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138-452: Certain countries such as France ( Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale ) and Argentina ( Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers ) established units of Horse Grenadiers , and for a time the British Army had Horse Grenadier Guards . Like their infantry grenadier counterparts, these horse-mounted soldiers were chosen for their size and strength ( heavy cavalry ). In modern warfare , a grenadier

276-632: A bayonet . On flintlocks, the bayonet played a primarily a deterrence role - casualty lists from several battles in the 18th century showed that fewer than 2% of wounds were caused by bayonets. Antoine-Henri Jomini , a celebrated military author of the Napoleonic period who served in numerous armies during that period, stated that the majority of bayonet charges in the open resulted with one side fleeing before any contacts were made. Flintlock weapons were not used like modern rifles. They tended to be fired in mass volleys, followed by bayonet charges in which

414-475: A flint -striking ignition mechanism , the first of which appeared in Western Europe in the early 16th century. The term may also apply to a particular form of the mechanism itself, also known as the true flintlock , that was introduced in the early 17th century, and gradually replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the matchlock , the wheellock , and the earlier flintlock mechanisms such as

552-553: A Coalition square, two lieutenants (Tuefferd and Moreau) and sixteen other officers wounded. Waterloo was to be the last engagement of this legendary unit, which was disbanded by the Bourbons after their Second Restoration in late 1815. Uniform of the 1st squadron of the Grenadier-à-cheval, in 1815, on "Les uniformes pendant la campagne des Cent Jours" Flintlock Flintlock is a general term for any firearm that uses

690-515: A barrel that was unscrewed from the rest of the gun. This is more practical on pistols because of the shorter barrel length. This type is known as a Queen Anne pistol because it was during her reign that it became popular (although it was actually introduced in the reign of King William III ). Another type has a removable screw plug set into the side or top or bottom of the barrel. A large number of sporting rifles were made with this system, as it allowed easier loading compared with muzzle loading with

828-449: A charge, hacking his way back to his own lines. The regiment lost 4 officers dead and 14 officers wounded, as well as a large number of troopers, but the charge of the Guard cavalry did allow their fellow reserve cavalry to break their encirclement and get back to their original positions. The French would go on to draw the bloody Battle of Eylau later that evening. The Peninsular War erupted

966-435: A flintlock mechanism for King Louis XIII shortly after his accession to the throne in 1610. However, firearms using some form of flint ignition mechanism had already been in use for over half a century. The first proto-flintlock was the snaplock, which was probably invented shortly before 1517 and was inarguably in use by 1547. Their cost and delicacy limited their use; for example around 1662, only one in six firearms used by

1104-417: A flintlock was fired it sprayed a shower of sparks forwards from the muzzle and another sideways out of the flash-hole. One reason for firing in volleys was to ensure that one man's sparks didn't ignite the next man's powder as he was in the act of loading. An accidental frizzen strike could also ignite the main powder charge, even if the pan had not yet been primed. Some modern flintlock users will still place

1242-461: A leather cover over the frizzen while loading as a safety measure to prevent this from happening. However, this does slow down the loading time, which prevented safety practices such as this from being used on the battlefields of the past. The black powder used in flintlocks would quickly foul the barrel, which was a problem for rifles and for smooth bore weapons that fired a tighter fitting round for greater accuracy. Each shot would add more fouling to

1380-538: A length of slow-match, and roughly the size of a tennis ball . The grenadiers had to be tall and strong enough to hurl these heavy objects far enough so as not to harm themselves or their comrades, and disciplined enough to stand at the forefront of the fight, light the fuse and throw at the appropriate moment to minimize the ability of an enemy to throw the grenade back. Understandably, such requirements led to grenadiers being regarded as an elite fighting force. The wide hats with broad brims characteristic of infantry during

1518-644: A lighted cord ("match") would have been a dangerous fire hazard. Such men armed with these flintlocks were called "fusiliers" as flintlocks were then called "fusils" from the French word for such. Various types were in use by elite infantry, scouts, artillery guards (as noted), and private individuals in European armies throughout most of the 16th and 17th centuries, though matchlocks continued to overwhelmingly outnumber them. The early Dutch States Army used flintlocks on an unusually large scale, issuing snaphances to its infantry in

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1656-399: A lubricated cleaning patch down the barrel with the ramrod would also extinguish any embers, and would clean out some of the barrel fouling as well. Soldiers on the battlefield could not take these precautions. They had to fire as quickly as possible, often firing three to four rounds per minute. Loading and firing at such a pace dramatically increased the risk of an accidental discharge. When

1794-467: A military arm. Their effective range was short, and they were frequently used as an adjunct to a sword or cutlass . Pistols were usually smoothbore although some rifled pistols were produced. Flintlock pistols came in a variety of sizes and styles which often overlap and are not well defined, many of the names we use having been applied by collectors and dealers long after the pistols were obsolete. The smallest were less than 6 inches (15 cm) long and

1932-568: A military context, skirmishing and by specialist marksmen. In the United States, the small game hunting long rifle ("Pennsylvania rifle" or "Kentucky rifle") was developed in southeastern Pennsylvania in the early 1700s. Based on the Jäger rifle, but with a much longer barrel, these were exceptionally accurate for their time, and had an effective range of approximately 250 m (820 ft). They tended to fire smaller caliber rounds, with calibers in

2070-671: A month after the battle, the command of the regiment was taken by Lorainer colonel Michel Ordener . Five years would pass before the grenadiers' next engagement, which occurred during the War of the Third Coalition . As war broke out with Russia and Austria , the horse grenadiers, now a part of the Imperial Guard , crossed the Rhine into Germany on October 1, 1805. Ten days after that, they were at Augsburg and on October 20 they were present at

2208-512: A popular and familiar choice in the grenadier role and is still issued by other U.S. military branches. The Argentine Army still maintains a prestigious unit known as the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers ( Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo )--actually a squadron-strength formation—which serves as the Presidential ceremonial escort and guard unit. The regiment was founded in 1903 as a recreation of

2346-461: A rare opportunity to rout the disorderly troops before him and to that effect he requested a charge from general Étienne de Nansouty 's cavalry reserve, inviting all other cavalry commanders in the sector to do the same. The Guard cavalry, however, did not move and the opportunity came to nothing. An angry MacDonald confronted Walther after the battle over the latter's inaction, at which Walther explained that neither his commander, Marshal Bessières, nor

2484-691: A team of pontooners belonging to the enemy " Army of Bohemia ". After Napoleon's abdication and the Bourbon Restoration , the Grenadiers were ordered to Blois , by royal ordinance. According to this ordinance, dated 12 May, they were to be reorganised into a "Corps of Royal Cuirassiers of France". Its complement was set by 21 June ordinance, which provided that the Corps was to be 42 officers and 602 men strong, divided into two-company strong squadrons. However, with Napoleon's return to power in late March 1815,

