In 1983 in German magazine "Zeitschrift fur Heerskunde" was published in an article by T.Zelner "Maissen manuscript 1809-1814". It was about the series of water-colour drawings made by contemporary unknown artist in 1809-1814. On these drawings were depicted figures and groups of soldiers and officers of different European armies which passed through Saxony during the above stated period, exactly through Dresden and Maissen. Drawings were made on the lists of grey cardboard and bounded into album. 63 figures were depicted in all (16 Russians).
Obviously, with many soldiers artists spoke personally because in descriptions to many drawings we found dates, places, names, numbers of units and other data. In our case we were interested in drawing of a private of one of Russian Jaeger regiments (number we can not identify) dtd. 1813 with simple description "Jaeger Vasili from Moscow" (see page 16). Based on this conventional drawing we tried to reconstruct uniform of private of Jaeger regiment during European campaigns 1813-1814.
Kiwer (1812 model) - leather colbac in the form of cone and stuck with cloth and with one-piece bottom with small deflection from front to the rear. On the sides of this colbac two thin leather belts were placed in "V" shape. One more belt was placed at the lower part with copper buckle at the back. The aim of this belt was to regulate kiwer according to head size. Leather peak with small ditches forced out at the edge was sewed at the front under the lower belt. Also under the lower belt was sewn "podtuleinik" from leather with linen bag and cord. To attach pompon ("repeek") and black plume in grenadier companies leather pocket was attached at the front. Colors of "repeek's" were the same as in the rest of the infantry (see Zeighaus #7).
On both sides of kiwer was placed cord made from two wicker ropes in the form of two braids. On the left side on small double rope a tassel was locked. On the right side were two ropes slung to the shoulder and ended with two rhombs with tassels. The whole cord was whitened with chalk. Brass coat of arms was locked on the kiwer: with three "fires" for grenadier companies and one "fire" for Jaeger companies.
Kiwer was held on the head with the help of leather chin belt sewn on the right side and fastened on the left with brass button. Army Jaegers did not wear chin scales.
Often on campaign the cord was removed and kiwer was covered with cover made from thick cloth covered with oil color and saturated with wax. This cover protected kiwer from dust and water from which kiwers often shrunk and lost their form.
According to memoirs soldiers do not stand on ceremony with their kiwers. On occasion they gathered potatoes into kiwers. After such procedures they became of non-regulation shape. After hard 1812 campaign plumes became very rare, because only few regiments preserved them in required quantity.
Coat (1812 model) - double-breasted of tailcoat shape. The coat was fastened to the right side on six brass buttons. On left side were sewed six buttons of the same shape. From January 1812 collar of the coat was low (up to the chin) fastened at the front with three hooks. The collar was lined with linen to reduce the harshness.
Dark green rough woolen cloth was used for coats. During campaigns abroad there was lack of uniform cloth and cloths of different shades were used of low quality. 'Karazeia' (sorry I can not find English word for this special cloth - kind of a rough sack cloth) was used for lining of tails and sides. For lining of sleeves and back was used linen. Jaegers used dark green "karazeia". But according to survived contemporary coats in Museums we can conclude that Jaegers used also red cloth for lining, as in line infantry.
Collar, cuffs, cuff-flaps and turn backs were made from dark green cloth with red piping on the outer seam. Rectangular cuff-flap with three buttons was sewed vertically on round cuff on the outer side of the sleeve. Coat turn backs have linen on the sides and were narrowing to the waist. They were wide and their corners converged. At that place a button was sewed to every tail. Moreover two more buttons were sewed on the waist near the seams of the back.
It must be highlighted that sizes of cuffs, cuff-flaps and turn backs shape were often different. For example outer sides of turn backs could be straight, rounded and slightly concave outside. In Jaeger regiments lining could be done together with turn backs and simply turned outside. In that case "karazeia" lining was not done at all. In April 1812 first Jaeger regiments in every division received shoulder straps of yellow cloth and the second regiments (according to seniority) - blue. Numbers were made according to divisions. These numbers were red on yellow shoulder straps and yellow on blue shoulder straps. But according to materials of St.Petersbourg researcher V.Korolev some regiments could have their regimental number instead of division number.
