This is the second part of a three-article series on French line infantry equipment and uniform in 1812.

The first article describes the various bits of clothing and equipment a French line fusilier would have and wear.

This article explores and clarifies the various tenues (dress codes) that were in use.

A third article describes the contents of the backpack and other small bits of equipment. In short, the complete list of what a French fusilier would have received at enrolling.

Contents:

• Intro
• Grand tenue
• Tenue de service
• Tenue d'exercice
• Tenue de campagne

Uniform, Equipment and tenues.
Part 2: Tenues

By Koen De Smedt

Intro

All the clothing and equipment a French line fusilier had, would be carried in various regulated and non-regulated combinations or tenues. Basically the French Napoleonic Army had 4 tenues:

1. Grand tenue (full dress)
2. Tenue de service (service dress)
3. Tenue d'exercice (drill or exercise dress)
4. Tenue de campagne or tenue de route (campaign dress)

Each tenue was worn for specific occasions, and would consist of specific items. Furthermore there were the tenue de ville (city dress - basically the grand tenue, but without gaiters, musket and giberne, and probably exchanging the pokalem for the shako) and the tenue de camp (camp dress - a crossover dress, between service, drill and campaign dress, and used when in camp).

After a long campaign, and with several parts of the formal dresses worn out or lost, threadbare, worn or replacement items would be worn. Replacement items could be articles captured from the enemy, "recovered" from dead bodies on the field, or bought or looted from the civilian population or brought from home. Or replacement items would come down the logistics chain, and be not to regulation, because the regulation material would not be available. A soldier on campaign could there for be very different from a soldier dressed according to regulations, as pictorial evidence suggests.
A nice example are the several items in brown cloth used in the Peninsular Campaign, because other cloth wasn't readily available, and soldiers would wear pantalons de toile and greatcoats made of brown cloth. Also, shortage of equipment would lead to conscrits taking the field, lacking several uniform items, like shakos and habits. The Marie-Louises of 1813-14 would often emerge from the depot battalions wearing only shoes, overalls, gaiters, shirt, greatcoat, pokalem, backpack, giberne and musket (if they were available!).

Grand tenue

Would be worn for formal and solemn occasions (parades, reviews, ...) and for combat, although very often a toned down version of the grand tenue, or the tenue de service, or even the tenue de campagne (or a combination of these) would be worn to save the more expensive and formal bits of the grand tenue, or because there was no time to change dress, or because of the weather conditions.

Consists of shako (with well polished brass, jugulaires down, with all the cords and the plume or pompon), col noir, habit-veste (clean, with whitened plastron, and polished buttons), the pantalons d'étoffe, black gaiters, giberne (whitened belt and polished brass bits), musket (well polished and cleaned, and ditto bayonet), havresac (with the capote rolled up and strapped on top - with or without a cover, that is under discussion) and shoes (cleaned).

Tenue de service

This would be the dress worn on less formal occasions. It is still quite impressive, but less formal than the grand tenue.
Consists of shako (jugulaires up, unless when used in battle, when the jugulaires would be en bataille), col noir, habit-veste, pantalons de toile, gray gaiters, shoes, giberne, musket, havresac (with the capote rolled up and tied on top), water bottle and and most probably a bread bag (if ever used, see higher)

Tenue d'exercice

This would be the dress worn for drill and exercise, and also when in camp, and doing chores or duties.
Consists of pokalem, col noir, gilet, pantalons de toile, grey gaiters, shoes, giberne, musket (only when doing weapon drill), and water bottles. Often bread bags would be worn as well.

Tenue de campagne (tenue de route)

This would be the dress worn on the march. It is more comfortable than the more formal dresses.
Consists of shako with cover (to protect the shako and the brass from the elements), capote (in cold weather with the gilet worn underneath), col noir or col blanc, pantalons de toile, grey gaiters, shoes, giberne with cover (to help keep the powder dry), musket (with a bit of oiled cloth or rag wound round the lock to protect it, and a bit of wood or cork (tampion) in the barrel to avoid water or snow to get in), havresac (with the habit rolled up on top), and water bottles. Often also bread bags (if used by the French).

 

 

 

 

Artwork by Bill Teefy