Prussian Napoleonic Cuirassiers, 1808 - 1815

    The elite of the Prussian cavalry, the Cuirassiers were cut back drastically like the rest of the army in the aftermath of the Treaty of Tilsit. From thirteen regiments in 1806, the re-organisation called for only four regiments in 1808. The French also made good use of the excellent Prussian horseflesh as mounts for their own Cuirassiers and Carabiniers. Also in common with the rest of the army, the new uniforms were far more somber than the old ones they replaced.

    For full dress, the Cuirassiers wore a white Kollet. The collar, cuffs, piping on the shoulder straps, and braid edging the turnbacks and the front edge of the jacket were all in the regimental color. For campaign dress, a dark blue Litewka was worn, with the collar in the regimental color, as well as the piping on the cuffs; all regiments had white shoulder straps. The Guard du Corps had white litzen on their collars and cuffs. Belts were white, and the usual Prussian grey cavalry overalls were worn. The saddle blankets were rectangular and were in the facing color (Nash says they were all red, probably incorrectly), bordered by a double line in the button color; for the Garde du Corps, the two white lines were divided by a single line of black. As usual, for officers, silver replaced white and gold replaced yellow. The Cuirassiers wore a black leather helmet with a stiff upright horsehair crest.. On the front was a brass plate bearing a Prussian Eagle; for the Guard du Corps this was replaced by a silver metal guard star.

Prussian Cuirassiers  1808 - 1815

Regt	Name	Facings	Buttons
1	Silesian	Black	Yellow
2	East Prussian	Light Blue	White
3	Garde du Corps	Red	White
4	Brandenburg	Dark Blue #	Yellow
5	Magdeburg*	Yellow	White

*  Regiment raised in 1815
# As the regiment's dark blue collars wouldn't show on the Litewka, red collars were worn instead. The facing color was changed to Cornflower Blue by 1813, but the red collars on the Litewka were retained anyway. Also, this regiment's saddle blanket was definitely red instead of blue.

The Prussian Garde du Corps. Although these figures are sculpted wearing the Litewka, I couldn't bring myself to paint them dark blue - so they are painted in the colors of the Kollet. So shoot me!  :-)

The trumpeter has the usual Prussian distinctions - a red crest on his helmet, and shoulder wings in the facing color,  with white lace.  Although the colors of this GMB standard go well with the regiment's red facings, unfortunately I have somehow managed to give the Gardes du Korps this standard of the 1st (Silesian) Cuirassiers! Dumkopf!

As a Guard regiment, note the white litzen on the cuffs and collars.  I believe these are Foundry figures (with one lone, much smaller Minifigs one!)

The somewhat enigmatic (see above) Brandenburgisches Kurassier-Regiment - I have chosen the later kornblumen blau facing color for them. 

The red saddle blankets of this regiment are an exception to the rule that they should be in the facing color. I can understand using red facings on the dark blue Litewka, but why the exception for the saddle blanket color for this regiment?  To match the red cuffs on the Litewka perhaps.? Except that came later; beats me!

8/21/14 Dal Gavan adds the following:" I think the shabraque colour for the Brandenburgers came from the old 6KR (v. Quitzow), as did the excuse to use red for facings on the litewka. They also carried one of that regiment's standards and the bulk of the trained men (250 or so) that made up the new regiment came from v. Quitzow." Makes sense to me!

Regardless, a fine looking regiment, eh?. These are Foundry figures, equipped with GMB flags.
Trampling Frenchmen under hoof soon on a battlefield near you!