Uniforms of the
Neapolitan Army 1806-1815

Internal Security Guards

by Colin Allen, U.K.

xii) Internal Security Guards Origins

The Internal Security Guards (infantry and cavalry) were organised by a decree of March 2nd 1813 in order to maintain order in the capital and to protect against insurgency. However, the uniforms of the infantry battalion (which consisted of grenadiers and voltigeurs) and cavalry squadron were only issued in March 1815, when the latter had a staff of four officers and two companies, each consisting of a captain, a lieutenant, two second lieutenants, a company sergeant major, four junior NCOs, a farrier sergeant, eight corporals, two buglers and 79 hussars.

The Infantry Coat

The coat was a medium blue Spencer with the collar, lapels, cuffs, cuff flaps and turnbacks being in the same colour, all piped amaranth as were the pockets.

Grenadiers wore amaranth epaulettes with white straps and silver grenade turnback badges while the voltigeurs wore a yellow collar and epaulettes. All buttons were white metal.

Trousers

White breeches were worn with short gaiters.

Headgear

Aloja shows the grenadiers wearing what appears to be a bearskin shaped leather hat with a white metal sunburst plate bearing the royal monogram in brass, a black peak, red cords and flounders and a white over amaranth plume. This marvellous piece of headgear also had a large white metal grenade badge on the rear where the "monkey's rump" would be on a normal bearskin.

The voltigeurs wore a slightly more normal shako, this being medium blue with white metal chin scales and hunting horn plate, yellow cords and flounders and a yellow over medium blue plume above a yellow pompon. The normal cockade was worn.

Equipment

All personnel wore Guard Infantry style belts supporting a black cartridge pouch, this having a white metal grenade for the grenadiers and a hunting horn for the voltigeurs, and the usual sabre and bayonet. Sabre straps were yellow for the voltigeurs and amaranth for the grenadiers.

Officers' Uniforms

Officers wore similar uniforms to the men with silver epaulettes, gorgets and headgear cords. Hussar style boots were worn, these having silver trim and tassels while the armament consisted of a steel hilted sabre with a silver strap in a steel fitted, black leather scabbard.

Musicians

No information is available.

The Cavalry Coat

In full dress, a dark sky blue dolman was worn, this having white braid and trim to the collar and cuffs. The pelisse was amaranth with white braid and piping and black fur lining while the sash was silver and amaranth. In undress a dark blue dolman with dark blue braid and amaranth cuffs and collar, the latter having a silver horizontal stripe, could be worn.

Trousers

In full dress. dark sky blue breeches, bearing white Hungarian Knots and seam piping' were worn with hussar style boots with white trim and tassels. The undress overalls were light grey with amaranth seam piping.

Headgear

The dark sky blue shako had a black peak and false rear peak, both of these being trimmed in white metal. A large cockade was worn on the front, held in place by a silver cockade strap. The large, drooping, dark green horsehair plume was worn over another smaller cockade while the top of the shako was encircled by a silver band.

In undress a dark blue forage cap piped silver and with a silver tassel was worn.

Equipment

The black belts supported a brass hilted sabre with a silver strap in a steel scabbard, a black sabretache bearing the crowned royal monogram in silver and a black cartridge pouch bearing the same device.

The horse furniture consisted of a black sheepskin with amaranth Wolfs Tooth edging and an amaranth portmanteau piped white. All leatherware was black with white metal fittings.

Officers' Uniforms

Officers' uniforms had the usual hussar-style distinctions in silver while the top of the shako was ringed by a line of interlinked silver hoops. Full dress belts were gold with silver edging and supported the same equipment as worn by the men. In undress, officers could wear a black bicorne with the cockade held in place by a silver strap.

The undress coat was a dark sky blue surtout with amaranth pointed cuffs and collar, these bearing a silver stripe. The turnbacks were amaranth and silver epaulettes were worn. White breeches and the full dress boots were worn with this outfit.

The junior officers' saddle furniture consisted of a black sheepskin trimmed with a band of silver, this having amaranth piping on the outer edge. More senior officers had a dark sky blue, light cavalry style shabraque this being piped in amaranth with a silver trim and monogram in the rear corner. All leatherware was black with silver fittings.

Musicians

The buglers wore reversed colours; namely a dark sky blue pelisse, amaranth dolman and breeches and a white over amaranth plume.

More Uniforms of the Neapolitan Army 1806-1815

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