"Bicorn plumage on Generals de Brigade and de Division" Topic

There's got to be some record on the regulations concerning this. I'm quite sure the brigade commanders wore black plumage and the division commanders white, but I don't find a regulation on it.

Any help out there?

Thanks

From R.K. Riehn's "The French Infantry and Artillery, 1795- 1812" for officers' hats:

"… often with gold braiding along the edges. Cockade as previously described, but held by a golden loop and button. For marshals and generals of divisions, usually white plumage along the edges; black plumage for brigadiers."

That's hilarious, as it is also my original and only direct source. There must be something Riehn used – a more primary source.

I thought everybody knew this?

Well, not everybody. There seems to be some dispute. So I thought there must be some source we can pin this to.

Not sure if this will help:

TMP – grade distinction on a bicorne of french napoleonic general

I'm sure there's great info in that discussion, especially in the links provided. Unfortunately, it's been a long time since my French was passable. Without a translation, it means nothing to me.

A similar discussion on facebook":

link

Hope the link works. \

General de division (or a Marschal) in command of an army -> white plume on the bicorne.
General de division and brigade -> black plume

Regards

Their is also the matter in which way the bicorne was worn on the head. I think its called athwarts and fore-and-aft.
Their seems to be a protocol (maybe grade related?) who and when to wear the bicorne in a specific way.
Any info on this?

Regards

Du General en chef
=> From the General in Chief
Le bord du Chapeau est le meme pour les Generaux en chef, les Generaux de Division et les Generaux de Brigade. Voyez Planche VI, fig 1.
=> The brim of the Hat is the same for the Generals in Chief, the Generals of Division and the Generals of Brigade. See Plate VI, fig 1.
Le panache est compose de trois plumes d;autruche, rouges, surmontees d'une aigrette blanche.
=> The plume is composed of three ostrich feathers, red, topped with a white aigrette.
L'Aigrette est soutenu par un pied bleu.
=> The Egret is supported by a blue foot.

Du General de Division
=> Of the General of Division
Le bord du chapeau des Generaux: planche VI fig 1
=> The brim of the Generaux hat: plate VI fig 1
Le panache est compose de trois plumes d'autruche, rouges, surmontees d'une Aigrette blanche et bleue, ces couleurs mi-parties sur la hauteur : elle doit avoir deux decimetres de haut.
=> The plume is made up of three ostrich feathers, red, surmounted by a white and blue Egret, these colors halfway up the height: it must be two decimers high.

Du General de Brigade
=> Of the Brigadier General
Le panache est compose de trois plumes d'autruche, bleu -national, surmontees d'une Aigrette blanche et rouge, mi-parties sur la hauteur.
=> The plume is composed of three ostrich feathers, national blue, surmounted by a white and red Egret, halfway up.
La hauteur de l'aigrette est de deux decimetres.
=> The height of the aigrette is two decimeters.

Des Adjudans-generaux
=> Adjudans-generals
Le panache des Adjudans-generaux est compose de trois petites plumes ou folettes, l'une blanche, l'autre rouge, et la troisieme bleu-national.
=> The plume of the Adjudans-generaux is composed of three small feathers or folettes, one white, the other red, and the third blue-national.
Elles sont surmontees d'un plumet blue, rouge, blanc en tete.
=> They are surmounted by a blue, red, white plume at the top.
La hauteur totale du panache est de trois decimetres.
=> The total height of the plume is three decimeters.

Des Aides-de-camp
=> Aides-de-camp
Le Plumet est sans plumes d'autruche ni folettes; il est blue, blanc, rouge, jaune en tete : hauteur trois decimetres.
=> The Plume is without ostrich feathers or folettes; it is blue, white, red, yellow at the head: height three decimeters.

Des Adjoints aux Adjudans-generaux
=> From the deputies to the adjudicators-general
Ils portent un plumet sans folettes, vert, rouge, blanc, bleu en tete.
=> They wear a plume without folettes, green, red, white, blue at the head.

Panache = Plume
Aigrette/Egret – something to do with Heron feather plume
Follette = don't know
Decimetre = Ten centimeters = ~four inches.