Russian Facings of the Napoleonic Era

Introduction

The first stop for the interested, therefore, should be the http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/ site. A complete scan of Viskovatov including the plates can be found at the https://www.runivers.ru/lib/book3093/ site.

The web has also been crucial in making accessible the new material coming from the Russian Federation in the last two decades. New books like those of Parkhayev, Popov, and Ulyanov, a plethora of articles in journals like Цейхгауз, and discussions in various forums, especially Russian ones, expand our knowledge. Some of this material has overturned long accepted data from Viskovatov. In particular, the early Alexandrine facings have been completely revised, and the later company distinctions likewise upset. Finally, the new works by Leonov, Belov, Popov, & Kibovsky, set a new definitive standard.

I started this page first just to capture the facing revisions. But as new discoveries continued to be announced, I have tried to make this both a quick visual reference and a comprehensive record of information supplemental or contrary to that found in Viskovatov. I hope you will find this to be a reliable second stop.

While color¹ names have been carefully translated, the colors themselves are approximate and should be used with caution.

I have tried to keep the technology simple and universal. But for boring technical reasons, this page might not work with Internet Explorer. It has been developed on Chrome.

Generalities

Hairstyle

In addition to the information about queues found in Viskovatov, Ulyanov provides data on moustaches and whiskers. Officers, except in the light cavalry - Hussars, Lancers, Horse Jaegers, and Cossacks kept clean shaven lips, but, depending upon fashion, could sport extensive sideburns. The men were not constrained, but typically grenadiers would wear moustaches while musketeers and jaegers would shave.

Knapsack

Leonov, Popov, & Kibovsky, mention that in the L-g. the NCO's wore the valise over their left shoulder until March 23, 1807, unlike the men who slung it over the right. This presumably applies to the line as well.

It was planned that the greatcoat would be folded and strapped to the valise, but in practise it was much more convenient to wear it rolled, over the shoulder.

Shako rank distinctions

Officer's effects

Infantry

Gold or silver metal color, for buttons and miter plates, is combined with the regimental name for compactness. The tape used to pipe the cap bags, of various combinations of yellow, white, red, black, green, silver, etc. is represented by the border of the bag cell.

The △ symbol indicates a tassel on the buttonhole loop, of the illustrated colors.

Battalion and Company Colors

Under Paul I, line regiments continued to consist of 2 battalions. Grenadier battalions had 5 companies of fusiliers, and 1 of grenadiers. These were referred to as grenadiers and flank grenadiers in the all grenadier Leib-grenadier, and these terms may have been used informally with the other grenadier regiments. Musketeer battalions had 5 companies of musketeers, and 1 company of grenadiers.

The nut and ruff of the swordknot were in company colors; The body in battalion color.
NCO's swordknot were the same, but with a different ruff of mixed white, black, and orange yarns, and the interior fringe threads were orange and black.

The center and outside of the pompon took the colors of the regiment, reversed for the second battalion.²² Hat tassels were similarly patterned, and the drawstring mixed the same colors.

The Marine battalions adopted grenadier uniforms, presumably including the red stock and straw woodwork, and, by Jan. 12, 1798, the 5 fusilier and 1 flank grenadier company organization. Lining and turnbacks were white. The battalion color distinguished the miter bag (piped as indicated) and band and the troop's buttonhole loops. The officer's loops were per battalion, but as officer's loops were invariably metallic, the meaning is unclear.

Combined Grenadier Battalions

On December 24, 1797, the two grenadier companies of each regiment were paired with another two to form 4 company battalions named after their commanders. The Caucasus Grenadiers, Yekaterinburg, and Selenginsk regiments retained their grenadiers. The Leib-grenadiers, whose flank grenadiers, if they had them, were part of the battalions, likewise did not combine. The garrison regiments appear to have formed 4 company battalions as well, although not all participated.

Woodwork

Battalion and Company Colors

On May 12, 1802 all line regiments were formed into 3 battalions each of 4 companies. The first battalion of Grenadier and Musketeer regiments were grenadiers. The second and third were fusiliers or musketeers, respectively. As before, the Leib-grenadier battalions were all grenadiers. On May 11, 1803 the marine battalions were organized into 3 battalion regiments. Although organized like Musketeer regiments, they retained elite grenadier privileges.

The nut and ruff of the swordknot were in company colors; The body in battalion color.
NCO's swordknot were the same, but with a different ruff including black and orange yarns, and the interior fringe threads were orange and black.

The center of the pompon took the color of the regiment (or l.green where clashing).

Retention of Miters

• Kaluga, Estonia, Mogilev, Kostroma, Odessa, Vilna, and Penza were all raised after the introduction of the shako.
• The Jan. 4, 1806 order, allowing officers in the Caucasus Inspection to wear shakos in action, may imply they had converted.
• The Pavlovsk Grenadiers famously wore their miters through the Wars, redistributing the grenadier and fusilier miters by company with the 1811 restructuring.³⁹
• Austerlitz relics, an all l.crimson miter, and a straw miter with a dark band, have been identified as belonging to the Narva and Old Ingermanland grenadier battalions.
• An officer's diary indicates the Apsheron grenadier battalion had switched before Austerlitz.
• The regimental history of the New Ingermanland is said to relate a Nov. 1805 order to change the miter bags to d.green. (However, since the facing change occurred in Nov. 1804, I suspect this is an error.)
• The Moscow Grenadier and Vladimir grenadier battalion are thought to have fought at Eylau in miters.
• The Azov regiment was fully re-equiped (presumably with shakos) after heavy losses as Austerlitz. Other regiments suffering heavily would include: Galich, Butyrki, Narva, Podolia, Kursk, and Perm.

