Horse furniture, 'German', cavalry, c-1805, showing the position of the picket stake. A Cuirassier is shown with the horse, but the equipment was similar for all German regiments.
(Print after R. von Ottenfeld)
Cuirassier officer in full dress, with orderly in undress uniform, 1798. Note the gilded comb on the officer's helmet, the partial concealmment of the sash by the lower edge of the cuirass, the undress jacket with cloth projections at the shoulder, and the forage cap bearing the Emperor's cypher..
(Print after R. von Ottenfeld)
Background
The Infantry
The Artillery
Organisation & Tactics
Arms & Equipment
Flags & Standards
Horse furniture, 'German Cavalry', of the pattern in use prior to 1798 regulations: scarlet cloth shabraque and holster caps with yellow lace bearing white diamonds edged black. The Roquelor is rolled beneath the holster caps.
(Print after: R. von Ottenfeld)
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The Cavalry
The 1798 Uniform: Cuirassiers (Cont'd)
Despite modernisation the cuirass remained unaltered. The failings of the half-cuirass were demonstrated at Eckmuhl, where it was proven conclusively that the extra mobility gained from having no back plate was more than offset by its vulnerability. Marbot described the combatbetween French and Austrian Cuirassiers at this battle: "Courage, tenacity and strength were well matched, but the defensive arms were unequal, for the Austrian cuirass only covered them in front, and gave no protection to the back in a crowd. In this way the French troopers, who having double cuirasses and no fear of being wounded from behind, had only to think of thrusting, were able to give point at the enemy's backs, and slew a great many of them with small loss to themselves. This unequal fight lasted some minutes; finally the Austrians, with immense loss in killed and wounded, were compelled, for all their bravery, to abandon the ground. When they had wheeled about, they understood still better what a disadvantage it was not to have a cuirass behind as well as in front. The fight became a butchery, as our cuirassiers pursued the enemy, and for the space of half a league the ground was piled with dead and wounded cuirassiers...This fight settled a question which had long been debated, as to the necessity of double cuirasses, for the proportion of Austrians killed and wounded amounted respectively to eight and thirteen to one Frenchman".
The holster caps were discarded and a new shabraque of scarlet cloth was adopted, with a rounded front and rectangular rear corners 123cm long with sides 58.5cm deep. It was edged with 4.5cm black and yellow lace, of which two varieties are shown in contemporary pictures, yellow with narrow black lines near the edges, or yellow with a central black stripe. In the rear corners was borne the Emperor's cypher, 9.5cm high by 10cm wide, with a crown 6.5cm high above, this decoration set 8cm from the inner edge of the lace. Over the shabraque was a lambskin saddle cover, 84cm by 76.5cm; white for the rank-and-file and black for officers, lined with canvas and with a 6.5cm wide red cloth edging. Beneath the front of the shabraque were wooden pistol holsters, covered with black leather, 40cm long, and 12.5cm wide at the top, and 4cm wide at the bottom; two brass-mounted pistols were carried by Cuirassiers; eight men per squadron were equipped with short carbines, and eight with rifles. Harnessing was black leather, with saddle girths of fabrick and brown leather. The picketing stake carried by Cuirassiers (attached to the right of the saddle) was 142cm long, with a 10cm metal shoe, 4.5cm in diameter at the top, and 2.5cm at the bottom.
Cavalry equipment and the manner in which it was carried somewhat, but was reasonably standard. The tubular, red cloth valise (Mantelsack), positioned under the lambskin at the rear of the saddle, carried items including two shirts, cleaning material for clothing and equipment, shaving kit, etc. Two days' bread was carried in a haversack, and a wooden canteen, as carried by the infantry, was slung over the shoulder. On either side of the saddle was a hide knapsack 31cm deep; kept in the right was grooming equipment for the horse, messtin and a field kettle handle; in the left, two days' bread, forage oats, comb, three tentpegs and two straps. (While each man carried his own messtin, an iron kettle weighing 1.58Kg without its handle was shared by each 'mess' of five to eight men, carried alternately by each member; all were made by Josef Kuppelwieser of Vienna, proprietor of the imperial ironworks.) Also carried on the saddle were tho leather cases, that on, that on the right containing two horseshoes and 30 nails, and on the left a fatigue-smock and picket ropes; a net or bag for hay and a 56cm scythe in a leather case were also carried under the valise or saddle; the Roquelor was folded into a 89cm long roll and carried at the front of the saddle.
Hairstyles throughout the cavalry were like those of the infantry, hair powder and 'queue', bound with black ribbon, was still being used, although the rolls of hair over the ears were discontinued in 1798. All except officers wore moustaches.
NCOs were dressed like troopers, but with gilded helmet plate and camel hair crests for Wachtmeisters, who had black and yellow camel hair sword knots, 'Spanish reed' canes, but no brass sword fittings. Corporal's sword knots were woolen and their canes hazel. Trumpeters were dressed as corporals (minus the cane), and trumpet majors (Stabstrompeter) as Wachtmeisters; but instead of the helmet had a cocked hat with a silver or gold loop (according to button colour) and black cockade, and yellow and black camel hair 'roses' in the corners of the hat; Fouriers (quartermaster staff) dressed similarly but without the cane. The saddlers and ordinary blacksmiths dressed as corporals, without a cane, and with hats with woolen 'roses'.
Officers wore the helmet with distingtions similar to infantry officers, including gilt plate and silk crest; the hat (worn in undress) and stock were likewise similar. Their uniform was as that of the rank and file, with tails slightly longer, the cuffs 7.5cm deep, and the buttons flat and undercoated. Their tail-less waistcoat was straw coloured, with a 2.5cm standing collar. Like the infantry, officers could wear a frock coat or Oberrock (extending to within 20cm of the ankle), it had side pockets and buttons as on the coat, set 6.5cm apart. Some use was made of velvet-like material or corduroy for these garments.
White breeches like those of the menwere worn, or white leather for parade, similar boots, with spurs with 3.5cm necks. Light 'mixed-grey' cloth service overalls with, with facing-coloured stripe and black leather reinforcing; white Roquelor with buttons as on the coat; and 'yellow' leather gloves with gauntlet cuffs.
  
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