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- rifleman av.1809
In 1804, the uniform of the carabinieri was still that of 1791, with the exception of the fur cap, which was twenty centimeters higher.
Their name came from the rifle with which they were always armed. They wore the habit à la française with scarlet and rotating fringed epaulettes edged in white. They were divided into two regiments. In 1806, Napoleon, who held these “cavalry grenadiers” in high regard, gave them his brother Louis as colonel general of their ter regiment and his brother-in-law Borghèse as colonel. By a curious whim, he made them, in 1809, a particular species of cuirassiers. The old - modest - uniform was replaced by a white coat, a double steel cuirass covered with copper foil and a Roman helmet.
This very special shaped helmet has only reached us in two authentic copies, one of which is badly damaged. It consisted of a yellow copper shell to which a copper visor and neck cover were fitted with rivets. This ensemble was surmounted by a high crest of brass adorned with a thick scarlet horsehair caterpillar; the whole thing weighed almost two kilos.
In 1809, the carabinieri wore the white habit-jacket with the distinctive color sky blue. The regulations of 1812 describe this uniform as having no lapels, with a celestial blue collar edged in white, with celestial blue turnbacks piped in the same color, trimmed with white pomegranates. The 1st Regiment had red facings with white piping and blue piped tabs, while the 2nd Regiment had sky blue facings and blue facing tabs. Scarlet fringed epaulets trimmed with white thread added protection. Sheepskin or buckskin breeches could be replaced by Hungarian breeches or knit riding pants. For the chaperons, the usual equipment of the horse, a half saddle pad in sheepskin was substituted in the field.
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- rifleman after 1809 and trumpet
In addition to the carbine, the carabineers were armed with two pistols and the heavy cavalry sabre, model An XI.
The riflemen almost all disappeared in the disastrous Russian campaign, of which they only returned to less than three hundred.
History of the riflemen
It was Henri IV who created the riflemen as elite elements of the heavy cavalry. But it was not until 1788 that they became an independent body in the form of two regiments which would continue during the Revolution and the Empire. Their uniform is thus described in L'Etat militaire de l'an X (1802):"National blue coat, scarlet facing and lapels, blue collar, sea urchin cap, shoulder strap and yellow belt edged with white braid.
Horse equipment:French saddle, blue cover edged with white braid, a pomegranate at the corners, the dimples of the - bridle stamped with a pomegranate. »
The decree of December 24, 1809 thus modifies their uniform:white coat, double breastplate in steel covered with copper foil, helmet with visor and neck cover surmounted by a yellow copper crest adorned with a scarlet horsehair caterpillar. They are armed with rifle, saber and a pair of pistols.