#8063 1805 French Light Infantry

Dated: Jan 16, 2002, last updated June 28, 2002.

French Light Infantry 1802 – 1807 

     During this period French light infantry battalions were composed of 8 chasseur companies (equivalent of fusiliers) and one carabinier company (equivalent of grenadiers).
     In about 1802 the French light infantry adopted a shako with detachable visor and the plume was carried on the side of the shako.  In contrast to the line infantry the light infantry had short coat tails and apart from the red cuff flap and collar the rest of the uniform was blue. On campaign trousers worn over the gaiters was popular. Both chasseurs and carabiniers wore epaulettes and cross belts, the carabiniers had red epaulettes and red plumes while the chasseurs preferred green, the plume with a red tip on top. The collars were red. In 1804 a company of chasseurs was replaced by voltigeurs who had as distinction a yellow collar as well as yellow and green epaulettes and plumes.
     The French light infantry could fight either in close order or in skirmish order and had identical arms as their comrades in the line. 
     With the figures in this box you can create all the light infantry companies necessary for a battalion. In this dress the light infantry fought in the more glorious battles of Napoléon Bonaparte like Austerlitz (1805), Auerstedt, Jena (1806) and Friedland (1807). 
Hans-Karl Weiss - Germany

Box, sprue and painted shots.








Above figures painted by Flavio Rossi (Italy).

Carabiniers



Chasseurs





Voltigeurs


Above figures painted by Scott MacPhee (USA).

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