At the Mondial de la Figurine (World Model Figure Expo) this past July in Paris, Le Cimier introduced the latest addition to their line of 90mm Napoleonic Personalities: General Count Lepaige-Dorsenne (shown at left). He was one of the colorful characters of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, considered to be the most handsome man in the French army and often referred to as le beau.

Dorsenne was promoted to lieutenant colonel for gallantry on the battlefield and given command of the Grenadiers of the Guard on 1 October, 1805. After Austerlitz (2 December, 1805) he was promoted to full colonel and then to general. At Eylau (7-8 February, 1807) he led two battalions in a successful charge against a large column of Russians that were bearing down on Napoleon's command post, threatening to break the French center. For this action Dorsenne was later granted a bonus of 100,000 francs.

On 1 March, 1808 Dorsenne was created a Count of the Empire and on 1 May 1809 he was given command of the Guards Division which he led at Aspern-Essling (21-22 May, 1809). In the Spanish campaign in 1810 he was governor of the cities of Burgos, Soria and Aranda, but returned to be present for Napoleon's wedding to Marie-Louise on 30 March. Le Cimier's figure depicts Dorsenne as he might have appeared at the Emperor's wedding. He wears the full dress uniform of an officer of the Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard, blue coat with white lapels and red cuffs with white straps and red turn backs. The general's gold and red sash, epaulettes, and gold eagles are also shown. He wears the cross of the Legion of Honor, the order of the Iron Crown and one other decoration not explained and difficult to decipher (it has a sky blue ribbon with white enamel cross).

After returning to Spain in command of the Guards Corps that served as a reserve, he subsequently died in Paris in 1812 as a result of a botched operation on his skull. John Elting's evaluation of Dorsenne in Swords Around a Throne (The Free Press, 1988): "The grenadiers got a handsome, perfectly groomed colonel named Dorsenne, a soldier of high valor and many wounds, fair, honest, and so hard that the toughest veterans jumped to please him. In a year's time he made them a model for the whole army."

Le Cimier's figure of Dorsenne comes unpainted, with feather plume, sword, legs, torso, and arms cast separately. The pieces fit well and mold marks can be easily removed with a hobby knife. Although elegant, this figure can be recommended for beginners. Price is $49.95 plus $4.50 for shipping, available in the U.S. from The Red Lancer (no relation to the book dealer by that same name in Arizona), 324 Front Street, Milton, PA 17847.

Other New Items:

Magazines for Military Enthusiasts
Scenarios for Wargamers
Prussian cavalry in 25mm Scale
General Count Lepaige-Dorsenne in 90mm
Framed Relief Portrait of Napoleon
Dragoman covers the Ottoman Empire
British Troops that Fought in India under Wellington
Flags Carried During the 1812 Russian Campaign
Ottoman Turks in 15mm scale

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