2622-414: A tight-fitting bullet and patch. One of the more successful was the system built by Isaac de la Chaumette starting in 1704. The barrel could be opened by three revolutions of the triggerguard, to which it was attached. The plug stayed attached to the barrel and the ball and powder were loaded from the top. This system was improved in the 1770s by Colonel Patrick Ferguson and 100 experimental rifles used in

2760-545: A total of 1016 officers and men. The next year, two squadrons of vélites , totaling 800 men were added, as well as a major en second (deputy commander). The two vélite squadrons would only be disbanded in August 1811, with the men being reshuffled in a 5-squadron regiment, totaling 1250 men. A further reorganisation was operated just before the Russian campaign , bringing the number of squadrons back down to four. In January 1813, after

2898-564: A unit that existed from 1813 to 1826 under the leadership of national hero General José de San Martín . Unlike most other units that carried the title of "grenadiers", the Argentine Grenadiers are a cavalry unit, and continue to mount horses for ceremonial purposes, as well as carrying lances and cavalry sabers. The Belgian Land Component retains two regiments of grenadiers based in Brussels. First raised in 1837 from companies drawn from

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3036-579: A veteran of the French Revolutionary Wars , who would command the unit until his death, on November 24, 1813. His successor would be 45-year-old Claude-Étienne Guyot , who would command the brigade until the fall of the Empire in July 1815. During this period, the most remarkable commander of the regiment would be the battle-hardened Louis Lepic , commanding as colonel-major . The first true engagement of

3174-939: A wooden case with compartments for each piece. Flintlock muskets were the mainstay of European armies between 1660 and 1840. A musket was a muzzle-loading smoothbore long gun that was loaded with a round lead ball, but it could also be loaded with shot for hunting . For military purposes, the weapon was loaded with ball, or a mixture of ball with several large shot (called buck and ball ), and had an effective range of about 75–100 m (246–328 ft). Smoothbore weapons that were designed for hunting birds were called "fowlers." Flintlock muskets tended to be of large caliber and usually had no choke , allowing them to fire full-caliber balls. Military flintlock muskets tended to weigh approximately 10 pounds (4.53 kg), as heavier weapons were found to be too cumbersome, and lighter weapons were not rugged or heavy enough to be used in hand-to-hand combat. They were usually designed to be fitted with

3312-617: Is a specially trained soldier operating as part of a fireteam , proficient in the use of limited high-angle indirect fire over " dead zones ". This soldier is armed with a grenade launcher , a shoulder-fired, indirect-fire large-caliber weapon. The concept of troops being equipped with grenades dates back to the military of the Ming dynasty , when Chinese soldiers stationed on the Great Wall used thunder crash bombs . The earliest references to soldiers using grenades in European armies dates back to

3450-514: Is evidence that morale remained good throughout. According to author Stephen de Chappedelaine, General Frédéric Henri Walther managed to bring his horse grenadiers out of Russia with few losses. The regiment took some time to reform during 1813 and would only go back to action in April. Napoleon reviewed them at Erfurt on April 27; only three days later the Grenadiers-à-Cheval received news of

3588-565: Is now in a "primed and loaded" state, and this is how it would typically be carried while hunting or if going into battle. To fire: The British Army and the Continental Army both used paper cartridges to load their weapons. The powder charge and ball were instantly available to the soldier inside this small paper envelope. To load a flintlock weapon using a paper cartridge, a soldier would The weapon can then be fully cocked and fired. Firearms using some form of flintlock mechanism were

3726-613: Is one of the longest serving units in the Canadian Army 's Primary Reserve . It still continues today, both in its reserve role and as a ceremonial guard at the National War Memorial , Rideau Hall , and other places of symbolic importance. The 10th Royal Grenadiers (later The Royal Grenadiers ) of Toronto later became the Royal Regiment of Canada with tradition surviving in a grenadier company. The Winnipeg Grenadiers

3864-649: The Granatieri di Sardegna (Grenadiers of Sardinia) in Italy; France's Foot Grenadiers, Fusilier-Grenadiers, Tirailleur-Grenadiers and Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale ; the Russian Empire 's Imperial Guard ; Britain's Grenadier Guards and the 101st Grenadiers . The latter was part of the British Indian Army and claimed to be the first and oldest grenadier regiment (as opposed to grenadier companies) in

4002-634: The American Revolutionary War . The only two flintlock breech loaders to be produced in quantity were the Hall and the Crespi. The first was invented by John Hall and patented c. 1817. It was issued to the U.S. Army as the Model 1819 Hall Breech Loading Rifle . The Hall rifles and carbines were loaded using a combustible paper cartridge inserted into the upward tilting breechblock. Hall rifles leaked gas from

4140-538: The Battle of Vauchamps . They were then involved in several actions, including major ones at Reims and Craonne , where they routed several enemy squares. During this battle, the commander ( major ) of the Grenadiers, General Lévesque de Laferrière was wounded by a bullet and had a leg torn off and also lost one of its best officers, Captain Kister. Their last action of the campaign was fought at Méry-sur-Seine , where they captured

4278-646: The British Empire . In 1747 the grenadier companies of a number of disbanded French infantry regiments were brought together to form a single permanent unit - the Grenadiers de France . During the American Revolution of 1775–1783, the Connecticut 1st Company Governor's Guards and the 11th Regiment of Connecticut Militia had grenadier companies. New York City also had a Grenadier unit, as did South Carolina –

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4416-649: The Constitution of the Year III , which provided for the organisation of a guard for the French Directory . Within this guard, a cavalry regiment was formed and most cavalrymen were drawn from the 9th dragoons. However, the horse guards would only take service in 1796 and a 1797 regulation stated that the guards were to be called 'grenadiers'. The next major reorganisation came with the French Consulate , just days after

4554-468: The Coup of 18 Brumaire . This reorganisation reshuffled the general staff of the regiment and gave its command to chef de brigade (colonel) Michel Ordener , assisted by three chefs d'escadron (squadron commanders). Further reorganisations in 1801 and 1802 were conducted under the supervision of General Jean-Baptiste Bessières , bringing the regiment to four squadrons of two companies each and integrating it in

4692-514: The Duke of Cumberland ordered that grenadier companies were "to be completed out of the best men of their respective Regiments, and to be constantly kept so". By contrast, French grenadier companies of the 18th century appear to have selected their new recruits according to the classic criteria of height. However with the outbreak of the Revolutionary Wars the urgency of mass mobilisation meant that

