R-47 OFFICIER DES CARABINIERS, 1812-1815

During the revolutionary wars (1792-1799) and - especially - in the Napoleonic period (1799-1815), France probably had the most efficient war machine on the Old Continent, which almost led to its lasting hegemony over Europe. It will be a truism to say that the key element of this machine was the French army. In this army, however, a very important role was played by the infantry, which was divided into linear and light. At the beginning of the Napoleonic era, the French army consisted of 90 line infantry regiments and 26 light infantry regiments. In the years 1813-1814 this number increased to approx. 140 regiments of line infantry and 35 regiments of light infantry. The light infantry regiments consisted of carabinieri (French carabiniers), shasers (French chasseurs) and vaulters. Carabinieri in light infantry regiments played a similar role as grenadiers in line infantry regiments. They were recruited from the strongest and best-built soldiers, and efforts were made to make them also soldiers with combat experience. On the battlefield, they were the main strike force of their battalion. Like the grenadiers, they enjoyed considerable prestige and received higher pay. Their basic armament was a model 1777 or AN IX rifle with a length of 1.52 meters and a caliber of 15.5 to 17.5 mm. There was also a bayonet.