The Imperial Guard was Napoleon's reserve, his bodyguard and the single most richly uniformed force in military history. Here is a tour.
Quick answer. Napoleon's Imperial Guard, raised in 1804 from the elite of the French army, divided into the Old Guard (longest service), Middle Guard (recent elite) and Young Guard (new drafts of promising men). Each unit had its own distinctive dress: the Grenadiers in bearskin and blue coat, the Chasseurs a Pied in bearskin with green plume, the Chasseurs a Cheval in green dolman, the Mamelukes in oriental dress, the Polish Lancers in czapka and blue, and others.
Grenadiers of the Old Guard
The grenadiers were the senior unit of the Imperial Guard. Dark blue habit, long tailed in the 1804 pattern, red collar, cuffs, lapels and turnbacks, white waistcoat, white Hungarian breeches with hussar knot embroidery, long black gaiters, and the famous bearskin cap. The bearskin had a brass plate at the front with the imperial eagle, red cords and tassels, red plume at the back for parade. In action the plume came off. The grenadiers served from Austerlitz to Waterloo and formed the final reserve at every major battle.
Chasseurs a Pied of the Guard
The foot chasseurs were the light infantry equivalent of the grenadiers. Same dark blue coat with slightly different cut (shorter tails, pointed cuffs), green and red plumes on the bearskin, hussar knots on the breeches in green. Smaller men than the grenadiers but equally selected. The chasseurs were considered equally elite and the two regiments shared most ceremonial duties.
Chasseurs a Cheval of the Guard
Napoleon's personal cavalry escort. Green dolman with gold braid, scarlet pelisse with black fur, Hungarian breeches, Hessian boots and a fur colback with red bag and plume. The chasseurs a cheval accompanied Napoleon on every campaign and he often wore their undress uniform himself. They are instantly recognisable in David's paintings. The regiment survived to serve at Waterloo and fought the Household Cavalry in close combat.
The Mamelukes
A squadron of Mamelukes was attached to the Chasseurs a Cheval. Dressed in Egyptian style with a turban, a loose jacket (yelek), a sleeveless over jacket (saltamarka), pantaloons and curved scimitars. Recruited originally from Mamelukes who followed Napoleon back from the 1798 Egyptian campaign, the squadron continued in service through the empire. Their appearance was unlike anything else on the European battlefield and they were valued more for shock effect than numerical weight.
The Polish Lancers of the Guard
Raised in 1807 from Polish volunteers. Dark blue uhlanka jacket with crimson collar, cuffs and plastron, crimson overalls, crimson czapka with white plume. The regiment included Napoleon's famous escort at Somosierra in 1808, where they charged four Spanish batteries up a mountain road. Later a second (Dutch) regiment of Polish Lancers was raised in red uniforms. The lancer uniform remained a model copied by many European armies after 1815.
The Marines of the Guard
A battalion of marine infantry attached to the Guard, in dark blue hussar style dolmans and overalls with scarlet braid. Primarily used as pontoneers and water engineers, they built bridges and worked at river crossings. The Marines of the Guard played a crucial role at the Beresina in 1812, where they built the bridges that saved the remnants of the Grande Armee during the retreat from Russia.
Common questions
What was the Old Guard?
The senior part of the Imperial Guard, with the longest service. Minimum qualifications included combat experience and ten years of service. Pay was higher and the uniform richer.
Did the Imperial Guard really wear bearskins in battle?
Yes, though the plume and cords often came off in action. The bearskin was heavy and uncomfortable in hot weather. Fatigue caps and shakos were worn on the march.
Who were the Mamelukes?
A squadron of oriental cavalry attached to the Chasseurs a Cheval. Originally recruited from Egyptian Mamelukes who followed Napoleon back from 1798. They served through the empire in distinctive turbans and robes.
What was Napoleon's own uniform?
He most often wore the green undress uniform of a Chasseur a Cheval colonel, with a plain grey redingote (overcoat). On ceremonial occasions he wore the blue habit of a grenadier colonel.
How many men served in the Imperial Guard?
The Guard grew from 2,000 in 1804 to over 100,000 by 1812. At Waterloo in 1815, around 20,000 Guards served in Napoleon's army of 72,000.