4830-566: The Dutch States Army , influenced by their French invaders, adopted grenadiers in 1672. By 1678 six men in each company were trained to throw hand grenades, developed by the Dutch master fireworker Johan van Haren. In May 1677, the English Army ordered that two soldiers of every Guards Regiment were to be trained as grenadiers; in April 1678 it was ordered that a company of grenadiers be added to

4968-685: The French Customs , which was a military unit until 1940. The oldest grenadier regiment of the armies in the Commonwealth belongs to the Indian Army . The concept of 'Grenadiers' evolved from the practice of selecting the bravest and strongest men for the most dangerous tasks in combat. The Grenadiers have the longest unbroken record of existence in the Indian Army. Grenadiers %C3%A0 Cheval de la Garde Imp%C3%A9riale The Mounted Grenadiers of

5106-409: The Grenadiers-à-Cheval recalled from Spain. A part of the 3rd brigade of the Guard cavalry, they numbered 1166 men, spread between five squadrons (squadron commanders were: 1st sq. - Perrot, 2nd sq. - Mesmer, 3rd sq. - Rémy, 4th sq. - Hardy, 5th sq. - Morin). The first part of the campaign, from June to September, was nothing more than a long march for the Guard, which was never committed to battle and

5244-579: The Napoleonic Wars , both mitres and fur caps fell out of use in favour of the shako . Two notable exceptions were the grenadier companies and Imperial Guard regiments of the French Grande Armée , plus those of the Austrian Army. After the Battle of Friedland in 1807, because of their distinguished performance, Russia's Pavlovsk Regiment were allowed to keep their mitre caps and were admitted to

5382-804: The Oudinot Grenadier Division and the Russian army had grenadier divisions such as the Caucasus Grenadier Division . During World War II, the Polish army had the 1st Grenadier Division , and the German military had several grenadier and panzergrenadier divisions. In 1914, the Imperial German and Russian Armies still included a number of grenadier regiments. In the Russian Army, these comprised

5520-488: The colonel major of the regiment, general Louis-Marie Lévesque received six sabre cuts to the shoulder and arm and captain adjutant-major Guindey, famous for killing Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia at the Battle of Saalfeld seven years earlier, was killed in action. Another blow was dealt to the morale of the regiment on November 24 of that year, when the regiment's commander-in-chief, General of Division Frédéric Henri Walther died suddenly from exhaustion and illness. He

5658-861: The early modern era in the Austrian and Spanish armies. References to grenade-throwing troops also appear in England during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms , and it was during the reign of King Louis XIV that companies of soldiers serving as grenadiers were first introduced into the French Royal Army . According to René Chartrand, Jean Martinet formed a grenadier company in the Régiment du Roi in 1667. By 1670 27 French infantry regiments were authorised to include elite companies trained to carry and hurl grenades The infantry of

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5796-403: The flintlock or true flintlock. Flintlock firearms differed from the then more common and cheaper to manufacture matchlock arms in that they were fired by the spark of the flint against the powder charge rather than by the direct application of a lighted length of cord or (as it was then called) "match". This was particularly important with men armed with muskets guarding artillery trains where

5934-482: The pepperbox revolver would sometimes fire all barrels simultaneously, or would sometimes just explode in the user's hand. It was often cheaper, safer, and more reliable to carry several single-shot weapons instead. Some repeater rifles, multishot single barrel pistols, and multishot single barrel revolvers were also made. Notable are the Puckle gun , Mortimer , Kalthoff, Michele Lorenzoni, Abraham Hill , Cookson pistols,

6072-421: The snaplock and snaphaunce . The true flintlock continued to be in common use for over two centuries, replaced by percussion cap and, later, the cartridge-based systems in the early-to-mid 19th century. Although long superseded by modern firearms, flintlock weapons enjoy continuing popularity with black-powder shooting enthusiasts. French court gunsmith Marin le Bourgeoys made a firearm incorporating

6210-439: The 1620s and true flintlocks by 1640. While it is known that the Dutch were the first power to adopt the flintlock as the standard infantry weapon, the exact chronology of the transition is uncertain. The new flintlock system quickly became popular and was known and used in various forms throughout Europe by 1630, although older flintlock systems continued to be used for some time. Examples of early flintlock muskets can be seen in

6348-450: The 18th century, a fact that can be attributed to the improved effectiveness of infantry line tactics and flintlock technology. The need for elite assault troops remained, however, and the existing grenadier companies were used for this purpose. As noted, above average physical size had been considered important for the original grenadiers and, in principle, height and strength remained the basis of selection for these picked companies. In

6486-704: The 19th century and since 1840 and 1907 has served as the Escort Regiment to the President of Chile on important national occasions. This regiment is named after General Manuel Bulnes Prieto, the founding patron of the regiment, who led the Chilean Army and the anti-confederation North Peruvian dissidents to victory in the War of the Peru-Bolivia Confederation in the crucial Battle of Yungay in 1839, which signaled

6624-551: The Anglo-Portuguese, but Bessières brought only symbolic reinforcements: a few squadrons of horse dragoons and grenadiers, 800 men in all, under the command of General Louis Lepic. Despite this setback, Masséna brilliantly exploited a weakness in Wellington's line and it soon seemed like the Anglo-Portuguese would be crushed. Time was at the essence and Masséna promptly sent his young aide-de-camp, Charles Oudinot , to find Lepic and

6762-457: The Austrian left Bessières organised a massive charge with the whole Consular Guard cavalry and increased the panic and rout of the enemy troops. Following the battle, Bessières received high praise for his actions from the First Consul, who said to the general: "Under your command, the Guard covered itself with glory; it could not have performed better under the given circumstances." Little over

6900-544: The Bondikula known for its unique bifurcated butt and heavy ornamentation. These were widely used during the 17th-18th centuries. In China, some flintlocks had been acquired and illustrated by 1635, but they were not adopted by the army. An 1836 British report about the Qing dynasty's military strength noted that all Chinese firearms were "ill-made" matchlocks, with no flintlocks or any of the other "tribes of firearm." Southeast Asia

7038-452: The British regiments of foot during the 18th century the preference was, however, to draw on steady veterans for appointment to individual vacancies in a grenadier company (one of the ten companies comprising each regiment). The traditional criterion of size was only resorted to when newly raised regiments required a quick sorting of a mass of new recruits. Prior to the Battle of Culloden in 1745

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7176-460: The British royal army was a snaphaunce, the rest being matchlocks. The development of firearm lock mechanisms had proceeded from the matchlock to wheellock to the earlier flintlocks ( snaplock , snaphance , miquelet , and doglock ) in the previous two centuries, and each type had been an improvement, contributing design features to later firearms which were useful. Le Bourgeoys fitted these various features together to create what became known as

