Following on from Magnus Guild's notes on bearskins, in response to a readers question, I thought it might be useful to amplify them by an examination the official status of bearskin caps in the French Army during the Napoleonic period, as a starting point to the discussion. As far as determining which regiment wore bearskins in Spain, or elsewhere for that matter, there is little I can add to Magnus' useful exercise in collation. There are, it will be noted, a couple of examples where his and my sources do not coincide but this is almost certainly because the regiments in question wore either the bearskin or shako at various times in their careers.

Bicornes

Be that as it may, the Regulation of 1st October 1786 specified bicorne hats for all companies and abolished the bonnet à poil 1 which had been previously authorised in 1776 2. According to Malibran this order was not strictly obeyed and the bearskin was officially reprised in 1788. It was confirmed by the Regulation of 1st November 1789 which specified the bonnet à poil in the familiar style for grenadiers. It had a yellow metal front plate with the Royal Arms, white cords and cockade and a patch 3 at the rear in the regimental distinctive, on which was superimposed a white cross. 4

In 1791 the Provisional Instruction of 1st April confirmed a bonnet à poil en peau d'ours as head-dress for grenadiers. 5 Most, however, were actually covered with goat skin. 6 This conformed to the description already laid down except that the metal plate, usually yellow though sometimes in button colour, now bore a grenade badge. Cords remained white but the patch now became scarlet with the same superimposed white cross for all regiments. The cockade changed to national colours, above which was a plume of red feathers or the scarlet woollen tuft normally worn with the bicorne. Nevertheless, during the campaign of 1792, when the battalions of the line were brigaded with battalions of volunteers, the grenadier companies left their bearskin caps in the depots and wore the bicorne. 7 This measure appears to have been taken to avoid offending the latter but the general use of the bicorne by grenadier companies was apparently short lived.

Bearskins

The use of the bearskin was again confirmed by decree of 26th October 1801. The description is as follows. The carcass was made of cowhide 352mm high with a bearskin covering.8 It was 379mm high at the front and 231mm high at the rear with a rear patch measuring 162mm in diameter but the quarters produced by the superimposed white cross were now changed to alternate red and blue. Scarlet woollen cords were now specified in place of the white ones. Malibran notes that surviving examples sometimes do have the scarlet cords but that white cords are more usual. Similarly, despite the regulations, the rear patch is generally found to be scarlet and finally, he notes that a simple grenade badge is sometimes found in pace of the front plate. 9

Although it would seem a simple matter to replace the cords and patch, it seems possible to infer from surviving examples that the new regulations did not see widespread adoption. There are other possibilities and it could be, perhaps, a reflection of older items being taken out of use and, therefore, surviving the passage of time rather better. On the other hand it could simply be a matter of coincidence. I have to admit that such speculation is largely fruitless and the fact remains that there were two distinct regulation patterns in use throughout the period. Further to Magnus' list, however, one can add the following in the context wearing bearskins by the line regiments generally at one time or another, 3e, 9e, 18e and 125e. 10

The bearskin worn by the carabinier companies of the light infantry was slightly smaller than that worn by grenadiers in the line regiments. It was only 298mm high and had no front plate. Cords were red or white, the plume red and the patch with superimposed white cross as previously described. Light infantry regiments, additional to Magnus' list, known to have worn the bearskin were the 5e, confirming his note, 7e, 21e, 28e and 33e légers. 11 Rousselot further notes that the colback with red bag and cords was worn by the carabinier companies of several regiments but that the shako was the most common form of head-dress in the light corps. Malibran also notes that by 1809 the elite companies generally in certain light infantry regiments had adopted the colback.12

The first mention I can find of a shako in the context of grenadiers is in 1803. Junot was given the responsibility for forming a corps of grenadiers, which later became better known under Oudinot, of 12,000 men at Arras. This was composed of grenadier elements from various regiments, which arrived at Arras wearing diverse kinds of head-dress. After a revue in the rain where bicornes were worn Junot noted the inconvenience of this item which offered no protection from the elements, indeed they actually formed a convenient gutter channelling the water onto the soldiers shoulders. He proposed the adoption of a shako for his corps, of the kind then in use by the light infantry. I suppose one might infer from this that bearskins were not universally available although I have no statement to that effect. Nevertheless, logic, for what it is worth, seems to indicate that had bearskins been available there would have been no need to wear bicornes, and, therefore, to recommend shakos to replace these inferior items.

Shako

The shako was specified for the line infantry as early as 18 May 1804 with red cords described for grenadiers. 13 The Regulation of 25th February 1806 stated that "The shako will be the dress of the line infanterie.........the plate of all infantry will take the shape of a lozenge". Grenadiers of the 16e de ligne, on which Magnus has no information in this context, are illustrated by Rigo wearing such a shako with the white uniform between 1806-1808.14 Be that as it may most authorities are agreed that in most regiments the bearskin was retained. 15 Rousselot, on the other hand, also says that bearskins were often given as a reward to those regiments who had particularly distinguished themselves, or who had requested them. He also points out that during the campaigns of 1806 and 1807, some grenadier companies only had the bicorne. Indeed, despite the 1806 Regulations it is well known that during these campaigns the bicorne was still in considerable use throughout the line infantry regiments, the shako being far from universal.

The Regulation of 9th November 1810 confirmed the shako with red ornaments for grenadiers but despite the apparent suppression of the bearskin it was retained albeit, apparently, illegally in a number of regiments. 16 Magnus' list demonstrates how difficult it is to compile a definitive list of which regiment wore what, and when. Indeed, none of the authorities I have consulted in the preparation of this article even attempt it. It is possible to say, however, that the grenadiers and carabiniers of the following regiments and battalions outside the 'mainstream' line and light corps did retain the bearskin up to 1810 at least and in some cases beyond. 17

1er and 2e Regiments Garde Municipale de Paris. (All flank companies).
1er - 4e Régiments suisse.
Bataillon valaisan 18 - details of the plate are not known.
Bataillon de Neuchätel - No plate.
Regiment de La Tour d'Auvergne - No plate.
Regiment d'Isembourg - No plate.
Regiment irlandais - No plate.
Légion hanovrienne - No plate.
Légion piémontaise (Légion du Midi) - Plate stamped with an eagle.
Tirailleurs du Pô - No plate.