Russian Hussars of the Napoleonic Wars, 1799–1815
From 1783, the Russian army only had Life-Guard Hussars, until 1796, following the death of Catherine II, when six Chevauleger regiments were converted to Hussars. In 1801, the new Tsarevich of Gruzinskiy Hussar Regiment (later Schepelew) was added, followed by two additional Hussar regiments between 1806 and 1807, after the disaster at Austerlitz. On 10 November 1812, the Irkutsk Dragoons were converted to Hussars. In 1805, the light cavalry regiments consisted of two battalions, totalling ten squadrons of 120 men each, and one depot squadron. In preparation for the campaign of 1812, the light cavalry was reorganized; the regiments now consisted of eight squadrons and two depot squadrons. Selected troopers of the Russian Uhlan regiments were seconded to the hussars to instruct the men in the use of the lance. As was common practise in Polish and Russian Uhlan regiments, only the front rank carried lances, the second rank being armed with sabres and carbines. While hussars lances were officially issued without pennons, the hussar regiments soon adopted lance pennons to confuse the enemy. It is interesting to note, that the Life-Guard Hussars did not adopt lances.
The 15 mm Heritage miniatures of the Jelisawetgrad Hussar Regiment pictured above are wearing the 1812 Kiwer (shako). The miniatures are mounted in pairs on 38 × 32 mm Empire III wargame bases, representing a squadron of 120 men each. Hussars of the first rank carry lances with the yellow/red regimental lance pennon.
Russian Hussars with Mirliton or Busby, 1796–1803
- Hussar with Pistol or Sabre, 40 mm Meisterzinn 1005
- Hussar with Mirliton and Carbine, 40 mm Prince August 49
- Hussar with Mirliton and Plume, Sabre forward, 40 mm Prince August 52
- Russian Hussar Command (Mirliton), 15 mm Minifigs 27NRC
- Russian Hussars (Mirliton), 15 mm Minifigs 7NRC
Russian Hussars with Shako M.1803 or M.1809
- Hussar Officer of the Russian Imperial Guard, 1802–1809, 1:32 Pegaso Models 54-167
- Russian Hussar Command (shako), 28 mm Elite Miniatures RC11
- Russian Hussars (shako), charging, 28 mm Elite Miniatures RC10
- Russian Hussars (shako), 25 mm Old Glory RXC-12
- Russian Hussar Officer (shako), 18 mm AB Figures AB-ER39
- Russian Hussar Trumpeter (shako), 18 mm AB Figures AB-ER40
- Russian Hussar (shako), 18 mm AB Figures AB-ER38
- Russian Hussar Command (shako), 15 mm Minifigs 28NRC
- Russian Hussars (shako), 15 mm Minifigs 8NRC
- Russian Hussars (shako), 6 mm Baccus NRU11
- Russian Hussar Command, 6 mm Adler Miniatures RAC 3B
- Russian Hussars, 6 mm Adler Miniatures RAC 3A
- Russian Hussars (shako), slung Pelisse, 6 mm Adler Miniatures RNC 1A
Russian Hussars with Shako M.1812
- Russian Hussar Command (Kiwer), 28 mm Foundry RN066
- Russian Hussar Command (Kiwer), 28 mm Elite Miniatures LRC12
- Russian Hussars with Lance (Kiwer), advancing, 28 mm Foundry RN067
- Russian Hussars with Lance (Kiwer), charging, 28 mm Foundry RN037
- Russian Hussars with Lance (Kiwer), 28 mm Elite Miniatures LRC11
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer), advancing, 28 mm Foundry N068
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer), charging, 28 mm Foundry RN038
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer), charging, 28 mm Elite Miniatures LRC10
- Russian Hussar Command (Kiwer), 25 mm Old Glory RXC-01
- Russian Hussars in Reserve (Kiwer), 25 mm Old Glory RXC-03
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer), charging, 25 mm Old Glory RXC-02
- Russian Hussar Officer, 25 mm Minifigs RNC 10
- Russian Hussar Standard Bearer, 25 mm Minifigs RNC 13
