The 15e Chasseurs a Cheval with New Recruits!
I had always hoped to find the figures needed to bring the 15th CaC up to strength, and until recently had despaired of ever finding some. Hinton Hunt figures from the dismountable series are terribly hard to find. I was elated a few months back therefore to find some, and in my excitement, purchased them without looking as closely as I should have. It turned out their mounts were terribly undersized and not even by Hinton Hunt, and frankly may not have even been from the Napoleonic era. I was sorely disappointed. Somewhat later I was looking through my spares box and realized I had some elite Chasseurs a Cheval that were recasts, which I had forgotten about. They just happened to be mounted on the correct horse and I was able to find four castings that were reasonably well done. A bit of work with epoxy putty to fill the holes in the bases and pits from poor casting and voila - the horses I needed. So without further adieu, I present the completed regiment of the 15e Chasseurs a Cheval.
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| The biggest challenge when matching an existing unit is getting the colors right - which I almost did. The horses turned out a hair darker, but not distractingly so. The new company is at the front left of the line in this picture. |
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| Here's a comparison shot - very subtle differences, but I was extremely pleased with the final match. |
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| The new company is on the right. |
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| Here is the command stand, now with an added trooper from the newly painted castings. |
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| Dick Tennant's brushwork on these was spectacular, and I was hard pressed to match it! |
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| Close-up of the newly painted company |
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| Note the solid red pompom of the newly painted company. |
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| Some of DTs work for comparison. |
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| In the originals painted by Dick Tennant, the company pompom was red with a white line. The other company distinctives are light blue, and light blue with a white line (not pictured here, but in the second rank of the main picture). |
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| Newly painted four figures on the left. |
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New figures once again on the left. They fit right in as if they had always been there.
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Next Up - Elite Voltigeurs Skirmishing and Carabinier Command for the 6e Legere
Vive la difference!
ReplyDeleteA very handsome unit! Whoever said/thought chasseurs weren't as pretty as their brethren in the hussars?
ReplyDeleteKind Regards,
Stokes
Thanks Stokes. They are certainly an attractive unit and much less overly fruffy than their pigtail wearing brethren. Have to love their no nonsense demeanor!
DeleteHah! - I was trying not to make them different - but there is just enough that I know they are mine. :)
ReplyDeleteWho knew that every company had special pom pom distinctions? Well not me, obviously. You've done a cracking job with them David! And yes, just as pretty as hussars.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have read the pompoms were pretty hit and miss - no designated colors were standard. Who knows how often they were even used, so your cavalry needn't worry about the omission!
DeleteThe coat color of horses is different depending on the squadron. For the French light cavalry the regulations provide:
ReplyDeleteColor of horses.
In peacetime the regiments of dragoons, lancers, chasseurs and hussars had color of horses according to squadron:
- I Squadron (1st 'elite' company on blacks, 5th company on dark browns)
- II Squadron (2nd and 6th company) on bays
- III Squadron (3rd and 7th company) on chestnuts
- IV Squadron (4th and 8th company) on grays
However already during the campaign in 1805 only some colonels insisted on keeping up these peacetime practices.
http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/French_Cavalry.html#_and_their_horses
I continue to learn every day. Thanks for the info French Follower. By 1811 in Spain I suspect they were just happy to have a horse!
DeleteSmart looking chaps 1
ReplyDeleteWell, attractive at any rate - I have no idea how smart they were. Takes a special kind of man to gallop around on horses with sharp pokey things!
Delete"Whoever said/thought chasseurs weren't as pretty as their brethren in the hussars?" The answer is no-one! Those jumped-up popinjays look like an explosion in a haberdashers compared to simple, under-stated, manly elegance of the line regiments of Chasseurs à Cheval.
ReplyDeleteThe regiment looks fab and the match is brilliant - I didn't even spot the red pom-pom distinction until I read your comment. All I could find to distinguish them were the shako cords which are painted slightly differently - and I did give them a good hard look. Definitely an A+ unit, when will they be be unleashed on the rosbifs?
I could point out a few other slight differences (but I'll keep those under my hat). I need to finish the 6e Leger and one more combined Grenadier battalion before I move on to the next battle. But I fear it will be Talavera before we see these dashing chaps again on the battle board.
DeleteSplendid looking toys David…
ReplyDeleteAm I right in thinking that there were more Chasseur a Chavel regiments than there were Hussars?
All the best. Aly
That sounds like a Rob question Aly. I am terrible about over-all organization, but I am trying to read more, so who knows. Eventually it may sink in.
DeleteThe numbers do vary over the period but in terms of line cavalry there were roughly: 2 carabiniers, 12-15 cuirassiers, 15-30 dragoons, 7-9 lancers, 15-31 chasseurs and 7-14 hussars.
DeletePoints to Rob. I knew we could count on him to know the answer. Thanks!
Delete