"mounted officers vs officers on foot" Topic

I would like to ask if someone tell me what the mounted officers accompanying Fremch line infantry i see in some paintings are (and in many off the Albrecht Adam illustrations from the 1812 russian campaign)
would they be company commamders or battalion commandres?

if company commanders any particular reason why they might be mounted or was it just different reasons?

Battalion commanders and up would be mounted

Generally speaking only the chef de batallion would be mounted in battle. The lesser officers all had their place on foot. (In the British Army it was the CO, the two majors and the adjutant.) However, 'on the march' it was not unusual for officers to have horses, mules or even donkeys to ride. They would then dismount to fight the battalion.

The regulation and government-provided allowances for French infantry regiments ….
--- sous-lieutenant, lieutenant, capitaine : 1 saddle horse if 50 or more years old *
--- adjudant-major : 1 saddle horse
--- quartier-maître trésorier : 1 saddle horse & 1 pack horse
--- chef de bataillon : 2 saddle horses & 1 pack horse
--- major, colonel : 3 saddle horses, 3 pack horses & 1 carriage/buggy with 2 horses
--- chirurgien-major : 2 saddle horses & 1 "caisson d'ambulance" with 4 horses
--- chirurgien-aide : 1 saddle horse

* 3 saddle horses when posted as an aide de camp to a general officer // officiers de compagnie to be on foot when their company is formed

Sources :
Réglement de service de campagne du 5 avril 1792.
Décret relative aux équipages de l'armée du 22 février 1813

great information, thank you good people – that explains some of the eyewitness scenes drawn by Albrecht Adam for me, and helps with putting together my french army

In addition, during the period when British infantry battalions were provided with two lieutenant colonels, available to command when the unit was divided into two half-battalions or 'wings,' each would have been mounted.

Let's not forget how brave an officer is who rides into battle leading infantry, that's a major target….no pun intended.

Cavcrazy, you can get away faster on a horse: look at the survivors from Isandlwhana.

Speaking from experience, it is amazing how much more you can see from atop a horse compared to being on foot behind a solid mass of troops. A real advantage for a commander, in spite of the danger.