- Russian Hussar Trumpeter, 25 mm Minifigs RNC 16
- Russian Hussar, 25 mm Minifigs RNC 4
- Russian Hussars, 1:72 Strelets 019
- Russian Hussars, 1:72 Zvezda
- Russian Hussars, 20 mm Hinton Hunt BB156
- Russian Hussars in Greatcoats, 1:72 Strelets 087
- Russian Hussars 1812–1814, 20 mm Kennington BP85
- Russian Hussar Officer (Kiwer M.1812), 18 mm AB Figures AB-RC10
- Russian Hussar Trumpeter (Kiwer M.1812), 18 mm AB Figures AB-RC11
- Russian Hussar with Lance (Kiwer M.1812), 18 mm AB Figures AB-RC08
- Russian Hussar with Lance (Kiwer M.1812), charging, 18 mm AB Figures AB-RC09
- Russian Hussar (Kiwer M.1812), 18 mm AB Figures AB-RC06
- Russian Hussar (Kiwer M.1812), charging, 18 mm AB Figures AB-RC07
- Russian Hussars in Reserve (Kiwer 1812), 15 mm Old Glory RMH02
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer M.1812), charging, 15 mm Old Glory RMH03
- Russo-German Legion Hussars 1812–1813, 15 mm Old Glory RRG01
- Russian Hussar Command (Kiwer M.1812), 15 mm Minifigs 29NRC
- Russian Hussar (Kiwer M.1812), 15 mm Minifigs 9NRC
- Russian Hussars 1812–1814, 15 mm Heritage
- Russian Hussar Command (Kiwer M.1812), 15 mm Essex PNR16
- Russian Hussar (Kiwer M.1812), 15 mm Essex PNR15
- Russian Hussar Command, 15 mm Jacobite RUN043
- Russian Hussars, 15 mm Jacobite RUN042
- Russian Hussar Command, 10 mm Old Glory NAP-308
- Russian Hussars, 10 mm Old Glory NAP-309
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer M.1812), 6 mm Baccus NRU12
- Russian Hussars with Lance (Kiwer M.1812), 6 mm Baccus NRU27
- Russian Hussar Command (Kiwer M.1812), 6 mm Adler Miniatures RNC 10A
- Russian Hussars with Lance (Kiwer M.1812), wearing Dolman, 6 mm Adler Miniatures RNC 3A
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer M.1812), slung Pelisse, 6 mm Adler Miniatures RNC 1B
- Russian Hussars (Kiwer M.1812), wearing Pelisse, 6 mm Adler Miniatures RNC 2A
- Russian Hussars, 1:300 Heroics & Ros MRN9
Russian Hussar Uniforms 1813
| Regiment | Dolman | Collar and Cuffs | Cords | Buttons | Pelisse | Fur | Battles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life-Guard Hussars | blue | carmine | yellow | yellow | carmine | white | Austerlitz, Borodino, Leipzig |
| Isjum Hussars | red | blue | white | white | blue | white | Friedland, Borodino, Leipzig |
| Grodno Hussars | blue | light blue | white | white | blue | white | Eylau, Friedland, Drouia, Leipzig |
| Lubenski (Lubny) | blue | yellow | white | white | blue | white | Leipzig |
| Mariupol | blue | yellow | yellow | yellow | blue | white | Austerlitz, Borodino, Leipzig |
| Bieloserk (White Russia) | blue | red | white | white | brown | black | Leipzig |
| Achtirsk | brown | yellow | yellow | yellow | red | white | Borodino, Leipzig |
| Alexandrinsk | black | red | white | white | black | white | Eylau, Friedland, Borodino, Leipzig |
| Pawlograd | green | sky blue | red | yellow | sky blue | white | Austerlitz, Eylau, Friedland, Leipzig |
| Jelisawetgrad | grey | grey | red | yellow | grey | black | Austerlitz, Friedland, Borodino, Leipzig |
| Sumski | grey | red | white | white | grey | white | Eylau, Friedland, Borodino, Leipzig |
| Olwiopol | green | red | white | white | green | white | Friedland |
Bibliography
- Allevi, Piersergio: Zinnsoldaten, p. 166
- Haythornthwaite, Philip: The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2): Cavalry 1799–1814
- Haythornthwaite, Philip: Uniforms of 1812, Napoleon’s Retreat from Moscow, plates 52, 53
- Keubke, Klaus-Ulrich: 1000 Uniformen (Köln 2008), p. 135
- Knötel-Sieg: Manual of Uniformology (Hamb. 1971)
- Seaton, Albert: The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars, plate C