Ranks of the Grande Armée describes the
military ranks and the rank
insignia
An insignia () is a sign or mark distinguishing a group, grade, rank, or function. It can be a symbol of personal power or that of an official group or governing body.
On its own, an insignia is a sign of a specific or general authority and is ...
used in
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's
Grande Armée
''La Grande Armée'' (; ) was the main military component of the French Imperial Army commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1804 to 1808, it won a series of military victories that allowed the French Empi ...
.
Officers and the most senior
non-commissioned rank had rank insignia in the form of
epaulettes,
sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
s and
corporals in the form of
stripes or
chevrons on the sleeves.
Infantry and artillery
Gold (yellow) or silver (white) stripes and epaulettes were used in accordance with the metal of the uniform buttons of the
regiment. Officers of regiments with gold buttons used gold epaulettes, those with silver buttons wore silver epaulettes. The epaulettes of were of contrary metal; gold buttons, silver epaulets etc.
Generals and
field officers used bullion fringes. Gold and silver were also often used in accordance to the Regiments designation as a Ligne (line) regiment would frequent gold while a Legere (light) regiment would frequent silver.
Sources:
Cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
and
train
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Physicians, surgeons, and pharmacists
Good conduct badges
Sergeants, corporals and privates were issued good conduct and long service badges, in the form of chevron on the upper left arm of the uniform coat; one chevron for ten years' service, two for 15 years' service, three for 20 years' service. The chevrons were officially of red cloth for all ranks, except caporal-fourriers who were issued chevrons in yellow or white cloth (depending on the metal colour), as a replacement for the stripe that denoted his rank. In reality, however, the sergeants used chevrons in yellow or white.
Gallery
File:Grande Armée - Generals of Division - Undress Uniform.jpg, Generals of division
File:Grande Armée - Artillery-Colonel and Chef de bataillon.jpg, Colonel and of artillery
File:Grande Armée - Line Infantry - Chef de Bataillon & Colonel.jpg, and Colonel of line infantry
File:Grande Armée - 10th Regiment of Cuirassiers - Colonel.jpg, Colonel of cuirassiers
File:Grande Armée - 2nd Regiment of Hussars.jpg, Major of hussar
A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...
s (right), with rank insignia in the form of braids on the sleeves and pantscarabineer
A carabinier (also sometimes spelled carabineer or carbineer) is in principle a soldier armed with a carbine. A carbiniere is a carabiniere musket or rifle and were commonplace by the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. The word is de ...
s
File:Grande Armée - 16th Regiment of Dragoons.jpg, Captains of dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
s
File:Grande Armée - 1st Regiment of Hussars.jpg, Hussar and captain
File:Grande Armée - 1st Regiment of Carabiniers - Fourrier Corporal.jpg, Farrier and of carabineers
See also
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Uniforms of La Grande Armée
The uniforms of La Grande Armée, the army of Napoleon I, are described in this article.
Troops of the Line
Infantry of the Line and light infantry
From 1793, the uniforms of the demi-brigades of the line infantry wore the blue "National Un ...
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Ranks in the French Army
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French Army
References
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{{Military ranks by country
La Grande Armée
Military ranks of France
Military insignia