Note: Rocco's painting, "The Great Gate of Hougoumont," is cropped in MagWeb for faster downloading. The full version in Napoleon magazine #7 extends off to the right (so to speak).
The combination of drama and historical and atechnical accuracy captured by Keith Rocco in his latest masterwork, The Great Gate of Hougoumont," makes the painiting an instant classic.
Rushing into the British garrison are members of the 1st bttn of the 1st Legere Regiment,led by sous-lieutenant Legros (raised ax in hand) of the carabinier company. Although most of the assailants depicted are carabiniers, inclduing the corporal leaning against the gate on the right hand side of the painting, two voltiguers of the battalion are also shown. In the light infantry, carabiniers were an elite company equivalent to the grenadiers of the line battalions. Voltiguers were the elite light company. The regular companies were called chasseurs in a light battalion (leger) and fusiliers in a line (ligne) battalion. The French are wearing the so-called 1812 uniform.
Rocco correctly shows the French soldiers in parade dress uniforms, which, unless circumstances prevented, they invariably wore into battle. In addition, some of the carabiniers sport the new polumes as published inthe 1812 Journal Militare.
Rocco is also to be highly commended for his accurate portrayal of the French going into battle withouttheir cumbersome backpacks--a historical fact that seems to have escaped notice by almost every artist and military miniature designers attempting to depict Napoleonic subjects. Although instances of the French carrying backpacks into action may be found, the overwhelming majority of documented cases show Napoleonic infantry going into battle carrying only their weapons, canteen, and up to four cartridge pouches (each holding about 15 rounds of ammunition).
The defenders aredepicted accurately. The British shown attempting to close the gate are members of the light company of the Coldstream Guards (each Guards bttn had one light company), who dropped their packs in the confines of the farm before the battle began.
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