Soldier horse Artillery

horse Artillery

The Napoleonic artillery was a product of the change in French military theory that followed humiliations of the Seven Years War. Especially painful was the defeat at Rossbach where 42.000 French and their Allies were trashed by 21,000 Prussians under Fredrick the Great. The French artillery in that time was according to the "system" of de Vallerie. The cannons were strongly built, very powerful, but very ornate and far too heavy to handle in the field.

The old system was gradually replaced by so-called Gribeauval System. The new guns were designed for more rapid movements, on and off the roads. Gribeauval stressed mobility, hitting power and accuracy. His important innovation was the elevating screw used to adjust the range of the cannon by raising or lowering its breech. Another innovation was the prolong. It was a heavy rope 30 feet long and used to connect the gun and its limber when it was necessary to fire while retiring or to unlimber the gun while crossing some difficult obstacle.

Napoleon expected excellence and competence from his gunners and he got it. The French artillery became superior to every artillery of Europe. The artillery enjoyed an unprecedented popularity among young men in France seeking career in the army. The infantrymen and cavalrymen complained that the gunners gave themselves airs because their First Consul and then Emperor himself had been a gunner.

 

Horse Artillery (artillerie à cheval). In 1805 were 6 regiments of horse artillery.

The horse gunner wore uniform resembling the light cavalry's outfit (hussar's) until 1812. The new uniform was elegant but simpler. The fur cap (or shako with red cords) was replaced with shako with red bands and shevrons. He also wore red epaulettes, similar to those worn by the elite companies of cavalry and infantry.