Infantry: The uniform was produced initially from stores found in the magazines of the old Hanoverian army and consisted of a red coat with a white lining, a bicorne hat and trousers. It would seem likely that equipment was also found from Hanoverian stocks because is recorded that only the carabiniers were issued a sabre briquet, this being of Hanoverian origin. By eady 1808, however, it appears that the infantry had been equipped more unifommly for by 8 March 1808, 861 shakos had been delivered and old Hanoverian equipment exchanged for French.

The uniform too underwent some changes at this time. The long-tailed habit remained red but now had dark blue distinctives, with white hunting horn ornaments on the turnbacks. The lapels and the vertical pockets in the tails were piped in red and blue respectively. Buttons were white metal. Fringed white epaulettes were worn by the carabiniers, green ones by the chasseurs.

The shako had white metalwork with a regulation lozenge- shaped plate bearing an eagle and the legend 'Legion Hanovrienne'. The carabinier company wore a light-infantry pattern bonnet a poil without front plate. The green plume was worn, apparently, without distinctive company pompoms. Gaiters were either black or white. Equipment was French.

Cavalry: The uniform of the cavalry regiment was in the style of the French chasseurs cheval with yellow distinctives.

DRAPEAUX AND GUIDONS

The Legion Hanovrienne did not receive eagles, the staffs being finished with a simple gilt spear point. The infantry received a single drapeau modele 1804 type Picot fixed to a blue staff and the cavalry three guidons model 1804 type Challiot. The centres to the corner wreaths of the infantry drapeau were, therefore, silver but without any inscription. The wording on them was as follows.

Obverse: L'EMPEREUR DES FRANCAIS, A LA LEGION HANOVRIENNE

Reverse: VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE

The description of the cavalry guidons is conjectural but the normal type Challiot design would have resulted in the following wording:

Obverse: L'EMPEREUR DES FRANCAIS, A LA LEGION HANOVRIENNE

Reverse: VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE 1 er /2 me /3 me. ESCADRON

Notes

[4] Rigondaud, A. Le Plumet, planche 171. (based on primary sources in the Bibliotheque hiationale, Chateau de l'Emperi and Archives de Service Historique de l'armee de Terre).
Charric, P. op.cit.1982. p171.
Blondieau, C. op. cit. pp. 26-27.
[5] The Legion Hanovrienne is often shown in returns as a two battalion unit prior to this date. It seems, however, that it never exceeded a single battalion until 1810. En fait le regiment d'infanterie legere dont le depot se trouve a Aix-la Chappelle, ne put jamais rassembler plus d'un bataillon, la maladie et la ternbie guerre d' Espagne reduiserent etat de squellette. Le 10 mars 1810 le survivants de l'infanterie du bataillon Westphaiien pemmenenl enfin de constituer le second bataillon de ia Legion hanovrienne . In fact the regiment of light infantry from the depot at Aix-la-Chapelle, was never able to muster more than a battalion, sickness and the terrible war in Spain reduced its state to a skeleton. On 10 March 1810 the survivors of the infantry of the Westphalian Battalion at last enabled the forming of a second battalion of the Hanovenan Legion. (Rigondaud et al.).
[6] Oman, C. History of the Peninsular War, Vol. 1. Oxford, 1902 Appendix XII. Following correspondence wnh Jack Gill on this subject I have come to conclusion that Albert Rigondaud's recollections Crappelons que la cavalerie de ladite Legion n'a jamais ete en Espagne niais stest battue en Italie et en Autriche" - "we recall that the cavalry of the Legion was never in Spain but served in Italy and Austria" are probably wrong and that the cavalry did serve in Spain.

The Units:

Regiment de Westphalie
Legion Hanovrienne
Legion du Midi
Garde de Paris
Rheinbund Inf. Regt. 19
Large Colour Uniform Illustration (123K)