The Saxon Army 1810

The Saxon Army 1810 - 13

Part II: The Cavalry

By Howard Giles

Sketches by Geoff Gibbs

Heavy Cavalry

There were three Regiments of heavy cavalry, these being, (by seniority)

Garde du Corps
Leib Kürassiere Garde
Zastrow Kürassiere

All three Regiments held Guard status. Each had a theoretical strength of 670 men in 4 squadrons.

The heavy cavalry briade was wiped out in Russia, only 20 Officers and 7 men returning, with 48 prisoners held by the Russians. The Garde du Corps was not re-raised until after the Napoleonic Wars.

A new Heavy Cavalry Brigade took the field in 1813, consisting of the previously untouched Leib Kürassiere and the reformed Zastrows. Together they fought with distinction, defecting to the Allies only after the Battle of Leipzig.

The uniforms of all three regiments wre similar in cut to the French Carabiniers'. However, the Leib and Zastrow Kürassiere did not wear back-plates, and the Garde du Corps neither back nor breast-plates.

Garde du Corps

Helmet: Brass with fur turban and crest, white plume, black leather peak edged brass. Brass chin scales.

Tunic: Pale buff, faced blue. Orange piping around the top of the collar, down the front of the tunic, and on the turnbacks.

Breeches: Pale buff.

Buttons: Brass.

Gloves: White.

Belts: White leather, with a silver buckle on the waistbelt.

Boots: High black leather knee boots.

Sabre/Scabbard: Steel. Silver sword knot.

Shabraque: Blue, edged with two bands of orange, piped red. The 'FAR' cipher was embroidered on the pistol holders and shabraque.

Portmanteaux: Blue.

Cloak: Blue.

Uniform Distinctions

Officers: Gold epaulettes, gold belts, edged blue, gold aiguilette over right shoulder, brass scales over helmet turban, gold ciphers and edging to shabraque.

NCOs: Blue French style rank chevrons on lowere sleeve.

Trumpeters: Red tunic, helmet crest and plume, white breeches and waistbelt, silver trumpet with gold cords.

Under ideal circumstances, the Regiment rode black horses. In Russia, however, the losses experienced forced the Regiment to take any replacements available.


Officer	Trooper	Trumpeter
Saxon Garde du Corps

Leib Kürassiere

Helmet: as for Garde du Corps.

Tunic: White, faced red edged with silver, red and yellow lace. Brass shoulder scales.

Breast-plate: Black, lined with red.

Buttons: Brass

Gloves: White.

Belts: White leather shoulder belt supporting a carbine, and a thin white leather waistbelt holding the cuirass in place. A waistbelt worn under the cuirass supported the sabre.

Boots: High black leather knee boots.

Sabre/Scabbard: Steel. Silver sword knot.

Shabraque: Red, edged yellow piped red and white, with the 'FAR' cipher in gold.

Portmanteaux: Red.

Uniform Distinctions

Officers, NCOS and Trumpeters: as for the Garde du Corps, buth with brass trumpets.

Zastrow Kürassiere

Helmet: As for Garde du Korps.

Tunic: White, faced yellow edged silver. Brass shoulder scales.

Breast-plate: Black lined yellow, held in place at the shoulder with buff leather straps, reinforced with brass.

Breeches: Buff.

Buttons: Brass.

Gloves: White.

Belts: White leather, with a brass buckle on the waistbelt. Equipment as for the Leib Kürassiere.

Boots: High black leather knee boots.

Sabre/Scabbard: Steel. Silver sword knot.

Shabraque: Yellow, edged with two strips in white, and an 'FAR' cipher in white.

Portmanteaux: Yellow, edged white, held in place by brown leather straps.

Uniform Distinctions

Officers: Silver epaulettes, gold chain on shoulder belt, gold scales on turban, silver lace on shabraque.

Trumpeters: Yellow tunic with white facings, silver lace around the collar, down the front of the tunic and on the turnbacks. Red crest and helmet plume, brass trumpet with gold and black trumpet cords.


Officer	Trooper	Trumpeter
Saxon Leib and Zastrow Kürassiere


Zastrow Trooper	Garde du Corps Officer	Garde du Corps and Leib Kurassiere Trooper
Heavy Cavalry Shabraques

Placed on the Napoleon Series: August 2001

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