The French Imperial Guard (4): Cavalry 1804 - 1815

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The French Imperial Guard (4): Cavalry 1804 - 1815

By Andre Joineau

Publisher: Histoire and Collections 2006 80 Pages

ISBN: 2352500028

PDF 34 MB

We begin this fourth volume with the end of the chapter devoted to the Gendarmes d'Elite. We will then consider those cavalry units of the Guard which are much less known: the Gendarmes d'Ordonnance (the Ordnance Gendarmes), the Gardes d'Honneur (the Guards of Honour), the Lithuanian Tartars, the Krakus and the Eclaireurs (Scouts). Finally in the last chapter, we will start our study of the Horse Artillery which will be developed further in Volume V.

The Gendarmes d'ordonnance

On 24 September 1806, the Emperor sent a letter to the Minister of the Interior: "Monsieur Champa-gny, you will find attached an idea for a circular which you can set out as you wish. You will com­municate it to Minister Dejean so that he can send it to Marechal Kellermann." The project he had in mind was to recruit and set up a new corps, the Gen­darmes d'Ordonnance. Napoleon continued: 7 do not know what will come of it. You know that I do not need troops, but I do wish to open up this career again to all those who have been cut off from the motherland by the circumstances of the Revolution; after all, it is such a natural career for any Frenchman. If you adopt these measures, you will have to write immediately to the Prefects of Paris and the neighbouring departments."