7314-551: The Danish Army Museum, however, definitely states that grenades were thrown underhand and that it was the slinging of firearms that required the special headdresses typical of early grenadiers. The grenadiers of the French infantry were by the 1690s distinguished from their musketeer colleagues by special issues of equipment. These included slings for their flintlocks, curved sabres instead of straight swords, large leather pouches for grenades and hatchets. By 1700, grenadiers in

7452-650: The Danube again, this time managing to bring out a considerable force, attacking the Austrians on the Marchfeld plain. The ensuing Battle of Wagram would see the Grenadiers à Cheval in reserve during the first day of battle. However, on the second day, July 6, 1809, the grenadiers, with the rest of the Guard cavalry, were assigned to support general Jacques MacDonald 's massive attack column. After an initial success, MacDonald saw

7590-520: The Emperor, during the most significant battles. When sent into action, such as during the battles of Marengo , Austerlitz , Eylau , Hanau or Waterloo , as well as during a number of actions of 1814, results were usually impressive. The regiment was disbanded in 1815, after Napoleon's downfall and the second restoration of the Bourbons . The origins of the Guard Horse Grenadiers dated back to

7728-483: The Emperor, had given any orders for a charge and that the Guard could not act without direct orders from one of the two. MacDonald's attempts to explain that a charge would have been decisive fell on deaf ears, as Walther at once saluted and left. During the two years that followed, only a few companies of the regiment would see active service, campaigning in Spain, where they accompanied Bessières in northwestern Spain, where

7866-475: The English and other armies had adopted a cap in the shape of a bishop's mitre , usually decorated with the regimental insignia in embroidered cloth. In addition to grenades, they were equipped with Flintlock muskets . Attached to the shoulder belt was a brass 'match case' that housed the slow match used to ignite the grenade fuse, a feature that was retained in later grenadier uniforms. Grenade usage declined in

8004-465: The French from Vandamme 's division around Stary Vinohrady ('the old vineyards'). At first, one battalion of the French 4th Line regiment was caught in an awkward position and broken by the Russian Guard cavalry supported by artillery, with the French battalion losing its eagle and over 400 men. Then, the 24th Light regiment, which was coming up in support of the 4th, was also thrown back in disarray. It

8142-442: The French to clear opposing trenches of troops. The more effective of the two was the so-called "potato masher" Stielhandgranate , which were stick grenades. The term Panzergrenadier was adopted in the German Wehrmacht to describe mechanized heavy infantry elements whose greater protection and mobility allowed them to keep pace with (and provide intimate protection to) armoured units and formations. This designation reflects

8280-411: The Grenadier Guards Regiment ( L-G Grenadierski Polk ) as well as the Grenadier Corps of sixteen regiments (plus an independent reinforced company of Palace Grenadiers, guarding the St. Petersburg Imperial residences). Five regiments of the Prussian Guard were designated as Garde-Grenadiers and there were an additional fourteen regiment of grenadiers amongst the line infantry of the German Empire. In both

8418-428: The Grenadiers became the senior "Old Guard" heavy cavalry regiment when the Imperial Guard was founded, in 1804. Their maximum official complement was just over 1100 officers and troopers, commanded by a general of division or a seasoned general of brigade, with some of the most famous cavalrymen of the time as commander. Rarely committed to battle during the Napoleonic Wars , they were usually kept in reserve, alongside

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8556-458: The Grenadiers regained their former organisation and rank among the army. With the outbreak of the War of the Seventh Coalition , the Grenadiers were included in a Guard heavy cavalry division, alongside the Imperial Guard Dragoons. Their only engagement took place at the Battle of Waterloo . The charges of the Grenadiers were impetuous but losses were heavy: they lost major Jean-Baptiste-Auguste-Marie Jamin , killed by British canister shot near

8694-425: The Guard cavalry, with orders to charge immediately, but Oudinot was soon back to his commander, saying that he was not able to fetch the Guard cavalry, because Lepic only recognized Bessières as commander and that he would not draw his sword without his order. Bessières was nowhere to be found, and after further futile attacks Masséna was forced to retreat. By 1812, the imminent eruption of the Russian campaign saw

8832-428: The Guards, the Grenadiers fought against overwhelming enemy numbers at La Rothière and nine days later broke several Russian infantry squares from General Zakhar Olsufiev 's force. At the Battle of Montmirail , the Grenadiers annihilated two Russian brigades and at the Battle of Château-Thierry successfully charged Coalition artillery batteries and two days later helped rout Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher 's army at

8970-415: The Imperial Guard ( French : Grenadiers à Cheval de La Garde Impériale ) was a heavy cavalry regiment in the Consular, then Imperial Guard during the French Consulate and First French Empire respectively. They were the senior Old Guard cavalry regiment of the Imperial Guard and from 1806 were brigaded together with the Dragoons of the Imperial Guard . A part of the Republican Consular Guard ,

9108-415: The Imperial Guard. During the Napoleonic Wars, British grenadiers had usually worn the bearskin cap only for full dress when on home service, since the fur was found to deteriorate rapidly during campaigning overseas. Following their role in the defeat of the French Imperial Guard at the Battle of Waterloo , the 1st Foot Guards was renamed the 1st (or Grenadier) Regiment of Foot Guards and all companies of

9246-401: The Jennings repeater and the Elisha Collier revolver . Flintlocks were prone to many problems compared to modern weapons. Misfires were common. The flint had to be properly maintained, as a dull or poorly knapped piece of flint would not make as much of a spark and would increase the misfire rate dramatically. Moisture was a problem, since moisture on the frizzen or damp powder would prevent

9384-402: The Presidential Escort Squadron for the President of Ecuador . The unit stands guard at Quito 's Carondelet Palace and retains the uniform worn during the Battle of Tarqui of 1829, reporting as part of the Ecuadorian Army . While the French army has not included any grenadiers since 1870, the grenade badge is still a distinctive mark of the Foreign Legion , the National Gendarmerie and

9522-403: The Red Army within the 4th Army during the Tikhvin defensive operation in October 1941. It was a measure taken because of lack of firearms, and the commander of the brigade was appropriately General Major G.T. Timofeyev who had served in one of the Russian Imperial Army's grenadier regiments during the First World War. In the Vietnam War , U.S. squads usually had at least one soldier whose role

9660-578: The Russian and German armies, the grenadier regiments were considered as a historic elite; distinguished by features such as plumed helmets in full dress, distinctive facings (yellow for all Russian grenadiers) or special braiding. Their role and training, however, no longer differed from that of the rest of the infantry. Today, regiments using the name grenadiers are effectively indistinguishable from other infantry, especially when hand grenades , RPGs , and other types of explosive arms have become standard-issue weaponry; however, such regiments retain at least

