In early December 1813, Napoleon, desperately short of cavalry, created three regiments of light cavalry to augment his Guard. The Emperor had been for years considering forming these units, and now at the eleventh hour, as invasion threatened, the regiments were thrown together.

The exact date when these regiments were formed varies from the 3rd, 4th 9th and 29th December, perhaps all the dates are correct from unit to unit. The first regiment was attached to the Grenadiers a Cheval and designated Eclaireurs-grenadiers. A former major of the Guard Dragoons, Lt. Colonel Testot-Ferry was given command of the regiment.

The regiments' recruits were drawn principally from the Gardes de Honor, Officers and NCO's from various Line regiments, remnants of Joseph's Guard Cavalry and Neapolitan Chevau-Leger, although most were conscripts.

The second regiment, attached to the Guard Dragoons, was known as the Eclaireurs-dragoons and Colonel Hoffmayer was commandant. The unit was raised from 1000 ' Imperial Postillions ' of the mail service and, as the first regiment, Officers and NCO's were drawn from a number of sources and trumpeters from the Pupilles.

The third unit, Eclaireurs-lanciers, was attached to the 1st 'Polish' Guard Lanciers, and were under the command of Kozietulski.

The regiments' depot was at Givet and drew its mostly experienced recruits from the Polish depot at Sedan, remnants from the Polish Guard Battalion and Tartars of the Guard, and some two hundred raw French conscripts.

Organization

All three regiments of Eclaireurs were organised as having four squadrons each of 250 men per squadron and would be completed by 30th January 1814. The colonels of the regiments worked under desperate and trying conditions to make their respective units ready for operations against the approaching Allied armies. Some units without farriers, food, pay and the most basic of uniform, made the likelihood of the prescribed dress being issued, most questionable.

There is no point in describing the theoretical uniforms set out officially by the war office, as time, money and availability made its purpose impractical. So I've opted for what I believe the men of the regiments were issued with (for the most part).

Equipment

Overall, half of each regiment were equipped with a Black lacquered steel tipped lance and pistol, which was clipped to the shoulder belt, and sabre, while the rest had a carbine and sabre. Horse furniture consisted of a grey folded blanket and brown leather saddle, and a rolled overcoat was placed over the front of the saddle. Portmanteaus were as follows: 1st, green piped red: 2nd, green piped aurore: 3rd, blue piped white and all held with black straps. All the men's belts were white un-stitched leather.

Half of the 1st regiment wore a green pelisse with white lace and buttons over their waistcoats while the rest were issued green single breasted habit-veste with red collar and pointed cuffs and turnbacks. The jacket was piped in red down the front as was the green pointed shoulder straps and vertical vents in the jackets tails. The habit-veste had nine white metal buttons down the front, three small buttons at the cuffs, three small buttons for the vents and one each for the shoulder straps. Most were issued grey, leather reinforced overalls with a single 1" red stripe running down the outer seam. The tall black cylindrical shake had a white metal crowned eagle shake plate, visor edging and lion head bosses for the steel chain chin straps. To complete the head-dress, red "chain" piping was placed around the top of the shake and possibly a red plume with a small black base was worn.

Officers were dressed in the best uniforms available, silver lace replacing the troopers white lace. Trumpeters wore sky blue pelisses with aurore lace for the 1st and 2nd squadrons, and sky-blue habit-vestes for the remainder. Trumpets were brass with plain red cords.

The first two squadrons (508 men) were equipped as hussars including a plain black sabretashe with a white metal crowned eagle and designated Old guard with the rest (608 men) Young Guard.

The 2nd Eclaireurs wore green single breasted habit-vestes with crimson collar cuffs and turnbacks, and crimson piping to green pointed shoulder straps and jacket front. Green, leather reinforced overalls with a wide crimson stripe running down the outer edge, were issued. All buttons were yellow metal and arranged as the 1st Eclaireurs.

The tall crimson cylindrical shake had a plain leather peak, brass chin scales and a large tricolour on the centre front. The shake had a wide band of aurore lace around the top, as well as a aurore loop from company pom pom to tricolour. Officers had gold appointments and are believed to been issued green pointed shabraques edged gold, and possibly had gold cords to their shakes running from the back of the head-dress across to the front of the jacket. Trumpeters wore sky blue habit-veste with aurore lace to the collar and cuffs. Trumpets were brass with mixed aurore and crimson cords.

The 3rd Eclaireurs wore a uniform almost identical in appearance to the 1st Guard Lanciers. P. Benignis' painting shows the regiment on campaign. The dark blue kurtka has the front plastron buttoned over leaving only crimson piping. The chapska has a black oilskin cover and white pom-pom. Aiguillettes were worn by the Officers, NCO's and trumpeters, the troopers having white contre-epaulettes on both shoulders with all buttons being white. The men also wore a blue and white waist sash. Grey leather reinforced overalls were issued and once again had a crimson stripe on the outer seam.

It seems Officers wore the campaign version of the Polish Guard Lanciers uniform, and as well as the shabraque. Trumpeters wore sky blue kurtkas trimmed in crimson and edged in silver lace and they were apparently issued with white, piped crimson, chapskas. Benigni shows the trumpeters wearing mixed crimson and silver aiguillette and epaulette. Trumpets were brass with crimson and silver cords.

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