could look identical to a Gen de Division, which was the highest military rank in the French army. Where this goes wacky is Marshals wearing their marshal's ceremonial uniform, or inventing something completely non-regulation. Nobody was going to tell them what to wear.

Van Damme- read what is written.
You have repeated your 'sources' 3 times yet these gentlemen have correctly discounted your quotations. As you haven't cited what you read, it has no credence in facts as far as we can see.

There were no 4 or 5 star anythings of the French- unless made up to gain 'status' for Royalist family members or at a much later period, no such insignia nor ranks existed.

The 'rank' of Marshal General was conferred on Soult in 1847 as an honorarium. The British resurrected the rank of Field Marshal specifically for Wellington, simply because his popularity with British voters demanded it.

A French Corps commander was whatever rank he was. Even if he was not the most senior, being appointed 'made it so'!

He was 'entitled' to wear, but didn't have to, white feathers (brim) on chapeau and a gold and white silk woven sash.

AFAIK few General officers wore full dress in Belgium 1815. They would have used petit or undress, partially walking out dress and campaign comfortable wear. A much more sombre appearance than earlier years.
regards davew

That's interesting about the sash of gold/white, which I had understood was for a Marshal (with (gold/light blue for Gen de Brig, gold/red for Gen de Div), that being a Court position rather than a Military rank. Was it the case, then, that the gold/white combination -and the white panache on the hat -signified the "chef" of an Army Corps, whatever his actual rank? I can see a certain advantage there with regard to the brassards worn by ADCs. Apologies for the mixture of terminologies – just using "chef" by analogy with "chef de battalion", of course – and hope for more information/source of regulation/etc. Good Luck.

Yes.
It is so designated very early, if not pre-Revolution as well.
d

And so, presumably, this being carried on after the Consulate and into the Empire, the use of a white/gold combination for a Marshal was simply derived from existing practice. Thanks for information.