"Something that always bugged me about French caps..." Topic

So, the bonnet de police was stored under the cartridge pouch. Do you cut this off if the figure is wearing it on his head? And where does his shako go?
And the later Pokelem. Does it also roll up small enough to fit under the cartridge pouch?
tanks!

Who makes a figure wearing a bonnet that also has a visible bonnet under the cartridge box?

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79thPA: Perry plastics, both early box and latest edition; Perry metal march attack; Victrix plastic French infantry.
rustymusket, I don't know how to respond to ?????????????
Was my statement not clear?

In response to the third clause of the original post, I believe that the only reason a soldier would be wearing his bonnet de police (or Pokalem) under battle conditions would be that he had either lost his shako or had never been issued one.

I agree, in case the shako wasn't lost then it was worn in the battle field, the bonnet de police was usually a headdress for fatigues, corvée. And in case yes, when it was worn on the head it couldn't be worn under the cartridge box, this started to be introduced after 1800, so no bonet de polices under the cartridge pouch in the French Revolution. About Pokalem I don't know.

I must say that I learned something. I did not even know that the bonnet was secured under the cartridge box. It is also my understanding that the bonnet was a camp/fatigue cap, so it would not be worn in action.

Is it possible to have two bonnets? One on the head, and one under the cartridge box? Maybe used to keep a pipe and tobacco safe but accessible? But then we are back to not wearing the bonnet in action.

OP, I don't know if anyone answered your question, but I learned something out of it.

I hope this picture works.

I got it from this Historex website (scroll to a picture with a back view):
historex.com/crbst_32.html

I hope this clarifies!

My rule of thumb is that if the figure is wearing his bonnet a police (and later pokalem) 'in action' then I deem he has lost his shako and I carve away the representation under the giberne.

yes they had two bonnets, a bonnet de police and a sleeping cap.

They were, however, not weighed down by tooth brush or spare underpants.

Were the holes in the "sans culottes" introduced to increase ventilation?

;-)

If you can distinguish something rolled up underneath the cartridge box in this scale, you are painting these little fellers far too well.

Logically one ought to think in the same way about the bayonet – if it's fixed to the musket, there should be no socket sticking out of the bayonet scabbard.