rUSSIAN CAVALRY FOR THE CAMPAIGN OF LEIPZIG
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| The Light Cavalry Brigade |
ACTUAL FORCES AND
STRENGHTS
After the failed invasion of Russia by Napoleon, the Russian army
started the pursuit of the remnants of the Grande Armée towards the west.
During that pursuit, the Russian Light Cavalry played a very important
role. Hussars and Mounted Chasseurs were, along the omnipresent Cossacks,
the forces driving the routed French and their Allies towards Poland and
Germany.
UNIFORMS AND MINIATURES
The
Russian Hussars
wore the classical Hungarian uniform: pelisse (trimmed
with white wool edging, black for officers) and dolman, both outfitted
with buttons and tresses. The breeches were white o (after 1809) facing-coloured
and the waist cummerbund was of the color of the pelisse witn band of
the color of the tresses. Hessian boots, facing coloured sabretache and
shako. In 1812, the khiver shako was adopted with pompom, chinstrap and
tresses of the same facing color and white plume (red for trumpeters).
White belts with a carbine and a curved sabre.
There were 11 Russian Hussars Regiments in 1812 with
different facings.
I have depicted
(1) The
Alexandria
(Aleksandriya or Aleksandriiskii) Regiment, which wore the following assets in 1813:
black pelisse, dolman, and breeches; red collar and cuffs on the dolman;
white braid, galloon, and buttons; black sabretache and saddlecloth,
with red trim and monograms.
(2) The Soumy (Sumskii)
Regiment, with grey pelisse and dolman; red breeches; red collar and cuffs on the dolman;
white braid, galloon, and buttons; grey sabretache and saddlecloth,
with red trim and monograms.
The Mounted Jagers, Horse Jagers or Chasseurs a Cheval
re-appeared in
November 1812 by conversion of eight Dragoon Regiments. The uniform was
similar to those of dragoons: short tailed, double breasted dark green
jacket, cuffs and shoulder straps in the facing colour, dark green
overalls with two facing-colour stripes, green collar and
turnbacks both piped in the facing colour. Kiwer shako with green cords
and white plume (red for trumpeters).
White belts with a carbine and a curved sabre.
The Livonian Regiment, here depicted, had red has facing color.
There are specifically designed figure sets for both Russian Mounted
Jagers and Hussars:
Strelets-R sets
018 and
019 respectively.
See a scheme of my choices and my painted miniatures
| UNIT | FIGURES | COLOR SCHEME | PICTURES |
| Hussars | STRELETS 019 |
Alexandria Hussars |
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| Hussars | STRELETS 019 |
 Soumy Hussars |
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Mounted Jagers |
STRELETS 018 |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Russian Army 1800-1815
George Nafziger
Rafm Co. Inc., Cambridge, Ontario, 1983
The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2): Cavalry 1799-1814
Philip Haythornhwaite, Bryan Foster
Men-at-Arms Series 189
Osprey Publishing, London, 1987
Historical description of the clothing and arms of the Russian Army
A.V. Viskovatov (Translated by Mark Conrad)