9798-450: The Russian disaster, the regiment was once again reorganised, with the addition of a fifth and then a sixth squadron of 2 companies each. These two squadrons were both considered Young Guard and were also known as the 2nd Grenadiers à Cheval regiment. Throughout the War of the Sixth Coalition the regiment would fight in this format, with each of the four Old Guard squadrons being formed of 2 companies, 124 officers and men each. Following

9936-463: The Russian line and carried on beyond, only to find themselves behind enemy lines and in serious danger of being surrounded. As a result, the Emperor ordered Marshal Bessières to help the stranded reserve cavalry and thus a second cavalry charge ensued, spearheaded by the Chasseurs à Cheval and followed by the heavy cavalry of the 5th cuirassiers and Grenadiers à Cheval . Commanding the horse grenadiers

10074-760: The Southeast Asian states generally lacked the ability to natively produce the flintlock. The Jiaozhi arquebus was still the main firearm of Nguyễn dynasty musketeers at the end of the 18th century. The Burmese only obtained a majority of flintlocks in their armed forces by the 1860s (the Burmese kings demanded to be paid in surplus European muskets instead of currency), at which point the European powers had already moved on to percussion cap firearms. Flintlocks may be any type of small arm : long gun or pistol , smoothbore or rifle , muzzleloader or breechloader . Flintlock pistols were used as self-defense weapons and as

10212-547: The abdication of the Emperor Napoleon I in 1814, the restored Bourbons planned to erase the identity of this regiment by asking Marshal Michel Ney to disband and then reorganise the men into a new regiment called cuirassiers de France (cuirassiers of France), which included 4 squadrons. The men that had formed the original 6th Young Guard squadron were apparently all transferred to the Carabiniers-à-Cheval . With

10350-522: The advent of the Minié ball – by which time the percussion cap had made the flintlock obsolete. Because of the time needed to reload (even experts needed 15 seconds to reload a smooth-bore, muzzle-loading musket ), flintlocks were sometimes produced with two, three, four or more barrels for multiple shots. These designs tended to be costly to make and were often unreliable and dangerous. While weapons like double barreled shotguns were reasonably safe, weapons like

10488-439: The apparent height and impressive appearance of these troops both on the parade ground and the battlefield. The mitre cap, whether in stiffened cloth or metal, had become the distinguishing feature of the grenadier in the armies of Britain, Russia, Prussia and most German states during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Spanish and Austrian grenadiers favoured high fur hats with long coloured cloth 'hoods' (" bags "). The mitre

10626-506: The barrel, making the weapon more and more difficult to load. Even if the barrel was badly fouled, the flintlock user still had to properly seat the round all the way to the breech of the barrel. Leaving an air gap in between the powder and the round (known as "short starting") was very dangerous, and could cause the barrel to explode. Handling loose black powder was also dangerous, for obvious reasons. Powder measures, funnels, and other pieces of equipment were usually made out of brass to reduce

10764-400: The calculus of infantry combat; by one calculation, a formation equipped entirely with flintlocks (with paper cartridges) could output ten times as many shots in an equivalent period of time as a typical early 17th-century pike and shot formation equipped with matchlocks (pike:shot ratio of 3:2). Various breech-loading flintlocks were developed starting around 1650. The most popular action has

10902-400: The case of Spain and Austria sometimes contained elements from both mitres and bearskins. Until the mid-18th century, French grenadiers wore tricorne hats, rather than either the mitre or fur cap. Grenadier caps gradually increased in size and decoration, with added devices such as pompoms, cords, badges, front-plates, plumes, and braiding, as well as various national heraldic emblems. During

11040-535: The celebrated Guards' headdress was worn in action. From the 17th Century to the mid 19th centuries the "Foot" or infantry regiments of the British and several other armies comprised ten companies; eight of them "Battalion" or "Centre" companies, and two " Flank Companies " consisting of one Grenadier and one Light or Light Infantry Company. In the United States, an Act of Congress made on 8 May 1792 directed that for every infantry battalion there should be one company of grenadiers, riflemen, or light infantry. On occasion

11178-466: The coat pocket pistol, or coat pistol, which would fit into a large pocket, the coach pistol, meant to be carried on or under the seat of a coach in a bag or box, and belt pistols, sometimes equipped with a hook designed to slip over a belt or waistband. Larger pistols were called horse pistols. Arguably the most elegant of the pistol designs was the Queen Anne pistol , which was made in all sizes. Arguably

11316-588: The comeback of Napoleon during the Hundred Days , the regiment was once again transformed into the Horse Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard and after the fall of Napoleon, the regiment was permanently disbanded on November 25, 1815. The Grenadiers à Cheval regiment was commanded by a general of division , who had the title of colonel commandant (colonel commander), assisted by a brigadier general , who had

11454-467: The confederation's demise. The Chilean Grenadiers' uniforms, until 2011, were similar to the full Feldgrau uniforms of the Chilean Army, but adapted for the cavalry and like their Argentine counterparts, carry lances but not cavalry sabers, which are reserved for officers and the mounted colors guard escort. Starting in 2011, the regiment now wears a cavalry light blue full dress uniform with Pickelhaubes for all ranks. The "Tarqui Grenadiers" serve as

11592-400: The death of their beloved leader, Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessières , who had been killed in action by a stray Russian cannonball, next to the village of Rippach . The regiment saw brief action at the Battle of Dresden and was involved in supporting the foot Guards take the village of Reudnitz, during the Battle of Leipzig in late October. The only major engagement of the year would come at

11730-534: The elite 1st South Carolina Regiment, raised and commanded by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney . In Mexico Antonio López de Santa Anna created the Grenadier Guards of the Supreme Power on 7 December 1841. The formation remained in service until 1847. A Toronto militia unit was renamed the 10th Royal Grenadiers in 1881, then later became the Royal Regiment of Canada . In the nineteenth century, France had

11868-560: The end of October, at the Battle of Hanau . As the Bavarians under Karl Philipp von Wrede were trying to block the retreat of the Grande Armée towards France, Napoleon was forced to commit his élite troops, personally haranguing the Grenadiers-à-Cheval as they were preparing to go into action. The entire Guard cavalry charged by squadron, in column and broke a numerous enemy cavalry, pursuing it for several hundred metres. During this battle,

12006-681: The entire Grande Armée began to move out of the ruined city and the retreat towards the Duchy of Warsaw would offer only secondary actions to the Grenadiers-à-Cheval , with the mission of ensuring the protection of the Imperial Headquarters. The skirmishes, the cold and the deprivations during the retreat took their toll on the regiment and by the time of the Battle of Berezina the combined Grenadiers-à-Cheval and Chasseurs-à-Cheval were able to field no more than 500 combat-worthy men on horseback, with several hundred dismounted. Despite this, there

