"24th French Light Infantry Musician uniforms" Topic

Does anyone have any reference material, artist renditions, or color plates they would be willing to share showing/indicating the colors of the uniforms worn by the Drum Major, Drummers and Musicians of the French 24th Light Infantry from 1809-1812.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

I apologize for the double posting. I got an error message sayin the title/subject name was to long and tried to correct it. Thus causing a double posting.

Mike

For a regiment that had "been there and done that," I was not able to find anything on their uniforms of the head of column. The Knotel picture of a carabineer had lots of extra white lace on the rank marking and epalettes. The pompom was a green lintel with a white center with the number 24. That may just be the company marking. They were recruited from Montaigne units, so in absence of any real info, throw some brown or light blue on them. Good luck.

Do you mean 'real' band musicians or the company combat musicians, or both? They can be quite different even in known units.

I've not seen or collected any actual depiction of the 24e Legere anywhere.
They served in Moreaus' Army of Germany 1800; in Vandammes Division (Soults IVCorps) campaign and Austerlitz (being associated with the flanking manoeuvre that went wrong and the 4eme de ligne getting routed) and remained so in the subsequent years and campaigns of 1806/ '07.

I had to 'protolance' my own 26e Legere, so you should probably do the same, they will look as good as any other. Find some extant unit like the 16eL, 17eL, 27eL etc. and just copy their 'format' (Knotel also includes the 15eL but again not as reliable as others except the original prints).

I checked Hourtourlles 'Zenith' but nothing there, even if not as reliable as others. Absence probably means they had no idea either.

>>The Knotel picture of a carabineer had lots of extra white lace on the rank marking and epalettes.

@T Corret
Not sure which illustration you are referring to, but neither of those areas of uniform normally depict 'musicians'.

These that do are:- a lace/ tape on cuffs, lapels, collars and sometimes turnbacks and/ or pockets and shoulder wings. This may be white, but will often be in an 'approved' colour.

In addition a contrast colour was also used on some, not all, facings. This was applied to plumes as well, but not usually 'standard' items like cords and racquettes, pompoms or epaulettes (wings perhaps so).

Hope this helps a bit,
regards davew

Company combat musician preferably but one of the figures I am using is a Drum Major.

I've checked around all the usual suspects etc. I've also looked through all my 255 Rigo-Le Plumet plates but even that source has nothing.

Thank you for looking dibble. Look like this is going to be an elusive unit. Still searching though.

To avoid a faux pas or rather a wrong note you should contact Paul Lindsay Dawson, he copied the regimental archives of almost all the infantry regiments, maybe he has clues about the 24e Léger as he has already presented how were really dressed regimental musicians for some others units

he considers that 99% of representations of bands and drummers are more total fiction than anything else

How would I contact Paul Lindsay Dawson Lilian?

You can touch him by his facebook page profile "Confection Drouot" the name of his british based clothing workshop making uniforms for reenactors

Well such information will be keenly awaited by us all.

I'm modelling the IVCorps (Soult) at Austerlitz and out of caution and variety, had to make a decision to model only the first and third divisions in full (total 21 battalions).

Were I doing the second as well that included the 24eme Legere, so I have more than a passing interest, but as I say I believe from memory I've never seen a tangible piece of evidence for them (24eL).

As I review my slide collection from the museums of Europe I am recording those snippets I do come across, sometimes just a tiny artefact of militaria. Like the recent 'Chasseurs' thread.
cheers d