Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars, 1796-1814

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The Spanish Line Infantry uniform changed several times during the Napoleonic wars. Both officially with the introduction of new model uniforms, the supply of British made uniforms, locally produced clothing and those captured as the spoils of war.

Following his second abdication after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena. He wore his chasseur uniform on the British ships that conveyed him first to Plymouth Harbour (the Bellerophon) and then to St. Helena (the Northumberland). Napoleon continued to wear this uniform during his first six weeks on the island, when he was staying with the Balcombe family while his residence of Longwood was being prepared. He then abandoned it for a green hunting uniform and other garb, as described by his second valet, Louis-Étienne Saint-Denis.

Napoléon was a master in propaganda: his simple uniform + the great coat + the little hat were just a genius idea! Everybody could recognize him, even the lowest soldiers, and, he seemed very “modest” compared to his officers with their shining uniforms and feathered hats… I would recommend getting hold of anything on the uniforms of the period, though some are more accurate/reliable than others. There is a wealth of material available.

Since Napoleon’s son was living with his grandfather, Emperor Francis I of Austria (an enemy of Napoleon), it was not possible for him to receive the clothes before his death in 1832, at the age of 21. Instead the clothes were given to Napoleon’s mother, Letizia Bonaparte, who distributed them among Napoleon’s siblings. Most of Napoleon’s clothes that were preserved by the imperial family are in the Napoleon I Museum at the Château de Fontainebleau, including Napoleon’s only surviving grenadier uniform. Napoleonic Uniforms: The French Army (Vols. I and II.) Napoleonic Uniforms; Allies: Vassals and Enemies. (Vols. III and IV.)

Trumpeters wore reversed colors, facing sometimes edged with white lace, a coat often single-breasted with white buttonholes in front, no cuff flaps, white epaulettes, and a white of red mane on the helmet. The same dress was used for the Foot Dragoons but with brass drums with blue hoops instead of trumpets. They rode white and grey horses. Napoleon also left “an embroidered mantle, vest, and small-clothes” to each of his brothers Joseph and Lucien. (16) The work of Herbert Knötel on the Grande Armée and its allies and enemies has now been presented to us in four magnificent volumes; assembled, annotated, and commented on by the noted authority on the Napoleonic Epoch and the Grande Armée, Colonel John R. Elting. Herbert Knötel's watercolor prints in these four volumes are 'all...products of [his] extensive, post World War II research that cleared away many errors common to earlier collections-including his father's famous Grosse Uniformkunde.' Herbert, carefully trained by his father, and a veteran cavalryman on the Eastern Front in World War I, 'worked almost exclusively from manuscript pictorial collections assembled by actual eyewitnesses during or shortly after the Napoleonic era, having an unequaled knowledge of such sources.' Other wargame scales? It depends on your level of desire for accuracy or general 'thirst for knowledge'

Hussar insignia was represented with elaborate curved embroidered chevrons in gold lace on the lower sleeve of the wearer's coat and pelisse extending from the cuff to the elbow of the wearer. Officer's chevrons had the point facing up. Warrant officers and NCOs were the same, but less elaborate. However there are some 'accepted' classics like Knotel, Rousselot and Vernet you may want to hunt down, though they do tend to be expensive even in modern reproductions. Jean Arida, of the Napoleonic society of Compiègne, who will be part of a group of men and women dressed in Napoleonic costume at a special film screening with a historians’ debate, exhibition of historic artefacts and imperial throne for selfies, said he thought the film would boost the work of Napoleonic re-enactment groups.We cannot accept people who have them as "friends" on Facebook for instance, because they harass then our own friends with hundreds of spams. These persons are very efficient using internet, but quality of their work is not at the same level, and you are not sure to get the fruit of your money. These are cheap compared with the others but you may have to look for them, I'm not sure they are still in print.