12144-488: The first major battle occurred at Eylau . Here, the Grande Armée gave battle, despite being seriously outnumbered and with the expected reinforcements failing to materialise, Napoleon's position was looking increasingly perilous. The Emperor thus ordered Marshal Murat to launch the entire reserve cavalry into a massive charge. At first, Murat led forward two dragoons and one cuirassiers divisions and these men pierced

12282-535: The flintlock did not proliferate globally. Flintlocks were far more complicated to manufacture than simple matchlocks, thus less-developed countries continued to use the latter into the mid 19th century, long after Europe had made the switch in the late 17th. In the Indian subcontinent , the natively-manufactured toradar matchlock was the most common firearm type until about 1830. The Sinhalese Kingdoms locally produced flintlock mechanisms for long-barreled muskets known as

12420-684: The following year, and the Grenadiers à Cheval , together with two newly created Young Guard infantry regiments and some Guard artillery, were a part of Bessières ' 2nd Corps of the Army of Spain, and were present in Madrid during the May uprising , where their first surgeon, Gauthier, was wounded. They then campaigned in the north-west of the country. On July 14, at the Battle of Medina de Rioseco , Bessières, with around 14,000 men, faced two massed Spanish corps of about 22,000 men, not far from Valladolid . A few squadrons of

12558-410: The grenadier and light companies could be "brigaded" together into separate grenadier and light infantry battalions for assaults or skirmishing respectively. Each of the line infantry regiments of the Austrian Army of this period included a grenadier division of two companies, separate from the fusilier companies that made up the bulk of the unit. The grenadier companies were frequently detached from

12696-456: The headquarters and residences of senior officers. When a regiment was in line formation the grenadier company always formed on the right flank. In the British Army, when Trooping the Colour , " The British Grenadiers " march is played no matter which regiment is on the parade ground, as the colour party stands at the right-hand end of the line, as every regiment formerly had a company of grenadiers at

12834-480: The high point of the mechanical development of the flintlock pistol was the British duelling pistol ; it was highly reliable, water resistant and accurate. External decoration was minimal but craftsmanship was evident, and the internal works were often finished to a higher degree of craftsmanship than the exterior. Dueling pistols were the size of the horse pistols of the late 1700s, around 16 inches (41 cm) long and were usually sold in pairs along with accessories in

12972-453: The horse grenadier regiment, a command which the latter would keep until May 20, 1806, when he retired from active service. In 1806, with the creation of a second heavy cavalry regiment in the Guard, the 'Dragoons of the Empress', a heavy cavalry brigade was formed and put under the command of a general of division. The command would be given to a senior cavalryman, General Frédéric Henri Walther ,

13110-534: The infantry regiments and all regiments were ordered to consist of a 3-battalion structure, with 3 grenadier companies of 200 grenadiers in each. In 1756 each of the grenadier companies was brought together in four permanent grenadier regiments. This policy of maintaining a separate corps of grenadiers continued until the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Palace Grenadiers was a ceremonial company selected from distinguished veterans, in existence from 1827 to 1917 with

13248-689: The inside of the gun barrel and the lock mechanism. Flintlock weapons that were not properly cleaned and maintained would corrode to the point of being destroyed. Most flintlocks were produced at a time before modern manufacturing processes became common. Even in mass-produced weapons, parts were often handmade. If a flintlock became damaged, or parts wore out due to age, the damaged parts were not easily replaced. Parts would often have to be filed down, hammered into shape, or otherwise modified so that they would fit, making repairs much more difficult. Machine-made, interchangeable parts began to be used only shortly before flintlocks were replaced by caplocks. The gun

13386-428: The largest were over 20 inches (51 cm). From around the beginning of the 1700s the larger pistols got shorter, so that by the late 1700s the largest would be around 16 inches (41 cm) long. The smallest would fit into a typical pocket or a hand warming muff and could easily be carried by women. The largest sizes would be carried in holsters across a horse's back just ahead of the saddle. In-between sizes included

13524-403: The late 17th century were in some armies discarded and replaced with caps. This was originally to allow the grenadier to sling his musket over his back with greater ease while throwing grenades (initially, only these troops were provided with slings). It has been suggested that a brimless hat also permitted the grenadier greater ease in throwing the grenade overhand. Preben Kannik, former Curator of

13662-488: The latter was supposed to support André Masséna 's Army of Portugal. Masséna had been busy besieging general Wellington in Lisbon , but he was not able to pierce the fortified Lines of Torres Vedras and subsequently retreated to Almeida . Wellington followed him and on May 5, 1811 found himself in an awkward position at the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro . Masséna needed Bessières' entire Army Corps, if he wanted to thoroughly beat

13800-418: The line infantry of the newly independent kingdom, these troops served with distinction in both World Wars. In peacetime they had a ceremonial role that corresponded to that of royal guards in other armies. In 1960 the historic blue and red full dress worn prior to World War I was reintroduced for limited wear, although the tall bearskin headdress is now made of synthetic material. The Canadian Grenadier Guards

13938-485: The loading process. A soldier did not have to take the time to measure out powder when using a paper cartridge. He simply tore open the cartridge, used a small amount of powder to prime the pan, then dumped the remaining powder from the cartridge into the barrel. The black powder used in flintlocks contained sulfur . If the weapon was not cleaned after use, sulfur dioxide in the powder residue would absorb moisture, producing sulfuric and sulfonic acids which would erode

14076-456: The main form of firearm for over 200 years. It was not until Reverend Alexander John Forsyth invented a rudimentary percussion cap system in 1807 that the flintlock system began to decline in popularity. The percussion ignition system was more weatherproof and reliable than the flintlock, but the transition from flintlock to percussion cap was a slow one, and the percussion system was not widely used until around 1830. The Model 1840 U.S. musket

14214-547: The mitre cap, southern countries such as France, Spain, Austria, Portugal, and various Italian states preferred the bearskin. By 1768, Britain had adopted the bearskin. The shape and appearance of fur caps differed according to period and country. While France used smaller bearskins, Spain preferred towering caps with long flowing bags. Britain initially favoured tall cloth mitres with lacing and braiding, while Russia would sport equally tall leather helmets with brass front-plates. The first grenadier headdresses were fairly low, and in

14352-445: The newly created Consular Guard, with the general staff of the regiment also expanded. On May 18, 1804, with the creation of the Imperial Guard , the horse grenadier regiment was integrated in this newly created unit. A decree from July of that year stated that the general staff of the regiment was to be extended to 32 men and that the regiment would be organised in four squadrons of two companies each, with 123 men in each company, for

