Napoleonic British cavalry

[ochoin]

I don't really need more British cavalry - there's seven regiments on strength currently (3 X Household, 3 x Dragoons & 1 x Light dragoons). But I'm tempted to buy some hussars from Newline.

They come in two flavours - with fur busby or sporting a bell-top shako. I believe both sets of headgear (+, presumably the troopers & their mounts) were at Waterloo. My little army is for the 1812-1815 period.

Question....which to choose & don't say both. One is an indulgence but two are madness.


donald

[FreddBloggs]

They are 1812 uniform changes so in use from 1813 onwards. Pick a regiment is my suggestion, or go busby.

Up to Dec 31st 1812, they wore a tarleton.

[RMD]

Here are the hussar uniforms in 1815:

7th Hussars (5 Cav Bde) - busby (red bag) with plain blue uniform (black fur), blue overalls (yellow stripe) and yellow/gold lace.
10th Hussars (6 Cav Bde) - red shako with plain blue uniform (black fur), grey overalls (yellow stripe) and yellow/gold lace.
15th Hussars (5 Cav Bde) - busby (red bag) with blue uniform (red collar & cuffs, black fur), grey overalls (red stripe) and white/silver lace.
18th Hussars (6 Cav Bde) - busby (light blue bag) with blue uniform (white collar & cuffs, white fur), grey overalls (red stripe) and white/silver lace.
1st KGL Hussars (6 Cav Bde) - fur-covered shako (red bag) with blue uniform (red collar & cuffs, black fur), blue overalls (red stripe) and yellow/gold lace.
2nd KGL Hussars (5 Cav Bde) - fur-covered shako (red bag) with blue uniform (white collar & cuffs, white fur), grey overalls (yellow stripe) and yellow/gold lace.
3rd KGL Hussars (7 Cav Bde) - black shako (possibly fur-covered for officers) with blue uniform (yellow collar & cuffs, brown fur), grey overalls (yellow stripe) and yellow/gold lace.

Note that most hussar regiments changed their uniforms frequently in the Peninsula. All wore busbies until 1812, when some adopted shako, though at least one regiment reverted to busby in 1815.

Sorry to disagree with Fred, but it was the Light Dragoons who wore Tarletons, not the Hussars (though the Hussars were officially 'Light Dragoons (Hussars)').

[FreddBloggs]

the hussars all started as Light Dragoons.

[RMD]

the hussars all started as Light Dragoons.

Yes indeed they did (as mentioned in my last sentence, they remained officially LDs), but as hussars they never wore tarleton (the odd mirliton though...).

[ochoin]

Between the 10th & the 18th, I think. Coin toss.

donald

[valleyboy]

Its another of those classic wargamers rules like a new unit runs away, every unit must have a flag etc that British Hussars should be depicted in the Busby - just because

[RMD]

Its another of those classic wargamers rules like a new unit runs away, every unit must have a flag etc that British Hussars should be depicted in the Busby - just because

I do have a soft spot for the red-shako'd 'uns... Though the 18th with those light blue busby-bags look a bit different.

[ochoin]

Its another of those classic wargamers rules like a new unit runs away, every unit must have a flag etc that British Hussars should be depicted in the Busby - just because

It seems a fraught question as to whether busbys were still being worn at Waterloo. As a transitional period its possible & the evidence for shakos rests on regulations & post-battle paintings.

I won't be giving my hussars flags but its a brave man who will nay say their headgear.


donald

[RMD]

Its another of those classic wargamers rules like a new unit runs away, every unit must have a flag etc that British Hussars should be depicted in the Busby - just because

It seems a fraught question as to whether busbys were still being worn at Waterloo. As a transitional period its possible & the evidence for shakos rests on regulations & post-battle paintings.

I won't be giving my hussars flags but its a brave man who will nay say their headgear.


donald

Uxbridge was certainly wearing a shako (unlike the film), but the majority of hussar regiments were wearing busbies in 1815. The 15th were also possibly wearing red shakos (my own shako-wearers are the 15th), but most recent research is fairly adamant that they were wearing busbies.