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.
Infantry and artillery[]
Gold (yellow) or silver (white) 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.
Designation | Generals | |||
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Rank insignia |
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Rank designation | Maréchal de France | Général de division | Général de brigade |
Designation | Field officers | ||
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Rank insignia |
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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 | |||||
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Rank insignia |
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Rank designation | Capitaine adjudant major | Capitaine | Lieutenant | Lieutenant 1812 |
Sous-lieutenant | Sous-lieutenant 1812 |
Designation | Non-commissioned officers and corporals Chevrons or stripes depended on the form of the regimental cuffs. | |||||
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Rank insignia |
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Rank designation | Adjudant sous-officier | Adjudant sous-officier version of 1808 |
Sergent-major | Sergent | Caporal-fourrier | Caporal |
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 | Surgeons | Pharmacists |
---|---|---|
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 |
Source:[5]
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]
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Sergent-major with 15 years' service | Sergent with 15 years' service | Caporal-fourrier with ten years' service | Caporal with ten years' service |
Gallery[]
Generals of division
Colonel and Chef de Bataillon of artillery
Chef de Bataillon and Colonel of line infantry
Colonel of cuirassiers
Major of hussars (right), with rank insignia in the form of braids on the sleeves and pants[4]
Chef d'Escadron of the carabineers
Captains of dragoons
Hussar and captain
Farrier and brigadier of carabineers
See also[]
- Uniforms of La Grande Armée
- Ranks in the French Army
- French Army
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "1812 год. Французская армия – командный состав" (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "пехотные знаки различия (таблица Якуба Самека)" (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ Военные чины и знаки различия армии Наполеона 2019-04-03.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "14th French Hussar Regiment, 1813". Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ Sandeau, Jaques. "La santé aux armées". Histoire des deux empires (in French). Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Les chevrons d'ancienneté" (in French). Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- La Grande Armée
- Military ranks of France
- Military insignia