14490-1023: The often poorly fitted action. The same problem affected the muskets produced by Giuseppe Crespi and adopted by the Austrian Army in 1771. Nonetheless, the Crespi System was experimented with by the British during the Napoleonic Wars , and percussion Halls guns saw service in the American Civil War . Flintlock weapons were commonly used until the mid 19th century, when they were replaced by percussion lock systems. Even though they have long been considered obsolete, flintlock weapons continue to be produced today by manufacturers such as Pedersoli, Euroarms, and Armi Sport. Not only are these weapons used by modern re-enactors, but they are also used for hunting, as many U.S. states have dedicated hunting seasons for black-powder weapons, which includes both flintlock and percussion lock weapons. Even after it became dominant in Europe,

14628-434: The opponent, inflicting heavy casualties and capturing over 200 men, their commander - Prince Repnin - with his general staff, as well as 27 pieces of artillery, with the loss of just 2 killed and 22 wounded (among which 6 officers wounded). In May 1806, General Walther replaced Ordener. Due to his seniority, Walther was also second-in-command of the entire Guard cavalry and exercised this command whenever Marshal Bessières

14766-491: The painting "Marie de' Medici as Bellona" by Rubens (painted around 1622–1625). These flintlocks were in use alongside older firearms such as matchlocks, wheellocks, and miquelet locks for nearly a hundred years. The last major European power to standardize the flintlock was the Holy Roman Empire , when in 1702 the Emperor instituted a new regulation that all matchlocks were to be converted or scrapped. The "true" flintlock

14904-497: The parent regiment and grouped into composite grenadier battalions for a particular campaign or purpose. The Russian Imperial Army of the 18th century followed a different line of development. Prior to 1731 grenadiers made up five separate regiments. These were disbanded prior to the outbreak of war with Turkey and picked infantrymen were transferred to one of two grenadier companies incorporated in each (two-battalion) line infantry regiment. In 1753, 2 grenadier companies were added to

15042-440: The period when slinging their firearms while throwing grenades. The cloth caps worn by the original grenadiers in European armies during the 17th century were frequently trimmed with fur. This fell out of fashion in many armies until the mid-18th century when grenadiers in the British, Spanish and French armies began wearing high fur-trimmed caps with crowns of coloured cloth and, in some cases, ornamental front plates. This added to

15180-540: The primary role of guarding the Winter Palace . With the standardisation of training and tactics, the need for separate grenadier companies at regimental level had passed by the mid-19th century and the British, French and Austrian armies phased out these sub-units between 1850 and 1862. The term grenadier was retained or adopted by various elite infantry units, including the Prussian Potsdam Grenadiers ;

15318-479: The range of .32–.45 in (8.1–11.4 mm) being the most common - hence being sometimes referred to as a "pea rifle." The Jezail was a military long flintlock rifle, developed near and popular throughout Afghanistan , India , Central Asia and parts of the Middle East . However, while European military tactics remained based on loosely-aimed mass volleys, most of their flintlocks were still smoothbore - as

15456-516: The regiment adopted the bearskin. In 1831, it was ordered that all three Foot Guards should wear the bearskin cap, by then resembling the modern headdress in shape and size. The grenadier companies of line infantry regiments meanwhile retained the bearskin cap for parade dress until it was abolished in 1842. During the Crimean War , the Foot Guard regiments wore their bearskins in the field, the only time

15594-527: The regiment saw brief but decisive action as they came up in support of general Merle 's infantry attack, which repulsed the Spaniards onto Medina and beyond, winning the battle. At the beginning of 1809, the Emperor recalled his Guard to central Germany for the War of the Fifth Coalition . They were present at the Battle of Aspern-Essling , under the intense fire of the numerous Austrian artillery, and saw

15732-430: The right of their formation. As noted above, grenadiers were distinguished by their headgear from the ordinary musketeers (or Hatmen ) in each regiment of foot. While there were some exceptions, the most typical grenadier headdress was either the mitre cap or the bearskin . Both began to appear in various armies during the second half of the 17th century because grenadiers were impeded by the wide brimmed infantry hats of

15870-462: The risk of creating a spark, which could ignite the powder. Soldiers often used pre-made paper cartridges , which unlike modern cartridges were not inserted whole into the weapon. Instead, they were tubes of paper that contained a pre-measured amount of powder and a lead ball. Although paper cartridges were safer to handle than loose powder, their primary purpose was not safety related at all. Instead, paper cartridges were used mainly because they sped up

16008-563: The selection of grenadier and other special sub-units was done according to the preferences of individual officers. Transferral to a grenadier company generally meant both enhanced status and an increase in pay. Whether for reasons of appearance or reputation, grenadiers tended to be the showpiece troops of their respective armies. In the Spanish Army of the early 19th century, for example, grenadier companies were excused routine duties such as town patrols but were expected to provide guards at

16146-605: The senior eight regiments of foot of the army. On 29 June of that year the diarist John Evelyn saw them drilling at an encampment at Hounslow, near London: Now were brought into service a new sort of soldier called Grenadiers, who were dexterous in flinging hand grenadoes, every one having a pouch full; they had furred caps with coped crowns like Janizaries , which made them look very fierce, and some had long hoods hanging down behind, as we picture fools . Their clothing being likewise piebald , yellow and red. The first grenades were small iron spheres filled with gunpowder fused with

16284-542: The spiral grooves of rifling made rifles take more time to load, and after repeated shots black powder tended to foul the barrels. Rifled flintlocks saw most military use by sharpshooters, skirmishers, and other support units. While by the late 18th century there were increasing efforts to take advantage of the rifle for military purposes, with specialist rifle units such as the King's Royal Rifle Corps of 1756 and Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) , smoothbores predominated until

16422-503: The struggle of their army to contain a vastly superior opponent. When Napoleon himself had his boot torn by a canister ball, general Frédéric Henri Walther , commander of the Guard cavalry, threatened the Emperor that he would have his grenadiers take him behind the lines by force if he refused to do so willingly. The latter complied but had to order a general retreat of the army to the Danube island of Lobau . Six weeks later, Napoleon crossed

16560-626: The surrender of Ulm . They would see their only major action during this campaign on December 2, on the Pratzen plateau , at the Battle of Austerlitz . During this battle, Napoleon had planned to break the Austro-Russian centre and thus split their forces. The plan was well under way towards mid morning but a potentially dangerous situation for the French occurred when the Russian Imperial Guard under Grand Duke Constantine arrived and attacked

