Uniforms and Equipment

Eclaireurs

Text by John Grehan & Phil Gaffney,
Original Illustrations by Ian Storer


Half of the 1st Regt was designated Old Guard, the rest Young Guard. The former wore green dolman with red cuffs and green pelisse with black fur, both with white lace and braid. Green trousers with red stripes and white buttons; white gloves. The shako had a red upper band, brass eagle plate and chinscales and a red pompon above the cockade. Belts and sword-knot were white. Shabraque and cylindrical valise were green with white trim (and eagle) and red outer piping.

The Young Guard wore a short green coat as for the Line chasseurs, with red piping to collar, lapels, and shoulder straps, and red cuffs. The rest of the uniform was as above.

The 2nd Regt wore a single-breasted green jacket with a row of nine white metal buttons, crimson collar and pointed cuffs piped green. The turnbacks were crimson as was the piping to the soubise pockets and the green shoulder straps. The waistcoat and buttoned overalls were green, the latter with crimson stripes. The cylindrical shako was covered with crimson cloth and a black peak, green hemispherical pompon, a cockade with an aurore strap, and aurore cords. Chin-chains were brass and the foulweather neck-cover was black and turned up at the rear of the shako. Belts were white, the sword-belt worn over the jacket, and the pouch bore an eagle. Sword-knots were white. The green shabraque had aurore trim and crowned eagles, the round valise was crimson, also with aurore trim.

The 3rd Regt wore the uniform of the Polish Guard Lancers but with a white pompon in place of the plume, blue and white striped girdle and plain blue shabraque. In undress grey trousers were worn.

Half of the eclaireurs were armed with lances with white and crimson pennons, the other half with carbines; a sabre and two pistols were also carried. 60 caissons and a double ammunition supply.

Imperial Guard Cavalry

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