Imperial Guard horse artillery taking up position, by Alphonse Lalauze. On the right, an officer in full "hussard" regalia, on the left, postilions of the train.
The Imperial Guard Artillery was made up of the organic units of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon I's's. It comprised a regiment of horse artillery, regiments of foot artillery and a train service responsible for supplying guns with powder and ammunition.
Foot gunner and mounted artillery officer, drawing by Lacoste.
Consular Guard
The Consular Guard or Garde consulaire was created by Bonaparte on November 28, 1799, through the amalgamation of various units charged with protecting republican institutions and bodies. It was an "inter-army" corps made up of infantry, cavalry and artillery - in this case, a mounted artillery company of around 100 men drawn from the guides to which it was attached.
By decree dated Floréal 28, Year XII (May 18, 1804), the former horse artillery company of the Garde Consulaire became the horse artillery regiment of the Imperial Guard, retaining its inter-army character but with considerably increased numbers. Couin remained its artillery commander until he was replaced in 1807 by Jean Ambroise Baston de Lariboisière.
Horse artillery
Napoleon giving instructions to the horse artillerymen of the Guard at the Battle of Montmirail.
Trained as an artilleryman, Napoleon placed himself at the head of his guns on several occasions. During the French campaign of 1814, he personally directed the firing of the batteries at the battle of Montmirail[3] and then Montereau.[4] On June 17, 1815, after the Battle of Quatre Bras, he personally led the mounted batteries in pursuit of the British troops retreating to Brussels.[5]
Dismounted artillery
By imperial decree of April 17, 1808, four companies of foot artillery were incorporated into the artillery of the Guard. These were increased to eight in 1810, and to nine in 1812, all organized into a regiment. On October 11, 1811, Napoleon defined the regiment as part of the Old Guard.
On May 13, 1814, after the Treaty of Fontainebleau and Napoleon I's first abdication, the foot artillery of the Imperial Guard was disbanded, but on April 1, 1815, after Napoleon I's return, the foot artillery regiment of the Imperial Guard was reconstituted, albeit with only six companies.
Foot artilleryman and Guards artillery train after Hippolyte Bellangé.
To be admitted to this elite corps, one had to be a graduate of the artillerie de ligne, have six years' service
and be 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) tall[6]
Train
The artillery train comprised six companies forming a battalion in 1806. This was increased to eight companies in 1812. During the Hundred Days, the train was reorganized into a squadron of eight companies.[7]
Equipment
Since the late 1770s, French artillery had been organized according to the system developed by Jean-Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval. In 1803, following studies carried out by the "Artillery Committee", which he had set up on December 29, 1801 and chaired by General François Marie d'Aboville, Napoleon decided to simplify the Gribeauval system by limiting the number of calibres used.[8]
Horse artillery
In 1815, the horse artillery fielded four companies, each equipped with four six-pounders and two howitzers.
The Guard artillery was placed under the command of a division general, who held the title of colonel commandant; the horse artillery, the foot artillery of the Old Guard (created in 1808), the Young Guard (Jeune Garde, created in 1813) and the artillery train regiment were each placed under the command of a brigadier general (or colonel), who held the title of major commandant.[10]
Boudon, Jacques-Olivier (2014). Napoléon et la campagne de France : 1814 (published 368).
Funcken, Liliane; Funcken, Fred (1969). Les uniformes et les armes des soldats du Premier Empire : de la garde impériale aux troupes alliées, suédoises, autrichiennes et russes. Vol. 2. Casterman. ISBN978-2-203-14306-7.
Lachouque, Henry (1972). Waterloo 1815. Éditions Stock.