16698-399: The title of colonel-major (colonel major), also called major en premier (first major), himself assisted by a general or colonel, with the title of major en second (second major). Pigeard offers a complete table of the regiment's commanders: On July 18, 1800, as Bessières was called to take overall command of the entire Consular Guard Cavalry, the seasoned Colonel Ordener took command of

16836-673: The tradition of their elite past. Grenadier can also refer to soldiers using grenade launchers , including those mounted on rifles. During World War I a proposal to designate specialist grenade launching units in the British Army as grenadiers was vetoed by the Grenadier Guards , who considered that they now had exclusive rights to the ancient distinction, and the term "bomber" was substituted. During World War I, German troops referred to as assault pioneers , who were early combat engineers or sappers and stormtroopers began using two types of hand grenades in trench warfare operations against

16974-522: The traditional role of grenadiers as shock troops. The term in today's Bundeswehr refer to mechanized infantry. When parachute units were first created in the United States Army, the Air Corps desired them to be under their control and to be designated "air grenadiers". The last known unit to serve as grenadiers, and employing grenades as their weapons, was a special "Grenadier brigade" formed by

17112-580: The unit took place in dramatic circumstances during the War of the Second Coalition , at Marengo . As First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte was losing the battle against the Austrians , Louis Desaix 's French division appeared on the field of battle. As Desaix's men charged, two separate cavalry charges helped change the course of the battle: Kellermann 's brigade deployed skillfully on the Austrian right, before charging and breaking everything in its way, and on

17250-468: The weapon from firing. This rendered flintlock weapons unusable in rainy or damp weather. Some armies attempted to remedy this by using a leather cover over the lock mechanism, but this proved to have only limited success. Accidental firing was also a problem for flintlocks. A burning ember left in the barrel could ignite the next powder charge as it was loaded. This could be avoided by waiting between shots for any leftover residue to completely burn. Running

17388-449: The weapons were used much like the pikes that they replaced. Because they were also used as pikes, military flintlocks tended to be approximately 5–6 feet (150–180 cm) in length (without the bayonet attached), and used bayonets that were approximately 18–22 inches (46–56 cm) in length. In Germany, the Jäger rifle was developed by the late 18th century. It was used for hunting, and in

17526-519: Was Colonel Lepic who superbly led two squadrons of the regiment, as they stormed through the first and second Russian lines, stopping only in front of the enemy reserves. As the handful of horse grenadiers arrived in front of this third enemy line, they were all but surrounded and the Russians at once demanded that they surrender. Lepic defiantly retorted: "Have a look at my men and tell me if they look like ones who want to surrender!" and he immediately ordered

17664-411: Was able to arrive on the field of battle at Borodino at full strength. Despite the various insistent demands of the French field commanders during this epic battle, Napoleon refused to commit the Guard to battle so far away from France. During the great fire of Moscow , the Grenadiers-à-Cheval were used to police the city, due to their reputation of discipline and high moral standards. By mid-October,

17802-542: Was at this moment that Napoleon sent in his Guard cavalry: 4 squadrons, 423 men, of the Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard and Mameluke regiment and 4 squadrons, 706 men, of the Grenadiers à Cheval regiment, with a battery of Guard horse artillery in support. The grenadiers charged vigorously and clashed with the Russian Chevalier Guard Regiment . After a short mêlée, the horse grenadiers broke

17940-575: Was beset by problems: the cocking mechanism was difficult to squeeze, the sight was hard to use, and the complicated trigger design required constant maintenance. By May 1967, it was deemed unsuitable for use in the field, and was eventually replaced by the M203 grenade launcher . Though the M203 was later replaced by the M320 Grenade Launcher Module in U.S. Army service starting in 2009, the M203 remains

18078-788: Was gradually replaced by bearskin caps in other armies, and by 1914 it only survived in the 1st Foot Guards and the 1st (Emperor Alexander) Guards Grenadiers of the Prussian Imperial Guard, plus the Russian Pavlovsky Guard . Russian grenadiers had worn their brass fronted mitre hats on active service until 1807 and some of these preserved for parade wear by the Pavlovsky Guards until 1914 still had dents or holes from musket balls. Some have survived for display in museums and collections. While Northern European armies such as Britain, Russia, Sweden, and various German states wore

18216-460: Was in a similar position to China and India. The Vietnamese were introduced to flintlocks by the Dutch in the 1680s, and bought some from European merchants. Flintlocks began to appear in Javanese arsenals in the first decade of the eighteenth century and the Dutch began to supply flintlocks to the rulers of Surabaya in the 1710s and 1720s. But matchlocks remained prominent until the mid-19th century, and

18354-405: Was less expensive to manufacture than earlier flintlocks, which along with general economic development allowed every European soldier to have one by the 18th century. Compared to the earlier matchlock, flintlocks could be reloaded roughly twice as fast, misfired far less often, and were easier to use in various environments due to the fact that they did not require a lit match. This instantly changed

18492-522: Was not available for service. The blitz 1806 campaign against Prussia went on without the regiment seeing any action. Nonetheless, war continued the next year in Poland, with the French in pursuit of the Russian army. The rigors of the Polish winter, the bad roads and the extreme poverty of certain regions brought about considerable misery for both sides and rendered proper reconnaissance virtually impossible. After some initial maneuvering and minor engagements,

18630-566: Was one of the 2 Canadian infantry regiments of C Force that took part in the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. The regiment is currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle . The Presidential Horse Guards Cavalry Regiment "Grenadiers" ( Regimiento Escolta Presidencial n.1 "Granaderos" ) of the Chilean Army is active since 1827, has fought in every major battle of the Chilean Army in

18768-631: Was replaced on December 1 by the 45-year-old General of Division Claude Étienne Guyot, with the senior general of division Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty taking overall command of the entire Guard cavalry. The following year, war continued on French soil and began very badly, with the French army outnumbered and in very bad shape. The Guard cavalry, under Nansouty, was thus called into action more often than ever, combating valiantly and often playing an instrumental role in Napoleon's attempts to frustrate Coalition plans. Together with other regiments of

18906-509: Was that of a grenadier, armed with just an M79 grenade launcher and an M1911 pistol , though in some cases grenadiers were not even issued this sidearm. The M79 was designed to bridge the gap between the maximum throwing range of a grenade and the minimum distance of mortar fire. The XM148 grenade launcher , the M79's replacement designed to be mounted to the M16 rifle , was first issued in December 1966, but

19044-442: Was the last flintlock firearm produced for the U.S. military. However, obsolete flintlocks saw action in the earliest days of the American Civil War . For example, in 1861, the Army of Tennessee had over 2,000 flintlock muskets in service. As a result of the flintlock's long active life, it left lasting marks on the language and on drill and parade . Terms such as: " lock, stock and barrel ", " going off half-cocked " and " flash in

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