Soldiers wore linen shirts under their uniforms. They were with small neckband or standing collar. Shirt sleeves had small button or were tied with rope. Black neck tie was worn with small shirt-front.
Winter trousers - from thick cloth on linen lining were introduced in December 1807. Jaeger regiments made their trousers from dark-green uniform cloth. They had red stripes on the side seams and were very wide with waist-band and wide latz-band which was buttoned up on two buttons.
Under the knees leather leggings were sewn. If the leather was thin these leggings and trousers had one-piece lining. Some regiments had fastened leggings and could wear them with summer white trousers. Leggings were fastened on seven uniform buttons on the outer side and had stripes at the lower part. During 1813-1814 campaigns because the lack of leather thick black cloth was used for leggings.
Summer white trousers - were made from flemmish linen. Under the knees they were fastened on the sides by buttons covered with cloth. On the lower part a linen peak was sewn which covered some part of the boots. White trousers were strictly attached to summer parade uniform, but in battle conditions they were rapidly worn out and became dirty. That is why campaign trousers were widely spread.
Campaign trousers - or "porty" were unofficial detail of uniform. Despite innumerable orders of high officers to wear regulation uniform even in battle conditions, many soldiers wanted to preserve their white public trousers and wore "trousers of different colors". They were made from linen of different colors and quality. On the march trousers could be worn over summer or winter trousers and played some role of cover. Footwear - round-shaped boots made from black leather with lower soft boot-tops. Soldiers wore linen or wool foot-cloth ("onuchi") or stockings with these boots.
Overcoat - from rough woolen uncolored cloth of different shades, white with gray "hairs" for example. Overcoat was single breasted and was fastened by seven uniform buttons. Collar and shoulder-straps were like on the uniform. There were six folds on the back which were sewn near the collar. These folds reserved enough cloth to put on short sheepskin coat under the overcoat in winter. On the waist overcoat was gathered by belt in the shape of two horizontal flaps fastened on button. In warm period overcoat was rolled and worn over left shoulder. In this case the ends were fastened by black belt near the thigh. Sometimes this rolled overcoat saved lives of Jaegers. According to some memoirs soldiers extract enemy bullets from their rolled overcoats. This experience obliged many officers to put on rolled overcoats in battle, though this was not according to official regulations.
Equipment - complete set of Jaeger equipment was the following: knapsack, cartridge pouch with shoulder-belt and one more shoulder-belt. All equipment was made from black leather. Knapsack of 1808 model was of quadrangular shape with roof and was fastened on three frogs. Knapsacks were made from black leather and were worn on two shoulder belts which were fixed on the chest by the third (horizontal) belt with buckle. At the center of the roof a flack ("manerka") made from white tin was fastened by special leather belt. Difficulties with supply of uniform and equipment abroad resulted in some regiments in use of French captured knapsacks and also improvised "knapsacks" made from cloth. Also wide shoulder sacks were widely spread. Black cartridge pouch was worn over left shoulder on black shoulder-belt. 60 cartridges, additional belts and small equipment for muskets were placed inside. Brass regimental numbers were placed on the roof of cartridge pouch (See "Zeighaus" #8).
On campaign roof of cartridge-pouch was often covered with cover from "voschenka". Shoulder-belt with bayonet-scabbard or sabre-scabbard in grenadier companies was worn over the right shoulder. Bayonet-scabbards were often damaged because bayonets were very often attached to muskets. So there was no necessity in shoulder-belt for bayonet (except grenadiers) and they wore only cartridge-pouch on shoulder-belt without shoulder-belt for bayonet.
That was the appearance of Russian Jaegers during Campaigns in Europe in 1813-1814. Pictures of foreign artists and contemporary descriptions from this article could show us special features of uniform and equipment of Russian light infantry in battle conditions, misfortunes, varieties and outlays of government supply.
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