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Saxe
Regular Infantry
A
Painting Guide
by
Ludovic Dias
Here
is some information for figure painters and Napoleonic gamers alike.
If you consider this information useful, the complete army or, for that
matter, other countries can be analysed as well.
This
is the result of comparisons between the “Uniforms and Weapons of the
First Empire Soldiers” by William and Fred Funcken and the Napoleonic
museum here in
Fontainebleau
(the museum of uniforms being
fairly convenient for me to use).
The
Saxe duchy became a kingdom on the 11th of December of 1806 under
the rule of Frederic-August the First who remained Napoleon's ally until the
very middle of
Leipzig
battle (the Battle of Nations,
October 1813).
The
Army was reorganized the first time in 1810, when it became French-inspired
or Rhine-Confederacy-styled and then of course after 1813 to break away from
the “Grande Armée” tradition.
Regular
Line Infantry
Before
1810
12
regiments of line infantry by pair.
White
uniforms (with white turned-back facings) with the following distinctive colours
for the V-shaped collar, revers and round facings.
| Regiment
|
Colour
|
Buttons
|
| Kurfürst
|
scarlet
|
yellow
|
| Von
Sänger
|
scarlet
|
white
|
| Prinz
Clement
|
dark blue
|
yellow
|
| Prinz
Anton
|
dark blue
|
white
|
| Von
Rechten
|
purple
|
yellow
|
| Von
Niesemeuschel
|
purple
|
white
|
| Prinz
Xavier
|
light blue
|
yellow
|
| Von
Ryssel
|
light blue
|
white
|
| Prinz
Friedriech-August
|
field green
|
yellow
|
| Von
Low
|
field green
|
white
|
| Prinz
Max
|
yellow
|
yellow
|
| Von
Thümmel
|
yellow
|
white
|
These
regiments were turned into eight (8) after 1810 and amounted to the same
number after 1813, still grouped by pairs. They started wearing the
white jacket uniform, standard for most of the German allied armies that
included straight and square revers, fastened collar and peak-shaped
facings. They wore the Shako.
This
uniform was probably practical, since it is mostly the defining colours that
were modified after 1813. It is interesting to note the change of
orders for the various regiments, either for political (favour) or military
(success) reasons.
1810
| Regiment
|
Colour
|
Buttons
|
| König
|
scarlet
|
yellow
|
| Von
Niesemeuschel
|
scarlet
|
white
|
| Von
Low
|
blue
|
yellow
|
| Prinz
Anton
|
blue
|
white
|
| Prinz
Friedrich-August
|
green
|
yellow
|
| Prinz
Clement
|
green
|
white
|
| Prinz
Max
|
yellow
|
yellow
|
| Von
Rechten
|
yellow
|
white
|
1813
| Regiment
|
Colour
|
Buttons
|
| König
|
red
|
yellow
|
| Von
Niesemeuschel
|
red
|
white
|
| Prinz
Anton
|
blue
|
white
|
| Von
Low
|
blue
|
yellow
|
| Prinz
Maximilien
|
yellow
|
yellow
|
| Von
Rechten
|
yellow
|
white
|
| Prinz
Friedrich-August
|
green
|
yellow
|
| Steindel
|
green
|
white
|
Light
Troops
A
light brigade composed of light infantry and foot chasseurs.
Light
infantry
Two
battalions that became the light infantry regiments number 1 and 2 in 1810.
Dark
green vest with yellow buttons, black collar and peak-shaped facings with
red border.
Grey
trousers with red lining and spear shapes on the front.
Foot chasseurs (a troop)
Created
in 1809, they wore nearly the same uniform as the light infantry with light
grey trousers without shapes, lighter green for turned-back facings and
V-shaped collar. The shako carried a yellow horn.
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napoleonic wars
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