FRENCH CUIRASSIERS 1806-1812

A Cuirassier regiment consisted of 4 Squadrons, each of 2 companies of 100 men. Each regiment theoretically numbered 800. In 1806 there were 12 regiments in being, with a 13th regiment created in 1808 for service in the Peninsula, and a 14th being added by incorporating the Dutch cuirassiers.

The coat was blue with lapels and turn backs in regimental facing colour and bearing fringed red epaulettes. The collars, cuffs, and piping edging the lapels were also in the facing colour, although it seems that the 3rs, 5th, 8th and 11th regiments had blue collars. Consistency was not a strong point of Napoleonic uniforms! Waistcoats were white, breeches were buff and boots were black. The helmet was polished steel with brass comb, black 'mane', black cow hide ‘turban’ black leather visor, and brass chin scales.

The cuirass had front and back plates of polished steel, leather straps with brass fittings, and was lined with red. A small black cartridge box on a white belt was worn over the cuirass.

Cuirassiers were mounted on blacks or dark bays where possible.

Officers wore similar uniforms, but had a leopard skin turban on their helmets.

Trumpeters wore either reversed colours, sometimes edged with white lace, or blue with facing colour piped in silver, and rode white or grey horses. Their helmet manes were red or white. From 1812 trumpeters adopted the green imperial livery with turnbacks etc in facing colour. They did not wear a cuirass.

Horse furniture was square edged shabraque, edged in white, bearing a grenade in the corner. Sheepskins were white edged in red.

From 1803 to 1810, the 1st to 6th regiments had scarlet turnbacks, collars, and lapels, the 7th to 12th, yellow. The 3rd, 5th, 8th and 11th had blue collars, the rest collars in facing colour

In 1810 the regulations were changed. Regiments 1 to 3 had scarlet facings. Regiments 4 to 6 had orange facings. Regiments 7 to 9 had yellow facings, and Regiments 10 to 12 had pink facings. Each sub group had variations of the use of the facing colour to distinguish regiments one from another.

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