Franco-Prussian War Uniforms

[BESPJL]

Hi,

I'm looking for some good books about Franco-Prussian War Uniforms.
I've got the 4 from Osprey but while the Prussian side uniforms have a good description the french ones focus on the constitution of the forces and never refer the uniforms (correct if I'm wrong). For example I've some questions about the blues in the french army (mediums or dark ones). If there are any sites with this info please direct me to them.

Thank you.

Cheers,
Paulo

 

[Dan Morton]

Try a Google Image Search of "1870+French+uniforms". It should give you about five pages of uniforms with color references. I'm not any kind of an expert on the French uniforms of the period, but they mostly look similar to those worn by the French army in 1914. Some variation in reservists and Legionnaires. The Legionnaires sometimes wore a khaki or even off-whitish uniform in the tropical and desert climates. The reservists, from what I can gather (and I could be wrong) wore a mixture of uniforms.

All the best,
Dan

 

[Gennady Danshin]

In the "Tradition" French magazins there is lots of information on the French uniforms of the war.

 

[btavis]

I am not sure what Osprey titles you have but the two that I have clearly show the uniforms:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images...ow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU02_.jpg

http://images.indiebound.com/212/321/9781855321212.jpg

The regular infantry looked like this:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4QlVRfDC7...XCyh_s/s1600/sedan-1870-film-02-07-2005-4.jpg

The Zouaves looked like this:

http://antan.unblog.fr/files/2008/03/zouaves.gif

But here are a lot of different uniforms:

http://antan.unblog.fr/tag/uniformes/page/4/

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Look at this:

http://antan.unblog.fr/tag/uniformes

There ist all you need, I think.

The "reservists" were called "Garde Mobile" (google this for picures!) wore a mix of uniform and civillian parts, for they had to get their clothes by their own money.

Regards

 

[BESPJL]

Hi,

Thank you all for the info.
The Osprey books I have are those but they don't explain the uniforms.
So from the pictures can am I to understand that the line infantry use a royal blue with red trousers, imperial a dark blue with red trousers?
And which used dark blue trousers and coats?

Cheers,
Paulo

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Hi,
And which used dark blue trousers and coats?
Paulo

Artillery, Train and Gardes Mobiles for example - and the Chasseurs à pied.


The "blue" of the coats of the Imperial Guard was the same as of the line-troops.

Regards.

 

[Michaelminiatures]

My favorite book on French uniforms of that period is LA GARDE IMPERIALE DE NAPOLEON III -author Louis Delperier- Andre Jouineau-Bertrand Malvaux
publisher Editions du Canonnier
It is in French but if you don't read French thousands of beautiful color. photos.
Web-site link for contacting Bertrand he also sells other French uniform books.
http://www.bertrand-malvaux.fr/

 

[BESPJL]

Thanks guys for all the extraordinary help.

Cheers,
Paulo