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)