Eclaireurs de la Garde Imperial
Uniform: Grenadier a Cheval
by Paul L. Dawson
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The 1ere Eclaireurs, wore a uniform not dissimilar to that of the Garde d’Honneur. Unlike the 2nd and 3rd regiments, the uniform of the 1st Eclaireurs did not reflect the parent unit’s origins. The 2nd Grenadiers had worn the same uniform as the grenadiers a cheval, the only different being the wearing of 2 aurore contra-epaulettes, and not the aiguillette. The Eclaireurs attached to the Grena-diers were different from all the other young guard cavalry units. It appears that the 1st squadron, ranked as Old Guard, was dressed after the Gardes d’Honneur, from which they were recruited. The remaining companies of the regiment were ranked as young guard and dressed after the fashion of the Dragoons due to the cost of the hussar style uniform. This 1st company, was equivalent to the Elite company in Line cavalry regiments, and demonstrates that the young guard was a mix of both guard and line organisation. The expense of re-organising the guard in 1813 amounted to over 18 ½ million francs, but this was still not enough. On 1 January 1814, the 1st Eclaireurs had neither their cloaks or breeches. Instead of the regulation dolman and pelisse, to save cost the remainder of the regiment were issued with undress coats, grey/white capes rather than the cloak, presumably taken from the stores of the parent regiments when they were issued with cloaks, and stable jackets. One wonders if the Gardes d’Honneur transferred to the 1st Eclaireurs retained their old uniforms rather than be issued new, as the uniform was less than 9 months old. Organising and equipping the 2nd and 3rd regiments was as equally challenging. Pinteville and Hoffmayer appealed to the departments to provide uniforms and the Berg Lancers for mounts. The 3rd lacked pay, bread, farriers and trumpeters. The first company wore a green dolman, laced white, with scarlet collar and cuffs was worn. A green pelisse trimmed with black fur, also laced and frogged white was worn. In full dress, red Hungarian breaches, laced white were worn, tucked into short cavalry boots. On campaign, green or grey riding overalls laced scarlet were worn. A red shako, with aurore top and bottom bands was worn, with aurore cords in full dress. A red plume was also worn. The schabraque was the same pattern as used by the Chasseurs a Cheval. The rest of the regiment wore a green habit veste, though different sources suggest a habit-kinski, with scarlet cuffs and turnbacks. Scarlet shoulder straps were worn in place of epaulettes. The shako appears to have either been a red Shako Rouleau, or a black shako of 1812 pattern with red top and bottom bands and red cords. A red plume was worn over a pompom. The schabraque, and equipment was the same as the first company. The shako plate was like the 1st company, and the buttons were yellow metal and depicted a crowned Imperial Eagle. Trumpeters of the young guard squadrons wore a sky blue habit-veste, with crimson lapels, collar, pointed cuffs and turnbacks, all laced aurore. The shako had a crimson body, with aurore top band lacing and cords. In undress, a sky blue habit-kinski may have been worn. The remainder of the equipment was the same as for the other ranks. Eclaireurs de la Garde Imperial
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