Presumably, the pompon center continued to match the shoulder straps for these new regiments.

The center of the pompon took the color of the regiment (or l.green where clashing).

Details

Organization

Greatcoat

Drums

Round "top hat"

The cartridge pouch

Side arms

On October 11, 1797 all interior garrison units took the black stock.

Garrison battalions consisted of 5 companies of musketeers, with an additional company - grenadier in the campaign garrisons, and invalid in the interior garrisons. However, the grenadier companies were not established until authorized, the Moscow Garrison never receiving one, the Tobolsk Garrison reclassified as an interior garrison, and a number of interior garrisons (those listed with miters) reclassified as campaign garrisons. At the same time, invalid companies remained mostly with the original interior garrisons, but could be found with some of the campaign garrisons as well.

Only the Archangel, Kronstadt, Omsk, Tomsk, and Nizhne-Kamchatka garrisons retained their grenadier companies⁵³, wearing their previous miters.

Garrison battalions were usually of 4 musketeer companies, with Garrison regiments varying from 2 to 4 battalions. And Kamchatka had a unique 6 company organization, one of which was a marine company.

Field (underlined in tables) and interior establishments⁵⁷ continued to be distinct. Battalions on internal establishment included an invalid company.

Details

Sword belts

Facing changes

Woodwork

The 1800 pattern flag was issued to all combined regiments, except the 4 battalion Moskow, Kronstadt, and Riga garrison regiments (as well as the independent Kamchatka and Balaklava battalions). The flag staff was issued in brown, i.e. coffee, and remained so. The other woodwork may have changed to conform.⁵⁹

New units possibly took black or white.³⁸

After December 17, 1808, Decree 23,382 specified coffee for new units.

The nut and ruff of the swordknot were in company colors; The body in battalion color, which varied depending upon how many battalions were in the regiment.
NCO's swordknot were the same, but with a different ruff including black and orange yarns, and the interior fringe threads were orange and black.

Invalid companies had a white swordknot.

The center of the pompon took the color of the regiment (or l.green where clashing). The outside of the pompon took battalion color, which varied depending upon how many battalions were in the regiment.

On December 15, 1809 garrison units took new pompons. Later, the Moscow Garrison, briefly 6 battalions due to the absorption of Veliki Ustyug and Vologda, was given a new sequence. The reforms of 1810-11 did not affect the garrisons.

Internal Guard

Details

Shoulder strap markings

Woodwork

Coffee.

Divisional period

Transition

A new scheme for the Line was adopted November 19, 1807 that lasted through the fall of Paris. Collars and cuffs were red, cuff flaps d.green, and shoulder straps were in order of seniority within each division, with the number of the division couched on the strap. The collars and shoulder straps on the greatcoat followed, but madder fabric was substituted for red. On January 1, 1810 this was applied to the lining of the coat tails as well, except for the 1st Division.⁶²

The new scheme was supposed to go into effect in 1808, but since issues about seniority had not been worked out, the Inspection era facings remained in service until the next year. The only regiment raised during this time, Bialystok⁶³, was formed as the 5th regiment of the 9th division.

The Jaegers⁶⁴ went through a similar transition. The coat was changed from l.green to d.green. On January 4, 1808, the senior regiment of each division took red shoulder straps, and any junior took azure. On May 19, 1808 the collars became white red piped, cuffs red, cuff flaps d.green, and pants piping red. By February 25, 1809, the collars, cuffs, and cuff flaps were d.green red piped. Finally, on July 20, 1809 the red shoulder straps switched to yellow.

While facings were quickly changed, and clothing renewed every two years, equipment was often used to term before a new pattern was adopted. Many of the transitional changes were not completed until 1812. In particular, the Caucasus forces - the 19th and 20th Divisions - seem to have kept the old uniforms and equipment right up until 1812.

Woodwork

Remained the same. But for new units, Decree 23,382 of December 17, 1808 specified a sequence of yellow, black, white, yellow, and black woodwork for up to five regiments in a division.⁵⁹

Battalion and Company Colors

The Grenadiers, Musketeers - later Infantry, Jaegers, and later Marines were reorganized Each regiment consisted of three battalions of 1 grenadier and 3 ordinary companies. The grenadier company was formed of a grenadier platoon which deployed on the right, and a sharpshooter platoon which deployed on the left. The 1st and 3d battalions were field units, the 2d was a depot, but its grenadier company was detached and combined into 3 company combined grenadier battalions, and the remaining battalion was pressed into service in 1812. As before, the Leib-grenadier were all grenadiers, although they took company distinctions.

During 1811 modifications were made to accommodate the new grenadier companies. The grenadier and sharpshooter platoons received their own patterns, while the center companies retained the 1809 pattern. Swordknots remained as before, except that the grenadier company took the red based pattern previously used by the 4th companies in the battalions. The fatigue cap has a band in regiment color, piped above with company color, while the crown was piped with battalion color.