French bicornes - To which point can they be used?

[Cornwallis]

Up to what point of the napoleonic wars were bicornes used? I would say that early 1807 is the last period you could use bicornes for your infantry. 
Does anyone with greater knowledge of this want to enlighted me? Thank you!

[Leon]

I think someone with a greater knowledge than me needs to chime in on this one, but I've spoke to Dave and 1807 sounds right to him.

[nikharwood]

I'd agree - 1807 is pretty much the top-end of cocked-hat usage 

[kustenjaeger]

Greetings

You might be able to sprinkle a few in later than 1807 - Suchet is quoted from I think early 1809 in Spain as saying 'no more hats, no more white coats', which is taken as meaning that it had taken until then to wear through the white coats for those regiments issued them in 1806(?) and the last of the bicornes.   I'll try to check the reference tomorrow.

Regards

Edward

[Jubilation T Cornpone]

My wife tells me it is to the point of ridicule but I will choose to ignore her and go with 1807 too.

[nikharwood]

 

[Aart Brouwer]

I think Nik has it. Bicornes were definitely still the rage during the Prussian campaign (1806). And uniform change in the field was much slower than uniform change on paper, i.e. in the administrative departments where regulations were established.

I happen to read French and the Casterman volume L'uniforme et les armes des soldats du premier empire (which is a bit like a French Osprey book on French Napoleonic uniform) says that even the old revolutionary hats were still in use with half the French infantry by 1805. Some of the newly founded light infantry regiments, established around 1802-04, wore the shako from the start. The voltigeurs were next. The mass of French line infantry would only be 'shakofied' (and also get the famous overcoat) during 1807.

The trouble with the short-lived white uniform is that there seem to be almost no sources on its actual use in the field.

However, the good news is that you can reconstruct a lot of detail from the uniform plates that have been out there for years and are now available on the web. Here are a few URL's of the most famous uniform plate collections:

1. Vinkhuijzen Collection

2. Richard Knötel's Uniformenkunde

3. Lienhart/Humbert, Les uniformes de l'armée française

4. www.1789-1815.com (in French, very detailed)

P.S. I'm actually 'building' armies for the Prussian campaign of 1806 right now and I have settled on light infantry and voltigeurs in shako's, line infantry in bicornes and grenadiers in bearskins. I'm still trying to figure out what regiment wore what colour of facing at the time, and what colour pompons etcetera. Yeah, I'm a freak.

[lentulus]

My wife tells me it is to the point of ridicule but I will choose to ignore her and go with 1807 too.

If your wife only now believes you have reached that point, you have done better than most of us.

[Jubilation T Cornpone]

Lol! Good point!

[Last Hussar]

it had taken until then to wear through the white coats for those regiments issued them in 1806(?) and the last of the bicornes. 

How do you wear out a hat?

[nikharwood]

Very easily - you should see my favourite baseball cap which has seen me through the last 4 cricket seasons...

Although I don't think that's what kustenjaeger is saying: he's talking about coats & reissue of uniform etc I think

[Leon]

How do you wear out a hat?

By repeatedly getting shot in the head?      

[Dragoon]

How do you wear out a hat?

just take the front rank of your column and some nasty jaeger will wear it out for you;-)

[Zippee]

Suchet's 1809 quote is the usual watershed point.

However it's worth noting that hats continued in use as 'undress' or 'march' wear throughout along with bonnets. Grenadiers in particular would wear them to preserve bearskins for 'formal' occasions.