"russian cuirassier colonel standards" Topic

Hi
so i cant find an image example from the usual sources but who would be carrying the colonel standard among the russian cavalry in 1812 – was this a group separate to the squadron, and what did the cuirassier colonel look like? just dressed like the rest? or with a different hat?

The combat uniform for all cuirassier officers was exactly the same, except for their epaulettes. Field grade (majors, lieutenant colonels, colonels) had fringe on both shoulders, but thinner than that of a general's epaulette
Life-Guard Horse regiment :

Military Order regiment :

"The colonel" and "colonel standard" are a little confusing. I think you want the actual tactical officer-in-command of each regiment and their standards and how carried.

--- Chevalier Guards : perfoming the duties of Commander Colonel Friedrich Karl Johann Freiherr von Löwenwolde
3 of these granted in 1800 :

also used 1805-1814 (allocation unknown)
My guess is that the 1st, 2nd and 4th squdrons used the 3 standards granted in 1800 with only the ball finials, and the others the Maltese Cross standard in the middle, also with only the ball. I think the fanion on the left is a campmentmarker and the standard on the right used after the peace in 1814 – just my opinion/guess.

--- Life-Guard Horse : perfoming the duties of Commander Colonel Mikhail Andreyevich Arsenev


--- His Majesty's Life Cuirassiers : perfoming the duties of Chief Officer Colonel Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Budberg-Bönninghausen

--- Her Majesty's Life Cuirassiers : perfoming the duties of Chief Officer Colonel Baron Alexander Vladimirovich Rosen

Eagle head finial replaced with spear-point on campaign through 1814

--- Astrakhan Cuirassiers : Commander Colonel Vasily Ivanovich Karatayev


--- Yekaterinoslav Cuirassiers : Commander Colonel Mikhail Mikhaylovich Volkov


--- Military Order Cuirassiers : Chief Officer Colonel Count Andrey Ivanovich Gudovich


--- Glukhov Cuirassiers : performing the duties of Commander Lieutenant-Colonel of the Courland Dragoons Sergey Ivanovich Tolbuzin


--- Little Russia Cuirassiers : performing the duties of Commander Major Timofey Andreyevich Shatalov


--- Novgorod Cuirassier : Commander Colonel Boris Sergeyevich Sokovnin

With the exception of the Chevalier Guards, whose standard allocation is not known, the 1st or Chief Officer's squadron got a white standard and each of the other squadrons got a color standard. The standard was carried by a Эстандартъ-Юнкеръ / "Estandart-Yunker". These were officer aspirants ranked as sergeants, two per squadron, the senior with the standard, the other his Assistant, riding on the right. The two are placed in the middle of the first line of the squadron, with the squadron commander and a bugler placed 3 (horse) steps to their front..
Here, from His Majesty's Life Cuirassiers

See : link

once agaain amazing stuff Michman – you covered even all my follow up questions about Cuirassier flags

is it just the Russian army you are expert in or other napoleonic armies too? in any case you should put together a book on the russian napoleonic army as i dont think there is such a text in english that is as in depth as the material you provide

@GeorgBuchner

Thank you for your kind words. I am no "expert". In addition to some (often mangled, I am sorry to say) English, I have French and some Russian and am pretty good with Google. Then it is just copy/paste.

You probably know this, but to make clear the command structure :
--- Each regiment had a Шефъ / "Shef" or Chief Officer. The was usually a general officer, but could be a colonel. This post could also be purely honorary, in which case an officer "over-complement", usually a colonel, "performed the duties of".
--- Below the Chief Officer, each regiment had a Commander. This was usually a colonel, but could be a lieutenant colonel.
--- At any given time, either or both of these positions could be vacant, or the incumbent detached (in hospital, seving as a brigade/division/corps commander, serving as an adjutant to the Emperor, etc.). In this case, the next senior officer "performed the duties of". Occasionally, if the field grade officers were under complement or deemed too junior, a field grade officer from another regiment "performed the duties of".
--- Below the Chief Officer and Commander, the cuirassier regimental establishment had a Lieutenant-Colonel and 3 Majors – i.e., 1 field-grade officer per squadron, including the "Replacement" or depot squadron. For company grade officers, each squadron had a Captain or Staff-Captain, a Lieutenant and 3 Cornets.

well it is good work you compiling of material

I didnt know that about the command structure – too many officer ranks to keep track of though lol

"too many officer ranks"

:-)

It was much worse : you also had (by 1812) ….

--- nobilary rank governed by military grade, with (up to Colonel) the Guards two steps Up and the artilllery, military engineers, logistics engineers, quartermaster corps, topographic engineers & general staff one step Up, with the Navy (of course) using a different system
--- 2 kinds of adjudants to the Emperor
--- noble titles (Baron, Graf, Prince) – the rank of which varied by "nationality" (ethnic group) and by the longevity of the title to some extent
--- extended relatives & in-laws of the Imperial family and the "great families" like Repnin and Dolgoruky *
--- foreigners in Russian service oftem handled as social "exceptions" in various ways
--- seniority by time-in-grade and time-in-the-regiment
--- membership in vaious orders of chilvary (St. Anne, St. Vladimir & St. George the largest, but there were several other Russian and also foriegn orders)
--- something like brevet vs. substative rank when a lower ranking officer "performed the duties of" a higher rank

And you had to know all this stuff not only to know who out-ranked who, but also to avoid a social mistake/insult that might end in a duel or a disgrace, and also because all of the above could effect pay & allowances.

Fuedalism in early 19th century, n'est ce pas ?

* I once had a liaison with a surviving direct-line Dolgoruka "princess". Although "reduced" to working as a banker, and never showing interest in her heritage, she was one of the most princess-like persons I have ever met : tall, slim and fine-featured, sophisticated, poised, gentle and genteel, devout, a tad proud and stand-offish at first, but actually quite mirthful, even gigly, once you knew her.
Probably just a coincidence, but still impressive to a kid from a maritime and dockyards family that could only barely count as middle class.