French Hussar Facings

French Hussars facing colors are a bit of a 'hot topic' with me at this moment. It is true to say the subject of Hussar uniforms is complex, so many variations, so easy to get it wrong?

With all the information available to us on the net these days do we really have any excuse to at least not get the big picture right? So this is an aide-memoire based on Bukhari's Book 'Napoleons Cavalry' from Osprey.

Colors are my approximations based on the drawing in the book so your shades could vary a bit but you shouldn't have a totally different color.

Unless anyone knows different?

Hussars Troopers and Officers Facings

Regt	Dolman	Collar	Cuffs	Pelisse	Breeches	Lace
1er
2e
3e
4e
5e
6e
7e
8e
9e
10e
11e
12e
13ea
13eb
14e

Hussars Trumpeters Facings

Regt	Dolman	Collar	Cuffs	Pelisse	Breeches	Lace
1er
2e
3e
4e
5e
6e
7e
8e
9e
10e
11e
12e
13ea
13eb
14e

NOTES TO UNIFORM TABLES ABOVE

Trumpeters in general	Generally, trumpeters were supposed to wear their uniform in the reverse colors of the regiment. They rode white or gray horses with a black sheepskin saddle cover. Since the uniforms were furnished by the regimental commander, many variations have been noted but not furnished here except for the 1st Hussars (see note ³ below).
Lace Color	Braid, shako flounders & cords, piping, and button color (white = pewter/silver for officers or yellow = brass/gold for officers). Exception: 3rd Hussars red piping, white/silver button color.
Cuffs	Facing color on dolman cuffs.
1st Hussar Trumpeter Variations	1806 - sky blue pelisse (Buquoy 19), 1809 - red pelisse (Buquoy 20), blue pelisse (Buquoy 69), 1810 - blue pelisse (Buquoy 86), 1811 - red pelisse (Buquoy 93), 1812 - white pelisse (Osprey G3), 1814 - white pelisse (Buquoy 102).
13ea	13e Hussars Formed 1795 disbanded 1796. Reformed 1813 from Italian recruits. Served with the Grande Armee in the 1813 Saxon Campaign with distinction but suffered heavy losses. Disbanded and the remaining men transferred to the 14th Hussars in December 1813.
13eb	13e Hussars Reformed in January 1814 from the Regiment de Hussards Jerome-Napoleon. Served as part of the Armee d’Italie. DisbandedAugust 1814.

For campaign dress overalls would have been used, 1812 regulations give them as dark green for all units but in practice they could have been blue, grey, green or red.

Also it is mentioned that Trumpeter's were rarely dressed in Imperial Livery, even when forced to do so they would wait for the fuss to die down before quietly going back to their old uniforms.

Headgear
Post 1812 it's the shako rouleau made of black felt, most often covered in a colored fabric, favorite color being red. The 6e and 8e are known to have worn it in the 1812 campaign. That said the illustrations shows the Brigadier of the 12e in black, Trumpeter of the 1er in sky blue, trooper of the 9e in red, Fourrier of the 11e in black. Elite companies would more often than not have retained their colpack's through to the end of the period.

Organisation
In 1798 the Directorate had 12 hussar regiments.
In 1803 the 11e and 12e Régiment became 29e and 30e Dragons.
In 1804 were 10 hussar regiments numbered 1er-10e.
In 1810 the 11e Régiment was reraised from Dutch 2nd Hussar Reg.
In February 1813 the 12e Regiment was reraised from the 9e Bis Husards (which was made of detached squadrons). Between Jan and Dec 1813 existed 13e Regiment. This unit fought well and suffered heavily. It was disbanded and its remnants were put into new 14e Regiment formed in Northern Italy in 1813. Majority of them were Italians. The 13e Regiment was reraised in January 1814 from hussars of Jerome Bonaparte.
In 1815 there were only 7 hussar regiments.


Uniform Plates
Napoleon Series: 1e-11e Hussars graphics by Tim Reese

Les Uniforms pendant la campagne Cent Jours -Belgique 1815
1er Régiment de Hussards
4ème Régiment de Hussards
5ème Régiment de Hussards
6ème Régiment de Hussards
7ème Régiment de Hussards


[Updated:Added Trumpeter Info]