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The Ninth Hussars First French Empire
On June 4, 1793, the 10th Hussars formerly of the 2nd Corps of the Hussards de la Liberte was given the number 9 which it retained until 1814, at which date it was disbanded. The 9th particularly distinguished themselves at Jena in 06 where Colonel Barbanegre was killed. The regiment played a brilliant part at the battles of Wagram in 09 and Moscow in 12 These three honors together with that of Zurich in 1799 were born on the standard. Our cover represent the Commandant in full dress and a trumpeter. Of the latter numerous variants are known, and it is difficult to determine the exact uniform worn. We have represented that most generally known but other sources show a yellow dolman, red pelisse and breeches, and red shako with black plume with yellow top. The plumes of Hussars had at the base a pompom of the squadron colour 1st Red, 2nd Sky Blue, 3rd Rose, 4th Yellow in each squadron the 1st Company had the pompom entirely of the squadron colour, the second a portion of white in the centre. The Elite Company wore a black colpack with red bag edged yellow and red plume. Officers shabraques could also be of sky blue cloth edged gold as in our black and white illustration. Only officers of the Regimental Staff wore a white plume and the Colonel wore a white aigrette. We have shown the Hussars charging, pelisse flying as in full dress, which whilst being the most decorative is also the least likely. Actually in summer the Hussars wore the dolman without the pelisse. In winter the pelisse was worn fastened and the dolman replaced by a sleeveless waistcoat of blue-laced yellow gold for officers. To turn now to our accompanying black and white illustration, the figure on the left represents a Hussar in campaign dress, the uniform being the same as in our colored cover, red dolman, collar and pelisse blue braided yellow. The cap-lines, flounders and plume were dispensed with and the shako retained only the Company pompom. Chavrivari overalls were worn over the boats and breeches as a protection. In the 9th these were of blue with a lateral stripe of red and yellow buttons and slant packets piped in red.
The inner leg was reinforced with black
leather with serrated edge and edged red. Our centre figure
shows a Hussars in dolman, rear view. The carbine was
attached to the belt by a spring hook which passed through a
sliding ring on a metal bar attached to the carbine. A
leather thong ensured that all was secure. On the right the
mounted officer is a Lieutenant of the Elite Company. He was
the black colpack with red bag with gold braid and red
plume. The saddle cloth is blue laced gold. Under the
fastened pelisse is the blue gold-braided waistcoat.
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