Osprey Men-at-Arms 389 : Napoleon's Red Lancers

The legendary Dutch 'Red' Lancers - the 2nd Light Horse Lancers of Napoleon's Imperial Guard - were formed in 1810 after the Emperor annexed Holland and its army to France. The former hussars of the Dutch Royal Guard got a handsome new uniform, a new weapon, and a hard-driving new colonel in Baron Edouard Colbert. His lancers distinguished themselves in Russia in 1812, at huge cost; in Germany in 1813, and in the Low Countries in 1814. When Napoleon returned from exile in 1815 the Red Lancers were with him until night fell over Waterloo. Ronald Pawly is the world's leading expert on the archival and pictorial record left by this regiment; his detailed text is illustrated with rare portraits and photographs, and eight glowing colour plates of a surprisingly wide variety of uniforms. Text by Ronald Pawly with illustrations by Patrice Courcelle.

Contents

• From Royal Guard to Imperial Guard - The Background and Creation of the Regiment, 1810-11
• Officers and Men - Careers - Regimental Life in the Versailles Garrison
• Campaigns - Russia 1812 - Germany 1813
• Belgium 1814 - Division of the Regiment into Old and Young Guard Units - General Maison's Antwerp Campaign
• Uniforms and Weapons - Full Descriptions from Unpublished Dutch Sources