Ranks of the French Imperial Army
Ranks of the Grande Armée describes the military ranks and the rank insignia used in Napoleon's Grande Armée. Officers and the most senior non-commissioned rank had rank insignia in the form of epaulettes, sergeants and corporals in the form of stripes or chevrons on the sleeves.
Contents
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 majors 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.
Designation | Generals[1][2][3] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank insignia |
80px80px | 80px80px | 80px80px | |
Rank designation | Maréchal de France | Général de division | Général de brigade |
Designation | Field officers [1][2][3] | ||
---|---|---|---|
Rank insignia |
80px 80px | 80px80px | 130px |
Rank designation | Colonel Colonel en second = with a stripe in the center |
Major Major en second = with a stripe in the center |
Chef de bataillon |
Designation | Company officers[1][2][3] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank insignia |
130px | 130px | 130px | 130px | 130px | 130px |
Rank designation | Capitaine adjudant major | Capitaine | Lieutenant | Lieutenant 1812 |
Sous-lieutenant | Sous-lieutenant 1812 |
Designation | Non-commissioned officers and corporals[1][2][3] Chevrons or stripes depended on the form of the regimental cuffs. |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank insignia |
130px | 130px | 60px | 60px | 60px 60px |
60px |
Rank designation | Adjudant sous-officier | Adjudant sous-officier version of 1808 |
Sergent-major | Sergent | Caporal-fourrier | Caporal |
Sources:
Cavalry and train
- Colonel
- Colonel en second
- Major
- Major en second
- Chef d'escadron
- Capitaine
- Lieutenant
- Sous-lieutenant
- Adjudant sous-officier
- Maréchal des logis-chef
- Maréchal des logis
- Brigadier-fourrier
- Brigadier
Physicians, surgeons, and pharmacists
Physician[5] | Surgeons[5] | Pharmacists[5] |
---|---|---|
Médecin en chef | Chirurgien en chef | - |
Médecin major | Chirurgien major | Pharmacien major |
Médecin aide major | Chirurgien aide major | Pharmacien aide major |
- | Chirurgien sous aide major | Pharmacien sous aide major |
Good conduct badges
Sergeants, corporals and privates were issued good conduct and long service badges, galons d'ancienneté 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.[6]
60px 60px |
60px 60px |
60px 60px |
60px 60px |
Sergent-major with 15 years' service | Sergent with 15 years' service | Caporal-fourrier with ten years' service | Caporal with ten years' service |
Gallery
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Grande Armée - Generals of Division - Undress Uniform.jpg
Generals of division
-
Grande Armée - Artillery-Colonel and Chef de bataillon.jpg
Colonel and Chef de Bataillon of artillery
-
Grande Armée - Line Infantry - Chef de Bataillon & Colonel.jpg
Chef de Bataillon and Colonel of line infantry
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Grande Armée - 10th Regiment of Cuirassiers - Colonel.jpg
Colonel of cuirassiers
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Grande Armée - 2nd Regiment of Carabiniers Squadron Chief.jpg
Chef d'Escadron of the carabineers
-
Captains of dragoons
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Grande Armée - 1st Regiment of Carabiniers - Fourrier Corporal.jpg
Farrier and brigadier of carabineers
See also
References
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- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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